Patent Description:
Wireless communication systems are under constant development. The need for faster communication and huge increase of the data amount create challenges for the wireless communications systems.

<CIT> discloses a base station as presented herein improves random access. The base station comprises a radio unit comprising a transceiver and an antenna; a message receiver arranged to receive random access preamble messages with a preamble, from mobile communication terminals, on a random access channel; a distance determiner arranged to, for each random access preamble message, determine whether the corresponding mobile communication terminal is further away than an outer threshold distance from the radio unit; and a radius adjuster arranged to, when it is determined that there is more than a threshold magnitude of mobile communication terminals being further away than the outer threshold distance, increase the outer threshold distance and a random access cell radius of the radio unit. In other words, when many mobile communication terminals are determined to be far away, the random access cell radius is increased, allowing dynamic resizing of the random access cell.

<CIT> discloses a method and apparatus for random access channel (RACH) channel selection in a long term evolution (LTE) network includes determining a distance from a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) to an evolved Node-B (eNB) in a cell of the LTE network. A RACH channel is then selected based upon the distance determination.

The scope of protection is set out by the independent claims. Dependent claims define further embodiments included in the scope of protection.

In the following, example embodiments will be described in greater detail with reference to the attached drawings, in which.

The following embodiments are only presented as examples. Although the specification may refer to "an", "one", or "some" embodiment(s) and/or example(s) in several locations of the text, this does not necessarily mean that each reference is made to the same embodiment(s) or example(s), or that a particular feature only applies to a single embodiment and/or example. Single features of different embodiments and/or examples may also be combined to provide other embodiments and/or examples.

Embodiments and examples described herein may be implemented in any communications system comprising wireless connection(s). In the following, different exemplifying embodiments will be described using, as an example of an access architecture to which the embodiments may be applied, a radio access architecture based on long term evolution advanced (LTE Advanced, LTE-A) or new radio (NR, <NUM>), without restricting the embodiments to such an architecture, however. It is obvious for a person skilled in the art that the embodiments may also be applied to other kinds of communications networks having suitable means by adjusting parameters and procedures appropriately. Some examples of other options for suitable systems are the universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) radio access network (UTRAN or E-UTRAN), long term evolution (LTE, the same as E-UTRA), beyond <NUM>, wireless local area network (WLAN or WiFi), worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX), Bluetooth®, personal communications services (PCS), ZigBee®, wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA), systems using ultra-wideband (UWB) technology, sensor networks, mobile ad-hoc networks (MANETs) and Internet Protocol multimedia subsystems (IMS) or any combination thereof.

<FIG> shows user devices <NUM> and <NUM>' configured to be in a wireless connection on one or more communication channels in a cell with an access node (such as (e/g)NodeB) <NUM> providing the cell. An example of an access node and a cell provided is described in more detail with <FIG>. The physical link from a user device to a (e/g)NodeB is called uplink or reverse link and the physical link from the (e/g)NodeB to the user device is called downlink or forward link. It should be appreciated that (e/g)NodeBs or their functionalities may be implemented by using any node, host, server or access point etc. entity suitable for such a usage.

A communications system <NUM> typically comprises more than one (e/g)NodeB in which case the (e/g)NodeBs may also be configured to communicate with one another over links, wired or wireless, designed for the purpose. These links may be used for signalling purposes. The (e/g)NodeB is a computing device configured to control the radio resources of communication system it is coupled to. The NodeB may also be referred to as a base station, an access point or any other type of interfacing device including a relay station capable of operating in a wireless environment. The (e/g)NodeB includes or is coupled to transceivers. From the transceivers of the (e/g)NodeB, a connection is provided to an antenna unit that establishes bi-directional radio links to user devices. The antenna unit may comprise a plurality of antennas or antenna elements. The (e/g)NodeB is further connected to core network <NUM> (CN or next generation core NGC). Depending on the system, the counterpart on the CN side can be a serving gateway (S-GW, routing and forwarding user data packets), packet data network gateway (P-GW), for providing connectivity of user devices (UEs) to external packet data networks, or mobile management entity (MME), etc..

The user device may also utilise cloud.

