Abstract: One embodiment of the method of estimating mobility of a user equipment includes obtaining location information of at least one base station that participated in a handover of the user equipment, and estimating a mobility of the user equipment based on the obtained location information.

Abstract: In a wireless telecommunications network, there is included: a macro cell (10) having a first coverage area; and at least one metro cell (20a, 20b, 20c) having a second coverage area, the metro cell being located within the first coverage area of the macro cell. Suitably, the macro cell is configured to: determine whether or not the macro cell is congested; determine whether or not the metro cell is uncongested; and, if it is determined the macro cell is congested and that the metro cell is uncongested, then the macro cell determines that an attempted application of Cell Association Bias (CAB) for the metro cell is warranted. Suitably, if CAB is in fact applied, the macro cell also implements enhanced Inter Cell Interference Coordination (eICIC) using Almost Blank Subframes (ABS) and informs its other neighboring metro cells of this configuration.

Abstract: A method for transmitting control information from multiple base stations in an active set to a mobile device in a wireless communication system reduces resource consumption by routing information originating from a plurality of active base stations through a single serving base station. The serving base station pools and resolves the information from the active base stations and sends the resolution of the pooled information over a downlink control channel for evaluation and response by the mobile device.

Abstract: The present application describes methods involving one or more mobile units, one or more macrocells providing wireless connectivity to one or more first coverage areas, and one or more femtocell providing wireless connectivity to one or more second coverage areas overlapping with the first coverage area(s). One embodiment of the method includes determining, at the femtocell(s), whether to transmit one or more beacon signal from the femtocell(s) on one or more carriers associated with the macrocell(s) based on whether mobile unit(s) are located within the first coverage area(s).

Abstract: At least one example embodiment discloses a method of controlling a handover of a user equipment (UE) from a serving base station to a target base station in a heterogeneous network. The method includes determining, by a serving base station, a speed of the UE and a type of the handover, the type of the handover being one of macro cell to macro cell, macro cell to small cell, small cell to macro cell and small cell to small cell, and controlling, by the serving base station, the handover from the serving base station to the target base station based on the speed of the UE and the type of handover.

Abstract: A method is provided for scheduling transmission resources to a mobile station served by a plurality of base stations. According to the method of the invention, feedback information respecting data received by the mobile station from each of at least two of the plurality of base stations is received by the each of the plurality of base stations. An inference is then drawn at a second of the plurality of base stations of throughput parameters respecting a transmission channel between a first of the plurality of base stations and the mobile station. Transmission resources for the mobile station are then scheduled by the second base station as a function of the inferred throughput parameters.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of determining the location of a mobile node. Embodiments of the method may include comparing, at the mobile node, a local timing reference maintained by the mobile node to arrival times of signals transmitted by two or more base stations to determine two or more distances between the mobile node and the base stations. Embodiments of the method may also include determining, at the mobile node, a location of the mobile node using the distances and locations of the base stations.

Abstract: A multimedia multicast-broadcast coverage capability is disclosed. The multimedia multicast-broadcast coverage capability is configured to provide wireless service coverage for multimedia multicast-broadcast services within an intended service coverage area including a plurality of wireless service regions. The wireless service coverage may be provided using properties of scalable video coding, where, for a given content item, different encoded layers of the content item are appropriately propagated to all or part of the intended coverage area. In one embodiment, a base encoded layer and one or more higher encoded layers, for providing basic and incrementally better quality versions of the content item, are appropriately propagated toward respective sets of the wireless service regions of the intended coverage area.

Abstract: Example embodiments are directed to a method including transmitting, by a small cell, a pilot signal to a user equipment (UE) based on a first training signal received from the UE, and receiving, by the small cell, a second training signal from the UE. The second training signal is offset by a time based on the pilot signal transmitted by the small cell. The time offset represents a difference in time between the UE receiving a reference signal transmitted by a macro cell and the UE receiving the pilot signal transmitted by the small cell. The small cell adjusts a local reference timing based on the second training signal.

Abstract: A method is provided a wireless system for providing an interference suppression zone in a portion of the macro cell coverage area bordering the small-cell coverage area for a small cell, but outside that small-cell coverage area. The transmission power of a UE located within the interference suppression zone is minimized to minimize the inter-cell interference to the small cells. The invention methodology further operates to enhance the redirection/redistribution methods of the art for UEs located in the interference suppression zone, further reducing macro to small cell interference. In further embodiments of the invention, methods are provided for determining the scope of an interference suppression zone and for determining proximity of an UE to the interference suppression zone.

