Location of basestation
Techniques and mechanisms relating to a basestation for a cellular communication system, and in particular to a method and a system for determining the location of the basestation, are disclosed. Methods are provided for use in a basestation of a mobile communications network, or in the network itself, for determining information about the position of the basestation itself, and/or for determining the position of mobile devices having a connection to the basestation. According to other aspects of the invention, there are provided basestations and network nodes for performing these methods.
1. A basestation for a communications network, the communications network operating with separate downlink and uplink frequencies, wherein the basestation is operable periodically to interrupt its own transmissions to user equipment devices on said downlink frequencies in order to detect signals transmitted by neighbouring basestations on said downlink frequencies, such that the location of the basestation can be estimated based on the locations of neighbouring macrocell basestations from which said signals are detected, and such that, if the location of the basestation is changed to a non-approved location, an alarm is sent to the network.
2. The basestation as claimed in claim 1 , operable such that, if the location is changed to an approved location, it is permitted to provide service.
3. A method of operation of a basestation for a communications network, the communications network operating with separate downlink and uplink frequencies, the method comprising: periodically interrupting transmissions of the basestation to user equipment devices on said downlink frequencies in order to detect signals transmitted by neighbouring basestations on said downlink frequencies, such that the location of the basestation can be estimated based on the locations of neighbouring macrocell basestations from which said signals are detected, and, if the location of the basestation is changed to a non-approved location, sending an alarm to the network.
4. The method as claimed in claim 3 , further comprising, if the location is changed to an approved location, permitting the basestation to provide service.
5. The basestation as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the basestation is configured to estimate its location by identifying said neighbouring basestations based on the detected signals transmitted by said neighbouring basestations, and by estimating its location based on known locations of said neighbouring macrocell basestations.
6. The basestation as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the basestation is able to access a database containing the locations of said neighbouring macrocell basestations.
7. The basestation as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the basestation is configured to estimate its location by triangulation from known locations of at least three of said neighbouring macrocell basestations.
8. The basestation as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the basestation is configured to perform said triangulation based on signal strengths of the detected signals transmitted by said neighbouring basestations.
9. The basestation as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the basestation is configured to perform said triangulation based on transit times of the detected signals transmitted by said neighbouring basestations.
10. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the basestation is configured to estimate its location by identifying said neighbouring basestations based on the detected signals transmitted by said neighbouring basestations, and by estimating its location based on known locations of said neighbouring macrocell basestations.
11. The basestation as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the basestation is able to access a database containing the locations of said neighbouring macrocell basestations.
12. The basestation as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the basestation is configured to estimate its location by triangulation from known locations of at least three of said neighbouring macrocell basestations.
13. The basestation as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the basestation is configured to perform said triangulation based on signal strengths of the detected signals transmitted by said neighbouring basestations.
14. The basestation as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the basestation is configured to perform said triangulation based on transit times of the detected signals transmitted by said neighbouring basestations.