<NUM> enables using multiple input - multiple output (MIMO) antennas, many more base stations or nodes or corresponding network devices than the LTE (a so-called small cell concept), including macro sites operating in co-operation with smaller stations and employing a variety of radio technologies depending on service needs, use cases and/or spectrum available. <NUM> mobile communications supports a wide range of use cases and related applications including video streaming, augmented reality, different ways of data sharing and various forms of machine type applications (such as (massive) machine-type communications (mMTC), including vehicular safety, different sensors and real-time control. <NUM> is expected to have multiple radio interfaces, namely below <NUM>, cmWave and mmWave, and also being integradable with existing legacy radio access technologies, such as the LTE. Integration with the LTE may be implemented, at least in the early phase, as a system, where macro coverage is provided by the LTE and <NUM> radio interface access comes from small cells by aggregation to the LTE. In other words, <NUM> is planned to support both inter-RAT operability (such as LTE-<NUM>) and inter-RI operability (inter-radio interface operability, such as below <NUM> - cmWave, below <NUM> - cmWave - mmWave). One of the concepts considered to be used in <NUM> networks is network slicing in which multiple independent and dedicated virtual sub-networks (network instances) may be created within the same infrastructure to run services that have different requirements on latency, reliability, throughput and mobility.

Edge computing covers a wide range of technologies such as wireless sensor networks, mobile data acquisition, mobile signature analysis, cooperative distributed peer-to-peer ad hoc networking and processing also classifiable as local cloud/fog computing and grid/mesh computing, dew computing, mobile edge computing, cloud-let, distributed data storage and retrieval, autonomic self-healing networks, remote cloud services, augmented and virtual reality, data caching, Internet of Things (massive connectivity and/or latency critical), critical communications (autonomous vehicles, traffic safety, real-time analytics, time-critical control, healthcare applications).

The communication system is also able to communicate with other networks, such as a public switched telephone network or the Internet <NUM>, or utilise services provided by them.

Below different exemplified examples are described using term base station as a generic term for access points, such as (e/g)NodeBs.

<FIG> illustrates an example of a base station configured to implement distance filtering. The base station <NUM> provides service coverage <NUM>, typically called a cell, depicted by a circle in <FIG>. In the illustrated example of <FIG>, it is assumed that an antenna mast for the base station locates at the central point of the cell and comprises three directional antennas, for example sectorized antennas, to provide the coverage, each antenna covering a <NUM>° sector <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, separated in the <FIG> by borderlines B1, B2, B3 between the sectors. However, it should be appreciated that this is just an example, and any number of directional antennas, resulting to any number of sectors, possible with varying sizes, may be used, or instead of directional antennas an omnidirectional antenna may be used.

In the illustrated example of <FIG>, each of the sectors are treated as separate coverage areas, without restricting the example and its teaching to such a solution. A coverage area may also comprise two or more sectors. It is even possible to treat the service coverage as one coverage area, regardless to how many sectors it is divided, if divided to sectors.

Referring to <FIG>, a coverage area corresponding to the sector <NUM> does not comprise any filtering sub-areas, whereas a coverage area corresponding to the sector <NUM> comprises four filtering sub-areas 212a, 212b, 212c, 212d, and a coverage area corresponding to the sector <NUM> comprises three filtering sub-areas 213e, 213f, <NUM>. A filtering sub-area means an area defined by two ranges (distances) R1, R2 from the antenna mast. The shorter range R1, which may be called a minimum range of the sub-area, may be zero and is always less than the coverage range. The longer range R2, which may be called a maximum range of the sub-area, is always more than zero and may be the coverage range. For example, in the illustrated example the longer range of the filtering sub-area 212a is the same as the coverage range. Different examples how to define R1 and R2 are given below.

The base station <NUM> is configured to support distance filtering, which may be called also range filtering or distance range filtering. For that purpose the base station <NUM> comprises a distance filtering unit (d-f-u) <NUM> and in a memory <NUM> there are distance filtering configuration data, and other information relating to distance filtering.

In the illustrated example, information relating to distance filtering comprises flags, one for each coverage area. A flag, that may be also called as distance filtering flag, or range filtering flag, indicates whether a distance filtering functionality is on or off for the coverage area in question. In another implementation, a common flag for coverage areas may be used, or a flag may be sub-area specific. Naturally, any other type of information than the flag may be used to indicate whether the distance filtering functionality is on or off. When a distance filtering functionality is on, extensive demand of resources, or any corresponding situation, like preventive coverage deployment, within a relative small area within the coverage area has been detected. For example, there is a spontaneous mass event during which plurality of user devices request resources, or data transmissions to couple of user devices require lot of radio resources, within a relative small area, or there is a jamming attack device, or a base station providing a smaller coverage area at least partly within the coverage area of the base station, is not providing coverage for some reason. There are also other reasons that causes that the base station, or system maintenance, or the operator may set the distance filtering functionality on.

The information relating to distance filtering may also comprise, when the distance filtering is on, information on at least R1 and R2 of one area that may be considered as an extensive demand area, i.e. an area in which service request are treated differently compared to a situation in which the distance filtering is off, or other information by means of which separation between the different at least two filtering sub-areas (one of which at least is the extensive demand area) may be determined.

