Cell clustering based configuration of flexible time division duplex communication

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory, and

a processor configured to define, for a subject cell of a cellular communication system, an uplink-downlink configuration for time division duplex (TDD) communication out of a set of predefined uplink-downlink configurations with flexible subframe patterns for flexible TDD communication, wherein

the processor defines the uplink-downlink configuration based on a first desired uplink-downlink configuration in the subject cell, and a second desired uplink-downlink configuration in a neighboring cell of the cellular communication system, the neighboring cell and the subject cell belonging to a same cell cluster of the cellular communication system, and

to define the uplink-downlink configuration, the processor is configured to:

calculate a characteristic value based on parameter values of the first desired uplink-downlink configuration and the second desired uplink-downlink configuration; and

select, from the set of predefined uplink-downlink configurations, a particular uplink-downlink configuration that has a parameter value closest to the calculated characteristic value, as the uplink-downlink configuration for the subject cell.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a parameter value of the first desired uplink-downlink configuration is a ratio of a number of downlink subframes to a number of uplink subframes in the first desired uplink-downlink configuration.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the characteristic value is an average of the parameter values of the first desired uplink-downlink configuration and the second desired uplink-downlink configuration.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the processor is configured to identify priority factors of the subject cell and the neighboring cell by:

determining a priority factor of the subject cell based on at least one of a location of the subject cell with respect to an edge of the cell cluster and a difference between the characteristic value for the uplink-downlink configuration and the parameter value of the first desired uplink-downlink configuration in a preceding uplink-downlink configuration definition; and

obtaining a priority factors of the neighboring cell, and

the processor defines the uplink-downlink configuration based on the priority factors of the subject cell and the neighboring cell.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the processor is configured to issue the priority factor of the subject cell to the neighboring cell in an exchange time window within a TDD configuration period.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein

the processor is configured to obtain an indication for defining the exchange time window from a base station of a superordinate cell of the cellular communication system, the cells of the cell cluster being associated with the superordinate cell, and/or

the exchange time window has a specified duration starting at a specified offset from the start of the TDD configuration period and ending prior to the end of the TDD configuration period.

7. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein

the processor is further configured to discriminate between

a first configuration mode, in which a same uplink-downlink configuration is required for the cell cluster, and

a second configuration mode, in which different uplink-downlink configurations within a same subset of uplink-downlink configurations are allowed for the cell cluster,

in the first configuration mode, the uplink-downlink configuration is defined for all cells of the cell cluster based on priority factors of the subject cell and the neighboring cell, and

in the second configuration mode, the uplink-downlink configuration is defined for the subject cell of the cell cluster based on subsets of the set of predefined uplink-downlink configurations.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein

the processor is configured to obtain an indication of a configuration mode for defining the uplink-downlink configuration for the subject cell from a base station of a superordinate cell of the cellular communication system, and

the cells of the cell cluster are associated with the superordinate cell.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:

issue the first desired uplink-downlink configuration to the neighboring cell; and

obtain the second desired uplink-downlink configuration from the neighboring cell in an exchange time window within a TDD configuration period.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the processor is configured to issue the first defined uplink-downlink configuration for TDD communication in the subject cell to the neighboring cell and a base station of a superordinate cell of the cellular communication system, and

the cells of the cell cluster are associated with the superordinate cell.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the processor is configured to define the uplink-downlink configuration once per TDD configuration period, and/or

the first desired uplink-downlink configurations and the second desired uplink-downlink configuration refer to desired uplink-downlink configurations in a subsequent TDD configuration period, and/or

the processor is configured to define the uplink-downlink configuration upon detection of at least one configuration request in the cell cluster.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the apparatus is operable as or at a base station or of the cellular communication system, and/or

the apparatus is operable in the subject cell, and/or

the cellular communication system comprises a long term evolution and/or long term evolution advanced system, and/or

the cellular communication system comprises a layered heterogeneous network deployment, wherein the subject cell and the neighboring cell represent a micro, pico or femto cell.

13. A method, comprising:

defining, for a subject cell of a cellular communication system, an uplink-downlink configuration for time division duplex (TDD) communication out of a set of predefined uplink-downlink configurations with flexible subframe patterns for flexible TDD communication, wherein

the defining is based on a first desired uplink-downlink configuration in the subject cell, and a second desired uplink-downlink configuration in a neighboring cell of the cellular communication system, the neighboring cell and the subject cell belonging to a same cell cluster of the cellular communication system, and

the defining includes:

calculating a characteristic value based on parameter values of the first desired uplink-downlink configuration and the second desired uplink-downlink configuration; and

selecting, from the set of predefined uplink-downlink configurations, a particular uplink-downlink configuration that has a parameter value closest to the calculated characteristic value, as the uplink-downlink configuration for the subject cell.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein a parameter value of the first desired uplink-downlink configuration is a ratio of a number of downlink subframes to a number of uplink subframes in the first desired uplink-downlink configuration.

15. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the characteristic value is an average of the parameter values of the first desired uplink-downlink configuration and the second desired uplink-downlink configuration.

16. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising:

identifying priority factors of the subject cell and the neighboring cell by:

determining a priority factor of the subject cell based on at least one of a location of the subject cell with respect to an edge of the cell cluster and a difference between the characteristic value for the uplink-downlink configuration and the parameter value of the first desired uplink-downlink configuration in a preceding uplink-downlink configuration definition; and

obtaining a priority factors of the neighboring cell, wherein

the defining the uplink-downlink configuration is based on the priority factors of the subject cell and the neighboring cell.

17. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising:

issuing the priority factor of the subject cell to the neighboring cell in an exchange time window within a TDD configuration period.

18. The method according to claim 17 , further comprising:

obtaining an indication for defining the exchange time window from a base station of a superordinate cell of the cellular communication system, the cells of the cell cluster being associated with the superordinate cell, wherein

the exchange time window has a specified duration starting at a specified offset from the start of the TDD configuration period and ending prior to the end of the TDD configuration period.

19. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising:

discriminating between a first configuration mode, in which a same uplink-downlink configuration is required for the cell cluster, and a second configuration mode, in which different uplink-downlink configurations within a same subset of uplink-downlink configurations are allowed for the cell cluster, wherein

in the first configuration mode, the uplink-downlink configuration is defined for all cells of the cell cluster based on priority factors of the subject cell and the neighboring cell, and

in the second configuration mode, the uplink-downlink configuration is defined for the subject cell of the cell cluster based on subsets of the set of predefined uplink-downlink configurations.

20. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor configured to define, for a subject cell of a cellular communication system, an uplink-downlink configuration for time division duplex (TDD) communication out of a set of predefined uplink-downlink configurations with flexible subframe patterns for flexible TDD communication, wherein

the processor defines the uplink-downlink configuration based on:

a first desired uplink-downlink configuration in the subject cell,

a second desired uplink-downlink configuration in a neighboring cell of the cellular communication system, the neighboring cell and the subject cell belonging to a same cell cluster of the cellular communication system, and

subsets of the set of predefined uplink-downlink configurations, wherein

to define the uplink-downlink configuration, the processor is configured to:

select one subset of uplink-downlink configurations, out of a number of preconfigured subsets of uplink-downlink configurations, based on the first desired uplink-downlink configuration and the second uplink-downlink configuration, and

select, from the selected one subset of uplink-downlink configurations, a particular uplink-downlink configuration that is closest to the first uplink-downlink configuration, as the uplink-downlink configuration for the subject cell.