Abstract: The present disclosure provides coordination of assignments for the physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) in a multi-sector cell based on reuse of CCE resources to user equipment (UE) in different sectors that are well isolated from each other. For non-isolated UEs the CCE resources are either repeated in all sectors for better reception performance, or transmitted in one sector whilst the corresponding CCEs in the other sectors are reserved. In order to achieve coordinated PDCCH assignment there is provided methods for coordinated PDCCH transmission, a system comprising transmission points which are associated with a common physical cell identity and which are controlled by a common network node. There is also provided a corresponding network node and computer readable media comprising computer program code.

Abstract: A network node (10) communicates with user equipments, UEs, in a cell served by the network node. The network node receives measurement reports from, scheduled UEs (S1) and determines, based on the measurement reports, a number of neighboring cells that scheduled future transmissions by the scheduled UEs are likely to interfere with (S2). An interference indicator for each of the number of neighboring cells likely to be interfered with is determined (S3), and the network node sends the interference indicator to one or more neighbor network nodes serving one of the number of neighboring cells likely to be interfered with (S4).

Abstract: A network node (10) communicates with user equipments, UEs, in a cell served by the network node. The network node receives measurement reports from its UEs and obtains therefrom statistics (S1). The network node receives an interference overload indicator, IOI, from a neighboring network node having a neighboring cell (S2) that may prompt making the determination. The network node uses the statistics to determine whether transmissions in the cell are or will be a likely cause of interference to the neighboring cell (S3). The network node then determines whether to take action with respect to one or more of the UEs based on the determination of whether transmissions in the cell are or will be a likely cause of interference to the neighboring cell (S4).

Abstract: A method and apparatus in a base station serving a first cell in a cellular network, for supporting radio resource management, RRM, in the cellular network. The base station obtains measurements (M) of signals transmitted in the first cell and of signals transmitted in at least one neighbouring cell and determines a cell isolation factor of the first cell, based on the obtained measurements, the cell isolation factor indicating insusceptibility to interference from signals transmitted in the neighbouring cell(s). The determined cell isolation factor is then used to support RRM for terminals in the network, e.g. as a basis for determining whether to employ an RRM scheme or not. Thereby, it is possible to decide to employ the RRM scheme for cells where it is effective and helpful and not in other cells.

Abstract: A base station serves multiple user terminals via a relay node in a cell of a wireless network. The base station includes a time division scheme selection unit that selects a time division scheme from multiple time division schemes that optimizes a parameter associated with network coding of data transmitted between the multiple user terminals and the base station via the relay node. The base station further includes a transmission allocation unit that allocates uplink and/or downlink transmission intervals and interval lengths, based on the selected time division scheme, to each of the multiple user terminals and to the relay node. The base station also includes a notification message unit that notifies the multiple user terminals and the relay node of their respective transmission interval and interval length allocation.

Abstract: A method in a radio network node for communicating with a user equipment (UE) during communication between the radio network node and a radio base station in a radio communications network. The radio network node serves the UE within a cell and communicates with the radio base station and the UE over a frequency spectrum in a time division duplexing configuration. The radio network node sets up a first connection over a first part of the frequency spectrum to the radio base station, and a second connection to the UE over the first or a second part of the frequency spectrum. The second part of the frequency spectrum is solely used for communication with UEs within the cell. The radio network node then communicates simultaneously with the UE and the radio base station over respective connections in a time slot of a reference time configured by the radio communications network.

Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to a method in a radio base station for transmitting information of an allocation of a radio resource allocated to a second user equipment. The radio base station is arranged to serve a first user equipment and the second user equipment in a cell of a radio communications network. The radio resource in the cell comprises Physical Resource Blocks that are organized in radio frames comprising subframes. The radio base station allocates a radio resource to the second user equipment in a subframe of the cell based on a frequency hopping scheme of the first user equipment. Also, the radio base station transmits a message to the second user equipment, which message indicates the allocated radio resource.

Abstract: A communications network (20) comprises a network coding node (24) and a network decoding node (26). A method of operating a communications network (20) comprises, at the network coding node (24), performing multi-domain network coding upon a first signal and a second signal to obtain a network coded signal. The first signal is modulated by a first modulation scheme and the second signal is modulated by a second modulation scheme. At least one of the first signal and the second signal includes information in a phase domain and information in an amplitude domain. The method further comprises transmitting the network coded signal over a link to a receiver (26) and performing multi-domain network decoding of the network coded signal as detected at the receiver (26) to obtain the second signal, the receiver knowing and using the first signal for the multi-domain network decoding.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for controlling signaling processing resources that are shared among two or more cells at a base station, such that signaling processing resources are efficiently utilized and such that resources assigned for sending uplink grants and downlink assignments on a downlink control channel that is shared among the mobile terminals in each cell is also efficiently used. An example method is an iterative process whereby a manager controlling the assignments of resources on the downlink control channel among the mobile terminals on each cell is requested to provide resource to a restricted number of mobile terminals for a cell. This is repeated for each cell until a total processing capacity for the site is reached. The restriction in the number of mobile terminals included in each request relates to the total capacity for processing remaining on the site.

Abstract: A method of operating a wireless communication system comprises making a determination which of plural transmission modes is to be a selected transmission mode for transmitting plural entities to a receiving node over a radio interface, and then (at a network coding node (24)) in accordance with the determination implementing the selected transmission mode with respect to the plural input entities.