In the illustrated example, the configuration data (settings) comprises rules which to apply when the distance filtering functionality, or shortly distance filtering, is on. There are no restrictions to the rules. Further, it should be appreciated that the rules, or some of them, may be preset after cell deployment and/or the rules, or some of them may be dynamically or manually set by an operator. Furthermore, self-adapting decisive algorithm(s) may be used to define/update the rules, or some of them. Some examples to illustrate, not to limit, the rules are listed below. In the examples it is assumed that a filtering sub-area is either an extensive demand area (maybe called also a filter area) or a normal demand area. For example, in sector <NUM> the sub-area 213f may be an extensive demand area, and sub-areas 213e and <NUM> both normal demand areas.

In a single layer cell deployment scenario there may be two rules: a first rule applied to user devices within a normal demand sub-area, i.e. a filtering sub-area that is a normal demand area, and a second rule applied to user devices within an extensive demand sub-area, i.e. a filtering sub-area that has been detected as an extensive demand area. The first rule may be "no filtering", i.e. access and resources are provided as if the distance filtering were off. The second rule may be "no access to provided resources". Other examples for the second rule include "allocate only part of maximum capacity, such as <NUM>%; use sensitivity and settings, such as signal to noise ratio, of a lower service level; decrease connection priorities of certain radio bearers, if there are user devices with different priorities. Still a further example is that the first rule for the normal demand sub-area is "allocate X %, e.g. <NUM> % or <NUM> %, of total capacity to user devices in the normal demand area(s)" and the second rule for the extensive demand area(s) is "allocate <NUM>-X %, e.g. <NUM>% or <NUM> %, of total capacity to user devices in the extensive demand area". The advantage of having a rule allowing some capacity to the extensive demand area user devices in the extensive demand area may receive services from the base station.

In a multi-layer cell deployment scenario even more versatile rules, and more complicated, if needed, may be defined. For the sake of clarity, in the following non-limiting examples it is assumed, unless otherwise stated, that three layers are deployed, their coverage area is the same, as well as the filtering sub-areas, and in a normal situation (i. e the distance filtering is off) radio resource demands from user devices are allocated in the coverage on equally basis. Implementing the examples to other kind of situations, for example to different filtering sub-areas, and/or other kind of rules is a straightforward process for one skilled in the art.

An example of the rules for the multi-layer may be that user devices within an extensive demand area of a layer are handled by one of the three layers and user devices within a normal demand area of a layer are handled by the other two layers. For example, assuming that there are three layers, A, B and C, each having sub-layers corresponding to those of the sector <NUM>, user devices whose distance to the base station is between R1 and R2 would be served by layer A, other user devices by layers B and C.

Another example is to multiply base station input messages with a logical value of a range filter, the logical value being different for different distances. For example, assuming that there are three layers, A, B and C, each having sub-layers corresponding to those of the sector <NUM>, the logical value for layer A may be zero to distances starting from the antenna mast up to R1, one to distances between R1 and R2, and zero between R2 and maximum coverage range, and the logical value for layers B and C may be one to distances starting from the antenna mast up to R1, zero to distances between R1 and R2, and one between R2 and maximum coverage range. The logical value one means that data remains unchanged, and the logical value zero means that data will be zeroed. From the base station point of view the above example means that in case of the layer A transmissions received from 213e and <NUM> will not be served, transmission received from 213f will be served, whereas in case of the layer B and the layer C, transmissions received from 213e and <NUM> will be served and transmission received from 213f will not be served.

Another example of the rules for the multi-layer deployment scenario is that user devices within an extensive demand area of a layer are handled by two of the three layers and user devices within a normal demand area of a layer are handled by the remaining one of the three layers. Using the above example referring to the sector <NUM>, user devices whose distance to the base station is between R1 and R2 would be served by layer A and layer B, other user devices by layer C.

The idea to multiply base station input messages with a logical value of a range filter, the logical value being different for different distances, may also be applied for the above scenario. For example, assuming that there are three layers, A, B and C, each having sub-layers corresponding to those of the sector <NUM>, the logical value for layer A and for layer B may be zero to distances starting from the antenna mast up to R1, one to distances between R1 and R2, and zero between R2 and maximum coverage range, and the logical value for layer C may be one to distances starting from the antenna mast up to R1, zero to distances between R1 and R2, and one between R2 and maximum coverage range. From the base station point of view the above example means that in case of the layer A and the layer B transmissions received from 213e and <NUM> will not be served, transmission received from 213f will be served, whereas in case of the layer C transmissions received from 213e and <NUM> will be served and transmission received from 213f will not be served.

