Handling of wireless devices within a cell

1 . A method of operating a first radio access network (RAN) node in a communication network, the first RAN node configured to serve a plurality of regions of a first cell with respective beams, the method comprising:

providing, to a wireless device when entering a region of the first cell, a region-specific beam configuration for each of the beams, wherein the region-specific beam configuration for a beam is set according to an expected speed of movement of wireless devices in said region,

wherein the expected speed of movement of wireless devices in said region is determined prior to providing the region-specific beam configuration to the wireless device entering the region of the first cell.

2 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

receiving behavior data relating to behavior of a first wireless device in the first cell, wherein the behavior data comprises information on previous speed of movement of the first wireless device in one or more regions of the first cell;

comparing the received information on previous speed of movement of the first wireless device for each of the one or more regions to the expected speed of movement for each of the one or more regions; and

if the previous speed of movement of the first wireless device in a region deviated from the expected speed of movement for that region, storing an indication of the previous speed of movement of the first wireless device in that region.

3 . The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the method further comprises:

when the first wireless device is subsequently in a first region of the first cell for which an indication is stored, retrieving the stored indication of the previous speed of movement of the first wireless device in the first region; and

providing a User Equipment-specific beam configuration for the first wireless device in the first region, wherein the User Equipment-specific beam configuration is set according to the previous speed of movement of the first wireless device in the first region.

4 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

at, or during, handover of a first wireless device from a second RAN node to the first RAN node, receiving information from the second RAN node indicating a suitable beam configuration for the first wireless device.

5 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

at, or during, handover of a second wireless device from the first RAN node to a second RAN node, sending information to the second RAN node indicating a suitable beam configuration for the second wireless device.

6 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

receiving data relating to wireless devices in the first cell, wherein the data comprises, for each wireless device, measurements by the wireless device of one or more beams of the first cell at a plurality of time instants;

analyzing the received data to estimate respective speeds of movement of the wireless devices in the first cell based on the measurements of the one or more beams and the time instants at which the measurements were made;

analyzing the respective estimated speeds of movement of the wireless devices in the first cell to determine an expected speed of movement of wireless devices in each region of the first cell; and

setting region-specific beam configurations for each of the regions, wherein the region-specific beam configuration for a region is set according to the expected speed of movement of wireless devices in that region.

7 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises one or both of:

transmitting user data provided by a host computer to a first wireless device that is in a first region of the first cell using a beam configuration specific to the first region; and

receiving user data from a second wireless device that is in a second region of the first cell using a beam configuration specific to the second region.

8 . A method of operating a network node to determine respective region-specific beam configurations for a first radio access network (RAN) node in a communication network, wherein the first RAN node is configured to serve a plurality of regions of a first cell with respective beams, the method comprising:

receiving data relating to wireless devices in the first cell, wherein the data comprises, for each wireless device, measurements by the wireless device of one or more beams of the first cell at a plurality of time instants;

analyzing the received data to estimate respective speeds of movement of the wireless devices in the first cell based on the measurements of the one or more beams and the time instants at which the measurements were made by each respective wireless device;

analyzing the respective estimated speeds of movement of the wireless devices in the first cell to determine an expected speed of movement of wireless devices in each region of the first cell; and

setting a region-specific beam configuration for each of the regions, wherein the region-specific beam configuration for a region is set according to the expected speed of movement of wireless devices in that region, wherein the region-specific beam configuration for each of the regions is provided, by the RAN node, to a wireless device entering a region of the first cell,

wherein the determining of the region-specific beam configuration is performed prior to providing the region-specific beam configuration for each of the regions by the RAN node, to a wireless device entering a region of the first cell.

9 . A first radio access network (RAN) node for use in a communication network, the first RAN node configured to serve a plurality of regions of a first cell with respective beams, the first RAN node comprising a processor and a memory, said memory containing instructions executable by said processor whereby said first RAN node is operative to:

provide, to a wireless device when entering a region of the first cell, a region-specific beam configuration for each of the beams, wherein the region-specific beam configuration for a beam is set according to an expected speed of movement of wireless devices in said region,

wherein the expected speed of movement of wireless devices in said region are determined prior to providing the region-specific beam configuration is provided to the wireless device entering the region of the first cell.

