SEAMLESS CELL RECONFIGURATION IN BROADBAND WIRELESS NETWORKS

Abstract

Embodiments of a system and method for wireless communication are provided. In certain embodiments, systems and methods for providing seamless reconfiguration of a network which incorporate known features of the network. In some embodiments, the mobile station implements a hand over from one physical base station to the same physical base station, so as to allow that base station to reconfigure and update configuration parameters.

Description

PRIORITY CLAIM

This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) to U.S. Application Ser. No. 61/311,174 filed on Mar. 5, 2010, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention pertains to wireless communications and wireless networks, and reconfiguration of network elements.

BACKGROUND

The quality of operation and efficiency of a wireless communication network is subject to a variety of complexities. Mobile users expect high quality services, and mobile operators seek to optimize operation to allow increased user base with decreased costs. Reducing operational expenditures in a Radio Access Network (RAN) involves consideration of these complexities and solutions that may be implemented without interruption to the users.

Improvements to a wireless network are implemented as new features and solutions to problems are implemented in the network as updates and configurations. Often such updates and configurations are done through human intervention, either physically or remotely modifying network elements, such as the transmitter, or Base Station (BS), and various nodes within the transmission network. In this way, these updates and configuration changes are not automatic, but rather have an administrator or technician implement the change incurring time.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a wireless network in accordance with some example embodiments;

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for seamless reconfiguration of operating parameters in a wireless communication network, in accordance with some example embodiments;

FIG. 3 illustrates an example of one method for seamless reconfiguration in a signal flow diagram, according to example embodiments.

FIG. 4 illustrates a method to implement an intra-BS handover to allow seamless relay link re-establishment, according to example embodiments.

FIG. 5 is a wireless communication system supporting reconfiguration, according to example embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description and the drawings illustrate specific embodiments of the invention sufficiently to enable those skilled in the art to practice them. Other embodiments may incorporate structural, logical, electrical, process, and other changes. Examples merely typify possible variations. Individual components and functions are optional unless explicitly required, the sequence of operations may vary, and features of some embodiments may be included in or substituted for those of others. Embodiments of the invention set forth in the claims encompass all available equivalents of those claims. Embodiments of the invention may be referred to herein, individually or collectively, by the term “invention” merely for convenience and without intending to limit the scope of this application to any single invention or inventive concept if more than one is in fact disclosed.

Various embodiments are described herein relating to methods to a variety of wireless communication over-the-air protocols in accordance with specific communication standards, such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standards including IEEE 802.16m standards, although the scope of the invention is not limited in this respect as they may also be suitable to transmit and/or receive communications in accordance with other techniques and standards.

In some embodiments, network components may communicate in accordance with the IEEE 802.16-2004 and the IEEE 802.16(e) standards for wireless metropolitan area networks (WMANs) including variations and evolutions thereof, although the scope of the invention is not limited in this respect as they may also be suitable to transmit and/or receive communications in accordance with other techniques and standards. For more information with respect to the IEEE 802.11 and IEEE 802.16 standards, please refer to “IEEE Standards for Information Technology—Telecommunications and Information Exchange between Systems”—Local Area Networks—Specific Requirements—Part 11 “Wireless LAN Medium Access Control (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY), ISO/IEC 8802-11: 1999,” and Metropolitan Area Networks—Specific Requirements—Part 16: “Air Interface for Fixed Broadband Wireless Access Systems,” May 2005 and related amendments/versions.

In 4G broadband wireless network such as IEEE802.16m or 3GPP LTE(A), Self-Organizing/Optimizing Network (SON) feature is very desirable to achieve automatic network configuration optimization which minimal human intervention, particularly in a dense deployment such as Femtocell or Picocells with many base stations (BS) in an given area. A Self-Organizing Optimizing Network (SON) is a network wherein newly added base stations are designed to be self-configured similar to a ‘plug-and-play’ paradigm, while operational BSs will regularly self-optimize parameters and algorithmic behavior in response to observed network performance and radio conditions. Various self-healing mechanisms may be triggered to temporarily compensate for a detected equipment outage, while awaiting a more permanent solution. There are a variety of SON implementations, wherein SON networks are commonly divided into three subareas: i) self-configuration; ii) self-optimization; and iii) self-healing.

