Patent ID: 9614630
Date: 2017-04-04
CPC Classifications: H04J,H04L,H04W

Claim:
1. A method performed by a network node for protecting control channels of a neighbouring Radio Base Station, RBS, the network node and the RBS being operable in an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing, OFDM, based radio communication network, the method comprising: selecting at least one subframe out of a predetermined number of subframes, in which the network node will transmit control channels with reduced transmission power in relation to a nominal transmission power; and indicating the selected subframes to the neighbouring RBS wherein the network node performs the selecting step independently from determining in which subframe(s) data channels are to be transmitted by the network node with reduced transmission power; and wherein the method further comprises performing said selecting and indicating steps as a response to receiving indications from User Equipments, UEs, currently being associated with the network node, said indications indicating at least one UE requiring the control channels to be transmitted by the network node with the nominal transmission power and indicating at least one UE not requiring the control channels to be transmitted by the network node with the nominal transmission power.