Autonomous power adaptation in a heterogeneous cellular environment

Abstract

Autonomous power adaptation in a heterogeneous cellular environment is disclosed. In some embodiments, autonomous power adaptation for a first small area cellular device in a heterogeneous cellular environment includes collecting received signal strength information for one or more neighboring large area cellular devices and one or more neighboring small area cellular devices; and determining a maximum transmit power for the first small area cellular device that minimizes interference with the one or more neighboring large area cellular devices and the one or more small area cellular devices, in which determining the maximum transmit power for the first small area cellular device that minimizes interference with the one or more neighboring large area cellular devices and the one or more small area cellular devices includes prioritizing the one or more neighboring large area cellular devices over the one or more neighboring small area cellular devices.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A system for autonomous power adaptation for a first small area cellular device in a heterogeneous cellular environment, comprising:
 a processor configured to:
 collect received signal strength information for one or more neighboring large area cellular devices and one or more neighboring small area cellular devices; 
 determine a maximum transmit power for the first small area cellular device that minimizes interference with the one or more neighboring large area cellular devices and the one or more small area cellular devices, wherein determining the maximum transmit power for the first small area cellular device that minimizes interference with the one or more neighboring large area cellular devices and the one or more small area cellular devices includes prioritizing the one or more neighboring large area cellular devices over the one or more neighboring small area cellular devices; and 
 periodically adjust the maximum transmit power of the first small area cellular device based on one or more measurement reports received from one or more user equipment devices based on a fine tuning threshold to fine tune the transmit power of the first small area cellular device; and 
   a memory coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions.   
     
     
         3 . The system recited in  claim 2 , wherein the first small area cellular device includes a femtocell, a picocell, or a microcell, wherein the one or more neighboring small area cellular devices includes a femtocell, a picocell, and/or a microcell, and wherein the neighboring large area cellular devices include one or more macrocells. 
     
     
         4 . The system recited in  claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 sort the received signal strength information for the one or more neighboring large area cellular devices; and   sort the received signal strength information for the one or more neighboring small area cellular devices.   
     
     
         5 . The system recited in  claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 determine whether a first measured signal quality strength for a neighboring macrocell exceeds a first predefined threshold, wherein the first measured signal quality strength for the neighboring macrocell is based on a pilot signal transmitted from the neighboring macrocell.   
     
     
         6 . The system recited in  claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 determine whether a first measured signal quality strength for a neighboring macrocell exceeds a first predefined threshold, wherein the first measured signal quality strength for the neighboring macrocell is based on a pilot signal transmitted from the neighboring macrocell; and   if the first measured signal quality strength for the neighboring macrocell is determined to exceed the first predefined threshold, then determine the maximum transmit power for the first small cellular device such that the first measured signal quality strength at a first small cellular device cell boundary exceeds the first predefined threshold.   
     
     
         7 . The system recited in  claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 determine whether a first measured signal quality strength for a neighboring macrocell exceeds a first predefined threshold, wherein the first measured signal quality strength for the neighboring macrocell is based on a pilot signal transmitted from the neighboring macrocell; and   if the first measured signal quality strength for the neighboring macrocell is determined to not exceed the first predefined threshold, then determine whether a second measured signal quality strength for a neighboring femtocell or a neighboring picocell exceeds a second predefined threshold, wherein the second measured signal quality strength for the neighboring femtocell or the neighboring picocell is based on a pilot signal transmitted from the neighboring femtocell or the neighboring picocell.   
     
     
         8 . The system recited in  claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 determine whether a first measured signal quality strength for a neighboring macrocell exceeds a first predefined threshold, wherein the first measured signal quality strength for the neighboring macrocell is based on a pilot signal transmitted from the neighboring macrocell;   if the first measured signal quality strength for the neighboring macrocell is determined to not exceed the first predefined threshold, then determine whether a second measured signal quality strength for a neighboring femtocell or a neighboring picocell exceeds a second predefined threshold, wherein the second measured signal quality strength for the neighboring femtocell or the neighboring picocell is based on a pilot signal transmitted from the neighboring femtocell or the neighboring picocell; and   if the second measured signal quality strength for the neighboring femtocell or the neighboring picocell is determined to exceed the second predefined threshold, then determine the maximum transmit power for the first small cellular device such that the second measured signal quality strength at a first small cellular device cell boundary exceeds the second predefined threshold.   
     
     
         9 . The system recited in  claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 determine the maximum transmit power for the first small area cellular device such that a measured signal quality strength at a first small area cellular device cell boundary exceeds a predefined threshold using a compensation factor for sniffer measurements for the one or more neighboring femtocells or the one or more neighboring picocells, wherein the compensation factor adjusts for a power loss over a distance based on a configurable radius of the one or more neighboring femtocells or the one or more neighboring picocells.   
     
     
         10 . The system recited in  claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 determine whether a first measured signal quality strength for a neighboring macrocell exceeds a first predefined threshold, wherein the first measured signal quality strength for the neighboring macrocell is based on a pilot signal transmitted from the neighboring macrocell;   if the first measured signal quality strength for the neighboring macrocell is determined to not exceed the first predefined threshold, then determine whether a second measured signal quality strength for a neighboring femtocell or a neighboring picocell exceeds a second predefined threshold, wherein the second measured signal quality strength for the neighboring femtocell or the neighboring picocell is based on a pilot signal transmitted from the neighboring femtocell or the neighboring picocell; and   if the second measured signal quality strength for the neighboring femtocell or the neighboring picocell is determined to not exceed the second predefined threshold, then set the maximum transmit power of the first small area cellular device to a predetermined transmit power setting.   
     
