Method and apparatus for improving resource usage in communication networks using interference cancelation

Abstract

Systems, method and devices utilized in wireless communication may include creating, scheduling and/or using a transmission having at least one quasi-ABS which includes at least one macro set corresponding to a designated sector of a plurality of sectors in a macro node. Such subframes may be formed and partitioned to provide for a partition which may be used by a range expansion resource, such as a pico node or user entity.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method of wireless communication, comprising:
 forming a plurality of macro sets according to operating characteristics of a macro node; 
 forming at least one quasi-almost blank subframe (ABS) including at least one active macro set of the plurality of macro sets; and 
 partitioning a plurality of subframes to provide for a partition which will be used by a range expansion resource, wherein at least one subframe of the partitioned plurality of subframes includes at least one of the formed quasi-ABSs. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the operating characteristics include sectorization of the macro node, the method further comprising:
 designating a plurality of sectors corresponding to the macro node, wherein the plurality of macro sets are formed corresponding to the designated plurality of sectors. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  further comprising scheduling, by a pico node, a transmission to a user entity within a quasi-ABS. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1  wherein the partition for the range expansion resource includes both ABS and quasi-ABSs. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1  wherein the partition for the range expansion resource includes a plurality of quasi-ABSs having a plurality of macro sets. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 receiving data corresponding to a property of a range expansion UE; and 
 determining which macro sets will be active in a quasi-ABS based at least in part on the received data. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6  wherein the received data corresponding to a property of a range expansion UE includes at least one of: data regarding interference cancellation capabilities of the range expansion UE and observed signal power data from one or more cells. 
     
     
       8. An apparatus configured for wireless communication, comprising:
 means for a plurality of macro sets according to operating characteristics of a macro node; 
 means for forming at least one quasi-ABS including at least one active macro set of the plurality of macro sets; and 
 means for partitioning a plurality of subframes to provide for a partition which will be used by a range expansion resource, wherein at least one subframe of the partitioned plurality of subframes includes at least one of the formed quasi-ABSs. 
 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the operating characteristics include sectorization of the macro node, the apparatus further comprising:
 means for designating a plurality of sectors corresponding to the macro node, wherein the plurality of macro sets are formed corresponding to the designated plurality of sectors. 
 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 8  further comprising means for scheduling a transmission to a range expansion user entity within a quasi-ABS. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the partition for the range expansion resource includes both ABS and quasi-ABSs. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the partition for the range expansion resource includes a plurality of quasi-ABSs having a plurality of macro sets. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 8  further comprising:
 means for receiving data corresponding to a property of a range expansion UE; and 
 means for determining which macro sets will be active in a quasi-ABS based at least in part on the received data. 
 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the received data corresponding to a property of a range expansion UE includes at least one of: data regarding interference cancellation capabilities of the range expansion UE and observed signal power data from one or more cells. 
     
     
       15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having program code recorded thereon, the program code comprising:
 program code causing a computer to:
 form a plurality of macro sets according to operating characteristics of a macro node; 
 form at least one quasi-ABS including at least one active macro set of the plurality of macro sets; and 
 partition a plurality of subframes to provide for a partition which will be used by a range expansion resource, wherein at least one subframe of the partitioned plurality of subframes includes at least one of the formed quasi-ABSs. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15  wherein the operating characteristics includes sectorization of the macro node, and the non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises program code to designate a plurality of sectors corresponding to the macro node, wherein the plurality of macro sets are formed corresponding to the designated plurality of sectors. 
     
     
       17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15  further comprising program code causing a computer to schedule a transmission to a user entity within a quasi-ABS. 
     
     
       18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15  wherein the partition for the range expansion resource includes both ABS and quasi-ABSs. 
     
     
       19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15  wherein the partition for the range expansion resource includes a plurality of quasi-ABSs having a plurality of macro sets. 
     
     
       20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15  further comprising program code causing a computer to:
 receive data corresponding to a property of a range expansion UE; and 
 determine which macro sets will be active in a quasi-ABS based at least in part on the received data. 
 
     
     
       21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 19  wherein the received data corresponding to a property of a range expansion UE includes at least one of: data regarding interference cancellation capabilities of the range expansion UE and observed signal power data from one or more cells. 
     
     
       22. An apparatus configured for wireless communication, the apparatus comprising:
 at least one processor; and 
 a memory coupled to the at least one processor, 
 wherein the at least one processor is configured:
 to form a plurality of macro sets according to operating characteristics of a macro node; 
 to form at least one quasi-ABS including at least one active macro set of the plurality of macro sets; and 
 to partition a plurality of subframes to provide for a partition which will be used by a range expansion resource, wherein at least one subframe of the partitioned plurality of subframes includes at least one of the formed quasi-ABSs. 
 
 
     
     
       23. The apparatus of  claim 22  wherein the operating characteristics include sectorization of the macro node, and the at least one processor is further configured to:
 designate a plurality of sectors corresponding to the macro node, wherein the plurality of macro sets are formed corresponding to the designated plurality of sectors. 
 
     
     
       24. The apparatus of  claim 22  wherein the processor is further configured to schedule a transmission to a user entity within a quasi-ABS. 
     
     
       25. The apparatus of  claim 22  wherein the partition for the range expansion resource includes both ABS and quasi-ABSs. 
     
     
       26. The apparatus of  claim 22  wherein the partition for the range expansion resource includes a plurality of quasi-ABSs having a plurality of macro sets. 
     
     
       27. The apparatus of  claim 22  wherein the processor is further configured:
 to receive data corresponding to a property of a range expansion UE; and 
 to determine which macro sets will be active in a quasi-ABS based at least in part on the received data. 
 
     
     
       28. The apparatus of  claim 27  wherein the received data corresponding to a property of a range expansion UE includes at least one of: data regarding interference cancellation capabilities of the range expansion UE and observed signal power data from one or more cells.