IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,961,714
Granted Patent B2
US 9,961,714 · App. 15/113,574 · Granted May 1, 2018

State switching method and device for small cell base station and computer storage medium

Inventors: Hanqing Xu (Shenzhen, CN); Yajun Zhao (Shenzhen, CN); Linmei Mo (Shenzhen, CN)
Assignee: ZTE Corporation
H04W76/046H04W16/32H04W24/02H04W52/0206Y02B60/50
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,961,714
App. No.
15/113,574
Granted
May 1, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of wireless communications. Disclosed are a state switching method and device for a small cell base station and a computer storage medium. The method comprises: acquiring state switching information comprising a state switching mode and performing state switching on the small cell base station according to the state switching information.

Claims (69)

1. A state switching method for a small cell Evolved Node B (eNodeB), comprising:

acquiring state switching information comprising a state switching mode, the state switching information comprising an indication of a sleep mode or an indication of an activating mode, the sleep mode being a state switching mode which makes the small cell eNodeB enter a sleep state from an activated state and comprising a dynamic sleep mode, a semi-static sleep mode or a static sleep mode, and the activating mode being a state switching mode which makes the small cell eNodeB enter the activated state from the sleep state and comprising a dynamic activating mode, a semi-static activating mode or a static activating mode; and

performing state switching of the small cell eNodeB according to the state switching information,

wherein acquiring the state switching information comprising the state switching mode comprises:

receiving the state switching information sent by a macro eNodeB, a cluster head and/or an eNodeB of a neighbouring cell of a small cell; or

generating, by the small cell eNodeB per se, the state switching information; or

when the small cell eNodeB is a Secondary eNodeB (SeNB), receiving the state switching information from a Master eNodeB (MeNB) of the small cell eNodeB, and

wherein when the state switching information comprises the indication of the sleep mode, the state switching information further comprises sleep configuration corresponding to the sleep mode,

performing the state switching of the small cell eNodeB according to the state switching information comprises:

according to the indication of the sleep mode, selecting the state switching mode to make the small cell eNodeB enter the sleep state from the activated state, and

the method further comprises:

during a sleep period, sending, by the small cell eNodeB, a first signal according to the sleep configuration, wherein the first signal comprises at least one of a discovery signal, a synchronization signal, a Channel State Information-Reference Signal (CSI-RS), or a small cell specific reference signal.

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

obtaining an adjusted indication of the sleep mode and adjusted sleep configuration, and adjusting the sleep mode and the first signal.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the sleep configuration comprises a signal pattern and/or power of the first signal.

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

sending, during the sleep period, a scheduling instruction to User Equipment (UE); and

receiving a result of measurement of the first signal made by the UE according to the scheduling instruction.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein when the state switching information comprises the indication of the activating mode,

performing the state switching of the small cell eNodeB according to the state switching information comprises:

according to the indication of the activating mode, selecting the state switching mode to make the small cell eNodeB enter the activated state from the sleep state.

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

sending the state switching information to an eNodeB of a neighbouring cell of a small cell and to UE for selection coordination of the sleep mode and interference coordination between the small cell and its neighbouring cell.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the state switching information further comprises time information about the state switching of the small cell eNodeB, so that the UE receives information sent by the small cell eNodeB and sends information to the small cell eNodeB according to the time information.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the state switching information further comprises operation indication information for indicating the small cell eNodeB is to perform the state switching independently or synergistically.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein

when the operation indication information indicates the small cell eNodeB to perform the state switching independently, performing, by the small cell eNodeB, the state switching independently; and

when the operation indication information indicates the small cell eNodeB to perform the state switching synergistically, performing, by the small cell eNodeB, the state switching according to a decision of the MeNB.

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

receiving a measurement set reported by the UE, the measurement set comprising at least one small cell eNodeB that the UE selects from discovered small cell eNodeBs and reports according to a measurement reporting policy; and

selecting a small cell eNodeB on which the state switching can be performed from the measurement set according to a selecting policy to form a switching set, wherein the switching set comprises a first switching set and a second switching set, the first switching set comprising a number of small cell eNodeBs which can enter the sleep state from the activated state, and the second switching set comprising a number of small cell eNodeBs which can enter the activated state from the sleep state.

11. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising:

after forming the switching set, sending the switching set to the UE.

