Abstract: A small cell (e.g., femtocell) in a wireless communication may determine a set of wireless signal measurements for a plurality of small cells causing pilot cell pollution within a coverage area. The small cell may determine an adjustment of a transmission parameter of the small cells for reducing the pilot cell pollution, and transmit the adjustment to the small cells. The adjustment may include, for example, minimizing an area of overlap between at least two small cells having signal power difference below a threshold, maximizing a signal to interference and noise ratio at a location associated with at least two small cells, minimizing an area associated with at least two pilot signals within a threshold signal level, distributing traffic load to at least two of the small cells based on the set of measurements, or by minimizing the number of small cells covering a path.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for adjusting a transmission power at a femto node are described herein. According to the systems, devices, and methods herein, a measurement of a signal transmitted from a transmitting node may be communicated to the femto node, for example from a user equipment or a neighboring femto node, for use in adjusting the power. The transmitting node may comprise the femto node, a macro node, or a neighboring femto node. In addition, statistics regarding such measurements may be communicated to the femto node for use in adjusting the power. The femto node may also adjust the power based on unsuccessful registration attempts or interference communications received at the femto node.

Abstract: Interference that occurs during wireless communication may be managed through the use of fractional reuse and other techniques. In some aspects fractional reuse may relate to HARQ interlaces, portions of a timeslot, frequency spectrum, and spreading codes. Interference may be managed through the use of a transmit power profile and/or an attenuation profile. Interference also may be managed through the use of power management-related techniques.

Abstract: The present disclosure presents methods and apparatuses for improved paging area identifier selection in femto nodes and other low power base stations. In some examples described in the present disclosure, a method is provided for selecting a paging area identifier at a low power base station, which includes determining whether a neighboring high power base station is detectable. Additionally, the method can include observing, where the neighboring high power base station is detectable, a broadcasted paging area identifier of the neighboring high power base station. Furthermore, example methods may include selecting a paging area identifier of the low power base station to be the broadcasted paging area identifier and transmitting the paging area identifier.

Abstract: Techniques for admitting user equipments (UEs) to wireless systems are disclosed. UEs may be assigned priorities for admission to a given wireless system. The UEs may then be admitted to the wireless system based on the priorities of the UEs for the wireless system. In one design, a UE may be identified for admission to a first wireless system among a plurality of wireless systems. Attributes (e.g., capabilities) of the UE for the plurality of wireless systems may be determined. An admission priority of the UE for the first wireless system may be determined based on the attributes of the UE for the plurality of wireless systems. Whether to admit the UE to the first wireless system may be determined based on the admission priority of the UE for the first wireless system and possibly the current resource usage of the first wireless system.

Abstract: In a multi-level power transmission scheme, an access point transmits at one power level, while repeatedly transmitting at a burst power level for short periods of time. For example, a femto cell may transmit a beacon with periodic high power bursts of short duration, while the femto cell transmit power also undergoes high power bursts aligned with the beacon bursts. In a network listen-based power control scheme, an access point listens for one or more parameters sent over-the-air by the network and then defines transmit power based on the received parameter(s). In some aspects, beacon transmit power may be set based on a defined outage radius parameter and the total received signal power on a channel. In some aspects, access point transmit power may be set based on a defined coverage parameter and the received energy associated with signals from access points of a certain type.

Abstract: A power calibration scheme adjusts power levels of network of femtocells based on macro signals seen at different points in and around a coverage area and based on the mutual positions of the femtocells (e.g., based on femtocell signals seen at these points). The power calibration scheme thus facilitates a good balance between providing a desired level of coverage and mitigation of interference to nearby macrocells and femtocells.

Abstract: Transmit power (e.g., maximum transmit power) may be defined based on the maximum received signal strength allowed by a receiver and a total received signal strength from transmitting nodes at the receiver. Transmit power may be defined for an access node (e.g., a femto node) such that a corresponding outage created in a cell (e.g., a macro cell) is limited while still providing an acceptable level of coverage for access terminals associated with the access node. An access node may autonomously adjust its transmit power based on channel measurement and a defined coverage hole to mitigate interference and perform a self-calibration process.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products are disclosed for facilitating a beacon-assisted handover from a macro network to a femto cell during an active call. A femto cell management system assigns a unique identifier to a femto cell, which the femto cell utilizes to broadcast a beacon at a frequency different than the operating frequency of the femto cell. A wireless terminal receives a control message from the macro network directing the wireless terminal to scan particular frequencies. The wireless terminal subsequently provides a report to the macro network identifying attributes ascertained from the scan, which includes attributes associated with the beacon. The macro network then performs a handover from the macro network to the femto cell as a function of the attributes.

Abstract: The present disclosure presents methods and apparatuses for improved paging area identifier selection in low power base stations. In some examples described in the present disclosure, a method is provided for updating a paging area identifier, which may include observing one or more parameters of signals received in a wireless network, updating a previously selected paging area identifier to a new paging area identifier based at least in part on the one or more parameters, and transmitting the new paging area identifier. In addition, example methods are provided for paging devices in a wireless network, which may include determining a paging area identifier related to a last known low power base station for a device, determining a plurality of low power base stations using the paging area identifier, and causing the plurality of low power base stations to transmit a paging signal for the device.

