Multimode Base Station

Abstract

A method of controlling admission of a user equipment to a cell of a multi-mode base station, being a base station arranged to operate as a plurality of cells, the plurality of cells comprising at least a first cell and a second cell, and the method comprising: determining information relating to the first cell, and controlling admission of a user equipment to the second cell in dependence on the information relating to the first cell.

1 . A method of controlling admission of a user equipment to a cell of a multi-mode base station, being a base station arranged to operate as a plurality of cells, the plurality of cells comprising at least a first cell and a second cell, and the method comprising:
 determining information relating to the first cell, and   controlling admission of a user equipment to the second cell in dependence on the information relating to the first cell.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the determination of the information comprises monitoring statistics of past behavior of the user equipment when connected to the first cell, and   the controlling admission is dependent on the statistics of the past behavior of the user equipment in the first cell.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , comprising monitoring statistics relating to past behavior of the user equipment when connected to the second cell, and controlling admission of the user equipment to the second cell in dependence on the statistics relating to past behavior of the user equipment in both the first cell and the second cell. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising receiving a request from the user equipment for admission to the first cell and, in response to the request for admission to the first cell, admitting the user equipment to the second cell based on the statistics relating to past behavior of the user equipment in the first cell. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the admission of the user equipment to the second cell in response to the request for admission to the first cell is based on the statistics relating to past behavior of the user equipment in both the first cell and the second cell. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the user equipment is admitted to the second cell based on the statistics relating to past behavior before the user equipment indicates quality of service requirements to the base station. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising receiving a request from the user equipment for access to the second cell, and in response to the request admitting the user equipment to the second cell based on the statistics relating to past behavior of the user equipment in the first cell. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the admission of the user equipment to the second cell is based on the statistics relating to past behavior of the user equipment in both the first cell and the second cell. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the user equipment is admitted to the first cell based on the statistics relating to past behavior before the user equipment indicates quality of service requirements to the base station. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the statistics relating to past behavior of the user equipment comprise at least one of a downlink throughput requested by the user equipment from the respective cell, and an uplink throughput requested by the user equipment from the respective cell. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the statistics relating to past behavior of the user equipment comprise at least one of a downlink throughput used by the user equipment in the respective cell, and an uplink throughput used by the user equipment in the respective cell. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the statistics relating to past behavior of the user equipment comprise at least one of a downlink latency requested by the user equipment from the respective cell, and an uplink latency requested by the user equipment from the respective cell. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the statistics represent a predetermined period, and the method further comprises determining an average of the statistics representing the period, and the control of admission is based on the average. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising determining a variation of the average of the statistics representing the period, and the control of admission is based on the variation of the average. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the determination of the information comprises determining a prediction of performance of the first cell, and   the control of admission is dependent on the prediction of performance in the first cell.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising determining a prediction of performance of the second cell and the control of admission is dependent on the prediction of performance for both the first cell and the second cell. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising receiving a request from the user equipment for admission to the first cell and, in response to the request for admission to the first cell, admitting the user equipment to the second cell based on the prediction of performance of the first cell. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the admission of the user equipment to the second cell in response to the request for admission to the first cell is based on the prediction of performance of both the first cell and the second cell. 
     
     
         19 . A multi-mode base station arranged to operate as a plurality of cells, the plurality of cells comprising at least a first cell and a second cell, and the base station comprising:
 a radio resource manager for controlling admission of a user equipment to the cells, the radio resource manager being configured to:
 determine information relating to the first cell, and 
 control admission of a user equipment to the second cell based on the information relating to the first cell. 
   
     
     
         20 . A computer program product for controlling access to a cell of a multi-mode base station, the a base station arranged to operate as a plurality of cells, the plurality of cells comprising at least a first cell and a second cell, and the computer program product being embodied on a non-transient computer-readable medium and configured such that when executed on a processor of the base station it determines information relating to the first cell, and controls admission of a user equipment to the second cell based on the information relating to the first cell.