Methods, systems, and computer readable media for testing inter-cell interference coordination capabilities of wireless access access nodes

{
  "publication_number": "US9596166B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Methods, systems, and computer readable media for testing inter-cell interference coordination capabilities of wireless access access nodes",
  "abstract": "The subject matter described herein relates to methods, systems, and computer readable media for testing inter-cell interference coordination capabilities of wireless access nodes. One method for testing inter-cell interference mitigation capabilities of wireless access nodes includes, in a network equipment test device, emulating at least one user equipment (UE) served by a wireless access node under test. The method further includes emulating a wireless access node. The method further includes causing the emulated wireless access node to generate and send an indication of inter-cell interference to the wireless access node under test. The method further includes monitoring the response and evaluating the performance of the wireless access node under test to the indication of inter-cell interference using the network equipment test device.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A method for testing inter-cell interference coordination capabilities of wireless access nodes, the method comprising: in a network equipment test device for testing inter-cell interference coordination capabilities of wireless access nodes: emulating at least one user equipment (UE) served by a wireless access node under test; emulating a wireless access node; causing the emulated wireless access node to generate and send an indication of inter-cell interference coordination to the wireless access node under test, wherein the indication comprises a load information message; monitoring a response of the wireless access node under test to the indication of inter-cell interference coordination using the network equipment test device for testing inter-cell interference coordination capabilities of the wireless access node under test, wherein monitoring the response includes monitoring downlink transmissions of the wireless access node under test; and determining, using the network equipment test device, inter-cell interference coordination performance parameters of the wireless access node under test from the response to the indication of inter-cell interference of the emulated wireless access node.",
    "2. The method of claim 1 wherein emulating at least one UE includes emulating a plurality of UEs.",
    "3. The method of claim 1 wherein emulating a wireless access node includes emulating an evolved node B (e-node B).",
    "4. The method of claim 1 wherein causing the emulated wireless access node to generate an indication of inter-cell interference coordination includes causing the emulated wireless access node to generate the load information message on an X2 interface with the wireless access node under test.",
    "5. The method of claim 4 wherein the load information message informs the wireless access node under test of uplink interference experienced by the emulated wireless access node.",
    "6. The method of claim 4 wherein the load information message provides information to the wireless access node under test that should cause the wireless access node under test to avoid transmitting in certain resource blocks.",
    "7. The method of claim 4 wherein the load information message provides information to the wireless access node under test regarding whether or not a power threshold in certain resource blocks should be exceeded.",
    "8. The method of claim 4 wherein the load information message informs the wireless access node under test of sub-frames that will not be used by the emulated wireless access node.",
    "9. The method of claim 1 wherein monitoring the downlink transmissions of the wireless access node under test includes determining whether the wireless access node under test is refraining from scheduling in certain resource blocks, scheduling in certain resource blocks, or scheduling at certain power levels in certain resource blocks in response to the indication of inter-cell interference coordination.",
    "10. The method of claim 1 comprising generating, using the emulated user equipment, resource-block-specific noise on a wireless link with the wireless access node under test and monitoring, using the emulated wireless access node, a response of the wireless access node under test to the resource-block-specific noise.",
    "11. The method of claim 10 wherein monitoring the response of the wireless access node under test to the resource-block-specific includes monitoring messages generated by the wireless access node under test on an X2 interface in response to the resource-block-specific noise.",
    "12. A system for testing inter-cell interference coordination capabilities of wireless access nodes, the method comprising: a network equipment test device for testing inter-cell interference coordination capabilities of wireless access nodes comprising: a user equipment (UE) emulator configured to emulate at least one UE served by a wireless access node under test; and a wireless access node emulator configured to emulate a wireless access node and to cause the emulated wireless access node to generate and send an indication of inter-cell interference coordination to the wireless access node under test, wherein the indication comprises a load information message; wherein the UE emulator is configured to monitor a response of the wireless access node under test to the indication of inter-cell interference coordination, wherein monitoring the response includes monitoring downlink transmissions of the wireless access node under test; and wherein inter-cell interference coordination performance parameters of the wireless access node under test are determined by the network equipment test device from the response to the indication of inter-cell interference of the emulated wireless access node.",