     
         11 . The system recited in  claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 determine whether a new sniffer report is received.   
     
     
         12 . A method for autonomous power adaptation for a first small area cellular device in a heterogeneous cellular environment, comprising:
 collecting received signal strength information for one or more neighboring large area cellular devices and one or more neighboring small area cellular devices;   determining a maximum transmit power for the first small area cellular device that minimizes interference with the one or more neighboring large area cellular devices and the one or more small area cellular devices, wherein determining the maximum transmit power for the first small area cellular device that minimizes interference with the one or more neighboring large area cellular devices and the one or more small area cellular devices includes prioritizing the one or more neighboring large area cellular devices over the one or more neighboring small area cellular devices; and   periodically adjusting the maximum transmit power of the first small area cellular device based on one or more measurement reports received from one or more user equipment devices based on a fine tuning threshold to fine tune the transmit power of the first small area cellular device.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first small area cellular device includes a femtocell, a picocell, or a microcell, wherein the one or more neighboring small area cellular devices includes a femtocell, a picocell, and/or a microcell, and wherein the neighboring large area cellular devices include one or more macrocells. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 determining whether a first measured signal quality strength for a neighboring macrocell exceeds a first predefined threshold, wherein the first measured signal quality strength for the neighboring macrocell is based on a pilot signal transmitted from the neighboring macrocell; and   if the first measured signal quality strength for the neighboring macrocell is determined to exceed the first predefined threshold, then determining the maximum transmit power for the first small area cellular device such that the first measured signal quality strength at a first small area cellular device cell boundary exceeds the first predefined threshold.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 determining whether a first measured signal quality strength for a neighboring macrocell exceeds a first predefined threshold, wherein the first measured signal quality strength for the neighboring macrocell is based on a pilot signal transmitted from the neighboring macrocell;   if the first measured signal quality strength for the neighboring macrocell is determined to not exceed the first predefined threshold, then determining whether a second measured signal quality strength for a neighboring femtocell or a neighboring picocell exceeds a second predefined threshold, wherein the second measured signal quality strength for the neighboring femtocell or the neighboring picocell is based on a pilot signal transmitted from the neighboring femtocell or the neighboring picocell; and   if the second measured signal quality strength for the neighboring femtocell or the neighboring picocell is determined to not exceed the second predefined threshold, then setting the maximum transmit power of the first small area cellular device to a predetermined transmit power setting.   
     
     
         16 . A computer program product for autonomous power adaptation for a first small area cellular device in a heterogeneous cellular environment, the computer program product being embodied in a tangible computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:
 collecting received signal strength information for one or more neighboring large area cellular devices and one or more neighboring small area cellular devices;   determining a maximum transmit power for the first small area cellular device that minimizes interference with the one or more neighboring large area cellular devices and the one or more small area cellular devices, wherein determining the maximum transmit power for the first small area cellular device that minimizes interference with the one or more neighboring large area cellular devices and the one or more small area cellular devices includes prioritizing the one or more neighboring large area cellular devices over the one or more neighboring small area cellular devices; and   periodically adjusting the maximum transmit power of the first small area cellular device based on one or more measurement reports received from one or more user equipment devices based on a fine tuning threshold to fine tune the transmit power of the first small area cellular device,   wherein the first small area cellular device includes a femtocell, a picocell, or a microcell, wherein the one or more neighboring small area cellular devices includes a femtocell, a picocell, and/or a microcell, and wherein the neighboring large area cellular devices include one or more macrocells.   
     
     
         17 . The computer program product recited in  claim 16  further comprising computer instructions for:
 determining whether a first measured signal quality strength for a neighboring macrocell exceeds a first predefined threshold, wherein the first measured signal quality strength for the neighboring macrocell is based on a pilot signal transmitted from the neighboring macrocell; and 
 if the first measured signal quality strength for the neighboring macrocell is determined to exceed the first predefined threshold, then determining the maximum transmit power for the first small area cellular device such that the first measured signal quality strength at a first small area cellular device cell boundary exceeds the first predefined threshold. 
 
     
     
         18 . The computer program product recited in  claim 16 , further comprising computer instructions for:
 determining whether a first measured signal quality strength for a neighboring macrocell exceeds a first predefined threshold, wherein the first measured signal quality strength for the neighboring macrocell is based on a pilot signal transmitted from the neighboring macrocell;   if the first measured signal quality strength for the neighboring macrocell is determined to not exceed the first predefined threshold, then determining whether a second measured signal quality strength for a neighboring femtocell or a neighboring picocell exceeds a second predefined threshold, wherein the second measured signal quality strength for the neighboring femtocell or the neighboring picocell is based on a pilot signal transmitted from the neighboring femtocell or the neighboring picocell; and   if the second measured signal quality strength for the neighboring femtocell or the neighboring picocell is determined to not exceed the second predefined threshold, then setting the maximum transmit power to a predetermined transmit power setting.   
     
     
         19 . A method for autonomous power adaptation for a first femtocell in a heterogeneous cellular environment, comprising:
 collecting sniffer measurements for one or more neighboring femtocells and one or more neighboring picocells;   determining a maximum transmit power for the first femtocell such that a measured signal quality strength at a first femtocell cell boundary exceeds a predefined threshold using a compensation factor for the sniffer measurements for the one or more neighboring femtocells or the one or more neighboring picocells, wherein the compensation factor adjusts for a power loss over a distance based on a configurable radius of the one or more neighboring femtocells or the one or more neighboring picocells; and   periodically adjusting the maximum transmit power of a first small area cellular device based on one or more measurement reports received from one or more user equipment devices based on a fine tuning threshold to fine tune the transmit power of the first small area cellular device.