Abstract: There is provided mechanisms for mitigating interference in a network node. A method is performed by a control device (200). The method comprises receiving (S102) radio signals comprising at least one desired signal and interference, estimating (S104) a characteristic of the interference, wherein the estimation comprises calculating correlation statistics of power levels of frequency sub-bands comprising the interference with frequency sub-bands comprising the received radio signals. The method comprises determining (S106) an interference suppression matrix to suppress the interference in the frequency sub-bands of the received radio signals based on the estimated characteristic of the interference, wherein the interference suppression matrix is further determined based on information from inter-band interference observed across distinct sub-bands of the received radio signals.

Abstract: There is provided mechanisms for calibrating transmit antenna chains and receive antenna chains of an antenna system. A method is performed by a network node. The method comprises obtaining a set of observations from bi-directional sounding of pairs of antennas of the antenna system. Each of the antennas has one transmit antenna chain and one receive antenna chain. The observations are represented by a composite product of transmit calibration weights, receive calibration weights, and signal leakage terms. The method comprises estimating the transmit calibration weights and the receive calibration weights from a decomposition of the composite product. The method comprises calibrating the transmit antenna chains and the receive antenna chains by applying as calibration factors the estimated transmit calibration weights to the transmit antenna chains and the receive calibration weights to the receive antenna chains.

Abstract: There is provided mechanisms for mitigating passive intermodulation in a first network node, wherein said PIM is caused by radio signals transmitted from at least an adjacent network node. The method is performed by a control device. The method comprises receiving at least an uplink radio signal and down-converting the received UL radio signal to a UL baseband signal. The method applies a cyclic redundancy check, CRC, to detected information bits of the received UL baseband signal, wherein in response to determining by the CRC that the UL baseband signal is detected correctly, directly output the detected information bits. The method comprises in response to determining by the CRC that the UL baseband signal is incorrectly detected, determining a residual signal of the received UL baseband signal applying a blind signal identification scheme on the residual signal of the UL baseband signal to obtain an estimate for a modeled PIM signal.

Abstract: There is provided mechanisms for mitigating passive intermodulation in a first network node, wherein said PIM is caused by radio signals transmitted from at least an adjacent network node. The method is performed by a control device. The method comprises receiving at least an uplink radio signal and down-converting the received UL radio signal to a UL baseband signal. The method applies a cyclic redundancy check, CRC, to detected information bits of the received UL baseband signal, wherein in response to determining by the CRC that the UL baseband signal is detected correctly, directly output the detected information bits. The method comprises in response to determining by the CRC that the UL baseband signal is incorrectly detected, determining a residual signal of the received UL baseband signal applying a blind signal identification scheme on the residual signal of the UL baseband signal to obtain an estimate for a modeled PIM signal.

Abstract: There is provided mechanisms for mitigating interference in a network node. A method is performed by a control device (200). The method comprises receiving (S102) radio signals comprising at least one desired signal and interference, estimating (S104) a characteristic of the interference, wherein the estimation comprises calculating correlation statistics of power levels of frequency sub-bands comprising the interference with frequency sub-bands comprising the received radio signals. The method comprises determining (S106) an interference suppression matrix to suppress the interference in the frequency sub-bands of the received radio signals based on the estimated characteristic of the interference, wherein the interference suppression matrix is further determined based on information from inter-band interference observed across distinct sub-bands of the received radio signals.

Abstract: An analyzer resource receives density information indicating mobile device usage in each of multiple geographical regions. The analyzer resource further receives resource information indicating locations of physical network resources available to support installation of wireless access points in the geographical regions and the location of any existing wireless access points already installed. The analyzer resource then uses at least the density information and the resource information to produce a respective metric for each of the multiple geographical regions. The respective metric for a corresponding geographical region indicates a desirability of installing a respective wireless access point in the corresponding geographical region. Further disclosed embodiments herein include generating a respective map indicating in which respective geographical regions it is desirable to install a respective wireless access point.

Abstract: There is provided a communications system comprising an access network node and a plurality of resource limited nodes. The access network node comprises: a control unit operable to estimate a belief on a network condition for a resource limited node of the plurality of resource limited nodes based on network observations and a history profile of the network observations; dynamically update the belief for the resource limited node in the access network node; determine that the severity of the updated belief in the network condition is indicative that a change in sleep duty cycle of the resource limited node is required; determine that correlation between the resource limited nodes within the plurality of resource limited nodes is indicative that a change in sleep duty cycle of the resource limited node is required; and update the sleep duty cycle of the resource limited node to optimize the overall energy consumed in the resource limited nodes while achieving a specific detection threshold.

Abstract: There is provided a heterogeneous communications network. The heterogeneous communications network comprises: a macro cell; a small cell provided within the macro cell; and a user equipment provided within the macro cell, wherein the user equipment is operable to receive control-plane information from the macro cell and user-plane information from the macro cell and/or the small cell, and wherein the user equipment is operable to transmit a connection request based on the received control-plane information, the macro cell and/or small cell are operable to determine which of the macro cell and the small cell is to operate as the serving cell for the user equipment based on the connection request, and the determined serving cell is operable to transmit a connection response to the user equipment.

