DISTRIBUTED DOWNLINK COORDINATED MULTI-POINT (CoMP) FRAMEWORK

Abstract

Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate dynamically forming clusters in a wireless communication environment. A set of non-overlapping clusters can be formed dynamically over time and in a distributed manner. Each of the clusters can include a set of base stations and a set of mobile devices. The clusters can be yielded based upon a set of local strategies selected by base stations across the network converged upon through message passing. For example, each base station can select a particular local strategy as a function of time based upon network-wide utility estimates respectively conditioned upon implementation of the particular local strategy and disparate possible local strategies that can cover the corresponding base station. Moreover, operation within each of the clusters can be coordinated.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of wireless communication, comprising:
 choosing, by a base station, a particular local strategy as a function of time based upon network-wide utility estimates respectively conditioned upon the particular local strategy and disparate possible local strategies; and   controlling, by the base station, operation within a cluster dynamically formed based upon the chosen particular local strategy.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising exchanging information utilized to evaluate the network-wide utility estimates with at least one neighbor base station. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the information comprises a cooperative utility value that reflects an estimate of total utility assuming cooperation between a source and a target and a non-cooperative utility value, and a non-cooperative utility value that reflects an estimate of total utility assuming lack of cooperation between the source and the target. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the information comprises a plurality of utility values assuming various constraints upon a target, wherein the assumed constraints are reported from a source to the target. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the particular local strategy and the disparate possible local strategies each cover one or more base stations, one or more mobile devices served by the one or more base stations, and underlying antenna weights and power spectral densities for the one or more base stations to serve the one or more mobile devices. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the particular local strategy and the disparate possible local strategies each are subject to a limited maximum order constraint. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cluster and disparate clusters dynamically formed in a network are non-overlapping. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein transmission information is exchanged between the cluster and disparate clusters dynamically formed in the network to enable assessing inter-cluster interference. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus, comprising:
 means for choosing, by a base station, a particular local strategy as a function of time based upon network-wide utility estimates respectively conditioned upon the particular local strategy and disparate possible local strategies; and   means for controlling, by the base station, operation within a cluster dynamically formed based upon the chosen particular local strategy.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising means for exchanging information utilized to evaluate the network-wide utility estimates with at least one neighbor base station. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the information comprises a cooperative utility value that reflects an estimate of total utility assuming cooperation between a source and a target and a non-cooperative utility value, and a non-cooperative utility value that reflects an estimate of total utility assuming lack of cooperation between the source and the target. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the information comprises a plurality of utility values assuming various constraints upon a target, wherein the assumed constraints are reported from a source to the target. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the particular local strategy and the disparate possible local strategies each cover one or more base stations, one or more mobile devices served by the one or more base stations, and underlying antenna weights and power spectral densities for the one or more base stations to serve the one or more mobile devices. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the particular local strategy and the disparate possible local strategies each are subject to a limited maximum order constraint. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the cluster and disparate clusters dynamically formed in a network are non-overlapping. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein transmission information is exchanged between the cluster and disparate clusters dynamically formed in the network to enable assessing inter-cluster interference. 
     
     
         17 . A computer program product, comprising:
 a computer-readable medium comprising:
 code for causing at least one computer to select a particular local strategy that includes a base station as a function of time based upon network-wide utility estimates respectively conditioned upon implementation of the particular local strategy and disparate possible local strategies that include the base station; and 
 code for causing at least one computer to coordinate operation within a cluster formed according to the selected particular local strategy. 
   
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing at least one computer to evaluate local utilities of the particular local strategy and the disparate possible local strategies. 
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 18 , wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing at least one computer to exchange strategy and utility information with one or more neighbor base stations via iterative message passing. 
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing at least one computer to yield the network-wide utility estimates. 
     
     
         21 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein the particular local strategy and the disparate possible local strategies each cover one or more base stations, one or more mobile devices served by the one or more base stations, and underlying antenna weights and power spectral densities for the one or more base stations to serve the one or more mobile devices. 
     
     
         22 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein the particular local strategy and the disparate possible local strategies each are subject to a limited maximum order constraint. 
     
     
         23 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein the cluster and disparate clusters dynamically formed in a network are non-overlapping. 
     
     
         24 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein transmission information related to one or more of beams or power spectral densities (PSDs) is exchanged between the cluster and disparate clusters dynamically formed in the network to enable assessing inter-cluster interference. 
     
     
         25 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a clustering component that dynamically selects a local strategy to implement with a base station from a set of possible local strategies, wherein the possible local strategies enable the base station to cooperate with one or more neighbor base stations;   a metric evaluate component that analyzes local utilities of the possible local strategies in the set; and   a negotiation component that employs message passing to agree on compatible local strategies across a network.   
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , further comprising a cooperation component that coordinates operation of the base station and one or more cooperating base stations included in a common cluster formed based upon the selected local strategy.