    "13. The system of claim 12 wherein the UE emulator is configured to emulate a plurality of UEs.",
    "14. The system of claim 12 wherein the wireless access node emulator is configured to emulate an evolved node B (e-Node B).",
    "15. The system of claim 12 wherein the network equipment test device for testing inter-cell interference coordination capabilities of wireless access nodes is configured to cause the emulated wireless access node to generate the indication of inter-cell interference on an X2 interface with the wireless access node under test.",
    "16. The system of claim 12 wherein the load information message informs the wireless access node under test of uplink interference experienced by the emulated wireless access node.",
    "17. The system of claim 12 wherein the load information message provides information to the wireless access node under test that should cause the wireless access node under test to avoid scheduling certain resource blocks.",
    "18. The system of claim 12 wherein the load information message provides information to the wireless access node under test that should cause the wireless access node under test to avoid transmitting over a power threshold in certain resource blocks.",
    "19. The system of claim 12 wherein the load information message informs the wireless access node under test of sub-frames that will not be used by the emulated wireless access node.",
    "20. The system of claim 12 wherein monitoring the downlink transmissions of the wireless access node under test includes determining whether the wireless access node under test is refraining from scheduling certain resource blocks, or scheduling at certain power levels in certain resource blocks in response to the indication of inter-cell interference coordination.",
    "21. The system of claim 12 wherein the emulated user equipment is configured to generate resource-block-specific noise on an uplink channel with the wireless access node under test and wherein the emulated wireless access node is configured to monitor a response of the wireless access node under test to the resource-block-specific noise.",
    "22. The system of claim 21 wherein monitoring the response of the wireless access node under test includes monitoring messages generated by the wireless access node under test on an X2 interface in response to the resource-block-specific noise.",
    "23. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon executable instructions that when executed by the processor of a computer control the computer to perform steps comprising: in a network equipment test device for testing inter-cell interference coordination capabilities of wireless access nodes: emulating at least one user equipment (UE) served by a wireless access node under test; emulating a wireless access node; causing the emulated wireless access node to generate and send an indication of inter-cell interference coordination to the wireless access node under test, wherein the indication comprises a load information message; monitoring a response of the wireless access node under test to the indication of inter-cell interference coordination using the network equipment test device for testing inter-cell interference coordination capabilities of the wireless access node, wherein monitoring the response includes monitoring downlink transmissions of the wireless access node under test; and determining, using the network equipment test device, inter-cell interference coordination performance parameters of the wireless access node under test from the response to the indication of inter-cell interference of the emulated wireless access node."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The subject matter described herein relates to testing communications network equipment. More particularly, the subject matter described herein relates to methods, systems, and computer readable media for testing inter-cell interference coordination capabilities of wireless access nodes.\n\nIn wireless communications networks, wireless access regions are divided into geographic areas served by the same wireless access node.\n\nThese regions are referred to as cells. In many cases, especially with the advent of different sizes of cells, the radio coverage areas served by different wireless access nodes overlap. For example, a macrocell may share the same radio coverage area with micro, pico, and femto cells. This overlap is illustrated in FIG. 1. In FIG. 1, the radio coverage areas of macrocell 100, microcell 102, picocell 104, and femtocell 106 overlap.\n\nOne problem with cells with overlapping radio coverage areas is inter-cell interference. Inter-cell interference occurs when communications between user equipment and a wireless access node in one cell interferes with communications between user equipment and/or wireless access node in another cell. Such interference may occur when user equipment and/or wireless access nodes in overlapping cells use the same frequency and timeslot for transmission.\n\nIn light of the increased possibility of inter-cell interference, procedures have been proposed for mitigating inter-cell interference.",
  "cpc": [
    "H04L 43/50",
    "H04L 63/1466",
    "H04W 24/06"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "H04L 12/26",
    "H04L 29/06"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Ixia"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Rahul Iyer",
    "Madhu H. Rangappagowda"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2014-03-28",
  "publication_date": "2017-03-14",
  "grant_date": "2017-03-14",
  "priority_date": "2013-04-26",
  "application_number": "US-201414229789-A",
  "family_id": "51789183",
  "cited_by_count": 16,
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}