Frequency selection for femto access point

Abstract

Briefly, in accordance with one or more embodiments, a femto access point scans an area of a network to find a serving base station in the area, requests one or more physical link profiles from a network server on the network, receives one or more physical link profiles from the network server in response to the requesting, determines which one of the physical link profiles exhibit a lower amount of interference with the serving base station, and then operates with the physical link profile determined to exhibit a lower amount of interference with the serving base station.

1 . A method, comprising:
 scanning an area of a network to find a serving base station in the area;   requesting one or more physical link profiles from a network server on the network;   receiving one or more physical link profiles from the network server in response to said requesting;   determining which one of the physical link profiles exhibit a lower amount of interference with the serving base station; and   operating with the physical link profile determined to exhibit a lower amount of interference with the serving base station.   
   
   
       2 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 requesting authorization from the network server to operate with the physical link profile determined at said determining to exhibit a lower amount of interference with the serving base station;   receiving an acknowledgement from the remote server authorizing operation using the requested physical link profile; and   executing said operating upon receiving the acknowledgment from the remote server authorizing operating using the requested physical link profile.   
   
   
       3 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , said determining comprising:
 obtaining a received signal strength indication value for one communication with the serving base station for one or more of the received physical link profiles; and   identifying one or more physical profiles having a receiving signal strength indication value less than a threshold value.   
   
   
       4 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , said determining comprising:
 obtaining a received signal strength indication value for one communication with the serving base station for one or more of the received physical link profiles; and   identifying one or more physical profiles having a minimum or nearly minimum receiving signal strength indication value.   
   
   
       5 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the one or more physical link profiles received from the network server are based at least in part on an operating frequency of the serving base station, a frequency reuse pattern, or one or more currently assigned physical link profiles, or combinations thereof 
   
   
       6 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising establishing a secure communication link with the network server prior to executing said requesting one or more physical link profiles from a network server on the network. 
   
   
       7 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the network server comprises an operation support system, self organizing network server. 
   
   
       8 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the one or more physical link profile comprise center frequency, frame duration, cyclic prefix, fast Fourier transform size, or combinations thereof 
   
   
       9 . A method, comprising:
 receiving a request for one or more physical link profiles from a femto access point, the physical link profiles corresponding to a network base station serving an area in which the femto access point is deployed;   sending one or more physical link profiles to the femto access point in response to the request;   receiving a request from the femto access point to operate with the physical link profile determined by the femto access point to exhibit a lower amount of interference with the serving base station; and   sending an acknowledgement to the femto access point authorizing operation using the requested physical link profile;   wherein the femto access point is capable of operating with the authorized physical link profile.   
   
   
       10 . A method as claimed in  claim 9 , said determining comprising:
 obtaining a received signal strength indication value for one communication with the serving base station for one or more of the received physical link profiles; and   identifying one or more physical profiles having a receiving signal strength indication value less than a threshold value.   
   
   
       11 . A method as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the physical link profile determined by the femto access point to exhibit a lower amount of interference with the serving base station comprises a physical link profile having a minimum or nearly minimum receiving signal strength indication value for communication between the femto access point and the serving base station. 
   
   
       12 . A method as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the one or more physical link profiles sent to the femto access point are based at least in part on an operating frequency of the serving base station, a frequency reuse pattern, or one or more currently assigned physical link profiles, or combinations thereof 
   
   
       13 . A method as claimed in  claim 9 , further comprising establishing a secure communication link with the femto access point prior to executing said receiving a request for one or more physical link profiles from the femto access point. 
   
   
       14 . A method as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the one or more physical link profile comprise center frequency, frame duration, cyclic prefix, fast Fourier transform size, or combinations thereof. 
   
   
       15 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a baseband processor and a memory coupled to the baseband processor; and   an RF modulator/demodulator coupled to the baseband processor and one or more antennas to transmit and/or receive information via a wireless communication link;   wherein the baseband processor is configured to:   scan an area of a network to find a serving base station in the area;   request one or more physical link profiles from a network server on the network;   receive one or more physical link profiles from the network server in response to said requesting;   determine which one of the physical link profiles exhibit a lower amount of interference with the serving base station; and   operate using the physical link profile determined to exhibit a lower amount of interference with the serving base station.   
   
   
       16 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the baseband processor is further configured to:
 request authorization from the network server to operate with the physical link profile determined at said determining to exhibit a lower amount of interference with the serving base station;   receive an acknowledgement from the remote server authorizing operation using the requested physical link profile; and   operate using the physical link profile determined to exhibit a lower amount of interference with the serving base station upon receiving the acknowledgment from the remote server authorizing operation using the requested physical link profile.   
   
   
       17 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the baseband processor is further configured to determine which one of the physical link profiles exhibit a lower amount of interference with the serving base station by being configured to:
 obtain a received signal strength indication value for one communication with the serving base station for one or more of the received physical link profiles; and   identify one or more physical profiles having a receiving signal strength indication value less than a threshold value.   
   
   
       18 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the baseband processor is further configured to determine which one of the physical link profiles exhibit a lower amount of interference with the serving base station by being configured to:
 obtain a received signal strength indication value for one communication with the serving base station for one or more of the received physical link profiles; and   identify one or more physical profiles having a minimum or nearly minimum receiving signal strength indication value.   
   
   
       19 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the baseband processor is further configured to establish a secure communication link with the network server prior to executing said requesting one or more physical link profiles from a network server on the network. 
   
   
       20 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the one or more physical link profile comprise center frequency, frame duration, cyclic prefix, fast Fourier transform size, or combinations thereof.