Methods and apparatus for facilitating inter-cell interference coordination via over the air load indicator and relative narrowband transmit power

Abstract

Systems and methods for facilitating inter-cell interference coordination using resource partitioning are described. A UE may receive or determine information related to received interference and/or future scheduling. The information may be communicated to a serving base station, which may use the information to allocate uplink or downlink resources between cells. The uplink and/or downlink resource may be partitioned in subbands to mitigate interference from adjacent network nodes. The eNBs may communicate, such as directly, via a backhaul connection, and/or between UEs to configure interference coordination and signaling.

1 . A method for interference mitigation in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:
 determining Future Scheduling Information (FSI) including data defining planned future use of one or more downlink subband resources;   sending the FSI; and   sending control signaling at a fixed offset relative to a Common Reference Signal (CRS).   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the FSI comprises relative narrowband transmit power (RNTP) information. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the FSI comprises power per antenna information. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the FSI comprises phase offset per antenna information. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the control signaling includes one or more of a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH), a Physical Hybrid-ARQ Indicator Channel (PHICH), a Physical control format indicator channel (PCFCH), or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the control signaling is Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) signaling and the fixed offset includes a predetermined fixed power offset relative to the CRS. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fixed offset is predefined. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fixed offset is dynamically determined. 
     
     
         9 . A communications device, comprising:
 a processor module configured to:
 determine Future Scheduling Information (FSI) including data defining planned future use of one or more downlink subband resources; and 
   a transmitter module configured to:
 send the FSI; and 
 send control signaling at a fixed offset relative to a Common Reference Signal (CRS). 
   
     
     
         10 . The communications device of  claim 9 , wherein the FSI comprises relative narrowband transmit power (RNTP) information. 
     
     
         11 . The communications device of  claim 9 , wherein the FSI comprises power per antenna information. 
     
     
         12 . The communications device of  claim 9 , wherein the FSI comprises phase offset per antenna information. 
     
     
         13 . The communications device of  claim 9 , wherein the control signaling includes one or more of a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH), a Physical Hybrid-ARQ Indicator Channel (PHICH), a Physical control format indicator channel (PCFCH), or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The communications device of  claim 9 , wherein the control signaling is Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) signaling and the fixed offset includes a predetermined fixed power offset relative to the CRS. 
     
     
         15 . The communications device of  claim 9 , wherein the fixed offset is predefined. 
     
     
         16 . The communications device of  claim 9 , wherein the fixed offset is dynamically determined. 
     
     
         17 . A communications device, comprising:
 means for determining Future Scheduling Information (FSI) including data defining planned future use of one or more downlink subband resources;   means for sending the FSI; and   means for sending control signaling at a fixed offset relative to a Common Reference Signal (CRS).   
     
     
         18 . The communications device of  claim 17 , wherein the FSI comprises at least one of relative narrowband transmit power (RNTP) information, power per antenna information, and phase offset per antenna information. 
     
     
         19 . The computer device of  claim 17 , wherein the control signaling includes one or more of a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH), a Physical Hybrid-ARQ Indicator Channel (PHICH), a Physical control format indicator channel (PCFCH), or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The communications device of  claim 17 , wherein the control signaling is Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) signaling and the fixed offset includes a predetermined fixed power offset relative to the CRS. 
     
     
         21 . The communications device of  claim 17 , wherein the fixed offset is predefined or is dynamically determined. 
     
     
         22 . A computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium including codes for causing a computer to:
 determine Future Scheduling Information (FSI) including data defining planned future use of one or more downlink subband resources;   send the FSI; and   send control signaling at a fixed offset relative to a Common Reference Signal (CRS).   
     
     
         23 . The computer program product of  claim 22 , wherein the FSI comprises at least one of relative narrowband transmit power (RNTP) information, power per antenna information, and phase offset per antenna information. 
     
     
         24 . The computer program product of  claim 22 , wherein the control signaling includes one or more of Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH), Physical Hybrid-ARQ Indicator Channel (PHICH), a Physical control format indicator channel (PCFCH), or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         25 . The computer program product of  claim 22 , wherein the control signaling is Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) signaling and the fixed offset includes a predetermined fixed power offset relative to the CRS. 
     
     
         26 . The computer program product of  claim 22 , wherein the fixed offset is predefined or is dynamically determined.