Self-configuration enables the network to add a new base station, or make modifications to an existing BS by enabling the BS for automatic configuration and integration into the network. This may involve establishing sufficient connectivity in the network, download of configuration parameters, download of software and updates, reconfiguration of the operation code in the BS, and so forth.

Self-optimization enables a BS to regularly adjust, update or in some embodiments add, parameters can be regularly adjusted, based on BS and/or Mobile Station (MS) observations. In one example, a SON feature enables establishment of automatic neighbor relationships, referred to as Neighbor Relations Automatically (NAR). Other examples may optimize random access parameters or mobility robustness in terms of Hand Over (HA), also referred to as Hand Off, oscillations.

Under operating conditions, an existing active node may encounter a problem and become inoperable or may have impaired operation, wherein the node, such as a BS, may perform self-healing operations to reduce the impacts of such failures. In one example, self-healing may act to adjust parameters and algorithms in adjacent cells such that other nodes are able to support those users associated with the failing node.

SON networks features are currently incorporated in, and under discussion in, various communication standard organizations. More are expected to be introduced gradually with the arrival of new 4G systems in RANs.

SON features allow a network to automatically change operational parameters, operating code, features, and so forth, which act to extend, change, configure, and optimize the network coverage, capacity, cell size, topology, and frequency allocation and bandwidth, based on changes in interference, signal strength, location, traffic pattern, and other environment criteria. SON features work to remove human intervention from these operations. Presented herein are methods of reusing known features, such as hand off procedures, to achieve automatic and/or seamless reconfiguration and updates to a transceiver. In some embodiments, a hand off procedure is initiated at the MS wherein the hand off is from one base station to the same base station. By implementing the hand off procedure, the BS is able to terminate communications which use the first configuration set of information and begin communication which use a second configuration set of information. Operation of the MS is not interrupted, but proceeds as usual, wherein such operation includes a hand off. The MS does not need a special or new message or process to perform this hand off, but rather may implement the known procedures. In some embodiments, an indication may be sent to the MS, or the MS may be aware of the reconfiguration or update, however, the process is seamless from the perspective of the MS. Such techniques may be applied in a variety of systems and for a variety of information change situations.

When implemented in a wireless network, the SON network minimizes the operation costs of running a network, as SON features reduce and/or eliminate manual configuration of network operational parameters at the time of network planning, network deployment, network operations, and network optimization while fitting into the existing operational processes and procedures that are currently in place today. For example, current systems rely on multiple human interventions for such maintenance, which impacts network operations. Many of the telecommunication standards bodies are currently discussing these concepts, including of 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) and the NGMN (Next Generation Mobile Networks) group.

In an example embodiment, a method for wireless communication performed by a mobile station includes receiving a message from a base station with which the mobile station has a current connection, wherein the message includes information regarding a configuration change of the base station. The method then continues to halt the current connection with the base station, update parameters corresponding to the configuration change based on the message, and then resume a connection with the base station using the updated parameters. According to one embodiment of this method, the information regarding a configuration change includes a physical layer update for the base station. The physical layer update may include an updated cell-ID for the base station. The information regarding configuration change may include an unavailable start time indicating a time in which the base station will stop communicating for reconfiguration. The information regarding a configuration change may include an available start time indicating a time in which the base station will resume communication after reconfiguration.