Abstract: A method and arrangement for retransmission control. A method in a sending system entity for controlling retransmissions of data to a sending system entity is provided. Initial data encoded with a first forward error correction code is sent 200 to the receiving system entity. When transmitted initial data is determined to be affected by errors at the receiving system entity, the sending system entity receives 202 a request to retransmit the initial data combined 204 by new data encoded with a second forward error correction code in a combined data stream which is encoded 206 with a third forward error correction code before being sent 208 to the receiving system entity. By combining initial data and encoded new data in a combined data stream when resending, an effective and flexible procedure for retransmissions is achieved, which doesn't introduce any substantial delay of the data.

Abstract: The present invention relates to coded multidirectional relaying in a network communication system. By sending information about the processing (610, 724, 736, 818, 822) and modulation (742, 828) of data, performed in a network coding node (104, 200, 404, 504), to a first (102, 300, 402, 502) and second (106, 300, 406, 506) network decoding nodes, network decoding can be correctly performed by the first and second network decoding nodes in general and not just for special communication cases.

Abstract: In a mobile communication network, a radio node and related method for reducing a signal-to-noise-and-interference ratio (SINR) requirement for a transmission in a scheduling interval. The node estimates a frequency resource utilization in the scheduling interval and compares the estimated utilization with a first threshold. When the estimated utilization is equal to or below the first threshold, the node increases the frequency resource utilization for the transmission, and adjusts a link adaptation for the transmission based on the increased frequency resource utilization. Optionally, the node may decrease the transmit power for the scheduling interval based on the adjusted link adaptation.

Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to a user equipment (10), a radio base station (12) and methods therein for handling transmission power control of the user equipment (10). The user equipment (10) is served by the radio base station (12) in a serving cell (i) controlled by the radio base station (12). The radio base station (12) or user equipment obtains a first pathloss from the user equipment (10) towards the serving cell (i) and a a second pathloss from the user equipment (10) towards an interfered cell (j). The radio base station (12) or the user equipment (10) then selects a value of one or more parameters, respectively, which one or more parameters are to be used to control a transmission power of the user equipment (10) and which value is selected based on the first pathloss and the second pathloss.

Abstract: Various schedulers are disclosed for use within a network node of a radio access network. A scheduler can be configured to divide a defined frequency bandwidth into a plurality of bandwidth pipes. The scheduler then develops sets of nodes that are candidates for using corresponding ones of the bandwidth pipes to communicate with the network node during a communication time interval. At least one of the sets contains a plurality of candidate nodes. The scheduler operates separate parallel processes that are arranged for computing metrics for the sets of nodes. The scheduler assigns one of the nodes in each set of nodes to the corresponding bandwidth pipe in response to the computed metrics. The scheduler may divide the defined frequency bandwidth into a plurality of non-overlapping bandwidth pipes so that metrics for candidate nodes in one of the sets can be computed independently from candidate nodes in another one of the sets.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a network coding node for resource allocation applicable to multi-directional network coding in an exchanging system. By estimating the number of bits per resource element (steps 402, 404) on uplink channels to a network coding node (200, 304, 504, 604), the number of resource elements for the sending on said uplinks is determined (step 410) to fully utilize the resources, i.e. such that link underutilization is avoided as well as incorporation of delays are avoided. The number of resource elements is decided such that the data transmitted to the network coding node is provided to end-nodes (302, 306, 502, 506, 602, 606) by sending one and the same representation of the data from a first and a second end-node, to said first and second end-nodes enabling extracting data originated from the differing end-node.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing efficient utilization of spectrum in a cellular communication network that applies Almost Blank Subframes (ABSs) are disclosed. In general, the network includes an access node that applies ABSs in the downlink. In one embodiment, the access node identifies UEs for which transmissions are to be scheduled for the uplink using a scheduling scheme that does not require control information for every subframe. The access node then time-aligns scheduling instants of the UEs and subframes in the uplink that correspond to at least some of the ABSs in the downlink. In another embodiment, the access node identifies UEs for which transmissions are to be scheduled for the downlink using a scheduling scheme that does not require control information for every subframe. The access node then time-aligns scheduling instants of the UEs for the downlink and at least a subset of the ABSs in the downlink.

Abstract: Various schedulers are disclosed for use within a network node of a radio access network. A scheduler can be configured to divide a defined frequency bandwidth into a plurality of bandwidth pipes. The scheduler then develops sets of nodes that are candidates for using corresponding ones of the bandwidth pipes to communicate with the network node during a communication time interval. At least one of the sets contains a plurality of candidate nodes. The scheduler operates separate parallel processes that are arranged for computing metrics for the sets of nodes. The scheduler assigns one of the nodes in each set of nodes to the corresponding bandwidth pipe in response to the computed metrics. The scheduler may divide the defined frequency bandwidth into a plurality of non-overlapping bandwidth pipes so that metrics for candidate nodes in one of the sets can be computed independently from candidate nodes in another one of the sets.

Abstract: A base station serves multiple user terminals via a relay node in a cell of a wireless network. The base station includes a time division scheme selection unit that selects a time division scheme from multiple time division schemes that optimizes a parameter associated with network coding of data transmitted between the multiple user terminals and the base station via the relay node. The base station further includes a transmission allocation unit that allocates uplink and/or downlink transmission intervals and interval lengths, based on the selected time division scheme, to each of the multiple user terminals and to the relay node. The base station also includes a notification message unit that notifies the multiple user terminals and the relay node of their respective transmission interval and interval length allocation.

Abstract: A base station in a wireless network receives link quality data from multiple relay nodes that relay data from the user terminals to the base station and/or from user terminals. The base station applies one or more cost functions to the link quality data and selects a relay node from the multiple relay nodes for network coding of data from a group of the user terminals based on results of the one or more cost functions. The base station notifies the selected relay node to network code data from the group of user terminals.