Yet another example of the rules for the multi-layer deployment scenario, especially suitable when multi-layer coverage is provided from co-located cells, is that in case of three layers, all user devices are served by two of the layers, either by the layer A and the layer B or by the layer A and the layer C, in a similar manner (but always in a different way by the layer B and the layer C). For example, the layer A may correspond to the sector <NUM>, i.e. have one filtering (sub)-area that is the same as coverage area, and the layers B and C may comprise two filtering sub-areas, one corresponding to filtering sub-area 212a and the other one corresponding to a combination of sub-areas 212b, 212c and 212d. The rule may be that user devices locating in the filtering sub-area corresponding to 212a will be served by the layer A and the layer C, but not by the layer B, or served by the layer B with a poorer service level, and user devices locating in the other filtering sub-area (corresponding to the combination of sub-areas 212b, 212c and 212d ) will be served by the layer A and the layer B, but not by the layer C, or served by the layer C with a poorer service level. This results to capacity and data throughput rate enhancing in the filtering sub-areas, compared to a situation in which no division to filtering sub-areas have been performed. In other words, if the distance filtering is not applied, and there is high resource demand, all layers may be heavily loaded with similar level of request, and eventually they may be saturated. If the distance filtering is applied and the high resource demand is within one filtering sub-area, the negative impact may be narrowed only to the filtering sub-area, and outside the sector no negative or minor negative impact may be caused.

The idea to multiply base station input messages with a logical value of a range filter, the logical value being different for different distances, may also be applied for the above scenario. For example, using the above example relating to the sectors <NUM> and <NUM>, the logical value for the layer A may be one to all distances, i.e. starting from the antenna mast up to the maximum coverage range, the logical value for the layer B may be one to distances starting from the antenna mast up to R1 of the sub-area 212a and zero between R1 of the sub-area 212a and the maximum coverage range, and the logical value for layer C may be zero to distances starting from the antenna mast up to R1 of the sub-area 212a and one between R1 of the sub-area 212a and the maximum coverage range. From the base station point of view the above example means that in case of the layer A the transmission will be served regardless where there are reserved (naturally within the coverage area), the layer B transmissions received from 212a will not be served, transmission received elsewhere within the coverage area will be served, whereas in case of the layer C transmissions received from 212a will be served and transmission received elsewhere will not be served. Basically this means that all resources of layer B, and correspondingly layer C, will be offered within a limits of one filtering sub-area, which is smaller than the coverage area, while the capacity remains the same. This results to capacity and data throughput rate enhancing in the filtering sub-areas, as explained above.

Further rules, for example rules corresponding to the above listed non-limiting examples of the second rule in the single layer cell deployment scenario, for the layer handling the user devices within the extensive demand area in the multi-layer cell deployment scenario may be provided.

The above rules may be used with carrier aggregation, assuming that layer A corresponds to the primary cell in the carrier aggregation and layers B and C to the secondary cells. (In the carrier aggregation, multiple carriers, called component carries, are aggregated to form a larger overall transmission bandwidth. When the carrier aggregation is used there are a number of serving cells, one for each component carrier, and the serving cell handling the radio resource control connection is the primary cell, others are secondary cells.

In addition to the one or more rules, the configuration data may comprise criteria, such as triggers, when to set the distance filtering flag on. One example is that if the demand exceeds the capacity, or a certain amount Z, like <NUM> %, of the capacity, the distance filtering flag is set on, and filtering sub-areas are determined. Another example is that if it is detected that at a certain area of limited size the number of service requests, such as preambles (random access preamble) sent over a random access channel (RACH) to the base station, exceeds a threshold, like X % of the random access capacity, the distance filtering flag is set on, and filtering sub-areas are determined based on the certain area. Further, coverage analysis may cause that the filtering flag will be set on for preventive coverage deployment. The triggers may be set area-specifically, for example a first trigger value for non-specified area and a second trigger value for areas, common value or area-specific value, or any combination, where a large number of service requests may be expected. A non-limiting list of some examples of such areas include cell boundaries, location of obstacles blocking propagations, buildings, underground entry points, etc. Still a further trigger include in case of a cell deployment having a macro cell and one or more smaller cells at least partly within the coverage of the macro cell, that if it is detected that the smaller cell is out of service, the distance filtering flag is set on, and the filtering sub-areas are based on the coverage area of the smaller cell.

Depending on the criteria, the information relating to distance filtering may also comprise one or more counters, or more precisely, counter values, keeping track on numbers for the one or more triggers.