Abstract: Aspects are disclosed for facilitating a hand-in to a femto cell. An identifier is assigned to a femto cell in which the identifier is based on a scrambling parameter and a timing parameter. A relationship between the identifier and the femto cell is then communicated. In another embodiment, a user equipment report is received, which includes attributes related to a signal broadcast by a femto cell. An identifier associated with the femto cell is ascertained from an attribute included in the report. The femto cell is then identified based on the identifier. In a further embodiment, a timing parameter is received, and a scrambling parameter is set. A signal including the scrambling parameter is then broadcast according to an offset related to the timing parameter. In yet another embodiment, a femto cell is detected during an active call. An identifier associated with the femto cell is then ascertained and reported.

Abstract: The disclosure is related to small cell base station power management within a wireless network. In an aspect, at least one metric related to operational and non-operational states of the small cell base station is determined, a reliability state of the small cell base station is determined based on the at least one metric related to the operational and non-operational states of the small cell base station, and one or more operational parameters of the small cell base station are adjusted based on the determined reliability state.

Abstract: Interference that occurs during wireless communication may be managed by hybrid time reuse. A method, apparatus amend medium of communication determines one or more time reuse patterns of respective one or more unplanned access points. A second time reuse pattern that is less interfering with the one or more time reuse patterns is selected. Signals are transmitted according to the second time reuse pattern from a second unplanned access point to an associated access terminal.

Abstract: Access terminals are provisioned to conduct intra-frequency, inter-frequency, and inter-RAT measurements and report physical layer identifiers of detected cells. The provisioning may involve cycling through all or a portion of a defined superset of physical layer identifier one subset at a time. In addition, the physical layer identifiers may be prioritized to improve the search procedure. Measurement report messages (including physical layer identifiers of the detected cells) are received at an access point as a result of the provisioning. A neighbor cell list for the femtocell is maintained based on the received measurement report messages and, optionally, other information.

Abstract: A method for reducing frequent idle handoffs of a wireless communication device is described. A registration request is received by a base station or a femto access point from the wireless communication device. The number of registration requests received from the wireless communication device are counted while the registration timer is running. It is determined that frequent handoffs are happening when the number of registration requests received is greater than a registration threshold. A transmit power of a femto access point is adjusted if the number of registration requests received indicates that frequent handoffs are happening.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided for mitigating interference among access points, and/or devices communicating therewith, in unplanned network deployments. Based on determining that one or more served devices potentially interfere with one or more access points, an inter-frequency handover (IFHO) threshold or data rate can be adjusted for the device to cause IFHO or reduce occurrence of interference, and/or a coverage area can be modified so the device can communicate with one or more other access points to mitigate potential interference. Based on determining interference from one or more devices served by other access points, an access point can switch operating modes to a hybrid or open access point to allow the one or more devices to handover to the access point, and/or can boost downlink transmit power to cause the one or more devices to perform IFHO from the other access points to mitigate potential interference.

Abstract: Techniques for prioritizing user equipments (UEs) for switching between wireless systems are disclosed. The wireless systems may be part of a small cell and may include a WLAN system and a cellular system. In one design, a network entity (e.g., the small cell) may identify a plurality of UEs communicating with a first wireless system. The first wireless system may be one of a plurality of wireless systems providing communication coverage for the UEs. The network entity may determine priorities of the UEs for switching from the first wireless system to a second wireless system. The network entity may then select at least one UE among the plurality of UEs to switch from the first wireless system to the second wireless system based on the priorities of the UEs.

Abstract: Techniques for switching user equipments (UEs) between wireless systems are disclosed. A UE may be located within the coverage of a plurality of wireless systems and may communicate with a first wireless system among the plurality of wireless systems. The plurality of wireless systems may include a WLAN system and a cellular system and/or may be part of a small cell. Metrics of the UE for the plurality of wireless systems may be determined. The metrics may be related to one or more of efficiency, service charge, service subscription, application type, or buffer size. Whether to switch the UE from the first wireless system to another wireless system may be determined based on the metrics. In one design, switching priorities of the UE for the plurality of wireless systems may be determined based on the metrics and may be used to determine whether to switch the UE.

Abstract: A small base node such as a Home Base Node (HNB), or femto cell, may reduce its transmit power in order to prevent co-channel or adjacent channel interference, or to limit its coverage area. Once the power is set, the HNB signal to a served Home User Equipment (HUE) its transmit Common Pilot Channel (CPICH) transmit power for accurate path loss estimation. When this power is outside of the permissible range, the HNB adjusts other parameters (such as Random Access Channel (RACH) constant value) to compensate for the error in signaled CPICH power, and thus compensate in that process the error in determining path loss. Similarly, if the uplink sensitivity is adjusted, to prevent interference, parameters would also be adjusted and signaled to the HUE to reflect the link imbalance.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for regulating frequent handovers by mobile devices between adjacent femtocells. In one aspect, the method includes determining if a mobile device is experiencing frequent handovers between femtocells, classifying frequent handovers based on cause (e.g., ping-pong between the two femtocells or high speed mobile device crossing a number of femtocells, etc.), and determining one or more remedial actions for regulation of frequent handovers based on the number of frequent handovers and their classification.