IP Library Granted Patent US 8,996,011
Granted Patent B2
US 8,996,011 · App. 13/759,575 · Granted Mar 31, 2015

Mobility state estimation enhancement for small cell and heterogeneous network deployments

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,996,011
App. No.
13/759,575
Granted
Mar 31, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

Various communication systems may benefit from mobility state estimation (MSE) enhancement for small cell and heterogeneous network (HetNet) deployments of the same. For example, a first user equipment (UE) and a second user equipment traveling through a HetNet may pass through a varying number of cells causing a poor MSE for each. A method may comprise performing a MSE. The method may include determining whether at least one cell change results in UE staying less than a predetermined time in a cell and filtering out from the MSE the at least one cell change, when the UE stays less than the predetermined time in the cell. The method may also comprise including the at least one cell change in the MSE when the UE stays at least the predetermined time in the cell.

Claims (41)

1. A method, comprising:

performing a mobility state estimation;

determining whether at least one cell change results in a user equipment staying less than a predetermined time in a cell; and

filtering out from the mobility state estimation the at least one cell change, when the user equipment stays less than the predetermined time in the cell,

wherein the mobility state estimation is based on counting the number of at least one of cell handovers, cell selections, and cell reselections which occur during a time period.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

including the at least one cell change in the mobility state estimation when the user equipment stays at least the predetermined time in the cell.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined time comprises a threshold time configured by the network.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined time for filtering out the at least one cell change from the mobility state estimation is determined by the size of each cell.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the predetermined time is shorter as measured in time for smaller cells than for larger cells.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the predetermined time is set to filter out at least one of:

the at least one cell change related to picocells from the mobility state estimation; and

the at least one cell change related to macrocell ping-pongs from the mobility state estimation.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cell change comprises at least one of cell handovers, cell selection, and cell reselection.

8. The method of claim 4 , wherein the predetermined time is set to filter out the at least one cell change, unless the user equipment stops within a picocell.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein picocells are filtered out of the mobility state estimation, if the user equipment is in motion.

10. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code,

wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to

perform a mobility state estimation;

determine whether at least one cell change results in a user equipment staying less than a predetermined time in a cell; and

filter out from the mobility state estimation the at least one cell change, when the user equipment stays less than the predetermined time in the cell,

wherein the mobility state estimation is based on counting the number of cell handovers, cell selections, and cell reselections which occur during a time period.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to

include the at least one cell change in the mobility state estimation when the user equipment stays at least the predetermined time in the cell.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the predetermined time comprises a threshold time configured by the network.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the predetermined time for filtering out the at least one cell change from the mobility state estimation is determined by the size of each cell.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the predetermined time is shorter as measured in time for smaller cells than for larger cells.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the predetermined time is set to filter out at least one of:

the at least one cell change related to picocells from the mobility state estimation; and

the at least one cell change related to macrocell ping-pongs from the mobility state estimation.

16. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the cell change comprises at least one of cell handover, cell selection, and cell reselection.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the predetermined time is set to filter out the at least one cell change, unless the user equipment stops within a picocell.

18. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein picocells are filtered out of the mobility state estimation, if the user equipment is in motion.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with instructions that, when executed in hardware, performs a process, the process comprising:

performing a mobility state estimation;

determining whether at least one cell change results in a user equipment staying less than a predetermined time in a cell; and

filtering out from the mobility state estimation the at least one cell change, when the user equipment stays less than the predetermined time in the cell,

wherein the mobility state estimation is based on counting the number of at least one of cell handovers, cell selections, and cell reselections which occur during a time period.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the predetermined time for filtering out the at least one cell change from the mobility state estimation is determined by the size of each cell.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 19, 2015
From: NOKIA CORPORATION
To: NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
Reel/Frame 035206/0810 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE TITLE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 029759 FRAME 0726. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT OF THE ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST. Recorded Mar 19, 2013
From: LUNDEN, JARI PETTERI; VIRTEJ, ELENA
To: NOKIA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 030046/0073 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 5, 2013
From: LUNDEN, JARI PETTERI; VIRTEJ, ELENA
To: NOKIA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 029759/0726 →