The coverage area may be pre-divided (preconfigured) into consecutive, possible initial, filtering sub-areas, either having a constant difference between the maximum and the minimum range, or a varying difference. Such sub-areas may be called range rings. For example sub-area <NUM> from the antenna mast to a range r1, sub-area <NUM> from the range r1 to a range r2, which is r1+r1, sub-area <NUM> from r2 to r3, which is r2+r1, etc., or to varying size of ranges, as the sub-areas 212a, 212b, 212c, 212d in the sector <NUM>. When a timing advance type <NUM> defined by ETSI to LTE as a time difference between transmission time and reception time of a radio frame in the base station (i.e. a time difference between a time the base station received a radio frame and a time the base station transmitted the radio frame), is used the constant difference may be, for example, <NUM> that corresponds to a timing advance correction of timing advance type in the second generation mobile system called GSM. With such a distance the solution provides compatibility to systems utilizing different generations, like GSM/LTE/<NUM>, thereby facilitating interworking and coverage optimization, especially for the preventive coverage deployment, between layers provided by <NUM>/LTE/GSM, or any different technologies used for wireless coverage. Naturally, any other constant difference may be used, and there may be one constant difference for GSM, one for LTE, one for <NUM>, or one for LTE and <NUM>, just to list some possibilities without restricting the solutions to such implementations. When pre-configured filtering sub-areas (range rings) are used, the configuration data and/or the information relating to distance filtering may comprise coverage-area -specifically, or layer-specifically, or cell-specifically, or as a common configuration for all cells/layers or for all cells/layers having substantially the same maximum coverage range, for example one or more pieces of following information, some of which may be collected as a background information, for each sub-area:.

In other words, it is possible to configure distance-specific/pre-configured sub-area specific rules how to handle the request. Further, the statistic information collected may be used to detect jamming attacks, and/or by self-adapting algorithms, and/or by an operator to update for example overload criteria or the one or more rules.

<FIG> illustrate different examples of how to implement the distance filtering in a base station. More precisely, they illustrate example functionalities of the distance filtering unit. The illustrated functionalities may be implemented in a physical layer, for example. When the functionality is implemented in the physical layer, the base station resources are loaded as little as possible in the filter area (extensive demand area) since the base station may send no response, depending on the one or more rules to apply. For example, in case of the radio jamming attacks the advantage is significant and helps to avoid severe load of the base station resources.

In the example illustrated in <FIG>, a filtering sub-area is either a normal area, or a filtered area, wherein a first rule is applied to the normal area, the first set of rules being "act as if no distance filtering is on", and a second rule, or a second set of rules, is applied to an area indicated as "to be filtered", or "filter area", or "extensive demand area". Examples of such a rule and a set of rules are given above. For example, referring to <FIG> and the sector <NUM>, area to be filtered may be defined by R1 and R2 of the filtering sub-area 213f, whereas the filtering sub-areas 213e and <NUM> form the normal area.

Referring to <FIG>, when a service request is received in block 301the distance between the base station and the user device which sent the request is determined in block <NUM>, using timing information in the request. For example, if the request (service request) is a PRACH (physical random access channel) preamble whose length is shorter than the PRACH slot reserved for the request to provide room for a guard time (GT), also called guard period, to absorb propagation delay between the user device and the base station. Since the propagation delay, and the length of a guard time in a request, depends on the distance between the user device and the base station, the guard time may be used to determine the distance, or a PRACH preamble is decoded, and the timing advance information calculated by the base station based on the guard time, for example, to ensure uplink synchronization between the user device and the base station, may be used to determine the distance. It should be appreciated that the base station may be configured to determine the distance based on any of technology used for wireless access that conveys some timing information to the base station based on which timing information the distance is determinable.

It should be appreciated that the distance obtained this way is accurate enough, since the accuracy is within decameters, for example by using the type <NUM> timing advance information, the distance may be estimated with an accuracy about <NUM>.

After the distance has been determined, it is checked in block <NUM> whether or not the distance filtering flag is on. If the flag is not on (block <NUM>: no), the process continues normally in block <NUM> by allocating resources to the requested service, if there are resources available.

If the flag is on (block <NUM>: yes), it is checked in block <NUM>, whether or not the distance is within a filter area (extensive demand area). In other words, if one filter area has been indicated, it is checked, whether or not the distance is between R1 and R2 of the filter area. Naturally, if more than one filter area has been indicated, it is checked, whether or not the distance is between R1 and R2 of one of the filter areas.

If the distance indicates that the user device is not within the filter area (block <NUM>: no), the user device is in a sub-area that is considered as normal, and the process proceeds to block <NUM> to allocate resources to the requested service.

