Limiting transmit power in dense heterogeneous networks

1. A method for mitigating interference in heterogeneous networks, the method comprising:

monitoring a density of access nodes within range of one or more wireless devices;

adjusting a maximum allowable transmit power of the one or more wireless devices based on the density of access nodes;

periodically obtaining locations of the one or more wireless devices; and

repeating the monitoring and adjusting operations when the locations change.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the density is based on a quantity of access nodes within range of the one or more wireless devices.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising determining the quantity based on identifiers reported by the one or more wireless devices.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising determining the quantity based on neighbor relations information associated with the access nodes.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining that the density of access nodes meets a threshold; and

lowering the maximum allowable transmit power of at least one of the one or more wireless devices.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

identifying high powered wireless devices from among the one or more wireless devices; and

lowering the maximum allowable transmit power of the high powered wireless devices.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

determining that there are no high powered wireless devices from among the one or more wireless devices; and

lowering the maximum allowable transmit power of one or more low powered wireless devices.

8. A system for limiting transmit power of wireless devices in dense heterogeneous networks, the system comprising:

a processing node; and

a processor coupled to the processing node configured to perform operations comprising:

determining that a wireless device is within range of a threshold quantity of access nodes; and

limiting a maximum allowable transmit power of the wireless device;

periodically obtaining a location of the wireless device;

repeating the determining and limiting operations when the location changes.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein determining that the wireless device is within range of the threshold quantity of access nodes is based on identifiers reported by the wireless device.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the identifier comprises a primary cell identifier.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein limiting the maximum allowable transmit power is based on a power class of the wireless device.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein:

the wireless device is assigned a high power class, and

limiting the maximum allowable transmit power comprises reducing the maximum allowable transmit power from 26 dBm to 23 dBm or lower.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein:

the wireless device is assigned a standard power class, and

limiting the maximum allowable transmit power comprises reducing the maximum allowable transmit power from 23 dBm to a lower value.

14. A processing node for limiting transmit power based on a density of access nodes in a wireless network, the processing node being configured to perform operations comprising,

identifying a high powered wireless device in a wireless network;

determining that a density of access nodes within range of the high powered wireless device meets a threshold;

reducing a maximum allowable transmit power of the high powered wireless device;

periodically obtaining a location of the high powered wireless device; and

repeating the determining and reducing operations when the location changes.

15. The processing node of claim 14 , wherein the maximum allowable transmit power is reduced from 26 dBm to 23 dBm or lower.

16. The processing node of claim 14 , wherein the density is based on a quantity of access nodes within range of the high powered wireless device.

17. The processing node of claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise determining the quantity based on identifiers reported by the high powered wireless device.

18. The processing node of claim 17 , wherein the identifier comprises a primary cell identifier.

19. The processing node of claim 14 , wherein the density is based on neighbor relations information associated with the access nodes.