Method and system for dynamic cell configuration

Abstract

An apparatus for adapting hyper cells in response to changing conditions of a cellular network is disclosed. During operation, the apparatus collects data regarding network conditions of the cellular network. In accordance with the collected network condition data, the apparatus changes an association of a transmit point from a second cell ID of a second hyper cell to a first cell ID of a first hyper cell. Virtual data channels, broadcast common control channel and virtual dedicated control channel, transmit point optimization, UE-centric channel sounding and measurement, and single frequency network synchronization are also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for adapting hyper cells in response to changing conditions of a cellular network, the method comprising:
 collecting data regarding network conditions of the cellular network, the cellular network utilizing a wireless protocol;   in accordance with the collected data, determining that a first transmit point associated with a second hyper cell utilizing the wireless protocol is to be added to a first hyper cell utilizing the wireless protocol, wherein the first hyper cell includes at least one transmit point associated with a first cell identifier (ID); and   changing an association of the first transmit point from a second cell ID to the first cell ID, wherein at least one transmit point of the second hyper cell is associated with the second cell ID.   
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the network conditions include load distribution, and wherein the method further comprises:
 determining that a traffic load of a portion of the cellular network exceeds a predetermined threshold; and   changing cell IDs of one or more transmit points transmitting to the portion of the cellular network.   
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the network conditions include UE distribution across the network, and wherein the method further comprises:
 determining that a concentration of user equipments (UEs) serviced by the cellular network at a boundary of the first hyper cell is above a predetermined threshold; and   changing cell IDs of one or more transmit points to the cell ID of the first hyper cell, wherein the one or more transmit points transmit to the boundary of the first hyper cell.   
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining that a second transmit point serves less than a threshold number of UEs; and   turning off the second transmit point in response to determining that the second transmit point is serving less than the threshold number of UEs.   
     
     
       5. An apparatus for adapting hyper cells in response to changing conditions of a cellular network, the apparatus comprising:
 at least one collector configured to collect data regarding network conditions of the cellular network, the cellular network configured to utilize a wireless protocol;   at least one processing unit configured to:   determine that a first transmit point associated with a second hyper cell utilizing the wireless protocol is to be added to a first hyper cell utilizing the wireless protocol in accordance with the collected data, wherein the first hyper cell includes at least one transmit point associated with a first cell identifier (ID); and   change an association of the first transmit point from a second cell ID to the first cell ID, wherein at least one transmit point of the second hyper cell is associated with the second cell ID.   
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the network conditions include load distribution, and the at least one processing unit is configured to:
 determine that a traffic load of a portion of the cellular network exceeds a predetermined threshold; and   change cell IDs of one or more transmit points transmitting to the portion of the cellular network.   
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the network conditions include user equipment (UE) distribution across the network, and the at least one processing unit is configured to:
 determine that a concentration of UEs serviced by the cellular network at a boundary of the first hyper cell is above a predetermined threshold; and   change cell IDs of one or more transmit points to the cell ID of the first hyper cell, wherein the one or more transmit points transmit to the boundary of the first hyper cell.   
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one processing unit is configured to:
 determine that a second transmit point serves less than a threshold number of UEs; and   turn off the second transmit point in response to determining that the second transmit point is serving less than the threshold number of UEs.   
     
     
       9. An apparatus for adapting hyper cells in response to changing conditions of a cellular network, the apparatus comprising:
 at least one collector configured to collect data regarding network conditions of the cellular network;   at least one processing unit configured to:   determine that a transmit point is to be added to a first hyper cell in accordance with the collected data, wherein the first hyper cell includes at least one transmit point associated with a first cell identifier (ID); and   change an association of the transmit point from a second cell ID to the first cell ID, wherein at least one transmit point of a second hyper cell is associated with the second cell ID,   wherein the apparatus is a base station controlling one or more remote radio heads and wherein the base station is adapted to dynamically change one or more cell identifier (ID) in response to changing network conditions, wherein:   the base station is connected to each of the one or more remote radio heads via a communication line; and   the one or more remote radio heads are adapted to receive and transmit radio frequency signals, and wherein the transmit point is a remote radio head.   
     
     
       10. A network communication system, comprising:
 a first set of base stations in a first hyper cell in a cellular network, the first set of base stations associated with a first cell identifier (ID) of the first hyper cell, wherein a physical topology of the cellular network is disassociated with cell identifiers (IDs);   a supernode configured to:
 collect data regarding network conditions of the cellular network, wherein the data regarding the network conditions of the cellular network includes at least one of load distribution or UE distribution; 
 dynamically select, from the first set of base stations in the first hyper cell, a first subset of base stations to form a virtual transmit point to communicate a control transmission with a user equipment (UE) based on the collected data regarding the network conditions of the cellular network; 
 collect updated data regarding the network conditions of the cellular network; and 
 dynamically select, from the first set of base stations in the first hyper cell, a second subset of base stations to form a second virtual transmit point to communicate a second control transmission with the UE based on the collected updated data regarding the network conditions of the cellular network, the second subset of base stations are different from the first subset of base stations. 
   