If the user device is within the filter area (block <NUM>: yes), the defined one or more filter rules are applied in block <NUM> to the request. If the filter rule is that no resources should be allocated to user devices within the filter area, the base station may inform the user device that access to radio resources is denied, or the base station may send no response to the request. Both results to the known procedure: the user device will try to gain access either again to the cell or to another cell accessible by the user device. In other words, no changes to the functionality of the user device is required. The same applies if the base station responses by allocated resources that do not fulfill the requested resources.

In the example illustrated in <FIG>, more versatile filtering sub-area configurations may be used as with <FIG>. Referring to <FIG>, when a service request is received in block <NUM>, the distance between the base station and the user device which sent the request is determined in block <NUM>, using timing information in the request. The distance may be determined as described above with block <NUM>. Then it is checked in block <NUM> whether or not the distance filtering flag is on. If the flag is not on (block <NUM>: no), the process continues normally in block <NUM> by allocating resources to the requested service, if there are resources available.

If the flag is on (block <NUM>: yes) a filter sub-area is determined in block <NUM> using the distance. The filter sub-area is the one between whose R1 and R2 the distance is. Then the one or more rules to apply in this specific filtering sub-area are retrieved in block <NUM>, and applied to the request in block <NUM>. (The filtering sub-area may be a normal demand sub-area or filter area, i.e. an extensive demand area.

The example illustrated in <FIG> may be applied to the solution in which the range rings are implemented, with range ring (i.e. filtering sub-area) specific flags. Naturally the functionality may be implemented with other kind of filtering sub-area configurations.

Referring to <FIG>, when a service request is received in block <NUM>, the distance between the base station and the user device, which sent the request, is determined in block <NUM>, using timing information in the request. The distance may be determined as described above with block <NUM>. Then, using the distance, it is checked in block <NUM> whether or not the distance filtering flag is on for a filtering sub-area within which, based on the distance, the user device locates. If the flag is not on (block <NUM>: no), the process continues normally in block <NUM> by allocating resources to the requested service, if there are resources available.

If the flag is on (block <NUM>: yes), the one or more rules to apply in this specific area are retrieved in block <NUM>, and applied to the request in block <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrate different examples how the distance filtering flag may be set on automatically in the base station. More precisely, they illustrate example functionalities of the distance filtering unit, or its sub-unit configured to perform a corresponding functionality.

Referring to <FIG>, resource (capacity) usage, or its demand (requested resources), in the coverage area/cell is monitored until in block <NUM> it is detected that the criteria for distance filtering is met. For example, the capacity usage may be monitored with respect to the number of user devices served or with respect of data throughput. For example, if the single cell deployment scenario is in use, the criteria for distance filtering may be met when the demand for radio resources exceeds the maximum capacity or a threshold for the capacity, and/or an excessive number of service requests are received from a relative small area within the coverage area. (Detecting service requests small area specifically is known technique in the art. For example, the location based on timing advance information and on angle on arrival information. Naturally any other suitable technique may be used. ) It may even be that one or couple of user devices with an extreme high request for data causes that the request for resources exceeds the resources available. Still a further possibility is that there is jamming device attack, which may be detected based on so-called denial of service technique, for example, as is known by one skilled in the art. Another example is that a base station providing a smaller cell, or part of it, within the coverage area is out of order, for example.

When it is detected (block <NUM>) that the criteria for the distance filtering is met (block <NUM>), the distance filtering flag is set on in block <NUM>, and for the smaller area, or if there are several, for each of the smaller areas, the minimum range R1 and the maximum range R2 is determined in block <NUM>. The ranges may be determined based on distances, either by determining the longest and shortest distance of user devices causing that the criteria is met, and using the distances, or the distances added with some safety marginal, or determining using the distances those initially defined range rings, such as the range ring within which the shortest distance is and range ring within which the longest distance is and any range ring there between, if any. Then the filtering sub-area information is updated correspondingly in block <NUM>. For example, the range(s) within R1 and R2 may be indicated as "filter area", while the other ranges may be without any indication (thereby indicating indirectly "normal area"), or indicated as "normal area".

<FIG> illustrates an example in which predefined range rings are used, with a common flag. Further, it is assumed that the number of service request are monitored range ring -specifically, without restricting the example to such an implementation.

Referring to <FIG>, the number of service requests are monitored as a background process in block <NUM> area-specifically (i.e. range ring -specifically). If statistics are collected, data can be collected as a background process of <FIG>. The monitoring includes checking in block <NUM>, whether or not the criteria for distance filtering is met. Examples of criteria and when it is met are given above. If the criteria is met (block <NUM>: yes), it is checked in block <NUM>, whether or not the distance filtering flag is on, i.e. has been set on previously. If the flag is on (block <NUM>: yes), it is checked, whether or not the filtering sub-area (range ring) in question is indicated as a filter area (extensive demand area). If it already is indicated (block <NUM>: yes), the monitoring continues in block <NUM>. If the area is not yet indicated (block <NUM>: no), an indication is set in block <NUM>, and then the monitoring continues in block <NUM>. If the flag is not on (block <NUM>: no), the flag is set on in block <NUM> and then the process continues in block <NUM> by setting the indication.

