Method and apparatus for coordinating resources among different networks

1. A method at a central coordination node for coordinating resources among a plurality of operating networks that is communicatively connected to the central coordination node, comprising:

receiving blanking determination related information reported from the plurality of operating networks;

determining a blanking pattern for at least one of the plurality of operating networks based at least on the blanking determination related information; and

distributing the blanking pattern to the at least one of the plurality of operating networks;

wherein;

determining a blanking pattern at least comprises determining a blanking ratio and blanking positions for the blanking pattern;

the blanking determination related information at least comprises:

a blanking ratio budget estimated at an operating network; and

one or more blanking ratio requests estimated by the operating network for one or more peer operating networks that interfere with that operating network; and

determining a blanking ratio comprises, for an operating network, determining the blanking ratio based on a comparison between its estimated blanking ratio budget and one or more blanking ratio requests estimated for the operating network by one or more of its peer operating networks.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said determining the blanking ratio based on the comparison further comprises:

for an operating network, if its estimated blanking ratio budget is not less than any of the blanking ratio requests estimated for it, then determining a maximum one of the blanking ratio requests estimated for it as the blanking ratio of that operating network; or

for an operating network, if any of the blanking ratio requests estimated for it is greater than its estimated blanking ratio budget, then adjusting at least one of that greater blanking ratio request and the estimated blanking ratio budget such that no blanking ratio request is greater than the estimated blanking ratio budget after the adjusting.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein said adjusting comprises:

adjusting at least one of the estimated blanking ratio budget and the greater blanking ratio request, based on a comparison between an average blanking ratio over a previous certain time period of the operating network that reports the greater blanking ratio request and an average blanking ratio over the previous certain time period of the operating network that has the estimated blanking ratio budget less than the greater blanking ratio request.

4. The method according to claim 2 , wherein said adjusting further comprises:

if the average blanking ratio of the operating network that reports the greater blanking ratio request is greater than the average blanking ratio of the operating network that has the estimated blanking ratio budget less than the greater blanking ratio request, then increasing the estimated blanking ratio budget to the greater blanking ratio request;

otherwise, decreasing the greater blanking ratio request to the estimated blanking ratio budget; or

adjusting both the greater blanking ratio request and the estimated blanking ratio budget to a value that is greater than an average of the greater blanking ratio request and the estimated blanking ratio budget and less than the greater blanking ratio request; otherwise adjusting both the greater blanking ratio request and the estimated blanking ratio budget to a value that is greater than the estimated blanking ratio budget and less than the average of the greater blanking ratio request and the estimated blanking ratio budget.

5. The method according to any of claim 1 , said determining blanking positions comprises at least causing blanking positions of two operating networks that interfere with each other to be different.

6. The method according to any of claim 1 , further comprising:

configuring one or more minimum blanking ratios for the plurality of operating networks.

7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

configuring one or more minimum blanking ratios for the plurality of operating networks.

8. An apparatus in a central coordination node for coordinating resources among a plurality of operating networks that is communicatively connected to the central coordination node, comprising a processor and a memory, said memory containing instructions executable by said processor whereby said apparatus is operative to:

receive blanking determination related information reported from the plurality of operating networks;

determine a blanking pattern for at least one of the plurality of operating networks based at least on the blanking determination related information; and

distribute the blanking pattern to the at least one of the plurality of operating networks;

wherein:

the apparatus operative to determine a blanking pattern at least comprises determining a blanking ratio and blanking positions for the blanking pattern;

the blanking determination related information at least comprises:

a blanking ratio budget estimated at an operating network; and

one or more blanking ratio requests estimated by the operating network for one or more peer operating networks that interfere with that operating network; and

the apparatus operative to determine a blanking ratio comprises, for an operating network, the apparatus operative to determine the blanking ratio based on a comparison between its estimated blanking ratio budget and one or more blanking ratio requests estimated for it.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein said apparatus operative to determine the blanking ratio based on the comparison further comprises:

for an operating network, if its estimated blanking ratio budget is not less than any of the blanking ratio requests estimated for it, then determining a maximum one of the blanking ratio requests estimated for it as the blanking ratio of that operating network; or

for an operating network, if any of the blanking ratio requests estimated for it is greater than its estimated blanking ratio budget, then adjusting at least one of that greater blanking ratio request and the estimated blanking ratio budget such that no blanking ratio request is greater than the estimated blanking ratio budget after the adjusting.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein said apparatus operative to adjust comprises:

said apparatus operative to adjust at least one of the estimated blanking ratio budget and the greater blanking ratio request, based on a comparison between an average blanking ratio over a previous certain time period of the operating network that reports the greater blanking ratio request and an average blanking ratio over the previous certain time period of the operating network that has the estimated blanking ratio budget less than the greater blanking ratio request.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein said apparatus operative to adjust further comprises:

if the average blanking ratio of the operating network that reports the greater blanking ratio request is greater than the average blanking ratio of the operating network that has the estimated blanking ratio budget less than the greater blanking ratio request, then

increasing the estimated blanking ratio budget to the greater blanking ratio request; otherwise, decreasing the greater blanking ratio request to the estimated blanking ratio budget; or

adjusting both the greater blanking ratio request and the estimated blanking ratio budget to a value that is greater than an average of the greater blanking ratio request and the estimated blanking ratio budget and less than the greater blanking ratio request; otherwise adjusting both the greater blanking ratio request and the estimated blanking ratio budget to a value that is greater than the estimated blanking ratio budget and less than the average of the greater blanking ratio request and the estimated blanking ratio budget.

12. The apparatus according to claim 8 , said determining blanking positions comprises at least causing blanking positions of two operating networks that interfere with each other to be different.

13. The apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising said apparatus operative to:

configure one or more minimum blanking ratios for the plurality of operating networks.

14. An apparatus in an operating network for resource coordination with a plurality of peer operating networks, comprising a processor and a memory, said memory containing instructions executable by said processor whereby said apparatus is operative to:

obtain blanking determination related information;

report the blanking determination related information to a central coordination node; and

schedule resources according to a blanking pattern distributed from the central coordination node that is determined based at least on the blanking determination related information;

wherein the apparatus operative to obtain blanking determination related information at least comprises the apparatus operative to:

estimate a blanking ratio budget for the operating network; and

estimate one or more blanking ratio requests for the peer operating networks that interfere with the operating network; and

wherein the apparatus operative to report the blanking determination related information further comprises the apparatus operative to:

report the estimated blanking ratio budget along with an identification of the operating network; and

report the estimated one or more blanking ratio requests along with identifications of corresponding peer operating networks.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein said blanking determination related information is obtained based at least on an operating condition of the operating network.