In another example, a method for wireless communication performed by a base station, begins by determining that the base station is to perform reconfiguration, wherein the reconfiguration includes changing a physical layer parameter, such that the base station is to operate according to an updated physical layer parameter after the reconfiguration. The method then continues by transmitting a handover request to a mobile station communicating with the base station, the handover request requesting that the mobile station handover to a base station having the updated physical layer parameter, such that the mobile station performs a handover from the base station having a non-updated physical layer parameter prior to reconfiguration to the base station after reconfiguration having the updated physical layer parameter. The reconfiguration may be based on a self-optimization of the base station with respect to other adjacent base stations. The updated physical layer parameter may include an updated cell-ID for the base station. The handover request may include an unavailable start time indicating a time by which the mobile station should initiate disconnection for the handover. The handover request may include an available start time indicating a time after which the mobile station can initiate re-connections for the handover.

In still another embodiment, a method for wireless communication performed by a base station, begins by determining that the base station is to perform reconfiguration, wherein the reconfiguration includes changing a physical layer parameter, such that the base station is to operate according to an updated physical layer parameter after the reconfiguration. Next, the process continues by transmitting a reconfiguration notification to a mobile station communicating with the base station, the reconfiguration notification providing the mobile station with information regarding the updated physical layer parameter. The BS then disconnects with the MS, performs reconfiguration and then reconnects with the MS using an updated physical layer parameter. In some embodiment, the method of transmitting a reconfiguration notification may include broadcasting the reconfiguration notification to all mobile stations connected to the base station. In some embodiments, a reconfiguration notification may include unicasting a reconfiguration notification to each of the mobile stations connected to the base station, and receiving an acknowledgement from each of the mobile stations regarding successful reception of the reconfiguration notification. The updated physical layer parameter may include an updated cell-ID for the base station. The reconfiguration notification may include an unavailable start time indicating a time in which the base station will stop communicating for reconfiguration. The reconfiguration notification may include an available start time indicating a time in which the base station will resume communication after reconfiguration.

According to one embodiment, a wireless device includes an RF transceiver, a processing circuitry and a memory storage device. The RF transceiver for transmitting and receiving signals from a base station. The processing circuitry communicatively coupled to the RF transceiver; the processing circuitry is configured to receive a message from a base station with which the mobile station has a current connection, wherein the message includes information regarding a configuration change of the base station. The processing circuitry is further to halt the current connection with the base station, and update parameters corresponding to the configuration change based on the message. Finally, the processing circuitry is to resume a connection with the base station using the updated parameters. The information regarding a configuration change may include a physical layer update for the base station. The physical layer update may include an updated cell-ID for the base station.

In still another embodiment, a base station for providing wireless communication with a plurality of mobile stations, the base station includes an RF transceiver, processing circuitry and a memory storage device. The RF transceiver is for transmitting to and receiving signals from a plurality of mobile stations. The processing circuitry is communicatively coupled to the base station, and is configured to determine that the base station is to perform reconfiguration, wherein the reconfiguration includes changing a physical layer parameter, such that the base station is to operate according to an updated physical layer parameter after the reconfiguration. The processing circuitry is further to transmit a reconfiguration notification to a mobile station communicating with the base station, the reconfiguration notification providing the mobile station with information regarding the updated physical layer parameter. The processing circuitry is further to disconnect with the mobile station, perform reconfiguration, and reconnect with the mobile station after reconfiguration using the updated physical layer parameter. In one embodiment the base station transmits the reconfiguration notification by a broadcast transmission, including the reconfiguration notification, wherein the base station transmits to all mobile stations connected to the base station. In another embodiment, the base station transmits a reconfiguration notification such as to unicast a reconfiguration notification to each of the mobile stations connected to the base station; and then the base station receives an acknowledgement from each of the mobile stations regarding successful reception of the reconfiguration notification. The updated physical layer parameter may include an updated cell-ID for the base station.

FIG. 1 illustrates a wireless network 100, according to some embodiments, having multiple nodes or Base Stations (BS) 102, 104, 106, and 108, for communication over-the-air with various wireless communications devices including cellular devices, laptop computers, tablet devices, e-Reader devices, and other devices having wireless capabilities, and such as cellular devices 108, 109. The network 100 may also include a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) or other network having a router for processing transmissions within the WLAN, and may include processing through other networks, such as having an Internet connection, such as Internet 120 by way of gateway 150.

