Method and system for proxy base station

1. A computer-implemented method for a communications network, the method comprising:

establishing a proxy base station configured to emulate being an actual base station in the network, the proxy base station established by:

analyzing current network parameters;

determining parameters for the proxy base station based on the analyzed network parameters, the parameters including geographical coordinates representing an artificial location of the proxy base station; and

transmitting the determined parameters for the proxy base station to a first actual base station of the network,

receiving, by the proxy base station over an X2 interface, network information that is unavailable to a central SON controller at a time that the network information is received, and

providing the network information to the central SON controller,

wherein the proxy base station is a virtual base station, and the actual base station of the network perceives the proxy base station to be another actual base station.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communications network is a Long Term Evolution (LTE) wireless network, and the parameters for the proxy base station are transmitted over the X2 interface.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

receiving High Interference Indicator (HII) information and Overload Indication (OI) information from the first actual base station at the proxy base station.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

receiving Relative Narrowband Transmit Power (RNTP) information from the first actual base station at the proxy base station.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the geographical location comprises:

determining a geographical location of the first actual base station; and

setting a geographical location associated with the proxy base station such that it is considered to be a mobility neighbor of the first base station by the first base station.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the geographical location associated with the proxy base station is set to be the geographical location of the first actual base station.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein analyzing current network parameters includes determining EUTRA Absolute Frequency Channel Number (EARFCN) and transmission bandwidth values for the first actual base station, and determining parameters for the proxy base station includes setting EARFCN and transmission bandwidth values of the proxy base station to be the same as the first actual base station.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determined parameters include a geographical location, a Physical Cell Identifier (PCI), an E-UTRAN Global Identifier (ECGI), a Type Allocation Code (TAC), a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) Identifier, and a plurality of Information Elements.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting the determined parameters includes transmitting a first set of parameters for a first type of base station to the first actual base station, and transmitting a second set of parameters for a second type of base station to a second actual base station.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining parameters for the proxy base station includes determining first parameters and determining second parameters that are different from the first parameters, and

wherein transmitting the determined parameters includes transmitting the first parameters to the first actual base station and transmitting the second parameters to a second actual base station.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of proxy base stations are controlled by a central server.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one proxy base station is established for each actual base station in a predetermined area.

13. A communications system comprising:

a processor;

a memory; and

a computer readable medium with non-transitory computer-readable instructions encoded thereon which, when executed by the processor, perform the following operations:

establishing a proxy eNodeB configured to emulate being an actual eNodeB in the network, the proxy eNodeB established by:

analyzing current network parameters;

determining parameters for the proxy eNodeB based on the analyzed network parameters, the parameters including geographical coordinates representing an artificial location of the proxy eNodeB; and

transmitting the determined parameters for the proxy eNodeB to an actual base station of the network,

receiving, by the eNodeB over an X2 interface, network information that is unavailable to a central SON controller at a time that the network information is received, and

providing the network information to the central SON controller,

wherein the proxy eNodeB is a virtual base station, and the actual base station of the network perceives the proxy eNodeB to be another actual eNodeB, and

wherein the processor is included in a server that controls a plurality of proxy eNodeBs.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the communications system is a Long Term Evolution (LTE) wireless network, and the parameters for the proxy eNodeB are transmitted over the X2 interface.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the geographical location is determined by:

determining a geographical location of the actual base station; and

setting a geographical location associated with the proxy eNodeB such that it is considered to be a mobility neighbor of the actual base station by the actual base station.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the geographical location associated with the proxy eNodeB is set to be the geographical location of the actual base station.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the current network parameters are determined by:

determining EUTRA Absolute Frequency Channel Number (EARFCN) and transmission bandwidth values for the actual eNodeB; and

determining parameters for the proxy base station includes setting EARFCN and transmission bandwidth values of the proxy base station to be the same as the actual eNodeB.

18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the determined parameters include a geographical location, a Physical Cell Identifier (PCI), an E-UTRAN Global Identifier (ECGI), a Type Allocation Code (TAC), a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) Identifier, and a plurality of Information Elements.

19. The system of claim 13 , the determined parameters are transmitted by:

transmitting a first set of parameters for a first type of base station to the actual eNodeB; and

transmitting a second set of parameters for a second type of base station to a second actual eNodeB.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium with computer executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, perform the following method:

establishing a proxy base station configured to emulate being an actual base station in the network, the proxy base station established by:

analyzing current network parameters;

determining parameters for the proxy base station based on the analyzed network parameters, the parameters including geographical coordinates representing an artificial location of the proxy base station; and

transmitting the determined parameters for the proxy base station to an actual base station of the network,

receiving, by the proxy base station over an X2 interface, network information that is unavailable to a central SON controller at a time that the network information is received, and

providing the network information to the central SON controller,

wherein the proxy base station is a virtual base station, and the actual base station of the network perceives the proxy base station to be another actual base station.