Method to coordinate resource allocation to address inter-cell interference

Abstract

A method to coordinate ABS resource allocation to address inter-cell interference comprises sending a first message by a first eNB to a second eNB, the first message specifying an interference level and a target cell identifier of a target eNB; receiving, by the target eNB, a second message sent by the second eNB, the second message specifying a resource allocation and a target cell identifier of the target eNB; and the target eNB operating according to the resource allocation specified in the second message.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method to coordinate resource allocation to address inter-cell interference, comprising:
 sending a first message by a first eNB to a second eNB, the first message specifying an interference level and a target cell identifier of a target eNB;   receiving, by the target eNB, a second message sent by the second eNB, the second message specifying a resource allocation and a target cell identifier of the target eNB; and   the target eNB operating according to the resource allocation specified in the second message.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein sending a first message by a first eNB comprises sending the first message by a first pico eNB to a macro eNB. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising receiving a second message by the first pico eNB sent by the macro eNB, the second message specifying a resource allocation and a target cell identifier of the first pico eNB. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising receiving a second message by a second pico eNB sent by the macro eNB, the second message specifying a resource allocation and a target cell identifier of the second pico eNB. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein sending a first message by a first eNB comprises sending the first message by a first pico eNB to a second pico eNB. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 monitoring allocated resource usage; and   reporting, by the first eNB, the status of allocated resource to the second eNB.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein sending a first message comprises sending a first message specifying an expected resource need as the interference level. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein sending a first message comprises sending a first message, by the first eNB, specifying an expected number of Almost Blank Subframes needed to service user equipment in an overlap region between the first eNB and the target eNB as the interference level. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein sending a first message comprises sending a first message, by the first eNB, specifying an expected number of Almost Blank Subframes needed to service user equipment in an overlap region between the first eNB and the second eNB as the interference level. 
     
     
         10 . A method to coordinate resource allocation to address inter-cell interference, comprising:
 sending, by a first eNB, a first LOAD INFORMATION message to a second eNB, the first message specifying an amount of Almost Blank Subframe resource needed;   receiving, by the first eNB, a second LOAD INFORMATION message sent by the second eNB, the second message specifying an Almost Blank Subframe resource allocation; and   the first eNB operating according to the Almost Blank Subframe resource allocation specified in the second LOAD INFORMATION message.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein sending a first LOAD INFORMATION message by a first eNB comprises sending the first LOAD INFORMATION message by a first pico eNB to a macro eNB. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein sending a first LOAD INFORMATION message by a first eNB comprises sending, by a first pico eNB, the first LOAD INFORMATION message to a macro eNB specifying the Almost Blank Subframe needed and a target cell identifier of a second pico eNB. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein receiving a second LOAD INFORMATION message by the first eNB sent by the macro eNB, the second LOAD INFORMATION message specifying an Almost Blank Subframe resource allocation and a target cell identifier of the first eNB. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising receiving a third LOAD INFORMATION message by a third eNB sent by the macro eNB, the third LOAD INFORMATION message specifying an Almost Blank Subframe resource allocation and a target cell identifier of the third eNB. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the first and third pico eNBs transmitting to user equipment suffering from the inter-cell interference using allocated non-overlapped Almost Blank Subframe resources. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein sending a first LOAD INFORMATION message by a first eNB comprises sending the first LOAD INFORMATION message by a first pico eNB to a second pico eNB. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein sending a first LOAD INFORMATION message comprises sending a first LOAD INFORMATION message by a first pica eNB to a second pico eNB, and receiving a second LOAD INFORMATION message comprises receiving the second LOAD INFORMATION message sent by the second pico eNB to the first pico eNB. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 monitoring allocated resource usage; and   reporting status of the Almost Blank Subframe resource allocation by the first eNB to the second eNB.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein sending a first LOAD INFORMATION message comprises sending a first LOAD INFORMATION message specifying an expected number of Almost Blank Subframes needed as the interference level. 
     
     
         20 . A method of coordinating allocated resources between a first and a second eNB having an overlapped coverage area, comprising:
 allocating a bandwidth resource;   allocating a first set of the allocated bandwidth resource to the first eNB;   allocating a second set of the allocated bandwidth resource to the second eNB, the second set of the allocated bandwidth and the first set of the allocated bandwidth having overlapped allocated resource and non-overlapped allocated resource;   notifying the allocation to the first and second eNBs; and   enabling the first eNB and second eNB to transmit data to user equipment in the overlapped coverage area using non-overlapped allocated resource.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein allocating a bandwidth resource comprises allocating Almost Blank Subframes.