Method and base station for determining an uplink power control target

1. A method in a base station of a cell having at least a first antenna sector and a second antenna sector, the base station being distributed in terms of location, the method comprising:

estimating, in each of the at least the first and second antenna sectors, a thermal noise floor;

determining the highest thermal noise floor value of the estimated thermal noise floors in all of the at least the first and second antenna sectors; and

determining an uplink power control target for a user equipment (UE) connected to the first antenna sector based on the determined highest thermal noise floor of the estimated thermal noise floors in all of the at least the first and second antenna sectors.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the uplink power control target is further based on a first predetermined power component for providing that an uplink signal from the UE is detectable by an antenna sector having the determined highest thermal noise floor of the estimated thermal noise floors of the at least the first and second antenna sectors.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the determining the uplink power control target is further based on a second predetermined power component for providing that an uplink signal from the UE has a target signal to noise ratio in each antenna sector.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the determining the uplink power control target is further based on a third predetermined power component for providing a minimal detectable signal power in an antenna sector having the determined highest thermal noise floor of the estimated thermal noise floors of the at least the first and second antenna sectors.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the determining the uplink power control target is further determined as the maximum of:

a sum of the thermal noise floor of the first antenna sector and the second predetermined power component; and

a sum of the determined highest thermal noise floor of the estimated thermal noise floors, the first predetermined power component, and the third predetermined power component.

6. The method of claim 1 :

further comprising obtaining a further thermal noise floor estimated in a further antenna sector of a second base station over an interface between the base station and the second base station;

wherein at least the first, second, and further antenna sectors form a cell.

7. The method of claim 1 :

further comprising communicating an information element (IE) from the at least the first and second antenna sectors to a central control of the base station;

wherein each IE comprises an identifier of the respective antenna sector, and a data item of the estimated thermal noise floor of the respective antenna sector.

8. The method of claim 1 :

further comprising setting, internal to the base station, the determined uplink power control target as an uplink power control target per antenna sector of the base station; and

using integrating means to enforce a signal power received from the UE to reach the determined uplink power control target.

9. The method of claim 1 :

further comprising determining an uplink power control target specific to the UE based on the determined uplink power control target and the estimated thermal noise floor of the first antenna sector; and

signaling, to the UE, the uplink power control target that is specific to the UE.

10. A base station of a cell having at least a first antenna sector and a second antenna sector, the base station being distributed in terms of location, the base station comprising:

processing circuitry; and

memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the base station is operative to:

estimate, in each of the at least the first and second antenna sectors, a thermal noise floor;

determine the highest thermal noise floor value of the estimated thermal noise floors in all of the at least the first and second antenna sectors; and

determine an uplink power control target for a user equipment (UE) connected to the first antenna sector based on the determined highest thermal noise floor of the estimated thermal noise floors in all of the at least the first and second antenna sectors.

11. The base station of claim 10 , wherein the instructions are such that the base station is operative to determine the uplink power control target based on a first predetermined power component for providing that an uplink signal from the UE is detectable by an antenna sector having the determined highest thermal noise floor of the estimated thermal noise floors of the at least the first and second antenna sectors.

12. The base station of claim 11 , wherein the instructions are such that the base station is operative to determine the uplink power control target based on a second predetermined power component for providing that an uplink signal from the UE has a target signal to noise ratio in each antenna sector.

13. The base station of claim 12 , wherein the instructions are such that the base station is operative to determine the uplink power control target based on a third predetermined power component for providing a minimal detectable signal power in the antenna sector having the determined highest thermal noise floor of the estimated thermal noise floors of the at least the first and second antenna sectors.

14. The base station of claim 13 , wherein the instructions are such that the base station is operative to determine the uplink power control target as the maximum of:

a sum of the thermal noise floor of the first antenna sector and the second predetermined power component; and

a sum of the determined highest thermal noise floor of the estimated thermal noise floors, the first predetermined power component, and the third predetermined power component.

15. The base station of claim 10 :

wherein the instructions are such that the base station is operative to obtain a further thermal noise floor estimated in a further antenna sector of a second base station over an interface between the base station and the second base station;

wherein at least the first, second and further antenna sectors form a cell.

16. The base station of claim 10 :

wherein the instructions are such that the base station is operative to communicate an information element (IE) from the at least the first and second antenna sectors to a central control of the base station;

wherein each IE comprises an identifier of the respective antenna sector, and a data item of the estimated thermal noise floor of the respective antenna sector.

17. The base station of claim 10 , wherein the instructions are such that the base station is operative to:

set, internal to the base station, the determined uplink power control target as an uplink power control target per antenna sector of the base station; and

use integrating means to enforce a signal power received from the UE to reach the determined uplink power control target.

18. The base station of claim 10 , wherein the instructions are such that the base station is operative to:

determine an uplink power control target specific to the UE based on the determined uplink power control target and the estimated thermal noise floor of the first antenna sector; and

signal, to the UE, the uplink power control target that is specific to the UE.

19. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing a computer program product for controlling a base station of a cell having at least a first antenna sector and a second antenna sector, the base station being distributed in terms of location, the computer program product comprising software instructions which, when run on processing circuitry of the base station, cause the base station to:

estimate, in each of the at least the first and second antenna sectors, a thermal noise floor;

determine the highest thermal noise floor value of the estimated thermal noise floors in all of the at least the first and second antenna sectors; and

determine an uplink power control target for a user equipment (UE) connected to the first antenna sector based on the determined highest thermal noise floor of the estimated thermal noise floors in all of the at least the first and second antenna sectors.