Method in a base station of a communication system for making a handover decision, base station, computer programs, and computer program products

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10945164-B2
Application number	US-201114130820-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 7, 2011
Priority date	Jul 7, 2011
Publication date	Mar 9, 2021
Grant date	Mar 9, 2021

Abstract

The invention relates to a method (20) in a base station (2, 3) of a communication system (1) for making a handover decision, the communication system 1 comprising a user equipment (4, 5). The method (20) comprises the steps of: performing (21) a first type of mobility mechanism for the user equipment (4, 5), and upon the first type of mobility mechanism fulfilling a criterion: configuring (22) a second type of mobility mechanism for the user equipment 4, 5, and making (23) a handover decision for the user equipment (4, 5) based on the second type of mobility mechanism. The invention also relates to a base station, computer programs and computer program products.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method performed by a first node in a communication system, the method comprising:
receiving first measurement information from a User Equipment (UE) being served via a first transceiver in the communication system, the first measurement information indicating measurements made by the UE on a first broadcast signal transmitted by the first transceiver and on a second broadcast signal transmitted by a neighboring, second transceiver in the communication system;
initiating transmission of a directional signal between the UE and the second transceiver, responsive at least to determining from the first measurement information that the second transceiver is a candidate for serving the UE;
receiving second measurement information from the UE or the second transceiver, the second measurement information indicating measurements made on the directional signal; and
controlling handover of the UE from the first transceiver to the second transceiver in dependence on the second measurement information.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first node is a base station that includes or otherwise controls at least the first transceiver.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first node comprises a first base station that includes the first transceiver, and wherein the second transceiver is included in a second base station neighboring the first base station.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein initiating transmission of the directional signal between the UE and the second transceiver comprises initiating transmission of a beamformed reference signal between the UE and the second transceiver.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein initiating transmission of the beamformed reference signal comprises initiating transmission of the beamformed reference signal by the second transceiver to the UE, and wherein receiving the second measurement information comprises receiving the second measurement information from the UE.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising transmitting configuration information to the UE, for use by the UE in configuring measurements on the beamformed reference signal.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein initiating transmission of the beamformed reference signal comprises initiating transmission of the beamformed reference signal by the UE to the second transceiver, and wherein receiving the second measurement information comprises receiving the second measurement information from the second transceiver.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining from the first measurement information that the second transceiver is a candidate for serving the UE comprises determining that a signal quality or strength of the second broadcast signal at the UE meets a defined threshold.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first broadcast signal and the second broadcast signal respectively cover a first broadcast coverage area and a second broadcast coverage area, and the directional signal covers a directional coverage area different than the second broadcast coverage area.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first broadcast signal and the second broadcast signal are a first common pilot signal transmitted by the first transceiver and a second common pilot signal transmitted by the second transceiver, respectively.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein initiating transmission of the directional signal between the UE and the second transceiver comprises initiating the transmission responsive to determining from the first measurement information that the second transceiver is a candidate for serving the UE, in conjunction with determining that there is more than a threshold amount of data awaiting transmission between the UE and the communication system.

12. A node configured for operation in a communication system, the node comprising:
input/output circuitry; and
processing circuitry operatively associated with the input/output circuitry and configured to:
receive, via the communication circuitry, first measurement information from a User Equipment (UE) being served via a first transceiver in the communication system, the first measurement information indicating measurements made by the UE on a first broadcast signal transmitted by the first transceiver and on a second broadcast signal transmitted by a neighboring, second transceiver in the communication system;
initiate transmission of a directional signal between the UE and the second transceiver, responsive at least to determining from the first measurement information that the second transceiver is a candidate for serving the UE;
receive second measurement information from the UE or the second transceiver, the second measurement information indicating measurements made on the directional signal; and
control handover of the UE from the first transceiver to the second transceiver in dependence on the second measurement information.

13. The node of claim 12 , wherein the node comprises a base station that includes or otherwise controls at least the first transceiver.

14. The node of claim 12 , wherein the node comprises a base station that includes the first transceiver, and wherein the second transceiver is included in another base station neighboring the first base station.

15. The node of claim 12 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to initiate transmission of the directional signal between the UE and the second transceiver by initiating transmission of a beamformed reference signal between the UE and the second transceiver.

16. The node of claim 15 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to initiate transmission of the beamformed reference signal by the second transceiver to the UE, and to receive the second measurement information from the UE.

17. The node of claim 16 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to transmit configuration information to the UE, for use by the UE in configuring measurements on the beamformed reference signal.

18. The node of claim 15 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to initiate transmission of the beamformed reference signal by the UE to the second transceiver, and to receive the second measurement information from the second transceiver.

19. The node of claim 12 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine from the first measurement information that the second transceiver is a candidate for serving the UE, based on determining that a signal quality or strength of the second broadcast signal at the UE meets a defined threshold.

20. The node of claim 12 , wherein the first broadcast signal and the second broadcast signal respectively cover a first broadcast coverage area and a second broadcast coverage area, and the directional signal covers a directional coverage area different than the second broadcast coverage area.

21. The node of claim 12 , wherein the first broadcast signal and the second broadcast signal are a first common pilot signal transmitted by the first transceiver and a second common pilot signal transmitted by the second transceiver, respectively.

22. The node of claim 12 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to initiate transmission of the directional signal between the UE and the second transceiver, based on initiating the transmission responsive to determining from the first measurement information that the second transceiver is a candidate for serving the UE, in conjunction with determining that there is more than a threshold amount of data awaiting transmission between the UE and the co

Assignees

• Wallentin Pontus
• Eriksson Erik
• Frenger Paal
• Ericsson Telefon Ab L M

Inventors

• Wallentin Pontus
• Eriksson Erik
• Frenger Pål

Classifications

• H04W36/322

  by location data · CPC title

• H04W36/00837

  Determination of triggering parameters for hand-off · CPC title

• H04W36/0085 Primary

  Hand-off measurements · CPC title

• H04W36/0088

  Scheduling hand-off measurements · CPC title

• H04W36/32

  by location or mobility data, e.g. speed data · CPC title