Abstract: A method is provided a wireless system for providing small “guard” cells in a heterogeneous network at locations proximate to privately-maintained HeNB (or femto) cells in the heterogeneous network. More particularly, the methodology of the invention addresses the problem of a mobile user in a heterogeneous network located nearby to a privately maintained HeNB cell in the heterogeneous network, and the inherent interference created for the HeNB cell by the necessity of the mobile user having to transmit and receive communications from a distant public macro eNB. By deploying small public “guard” cells in the macro cell proximate to the private HeNB cells, such a public mobile terminal is enabled to communicate with the public small cell at generally lower power than would have been necessary for communication with the distant macro eNB, with a resulting reduction in interference for the nearby HeNB cell. The FL interference between the macro cell and the HeNBs is also mitigated.

Abstract: A method is provided a wireless system for optimizing network throughput in a wireless communication system. More particularly, the methodology of the invention evaluates the both individual user data throughput as well as the data throughput of a larger user population, in determining the base station to which a user should attach when entering the wireless system. In an alternate embodiment, the invention methodology evaluates such individual user data throughput and the user population throughput in determining whether or not to handoff a data session for a user from one base station to the other.

Abstract: Provided is a method that includes determining a binary sequence based on a number of symbols in a frame associated with a macro cell. The method further includes performing an autocorrelation calculation on the binary sequence. The method further includes determining a time offset based on minimum values of the autocorrelation calculation. The method further includes broadcasting a control signal including the time offset to a plurality of small cells. The method further includes receiving the control signal including the time offset associated with the frame associated with the macro cell. The method further includes transmitting a frame associated with a small cell synchronized with a frame associated with the macro cell and offset in time by the time offset.

Abstract: For handover between wireless telecommunications networks of different technology types, an air interface is set up between a first node 4 included in a network of a first technology type and a second node 10 included in a network of a second different technology type. Signaling messaging, in accordance with the second technology type, is related to handover of a mobile terminal from the network of the first technology type to the network of the second technology type. The signaling messaging is encapsulated in a container for transmission over the signaling interface. An identifier is associated with the container to indicate that it encapsulates the signaling messaging. When the identifier is detected at the first node, the container is sent over the interface to the second node. In one method in accordance with the invention, the first technology type is WiMAX and the identifier is a special service flow identifier. This may be detected at an Access Services Network Gateway (ASN GW), for example.

Abstract: A signaling method is provided that can improve the efficiency of forward-link control signaling in OFDM systems. The method involves using a set of forward-link subcarriers that are dedicated for control information, and are shared by a set of two or more users. The control information destined for each user is spread using a respective spreading code, thereby to provide a spread control message. The spread control messages destined for the various users are summed together prior to transmission.

Abstract: Example methods use secondary scrambling codes in telecommunications networks. The secondary scrambling codes are assigned to mobile stations and channels used by mobile stations that are not adversely affected by the use of secondary scrambling codes. By assigning secondary scrambling codes additional users can utilize telecommunications networks with unique scrambling codes without reducing quality of service or increasing resource consumption. Example methods also reduce interference between mobile stations in the telecommunications networks.

Abstract: The present application describes methods involving one or more mobile units, one or more macrocells providing wireless connectivity to one or more first coverage areas, and one or more femtocell providing wireless connectivity to one or more second coverage areas overlapping with the first coverage area(s). One embodiment of the method includes determining, at the femtocell(s), whether to transmit one or more beacon signal from the femtocell(s) on one or more carriers associated with the macrocell(s) based on whether mobile unit(s) are located within the first coverage area(s).

Abstract: In a method for controlling access to wireless resources provided by femto cells within a femto subnet a femto management system or radio access network may control access to femto cells within the femto subnet by assigning at least one hashing class mask of a first-type or hashing class mask of a second-type to a wireless user. The hashing class mask of the first-type or hashing of the second-type class mask may be assigned based on whether the wireless user is authorized to access a first femto cell within the femto subnet. The hashing class mask of the first-type provides access to at least one first femto cell within the femto subnet.

Abstract: A method is provided for determining an allowed delay budget for the air interface portion of a communications link, the communications link comprising one or more air interface portions and a network portion. In particular, the method of the invention operates in a wireless communication system comprising an air interface portion and a network portion, and includes (1) determining a network delay for calls in the system on a per-call basis; and (2) apportioning an air-link delay budget for ones of calls in the system so as to maintain approximately equal total delay for all calls.

Abstract: A multi-stream wireless relay is arranged to maintain independent data streams with multiple base stations and thereby provide a relay from those multiple base stations to mobile units having respective communication relationships with those multiple base stations. In an alternative approach, the data streams from the multiple base stations are superposed on each other, wherein harmful inter-cell interference is converted into useful information bearing signals, thereby enabling the scheduling of transmission resources from the multiple base stations for a single mobile unit via the relay.