In some embodiments, the BSs may be Relay Nodes (RN), as illustrated in FIG. 1, wherein BSs 102, 106, and 108 act as RNs, while BS 104 acts as a BS. The configuration of network 100 is discussed in more detail hereinbelow. A variety of network configurations are considered in this description.

In some embodiments, wireless network 100 may be a broadband wireless multiple access communication network, in which uplink and downlink time-slots are determined by network base station and provided to one or more of network nodes for communicating with network BS 102, 104, 106 and/or 108 in a multiple access manner. The various mobile users 110, 112, 114, 116, 118 are located throughout the network.

In some embodiments, network 100 may communicate using Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM). In some of these embodiments, network 100 may be a Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) network implementing a multicarrier communication technique, such as OFDM, and/or by implementing spread spectrum communications. In some embodiments, the frequency spectrum used by network 100 may comprise either a 5 GHz frequency spectrum or a 2.4 GHz frequency spectrum.

In some embodiments where network 100 communicates using OFDM, the communication signals may comprise a plurality of orthogonal subcarriers. Each subcarrier of the communication signals may have a null at substantially a center frequency of the other subcarriers and/or each subcarrier may have an integer number of cycles within a symbol period, although the scope of the invention is not limited in this respect.

In some embodiments, network 100 may communicate in accordance with specific communication standards, such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standards including IEEE 802.16m standards, although the scope of the invention is not limited in this respect as they may also be suitable to transmit and/or receive communications in accordance with other techniques and standards.

As described herein, methods to automate changes in a network, such as network 100 of FIG. 1, supporting an 802.16m standard in a system may include applying SON features which allow updates and changes without interruption of operation. Ideally, such modifications are made in seamless manner which is invisible to the mobile users, such MSs 110, 112, 114, 116, 118, and 119. The network 100 may support any number of users, each having a variety of capabilities.

The network 100 of FIG. 1 further includes various radio cells, 130 and 140. In operation, the BSs 102, 104, 106, and 108 may hand over calls to each other or other nodes (not shown). As mentioned above, in 4G broadband wireless network, such as IEEE802.16m or 3GPP LTE(A), SON features allow the network to optimize automatic network configuration and reduce/eliminate human intervention, particularly in a dense deployment. Some network configurations have many BSs in a small area.

One such network is a femtocell network having a small cellular BS or Access Point (AP), which may be for use in a home or small business. The BS connects to a network through a broadband connection. Current designs typically support 2 to 4 active mobile phones in a residential setting, and 8 to 16 active mobile phones in enterprise settings. A femtocell allows service providers to extend service coverage indoors, especially where access would otherwise be limited or unavailable. Although much attention is focused on WCDMA, the concept is applicable to all standards, including GSM, CDMA2000, TD-SCDMA, WiMAX and LTE solutions.

Another type network incorporates Picocells, where a small cellular BS or AP covers a small area, such as in a building, office, shopping mall, transit station, aircraft, and so forth. In cellular networks, picocells are typically used to extend coverage to indoor areas where outdoor signals do not reach well, or to add network capacity in areas with very dense phone usage, such as train stations. Picocells provide coverage and capacity in areas difficult or expensive to reach using the more traditional approaches. In cellular wireless networks, such as in a Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) system, a picocell base station is typically a low cost, small, reasonably simple unit that connects to a Base Station Controller (BSC). Multiple picocell ‘heads’ connect to each BSC: the BSC performs radio resource management and hand-over functions, and aggregates data to be passed to a Mobile Switching Centre (MSC) and/or a Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN).