If the criteria is not yet met (block <NUM>: no), or not any more met for the sub-area in question, it is checked in block <NUM>, whether or not the distance filtering flag is set on. If not (block <NUM>: no), the monitoring continues in block <NUM>. If the distance filtering flag is on (block <NUM>: yes), it is checked in block <NUM>, whether or not the sub-area is indicated as the filter area. If it is indicated as the filter area (block <NUM>: yes), the indication is reset in block <NUM> to be nothing (or normal demand area), and then it is checked in block <NUM>, whether or not any of the other areas is indicated as the filter area. If any of the other areas are indicated as the filter area (block <NUM>: yes), the monitoring continues in block <NUM>. If no other areas is indicated as the filter area (block <NUM>: no), the distance filtering flag is set off in block <NUM> and the process continues the monitoring in step <NUM>.

As is evident from the above examples, the described distance filtering enables, for example, isolation of groups with high radio resource demands, more efficient resource management, fair allocation of radio resources (those requesting more resources or in an ad hoc event, for example, know that there may be some temporary connection problems, so it is fair that the resources are allocated to those who cannot predict such problems), radio jamming impact minimization and versatile, and new cell deployment scenarios. For example, compared with beam forming, in which traffic is not processed at all within a beam, with the distance filtering and rules defining the distance filtering, it is possible to provide sub-areas with different traffic processing capacity, but there is no need to have areas in which traffic is not processed at all, it all depends on rules in the configuration. In other words, more flexibility and resource protection (optimization) is provided to network operators for improved cell configuration, enabling also use of self-adapting algorithms.

The blocks, related functions, and information exchanges described above by means of <FIG> are in no absolute chronological order, and some of them may be performed simultaneously or in an order differing from the given one. For example, it is possible, e.g. with the examples of <FIG>, first to check whether or not the distance filtering is on, and to determine the distance only if the distance filtering is on. Other functions can also be executed between them or within them, and other information may be sent, and/or other rules applied. Some of the blocks or part of the blocks or one or more pieces of information can also be left out or replaced by a corresponding block or part of the block or one or more pieces of information.

In one example implementation the above described features relating to the distance filtering unit, the filtering configuration data and the other information relating to the distance filtering form a built-in Timing Advance Type <NUM> Range Filter comprising a range filter logic, a predefined range filter and a range filter counter. The range filter logic may be configured to determine when to set the filtering flag on, based on a sector reason and/or capacity reason, for example. The predefined range filter may comprise predefined range sectors, i.e. filtering sub-areas. The range filter counter may comprise predefined capacity limitations, i.e. the rules and/or triggers (criteria) described above. The range filter logic, the predefined range filter and the range filter counter, or any corresponding means or units may be implemented as separate circuitries, or combined, either all or two, for example, to one circuitry.

The techniques and methods described herein may be implemented by various means so that an apparatus/device configured to support distance mechanism based on at least partly on what is disclosed above with any of <FIG>, including implementing one or more functions/operations of a corresponding base station described above with an embodiment/example, for example by means of any of <FIG>, comprises not only prior art means, but also means for implementing the one or more functions/operations of a corresponding functionality described with an embodiment, for example by means of any of <FIG>, and it may comprise separate means for each separate function/operation, or means may be configured to perform two or more functions/operations. For example, one or more of the means and/or the distance filtering unit, or its sub-units, and/or the a built-in Timing Advance Type <NUM> Range Filter, or its sub-units, described above may be implemented in hardware (one or more devices), firmware (one or more devices), software (one or more modules), or combinations thereof. For a hardware implementation, the apparatus(es) of embodiments may be implemented within one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), processors, controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, logic gates, decoder circuitries, encoder circuitries, other electronic units designed to perform the functions described herein by means of <FIG>, or a combination thereof. For firmware or software, the implementation can be carried out through modules of at least one chipset (e.g. procedures, functions, and so on) that perform the functions described herein. The software codes may be stored in a memory unit and executed by processors. The memory unit may be implemented within the processor or externally to the processor. In the latter case, it can be communicatively coupled to the processor via various means, as is known in the art. Additionally, the components described herein may be rearranged and/or complemented by additional components in order to facilitate the achievements of the various aspects, etc., described with regard thereto, and they are not limited to the precise configurations set forth in the given figures, as will be appreciated by one skilled in the art.