Abstract: A method of reducing a number of signals that are output for processing by an antenna array and the antenna array are disclosed. The method comprises: receiving signals at a plurality of antenna elements from at least one user equipment; transforming the signals to at least one different domain to generate sparse signals; combining at least some of the signals to form a reduced number of signals; and outputting the reduced number of sparse signals to signal processing circuitry.

Abstract: A capability for flexible communications within an energy-limited wireless system is presented. An energy-limited wireless node includes a communication module configured to switch between a sleep mode in which the communication module is not operable to communicate and an active mode in which the communication module is operable to communicate, a configurable auxiliary receiver configured to initiate switching of the communication module from the sleep mode to the active mode based on detection of a wake-up signal, and a controller configured to control configuration of the configurable auxiliary receiver to operate using an auxiliary receiver configuration.

Abstract: There is provided a communications network comprising a network node and a resource limited node. The network node comprises a controller operable to estimate an optimal duty cycle for various operating modes of the resource limited node to minimize the overall resource consumption of the resource limited node; and a transmitter operable to notify parameters of the estimated optimal duty cycle to the resource limited node.

Abstract: A capability for controlling or facilitating the use of a wireless tag to communicate location tracking information is presented. The capability for controlling or facilitating use of a wireless tag to communicate location tracking information utilizes a wireless tag supporting multiple states in order to control communication of location tracking information. The wireless tag supporting multiple states in order to control communication of location tracking information may be configured to support or facilitate tag-controlled state transitions, gateway-controlled state transitions, infrastructure-controlled state transitions, or the like, as well as various combinations thereof.

Abstract: A capability for opportunistic forwarding of information using a wireless terminal is presented. An energy limited node includes a wake-up circuit configured to detect a wake-up signal from a wireless terminal where the wake-up signal includes a modulated waveform signal, and a communication module configured to switch, based on a control signal generated by the wake-up circuit, from a sleep mode in which the communication module is not operable to communicate with the wireless terminal to an active mode in which the communication module is operable to communicate with the wireless terminal.

Abstract: A deal manager executing on computer hardware receives a discount offer proposal from a first consumer. The deal manager forwards the discount offer proposal to one or more retail suppliers. The discount offer can include proposed terms such as a conditional modification to an original retail price of a respective retail item offered for sale by the supplier. In response to receiving, from the supplier, acceptance of terms as specified by the discount offer proposal, the deal manager or other suitable resource initiates distribution of terms associated with the approved discount offer to the first consumer and/or a second consumer. The second consumer can be one of multiple consumers to which the approved discount offer is distributed. Accordingly, consumers can propose deals that are, in turn, used by other consumers.

Abstract: There is provided a heterogeneous communications network. The heterogeneous communications network comprises: a macro cell; a small cell provided within the macro cell; and a user equipment provided within the macro cell, wherein the user equipment is operable to receive control-plane information from the macro cell and user-plane information from the macro cell and/or the small cell, and wherein the user equipment is operable to transmit a connection request based on the received control-plane information, the macro cell and/or small cell are operable to determine which of the macro cell and the small cell is to operate as the serving cell for the user equipment based on the connection request, and the determined serving cell is operable to transmit a connection response to the user equipment.

Abstract: There is provided a communications network comprising a network node and a resource limited node. The network node comprises a controller operable to estimate an optimal duty cycle for various operating modes of the resource limited node to minimise the overall resource consumption of the resource limited node; and a transmitter operable to notify parameters of the estimated optimal duty cycle to the resource limited node.

Abstract: The access network node includes a control unit operable to estimate a belief on a network condition for a resource limited node of a plurality of resource limited nodes based on network observations and a history profile of the network observations; dynamically update the belief for the resource limited node in the access network node; determine that the severity of the updated belief in the network condition is indicative that a change in sleep duty cycle of the resource limited node is required; determine that correlation between the resource limited nodes within the plurality of resource limited nodes is indicative that a change in sleep duty cycle of the resource limited node is required; and update the sleep duty cycle of the resource limited node to improve or optimize the overall energy consumed in the resource limited nodes while achieving a specific detection threshold.

Abstract: A capability for controlling or facilitating the use of a wireless tag to communicate location tracking information is presented. The capability for controlling or facilitating use of a wireless tag to communicate location tracking information utilizes a wireless tag supporting multiple states in order to control communication of location tracking information. The wireless tag supporting multiple states in order to control communication of location tracking information may be configured to support or facilitate tag-controlled state transitions, gateway-controlled state transitions, infrastructure-controlled state transitions, or the like, as well as various combinations thereof.

Abstract: A capability for flexible communications within an energy-limited wireless system is presented. An energy-limited wireless node includes a communication module configured to switch between a sleep mode in which the communication module is not operable to communicate and an active mode in which the communication module is operable to communicate, a configurable auxiliary receiver configured to initiate switching of the communication module from the sleep mode to the active mode based on detection of a wake-up signal, and a controller configured to control configuration of the configurable auxiliary receiver to operate using an auxiliary receiver configuration.

Abstract: A capability for opportunistic forwarding of information using a wireless terminal is presented. An energy limited node includes a wake-up circuit configured to detect a wake-up signal from a wireless terminal where the wake-up signal includes a modulated waveform signal, and a communication module configured to switch, based on a control signal generated by the wake-up circuit, from a sleep mode in which the communication module is not operable to communicate with the wireless terminal to an active mode in which the communication module is operable to communicate with the wireless terminal.