FIELD: information technology.
SUBSTANCE: techniques for transmitting null pilot signals to support interference estimation in a wireless network are described. A null pilot is non-transmission on designated time-frequency resources by a cell or a cluster of cells supporting cooperative transmission to given UE. Cells in the cluster can transmit null pilot signals. The received power of the null pilot signals from the cell or cluster of cells may be indicative of interference from other cells. In one version, a cell in the cluster may determine resources for sending a null pilot signal by the cell. The cell may transmit the null pilot signal (i.e., send no transmissions) on the resources to allow UE to estimate out-of-cluster interference. Some or all cells in the cluster may transmit null pilot signals on the same resources. The cell may receive interference and channel information from the UE and may send data transmission to the UE based on the interference and/or channel information. Remaining cells in the cluster may reduce interference on the UE.
EFFECT: high accuracy of interference estimation.
49 cl, 9 dwg