12. A state switching device for a small cell Evolved Node B (eNodeB), comprising:

a memory storing processor-executable instructions; and

a processor arranged to execute the stored processor-executable instructions to perform steps of:

acquiring state switching information comprising a state switching mode, the state switching information comprising an indication of a sleep mode or an indication of an activating mode, the sleep mode being a state switching mode which makes the small cell eNodeB enter a sleep state from an activated state and comprising a dynamic sleep mode, a semi-static sleep mode or a static sleep mode, and the activating mode being a state switching mode which makes the small cell eNodeB enter the activated state from the sleep state and comprising a dynamic activating mode, a semi-static activating mode or a static activating mode; and

performing state switching of the small cell eNodeB according to the state switching information,

wherein acquiring the state switching information comprising the state switching mode comprises:

receiving the state switching information sent by a macro eNodeB, a cluster head and/or an eNodeB of a neighbouring cell of a small cell; or

generating, by the small cell eNodeB per se, the state switching information; or

when the small cell eNodeB is a Secondary eNodeB (SeNB), receiving the state switching information from a Master eNodeB (MeNB) of the small cell eNodeB, and

wherein when the state switching information comprises the indication of the sleep mode, the state switching information further comprises sleep configuration corresponding to the sleep mode,

performing the state switching of the small cell eNodeB according to the state switching information comprises:

according to the indication of the sleep mode, selecting the state switching mode to make the small cell eNodeB enter the sleep state from the activated state, and

the processor is arranged to execute the stored processor-executable instructions to further perform a step of: sending, by the small cell eNodeB, a first signal according to the sleep configuration during a sleep period, wherein the first signal comprises at least one of a discovery signal, a synchronization signal, a Channel State Information-Reference Signal (CSI-RS), or a small cell specific reference signal.

13. The device according to claim 12 , wherein when the state switching information comprises the indication of the activating mode,

performing the state switching of the small cell eNodeB according to the state switching information comprises:

according to the indication of the activating mode, selecting the state switching mode to make the small cell eNodeB enter the activated state from the sleep state.

14. A non-transitory computer storage medium having stored therein computer programs configured to perform a state switching method for a small cell Evolved Node B (eNodeB), the method comprising:

acquiring state switching information comprising a state switching mode, the state switching information comprising an indication of a sleep mode or an indication of an activating mode, the sleep mode being a state switching mode which makes the small cell eNodeB enter a sleep state from an activated state and comprising a dynamic sleep mode, a semi-static sleep mode or a static sleep mode, and the activating mode being a state switching mode which makes the small cell eNodeB enter the activated state from the sleep state and comprising a dynamic activating mode, a semi-static activating mode or a static activating mode; and

performing state switching of the small cell eNodeB according to the state switching information,

wherein acquiring the state switching information comprising the state switching mode comprises:

receiving the state switching information sent by a macro eNodeB, a cluster head and/or an eNodeB of a neighbouring cell of a small cell; or

generating, by the small cell eNodeB per se, the state switching information; or

when the small cell eNodeB is a Secondary eNodeB (SeNB), receiving the state switching information from a Master eNodeB (MeNB) of the small cell eNodeB, and

wherein when the state switching information comprises the indication of the sleep mode, the state switching information further comprises sleep configuration corresponding to the sleep mode,

performing the state switching of the small cell eNodeB according to the state switching information comprises:

according to the indication of the sleep mode, selecting the state switching mode to make the small cell eNodeB enter the sleep state from the activated state, and

the method further comprises:

during a sleep period, sending, by the small cell eNodeB, a first signal according to the sleep configuration, wherein the first signal comprises at least one of a discovery signal, a synchronization signal, a Channel State Information-Reference Signal (CSI-RS), or a small cell specific reference signal.

15. The device according to claim 12 , wherein the processor is arranged to execute the stored processor-executable instructions to further perform a step of:

obtaining an adjusted indication of the sleep mode and adjusted sleep configuration, and adjusting the sleep mode and the first signal.

16. The device according to claim 12 , wherein the sleep configuration comprises a signal pattern and/or power of the first signal.

17. The device according to claim 12 , wherein the processor is arranged to execute the stored processor-executable instructions to further perform steps of:

sending, during the sleep period, a scheduling instruction to User Equipment (UE); and

receiving a result of measurement of the first signal made by the UE according to the scheduling instruction.

18. The device according to claim 12 , wherein the processor is arranged to execute the stored processor-executable instructions to further perform a step of:

sending the state switching information to an eNodeB of a neighbouring cell of a small cell and to UE for selection coordination of the sleep mode and interference coordination between the small cell and its neighbouring cell.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 24, 2016
From: XU, HANQING; ZHAO, YAJUN; MO, LINMEI
To: ZTE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 040414/0219 →
Priority Claims (1)
CN 2014 1 0037008 · Jan 24, 2014 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20170013671A1 · Jan 12, 2017