Some embodiments discussed herein include networks that support IEEE 802.16 standards, such as IEEE 802.16m. To provide some basics for understanding the concepts developed in this description, the 802.16 standard has two basic aspects of the air interface: i) the physical layer (PHY); and ii) the Media Access Control layer (MAC). For example, in systems supporting IEEE 802.16e, communications incorporate a Scalable OFDMA to carry data, supporting channel bandwidths of between 1.25 MHz and 20 MHz, with up to 2048 sub-carriers. The system supports adaptive modulation and coding, so that in conditions of good signal, a highly efficient 64 QAM coding scheme is used, whereas when the signal is poorer, a more robust BPSK coding mechanism is used. In intermediate conditions, 16 QAM and QPSK can also be employed. Other PHY features include support for Multiple-in Multiple-out (MIMO) antennas in order to provide good Non-Line-Of-Sight (NLOS) characteristics, such as higher bandwidth, and Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest (HARQ) for good error correction performance.

According to the IEEE 802.16 family of standards, the MAC describes a number of convergence sub-layers describing how wireline technologies, such as Ethernet, ATM and IP, are encapsulated on the air interface, and how data is classified, and so forth. It also describes how secure communications are delivered, such as by using secure key exchange during the authentication process, and encryption during data transfer. Further features of the MAC layer include power saving mechanisms, such as using Sleep Mode and Idle Mode, and handover mechanisms.

A feature of IEEE 802.16 systems is the connection oriented technology. The Subscriber Station (SS), or MS, cannot transmit data until it has been allocated a channel by the BS. This allows 802.16e to provide strong support for Quality of Service (QoS). The evolved RAN for LTE has a single node, referred to as the eNodeB (eNB), wherein NodeB refers to a BS. The eNB, such as BS 104 of FIG. 1 interfaces with the MS, also referred to as User Equipment (UE), such as UE 110, 112, 114, 116, 118, or 119. The eNB hosts the physical layer, PHY, the MAC, the Radio Link Control (RLC), and Packet Data Control Protocol (PDCP) layers that include the functionality of user-plane header-compression and encryption. It also offers Radio Resource Control (RRC) functionality corresponding to the control plane. It performs many functions including radio resource management, admission control, scheduling, enforcement of negotiated UL QoS, cell information broadcast, ciphering/deciphering of user and control plane data, and compression/decompression of Down Link (DL)/Up Link (UL) user plane packet headers.

In one embodiment, a SON feature enables a BS to automatically obtain an optimal PHY configuration, including but not limited to Cell-ID selection so as to minimize inter-cell interference. In IEEE 802.16m systems. The Cell-ID (also referred to as CID, or C-ID) is a generally unique number used to identify each BS or sector of a BS within a Location Area Code (LAC) or in the network. Cell-ID is the basis for other control/data channel configurations, including, frequency segment allocation for the Advanced MAP (A-MAP) and ranging channel. The A-MAP is part of the DL control channel and includes the Assignment A-MAP (A-A-MAP) to contain resource assignment information, the HARQ Feedback A-MAP (HF-A-MAP) to carry HARQ ACK/NACK information for UL data transmission, and Power Control A-MAP (PC-A-MAP) to carry fast power control command to AMS. MS operation, however, assumes a static Cell-ID. Change of Cell-ID, for example via SON function, may confuse operation and performance of the MS, particularly with respect to PHY and/or MAC operations.

Similar issues may arise in other scenarios. For example, in a system supporting 3GPP LTE-A, a Relay Node (RN) may share the same identification for an eNB-ID as its donor eNB (the corresponding BS). If in the future mobile relay is used, RN may need to switch its eNB-ID after switching to a different donor eNB, which may cause issues with its associated UEs (MSs).

One method to enable Cell-ID change without interrupting/confusing MS data communications is implemented to improve quality and may be used in a power saving state, the BS will not know and reconfiguration will likely cause service drop for these MS.