     
     
       11. The network communication system of claim 10, wherein the supernode is further configured to:
 dynamically select, from the first set of base stations in the first hyper cell, a third subset of base stations to communicate a data transmission with the UE based on the collected data regarding the network conditions of the cellular network, the third subset of base stations are different from the first subset of base stations.   
     
     
       12. The network communications system of claim 11, wherein the supernode is further configured to:
 dynamically select, from the first set of base stations in the first hyper cell, a fourth subset of base stations to communicate a second data transmission with the UE when the UE moves to a different location in the first hyper cell.   
     
     
       13. The network communication system of claim 10, further comprising:
 a second set of base stations in a second hyper cell in the cellular network, the second set of base stations sharing a second cell ID of the second hyper cell, wherein the supernode is further configured to:
 determine that a base station of the first set of base stations is to be added to the second set of base stations of the second hyper cell based on the collected data regarding the network conditions of the cellular network; and 
 change an association of the base station from the first cell ID to the second cell ID. 
   
     
     
       14. The network communication system of claim 13, wherein the first hyper cell and the second hyper cell share at least one common base station. 
     
     
       15. The network communication system of claim 10, wherein the first subset of base stations selected by the supernode are transparent to the UE. 
     
     
       16. The network communication system of claim 10, wherein the supernode is configured to add additional one or more base stations to the first set of base stations to expand coverage of the first hyper cell based on an increase in UE concentration above a concentration threshold. 
     
     
       17. The network communication system of claim 10, wherein the supernode is configured to add additional one or more base stations to the first set of base stations to expand coverage of the first hyper cell based on an increase in traffic load. 
     
     
       18. The network communication system of claim 10, wherein the supernode is configured to dynamically select the first subset of base stations to maximize capacity of a UE-specific virtual dedicated control channel to the UE. 
     
     
       19. A method, comprising:
 collecting, by a supernode in a network communications system, data regarding network conditions of a cellular network, wherein the data regarding the network conditions of the cellular network includes at least one of load distribution or UE distribution, wherein the network communications system further includes a first set of base stations in a first hyper cell, the first set of base stations associated with a first cell identifier (ID) of the first hyper cell, and wherein a physical topology of the cellular network is disassociated with cell identifiers (IDs);   dynamically selecting, by the supernode from the first set of base stations in the first hyper cell, a first subset of base stations to form a virtual transmit point to communicate a control transmission with a user equipment (UE) based on the collected data regarding the network conditions of the cellular network;   collecting, by the supernode, updated data regarding the network conditions of the cellular network; and   dynamically selecting, by the supernode from the first set of base stations in the first hyper cell, a second subset of base stations to form a second virtual transmit point to communicate a second control transmission with the UE based on the collected updated data regarding the network conditions of the cellular network, the second subset of base stations are different from the first subset of base stations.   
     
     
       20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:
 dynamically selecting, by the supernode from the first set of base stations in the first hyper cell, a third subset of base stations to communicate a data transmission with the UE based on the collected data regarding the network conditions of the cellular network, the third subset of base stations are different from the first subset of base stations.   
     
     
       21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:
 dynamically selecting, by the supernode from the first set of base stations in the first hyper cell, a fourth subset of base stations to communicate a second data transmission with the UE when the UE moves to a different location in the first hyper cell.   
     
     
       22. The method of claim 19, wherein the network communications system further includes a second set of base stations in a second hyper cell in the cellular network, the second set of base stations sharing a second cell ID of the second hyper cell, the method further comprising:
 determining, by the supernode, that a base station of the first set of base stations is to be added to the second set of base stations of the second hyper cell based on the collected data regarding the network conditions of the cellular network; and   changing, by the supernode, an association of the base station from the first cell ID to the second cell ID.   
     
     
       23. The method of claim 22, wherein the first hyper cell and the second hyper cell share at least one common base station. 
     
     
       24. The method of claim 19, wherein the first subset of base stations selected by the supernode are transparent to the UE. 
     
     
       25. The method of claim 19, the dynamically selecting the second subset of base stations comprising:
 adding additional one or more base stations to the first set of base stations to expand coverage of the first hyper cell based on an increase in UE concentration above a concentration threshold.   
     
     
       26. The method of claim 19, the dynamically selecting the second subset of base stations comprising:
 adding additional one or more base stations to the first set of base stations to expand coverage of the first hyper cell based on an increase in traffic load.   
     
     
       27. The method of claim 19, the dynamically select the first subset of base stations comprising:
 dynamically selecting the first subset of base stations to maximize capacity of a UE-specific virtual dedicated control channel to the UE.