10 . The first RAN node as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the first RAN node is further operative to:

receive behavior data relating to behavior of a first wireless device in the first cell, wherein the behavior data comprises information on previous speed of movement of the first wireless device in one or more regions of the first cell;

compare the received information on previous speed of movement of the first wireless device for each of the one or more regions to the expected speed of movement for each of the one or more regions; and

store an indication of the previous speed of movement of the first wireless device in a region if the previous speed of movement of the first wireless device in that region deviated from the expected speed of movement for that region.

11 . The first RAN node as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the first RAN node is further operative to:

when the first wireless device is subsequently in a first region of the first cell for which an indication is stored, retrieve the stored indication of the previous speed of movement of the first wireless device in the first region; and

provide a User Equipment-specific beam configuration for the first wireless device in the first region, wherein the User Equipment-specific beam configuration is set according to the previous speed of movement of the first wireless device in the first region.

12 . The first RAN node as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the first RAN node is further operative to:

at, or during, handover of a first wireless device from a second RAN node to the first RAN node, receive information from the second RAN node indicating a suitable beam configuration for the first wireless device.

13 . The first RAN node as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the first RAN node is further operative to:

at, or during, handover of a second wireless device from the first RAN node to a second RAN node, send information to the second RAN node indicating a suitable beam configuration for the second wireless device.

14 . The first RAN node as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the first RAN node is further operative to:

receive data relating to wireless devices in the first cell, wherein the data comprises, for each wireless device, measurements by the wireless device of one or more beams of the first cell at a plurality of time instants;

analyze the received data to estimate respective speeds of movement of the wireless devices in the first cell based on the measurements of the one or more beams and the time instants at which the measurements were made;

analyze the respective estimated speeds of movement of the wireless devices in the first cell to determine an expected speed of movement of wireless devices in each region of the first cell; and

set region-specific beam configurations for each of the regions, wherein the region-specific beam configuration for a region is set according to the expected speed of movement of wireless devices in that region.

15 . The first RAN node as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the first RAN node is operative to analyze the received data by analyzing the received data to estimate the respective speeds of movement of the wireless devices in the first cell based on the measurements of the one or more beams, the time instants at which the measurements were made, and mapping information indicating a geographical location associated with each beam.

16 . The first RAN node as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the first RAN node is operative to analyze the received data by analyzing the received data to estimate the respective speeds of movement of the wireless devices in the first cell based on the measurements of the one or more beams, the time instants at which the measurements were made, information indicating a distance of each wireless device from the first RAN node at the time instants at which the measurements were made and information indicative of the size and/or relative locations of the respective regions.

17 . The first RAN node as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the first RAN node is further operative to at least one of:

transmit user data provided by a host computer to a first wireless device that is in a first region of the first cell using a beam configuration specific to the first region; and

receive user data from a second wireless device that is in a second region of the first cell using a beam configuration specific to the second region.

18 . A network node for use in determining respective region-specific beam configurations for a first radio access network (RAN) node in a communication network, wherein the first RAN node is configured to serve a plurality of regions of a first cell with respective beams, wherein the network node comprises a processor and a memory, said memory containing instructions executable by said processor whereby said network node is operative to:

receive data relating to wireless devices in the first cell, wherein the data comprises, for each wireless device, measurements by the wireless device of one or more beams of the first cell at a plurality of time instants;

analyze the received data to estimate respective speeds of movement of the wireless devices in the first cell based on the measurements of the one or more beams and the time instants at which the measurements were made;

analyze the respective estimated speeds of movement of the wireless devices in the first cell to determine an expected speed of movement of wireless devices in each region of the first cell; and

set a region-specific beam configuration for each of the regions, wherein the region-specific beam configuration for a region is set according to the expected speed of movement of wireless devices in that region, wherein the region-specific beam configuration for each of the regions is provided, by the RAN node, to a wireless device entering a region of the first cell,

wherein the determining respective region-specific beam configuration is performed prior to providing the region-specific beam configuration for each of the regions by the RAN node, to a wireless device entering a region of the first cell.

19 . The network node as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the network node is operative to analyze the received data by analyzing the received data to estimate the respective speeds of movement of the wireless devices in the first cell based on the measurements of the one or more beams, the time instants at which the measurements were made, and mapping information indicating a geographical location associated with each beam.

20 . The network node as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the network node is operative to analyze the received data by analyzing the received data to estimate the respective speeds of movement of the wireless devices in the first cell based on the measurements of the one or more beams, the time instants at which the measurements were made, information indicating a distance of each wireless device from the first RAN node at the time instants at which the measurements were made and information indicative of the size and/or relative locations of the respective regions.