In some embodiments, a SON technique is implemented for reconfiguration of information in a unicast communication. In a case of a small cell, the BS may serve a small number of MSs, which makes a unicast solution a reasonable alternative as overhead will not be too large. The BS may unicast the reconfiguration information to each MS, and waits for an acknowledgement to ensure reliability. The unicast message may be protected for integrity, thus reducing the risk of a safety concern. In addition to a traditional unicast message, some embodiments implement a new procedure at the MS, which begins by a signal from the BS identifying a configuration change. This message may be unicast or broadcast. The MS obtains the configuration change, and applies new configuration parameters at Action Time.

FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate examples of one method for seamless reconfiguration in a signal flow diagram. This example illustrates explicit signaling of configuration change when an upgrade is to be implemented at the MS.

As in FIG. 2, the method starts with the BS signals send to the MS for confirmation change, operation 202. The MS then receives the configuration change, operation 204. The MS then applies the received new configuration parameters at Action Time, operation 206.

The signal flow diagram of FIG. 3 illustrates communications between a MS and a BS to perform the method of FIG. 2. The signaling initiates when the BS sends an HO-CMD message to the MS; the HO-CMD is basically a hand off command identifying a new Cell-ID, a current BSID (BS identifier), a Disconnect Time and an Action Time. The MS and the BS then maintain data communication until Disconnection Time.

For an intra-BS handover, a method according to one embodiment of seamless BS reconfiguration, without introducing a totally new procedure at the MS. The method sends a request to the MS to perform handover from current serving BS to the same BS. According to current IEEE802.16m standard, an HO procedure defines Disconnection Time (DT) and Action Time (AT), which can be mapped to an Unavailable Start Time (UST) and AT defined in Table-1.

TABLE 1
Self-Configuration fields in SON-ADV
Unavailable Start Time The time (frame #) that BS stop
                       communication for its own reconfiguration
Action time            The time (frame #) from which change takes
                       effect, and BS restart communication after
                       reconfiguration
New Cell-ID            The new Cell-ID to be used after Action
                       Time
Other PHY              Variable length field
configurations

In one example method, the MS may simply perform an optimized intra-BS HO using an existing procedure, and align the MS time to stop or restart communications with the BS according to the BS defined reconfiguration start or finish time.

The method 400 illustrated in FIG. 4 describes intra-cell HO to allow seamless BS reconfiguration. The method 400 allows for reduced MS behavior, such as a software or firmware upgrades, to implement at the MS compared to a regular handover. Since IEEE802.16m systems apply HO framework which allows seamless HO. The data communications may resume after the Action Time without waiting for network reentry signaling to complete. In one embodiment an AAI_RNG-REQ/RSP transaction may happen in parallel, as long as it is before a specified deadline after the Action Time, wherein the service interruption may impact the BS reconfiguration interval without impacting the MS timing and operations, thus a seamless HO for the MS.

An HO procedure may automatically update the security keys used for authentication and integrity protection, such as where consistent with a 3GPP LTE security architecture. The preamble index (cell-ID or PCI) is included in the key hierarchy. Such method may be applied to LTE technology in a variety of embodiments. In one group mobility example, a mobile relay scheme, such as an LTE-A rel-10 relay architecture, may require a RN and its corresponding donor eNB to share the same eNB ID. This is used when D-eNB applies a proxy function between RN and MME, so that the network signaling knows which routing to apply to the network and RN. Then, if the RN re-establishes its relay link with another eNB, such as due to mobility, line failure or load balancing requirement, the RN may use a new eNB ID. This may cause an associated UE to reset its MAC and declare a link failure. Using the intra-BS handover framework, such failure recovery may be avoided and thus UE experiences a smooth transition.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the method 400 starts when the RN determines to re-establish its relay link, operations 402. The RN determines a re-establishment time, t, at operation 404. The RN then issues a handover command to at least some of the connected UEs, wherein the Disconnect Time=T1, the Action Time=T1+t, and the new configurations are provided to the UEs, operation 406. The RN finishes the relay link re-establishment at time T0+t, operation 408. Then the UE hands over the connection back to RN at T1+t, operation 410.