<FIG> provides a base station (apparatus, device) according to some embodiments. <FIG> illustrates a base station configured to carry out at least the functions described above in connection with distance filtering. Each base station may comprise one or more communication control circuitry, such as at least one processor <NUM>, and at least one memory <NUM>, including one or more algorithms <NUM>, such as a computer program code (software) wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code (software) are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to carry out any one of the exemplified functionalities of the base station described above.

Referring to <FIG>, at least one of the communication control circuitries in the apparatus <NUM> is configured to provide the distance filtering unit, or its sub-units, and/or the a built-in Timing Advance Type <NUM> Range Filter, or its sub-units, and to carry out functionalities and rules and criteria described above by means of any of <FIG> by one or more circuitries.

Referring to <FIG>, the memory <NUM> may be implemented using any suitable data storage technology, such as semiconductor based memory devices, flash memory, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory and removable memory.

Referring to <FIG>, the base station may further comprise different interfaces <NUM> such as one or more communication interfaces (TX/RX) comprising hardware and/or software for realizing communication connectivity over the medium according to one or more communication protocols. The communication interface may provide the base station with communication capabilities to communicate in the cellular communication system and enable communication between terminal devices and different network nodes and/or a communication interface to enable communication between different network nodes, for example. The communication interface may comprise standard well-known components such as an amplifier, filter, frequency-converter, (de)modulator, and encoder/decoder circuitries, controlled by the corresponding controlling units, and one or more antennas. The communication interfaces comprise radio interface components providing the base with radio communication capability to provide a cell. The communication interfaces may comprise optical interface components providing the base station with optical fibre communication capability.

As used in this application, the term 'circuitry' may refer to one or more or all of the following: (a) hardware-only circuit implementations, such as implementations in only analog and/or digital circuitry, and (b) combinations of hardware circuits and software (and/or firmware), such as (as applicable): (i) a combination of analog and/or digital hardware circuit(s) with software/firmware and (ii) any portions of hardware processor(s) with software, including digital signal processor(s), software, and memory(ies) that work together to cause an apparatus, such as a base station, to perform various functions, and (c) hardware circuit(s) and processor(s), such as a microprocessor(s) or a portion of a microprocessor(s), that requires software (e.g. firmware) for operation, but the software may not be present when it is not needed for operation. This definition of 'circuitry' applies to all uses of this term in this application, including any claims. As a further example, as used in this application, the term 'circuitry' also covers an implementation of merely a hardware circuit or processor (or multiple processors) or a portion of a hardware circuit or processor and its (or their) accompanying software and/or firmware. The term 'circuitry' also covers, for example and if applicable to the particular claim element, a baseband integrated circuit for a base station, or other computing or network device.

In embodiments, the at least one processor, the memory, and the computer program code form processing means or comprises one or more computer program code portions for carrying out one or more operations according to any one of the embodiments of <FIG> or operations thereof.

Embodiments as described may also be carried out in the form of a computer process defined by a computer program or portions thereof. Embodiments of the methods described in connection with <FIG> may be carried out by executing at least one portion of a computer program comprising corresponding instructions. The computer program may be provided as a computer readable medium comprising program instructions stored thereon or as a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program instructions stored thereon. The computer program may be in source code form, object code form, or in some intermediate form, and it may be stored in some sort of carrier, which may be any entity or device capable of carrying the program. For example, the computer program may be stored on a computer program distribution medium readable by a computer or a processor. The computer program medium may be, for example but not limited to, a record medium, computer memory, read-only memory, electrical carrier signal, telecommunications signal, and software distribution package, for example. The computer program medium may be a non-transitory medium. Coding of software for carrying out the embodiments as shown and described is well within the scope of a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Claim 1:
A base station (<NUM>) comprising means for:
detecting an area with an extensive demand on resources;
setting the distance filtering on in response to detecting the area with the extensive demand;
indicating for the area with the extensive demand a minimum range and a maximum range, wherein the area with the extensive demand is a filtering sub-area (212a, 212b, 212c, 212d, 213e, 213f, <NUM>) and the minimum and maximum range are for separating the area with extensive demand from one or more other filtering sub-areas (212a, 212b, 212c, 212d, 213e, 213f, <NUM>);
detecting that a distance filtering is on;
determining from timing information in a service request received from a device at least a distance to the device;
determining a filtering sub-area (212a, 212b, 212c, 212d, 213e, 213f, <NUM>) for the device based on the distance; and
applying one or more filtering rules defined for the filtering sub-area (212a, 212b, 212c, 212d, 213e, 213f, <NUM>), that is the determined filtering sub-area (212a, 212b, 212c, 212d, 213e, 213f, <NUM>) for the device, to determine how to process the service request.