Configuration control of inter-cell signaling based on power state

1. A method for controlling reporting configurations for cells of one or more wireless communications networks based on current power state of a cell, the method comprising:

providing reporting configuration instructions from a network entity to one or more second cells, instructing the one or more second cells to select one of at least two defined configurations for reporting at least one of system information or load information to a first cell, based on whether the first cell is in a powered up state or a powered down state, wherein the at least two defined configurations comprises at least a first reporting configuration for reporting the at least one of system information or load information when the first cell is in the powered up state and a second reporting configuration for reporting the at least one of system information or load information when the first cell is in the powered down state;

transmitting notifications from the first cell to the one or more second cells indicating when the first cell is transitioning to a current power state selected from the powered up state and the powered down state; and

selecting one of the at least two defined configurations for interpreting data received from the second cell, based on the current power state, to obtain at least one of the system information or the load information.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the first cell transitioning to at least one of the powered up state characterized by providing wireless service to mobile entities, and the powered down state characterized by maintaining communication capability between the first cell and the one or more second cells without providing wireless service to the mobile entities.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising controlling wireless service to the mobile entities at the one or more second cells, based on whether the first cell is in a powered up state or a powered down state.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising broadcasting at least one of the notifications and the reporting configuration instructions to at least two of the one or more second cells.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting at least one of the notifications and reporting configuration instructions using a Radio Access Network (RAN) Information Management (RIM) procedure.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first one of the cells provides wireless service using a first radio access technology (RAT), and one or more second cells provides wireless service using a second RAT different from the first RAT.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising transmitting at least one of the notifications and the reporting configuration instructions using an inter-RAT procedure.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising formatting at least one of the notifications and the reporting configuration instructions for one or more self-organizing cells.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising transmitting a cell identifier to the one or more second cells, in association with at least one of the notifications and the reporting configuration instructions.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting an indication of a reason for initiating the current power state to the one or more second cells, in association with each of the notifications.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising combining at least one of the notifications in a message with at least one of cell load information and system information for the first cell.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising migrating idle ones of the mobile entities from one of the first cell and second cells to another of the first cell and second cells, based on the system information.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising selecting the one of at least two configurations at the one or more second cells, based on receiving each of the notifications from the first cell.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising determining which system information is reported by the one or more second cells to the first cell, based on a selected one of the at least two configurations.

15. An apparatus for controlling reporting configurations for cells of one or more wireless communications networks based on current power state of a cell, the apparatus comprising:

means for providing reporting configuration instructions to one or more second cells, instructing the one or more second cells to select one of at least two defined configurations for reporting at least one of system information or load information to a first cell, based on whether the first cell is in a powered up state or a powered down state, wherein the at least two defined configurations comprises at least a first reporting configuration for reporting the at least one of system information or load information when the first cell is in the powered up state and a second reporting configuration for reporting the at least one of system information or load information when the first cell is in the powered down state;

means for transmitting notifications from the first cell to the one or more second cells indicating when the first cell is transitioning to a current power state selected from the powered up state and the powered down state; and

means for selecting one of the at least two defined configurations for interpreting data received from the second cell, based on the current power state, to obtain at least one of the system information or the load information.

16. An apparatus for controlling reporting configurations for cells of one or more wireless communications networks based on current power state of a cell, comprising:

at least one processor configured for providing reporting configuration instructions to one or more second cells, instructing the one or more second cells to select one of at least two defined configurations for reporting at least one of system information or load information to a first cell, based on whether the first cell is in a powered up state or a powered down state, wherein the at least two defined configurations comprises at least a first reporting configuration for reporting the at least one of system information or load information when the first cell is in the powered up state and a second reporting configuration for reporting the at least one of system information or load information when the first cell is in the powered down state,

transmitting notifications from the first cell to the one or more second cells indicating when the first cell is transitioning to a current power state selected from the powered up state and the powered down state, and

selecting one of the at least two defined configurations for interpreting data received from the second cell, based on the current power state, to obtain at least one of the system information or the load information; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor for storing data.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured for transitioning to at least one of the powered up state characterized by providing wireless service to mobile entities, and the powered down state characterized by maintaining communication capability between the first cell and the one or more second cells without providing wireless service to the mobile entities.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the processor is further configured for controlling wireless service to the mobile entities at the one or more second cells, based on whether the first cell is in a powered up state or a powered down state.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured for broadcasting at least one of the notifications and the reporting configuration instructions to at least two of the one or more second cells.

20. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured for transmitting at least one of the notifications and reporting configuration instructions using a Radio Access Network (RAN) Information Management (RIM) procedure.

21. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured for providing wireless service using a first radio access technology (RAT) different from a second RAT used by the one or more second cells to provide wireless service.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the processor is further configured for transmitting at least one of the notifications and the reporting configuration instructions using an inter-RAT procedure.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the processor is further configured for formatting at least one of the notifications and the reporting configuration instructions for one or more self-organizing cells.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the processor is further configured for transmitting a cell identifier to the one or more second cells, in association with at least one of the notifications and the reporting configuration instructions.

25. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured for transmitting an indication of a reason for initiating the current power state to the one or more second cells, in association with each of the notifications.

26. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured for combining at least one of the notifications in a message with at least one of cell load information and system information for the first cell.

27. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured for migrating idle ones of the mobile entities to one or more of the second cells, based on the system information.

28. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured for determining which system information is reported by the one or more second cells, based on a selected one of the at least two configurations.

29. A computer program product for controlling reporting configurations for cells of one or more wireless communications networks based on current power state of a cell, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code for causing a computer to:

provide reporting configuration instructions to one or more second cells, instructing the one or more second cells to select one of at least two defined configurations for reporting at least one of system information or load information to the first cell, based on whether a first cell is in a powered up state or a powered down state, wherein the at least two defined configurations comprises at least a first reporting configuration for reporting the at least one of system information or load information when the first cell is in the powered up state and a second reporting configuration for reporting the at least one of system information or load information when the first cell is in the powered down state,

transmit notifications from the first cell to the one or more second cells indicating when the first cell is transitioning to a current power state selected from the powered up state and the powered down state, and

select one of the at least two defined configurations for interpreting data received from the second cell, based on the current power state, to obtain at least one of the system information or the load information.

30. The computer program product according to claim 29 , further comprising code for causing the computer to transition to at least one of the powered up state characterized by providing wireless service to mobile entities, and the powered down state characterized by maintaining communication capability between the first cell and the one or more second cells without providing wireless service to the mobile entities.

31. The computer program product according to claim 30 , further comprising code for causing the computer to control wireless service to the mobile entities at the one or more second cells, based on whether the first cell is in a powered up state or a powered down state.

32. The computer program product according to claim 29 , further comprising code for causing the computer to broadcast at least one of the notifications and the reporting configuration instructions to at least two of the one or more second cells.

33. The computer program product according to claim 29 , further comprising code for causing the computer to transmit at least one of the notifications and reporting configuration instructions using a Radio Access Network (RAN) Information Management (RIM) procedure.

34. The computer program product according to claim 29 , further comprising code for causing the computer to transmit at least one of the notifications and the reporting configuration instructions using an inter-Radio Access Technology (inter-RAT) procedure.

35. The computer program product according to claim 34 , further comprising code for causing the computer to format at least one of the notifications and the reporting configuration instructions for one or more self-organizing cells.

36. The computer program product according to claim 34 , further comprising code for causing the computer to transmit a cell identifier to the one or more second cells, in association with at least one of the notifications and the reporting configuration instructions.

37. The computer program product according to claim 29 , further comprising code for causing the computer to transmit an indication of a reason for initiating the current power state to the one or more second cells, in association with each of the notifications.

38. The computer program product according to claim 29 , further comprising code for causing the computer to combine at least one of the notifications in a message with at least one of cell load information and system information for the first cell.

39. The computer program product according to claim 29 , further comprising code for causing the computer to migrate idle ones of the mobile entities to one or more of the second cells, based on the system information.

40. The computer program product according to claim 29 , further comprising code for causing the computer to determine which system information is reported by the one or more second cells based on a selected one of the at least two configurations.