The various embodiments described herein provide seamless reconfiguration in a wireless network in contrast to methods in which configuration parameters, such as BSID, are changed, and the MS may treat it as a link loss, repeat a network reentry and cause a data drop or service interruption. The methods described herein, one method involves making the MS aware of a change and effectively acts to “skip” the change period and automatically uses the new configuration after a change period.

Other methods may use intra-BS handover procedure to ask the MS to perform a hand over operation without changing BS connection, but effectively handing off to the same BS. This reconfigures the connection back to the same physical BS after a predetermined or specified time period and thus does not require MS update. This is in contrast to LTE specifications where “intra-eNB” handover allows a UE to handover from one cell of the eNB to another cell of the same eNB. Note also, that “cell” in an LTE system is similar to a BS in an IEEE 802.16m system. Therefore, from the MAC point of view, an LTE “intra-eNB” handover UE is not in communication with the same MAC function entity before/after handover. The use of the HO techniques to achieve seamless reconfiguration may be used in a variety of systems and is not limited to the specific wireless communication systems described herein. The unique combination of components and techniques in such embodiments provides an improvement over previously known structures and techniques.

FIG. 7 illustrates a wireless communication device 500 performing the sleep mode optimizations described hereinabove. Central Processing Unit (CPU) 512 is coupled to bus 510 for control of device 500. Transceiver 506 communicates with a network wirelessly, and is coupled to the bus 510, which may be any of a variety of mechanisms for communication within device 600. Operation of device 500 to support a wireless protocol standard, including IEEE 802.16. Device 500 may include a plurality of controllers (not shown) which may be implemented as instructions stored on a computer-readable storage medium, circuitry, or a combination thereof. The device 500 further includes configuration module 504 which controls configuration, reconfiguration, update and changes within the device 500. The device 500 further includes a memory storage unit 502, which may store code to implement the operations to implement seamless reconfiguration, and so forth. Other embodiments may have alternate configurations to implement the methods described herein.

Unless specifically stated otherwise, terms such as processing, computing, calculating, determining, displaying, or the like, may refer to an action and/or process of one or more processing or computing systems or similar devices that may manipulate and transform data represented as physical (e.g., electronic) quantities within a processing system's registers and memory into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the processing system's registers or memories, or other such information storage, transmission or display devices. Furthermore, as used herein, a computing device includes one or more processing elements coupled with computer-readable memory that may be volatile or non-volatile memory or a combination thereof.

Embodiments of the invention may be implemented in one or a combination of hardware, firmware and software. Embodiments of the invention may also be implemented as instructions stored on a machine-readable medium, which may be read and executed by at least one processor to perform the operations described herein. A machine-readable medium may include any mechanism for storing or transmitting information in a form readable by a machine (e.g., a computer). For example, a machine-readable medium may include read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), magnetic disk storage media, optical storage media, flash-memory devices, electrical, optical, acoustical or other form of propagated signals (e.g., carrier waves, infrared signals, digital signals, etc.), and others.

The Abstract is provided to comply with 37 C.F.R. Section 1.72(b) requiring an abstract that will allow the reader to ascertain the nature and gist of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to limit or interpret the scope or meaning of the claims.

In the foregoing detailed description, various features are occasionally grouped together in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments of the subject matter require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, invention may lie in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus the following claims are hereby incorporated into the detailed description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate preferred embodiment.

Claims

1. A method for wireless communication performed by a mobile station, the method comprising:

receiving a message from a base station with which the mobile station has a current connection, wherein the message includes information regarding a configuration change of the base station;

halting the current connection with the base station;

updating parameters corresponding to the configuration change based on the message; and

resuming a connection with the base station using the updated parameters.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the information regarding a configuration change includes a physical layer update for the base station.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the physical layer update includes an updated cell-ID for the base station.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the information regarding configuration change includes an unavailable start time indicating a time in which the base station will stop communicating for reconfiguration.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the information regarding a configuration change includes an available start time indicating a time in which the base station will resume communication after reconfiguration.

