Apparatus and method for controlling inter-cluster interference in a multi cell network

1. A method of controlling inter-cluster interference in a multi cell network, the method comprising:

collecting cluster information;

clustering base stations into a cluster by using at least one of a dynamic clustering method and a hierarchical clustering method, based on the cluster information;

determining a serving base station among base stations in the cluster as a cluster boundary base station based on a determination that at least one terminal, which communicates with the serving base station, satisfies a conditional expression, wherein the conditional expression is determined by using a ratio of a downlink received signal strength for the serving base station in the cluster to downlink received signal strengths for base stations in at least one neighboring cluster; and

controlling the inter-cluster interference using the determined cluster boundary base station.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the determining of the cluster boundary base station comprises:

collecting downlink received signal strength indication (RSSI) information from the at least one terminal; and

selecting downlink RSSI information of the base stations in the at least one neighboring cluster, from the collected downlink RSSI information,

wherein the collected downlink RSSI information is related to the downlink received signal strength for the serving base station in the cluster, and

wherein the selected downlink RSSI information is related to the downlink received signal strengths of the base stations in the at least one neighboring cluster.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the controlling of the inter-cluster interference comprises:

storing a ratio of a determination of the cluster boundary base station in each of the base stations;

selecting a base station having the largest ratio among the base stations;

determining the selected base station as a center base station of the cluster in a next time slot;

arranging base stations, which enable the determined center base station of the cluster to be determined as the cluster boundary base station, in order of a number of times that each respective base station is determined to be the cluster base station;

selecting and determining N numbers of upper layer base stations among the arranged base stations, as members of the cluster; and

registering information on the ratio, the determined cluster center base station and the determined cluster member, as cluster information of the next time slot,

wherein the N is a predetermined natural number.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2 ,

wherein the conditional expression for the determination of the cluster boundary base station is expressed by:

RSSI

i

RSSI

serving

>

α

,

 and

wherein RSSI i is a selected RSSI, RSSI serving is an RSSI of the serving base station, and α is a critical value used for determining the cluster boundary base station.

5. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the controlling of the inter-cluster interference comprises:

selecting a terminal and an interference base station which satisfy the conditional expression for the determination of the cluster boundary base station; and

controlling electric power of the selected interference base station if the selected terminal is allocated to the determined cluster boundary base station.

6. An apparatus for controlling inter-cluster interference in a multi cell network, the apparatus comprising:

at least one processor configured to:

collect clustering information,

cluster base stations into a cluster by using at least one of a dynamic clustering method and a hierarchical clustering method, based on the clustering information,

determine a serving base station among base stations in the cluster as a cluster boundary base station, based on a determination that at least one terminal, which communicates with the serving base station, satisfies a conditional expression, wherein the conditional expression is determined by using a ratio of a downlink received signal strength for the serving base station in the cluster to downlink received signal strengths for base stations in at least one neighboring cluster, and

control the inter-cluster interference using the determined cluster boundary base station.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

collect downlink received signal strength indication (RSSI) information from the at least one terminal, and

select downlink RSSI information of base stations in the at least one neighboring cluster, from the collected downlink RSSI information,

wherein the collected downlink RSSI information is related to the downlink received signal strength for the serving base station in the cluster, and

wherein the selected downlink RSSI information is related to the downlink received signal strengths of the base stations in the at least one neighboring cluster.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

store a ratio of a determination of the cluster boundary base station in each of the base stations,

select a base station having the largest ratio among the base stations,

determine the selected base station as a center base station of the cluster in a next time slot,

arrange base stations, which enable the determined center base station of the cluster to be determined as the cluster boundary base station, in order of a number of times that each respective base station is determined to be the cluster base station,

select and determine N numbers of upper layer base stations among the arranged base stations, as members of the cluster, and

register information on the ratio, the determined cluster center base station and the determined cluster member, as cluster information of the next time slot,

wherein N is a predetermined natural number.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 ,

wherein the conditional expression for the determination of the cluster boundary base station is expressed by:

RSSI

i

RSSI

serving

>

α

,

 and

wherein RSSI i is a selected RSSI, RSSI serving is an RSSI of the serving base station, and α is a critical value used for determining the cluster boundary base station.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 ,

wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

select a terminal and an interference base station which satisfy the conditional expression for the determination of the cluster boundary base station, and

control electric power of the selected interference base station if the selected terminal is allocated to the determined cluster boundary base station.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium configured to store instructions that when executed perform the method of claim 1 .