6. A method for wireless communication performed by a base station, the method comprising:

determining that the base station is to perform reconfiguration, wherein the reconfiguration includes changing a physical layer parameter, such that the base station is to operate according to an updated physical layer parameter after the reconfiguration;

transmitting a handover request to a mobile station communicating with the base station, the handover request requesting that the mobile station handover to a base station having the updated physical layer parameter, such that the mobile station performs a handover from the base station having a non-updated physical layer parameter prior to reconfiguration to the base station after reconfiguration having the updated physical layer parameter.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the reconfiguration is based on a self-optimization of the base station with respect to other adjacent base stations.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the updated physical layer parameter includes an updated cell-ID for the base station.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the handover request includes an unavailable start time indicating a time by which the mobile station should initiate disconnection for the handover.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the handover request includes an available start time indicating a time after which the mobile station can initiate re-connections for the handover.

11. A method for wireless communication performed by a base station, the method comprising:

determining that the base station is to perform reconfiguration, wherein the reconfiguration includes changing a physical layer parameter, such that the base station is to operate according to an updated physical layer parameter after the reconfiguration;

transmitting a reconfiguration notification to a mobile station communicating with the base station, the reconfiguration notification providing the mobile station with information regarding the updated physical layer parameter;

disconnecting with the mobile station;

performing reconfiguration; and

reconnection with the mobile station after reconfiguration using the updated physical layer parameter.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein transmitting a reconfiguration notification includes broadcasting the reconfiguration notification to all mobile stations connected to the base station.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein transmitting a reconfiguration notification includes unicasting a reconfiguration notification to each of the mobile stations connected to the base station; and

receiving an acknowledgement from each of the mobile stations regarding successful reception of the reconfiguration notification.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the updated physical layer parameter includes an updated cell-ID for the base station.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the reconfiguration notification includes an unavailable start time indicating a time in which the base station will stop communicating for reconfiguration.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the reconfiguration notification includes an available start time indicating a time in which the base station will resume communication after reconfiguration.

17. A wireless device comprising:

an RF transceiver for transmitting and receiving signals from a base station;

processing circuitry communicatively coupled to the RF transceiver and configured to: receive a message from a base station with which the mobile station has a current connection, wherein the message includes information regarding a configuration change of the base station; halt the current connection with the base station; update parameters corresponding to the configuration change based on the message; and resume a connection with the base station using the updated parameters.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the information regarding a configuration change includes a physical layer update for the base station.

19. The device of claim 2, wherein the physical layer update includes an updated cell-ID for the base station.

20. A base station for providing wireless communication with a plurality of mobile stations, the base station comprising:

an RF transceiver for transmitting to and receiving signals from a plurality of mobile stations; and

processing circuitry communicatively coupled to the base station, the processing circuitry configured to: determine that the base station is to perform reconfiguration, wherein the reconfiguration includes changing a physical layer parameter, such that the base station is to operate according to an updated physical layer parameter after the reconfiguration; transmit a reconfiguration notification to a mobile station communicating with the base station, the reconfiguration notification providing the mobile station with information regarding the updated physical layer parameter; disconnect with the mobile station; perform reconfiguration; and reconnect with the mobile station after reconfiguration using the updated physical layer parameter.

21. The base station of claim 20, wherein transmit a reconfiguration notification includes broadcast the reconfiguration notification to all mobile stations connected to the base station.

22. The base station of claim 20, wherein transmit a reconfiguration notification includes unicast a reconfiguration notification to each of the mobile stations connected to the base station; and

receive an acknowledgement from each of the mobile stations regarding successful reception of the reconfiguration notification.

23. The base station of claim 20, wherein the updated physical layer parameter includes an updated cell-ID for the base station.