METHOD AND APPARATUS This disclosure relates to methods and apparatus and in particular but not exclusively to methods and apparatus for use in radio access technologies.

A communication system can be seen as a facility that enables communications between two or more entities such as a communication device, e.g. mobile stations (MS) or user equipment (UE), and/or other network elements or nodes, e.g. Node B or base trans- ceiver station (BTS), associated with the communication system. A communication system typically operates in accordance with a given standard or specification which sets out what the various entities associated with the communication system are permitted to do and how that should be achieved.

Wireless communication systems include various cellular or other mobile communi- cation systems using radio frequencies for sending voice or data between stations, for example between a communication device and a transceiver network element. Examples of wireless communication systems may comprise public land mobile network (PLMN), such as global system for mobile communication (GSM), the general packet radio service (GPRS) and the universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS).

A mobile communication network may logically be divided into a radio access network (RAN) and a core network (CN). The core network entities typically include various control entities and gateways for enabling communication via a number of radio access networks and also for interfacing a single communication system with one or more communication systems, such as with other wireless systems, such as a wireless Internet Protocol (IP) network, and/or fixed line communication systems, such as a public switched telephone network (PSTN). Examples of radio access networks may comprise the UMTS terrestrial radio access network (UTRAN) and the GSM/EDGE radio access network (GERAN).

A geographical area covered by a radio access network is divided into cells defining a radio coverage provided by a transceiver network element, such as a base station or Node B. A single transceiver network element may serve a number of cells. A plurality of transceiver network elements is typically connected to a controller network element, such as a radio network controller (RNC).

There is provided according to a first aspect a method comprising: providing for a user device a neighbour cell list comprising a plurality of neighbour cells, wherein one or more neighbour cells in said list is dependent on movement information associated with said user device. The movement information may comprise at least one of speed and direction information.

One or more neighbour cells in said list may be dependent on transport network information.

The transport network information comprises at least one of road information, rail information, track information and water network information.

One or more neighbour cells in said list may be dependent on transport network information comprising at least one of road information, rail information, track information and water network information.

The method may comprise using said movement information and said transport network information to determine if said user device is located on said transport network.

The method may comprise using said transport network information to determine for said user device at least one potential path and provide at least one neighbour cell for each of said at least one potential path.

The method may comprise using a change in speed information to determine if said user device has a plurality of different potential paths.

The change in speed information may comprise at least one of a decrease in speed and an increase in speed.

The change in speed information may indicate one of said user device leaving said transport network and said user equipment joining said transport network.

The plurality of neighbour cells may provide a coverage area surrounding said user device.

The neighbour cells may comprise at least one of: at least one macro cell, at least one femto cell, at least one pico cell, at least one relay or at least one remote radio head.

The method may further comprise updating said neighbour cell list in dependence on said movement information.

A computer program may comprise computer executable instructions which when run cause the method according to the first aspect to be performed.

There is provided according to a second aspect an apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code; the at least one memory and the computer program configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform: providing for a user device a neighbour cell list comprising a plurality of neighbour cells, wherein one or more neighbour cells in said list is dependent on movement information associated with said user device.

The movement information may comprise at least one of speed and direction information. One or more neighbour cells in said list may be dependent on transport network information.

The transport network information may comprise at least one of road information, rail information, track information and water network information.

One or more neighbour cells in said list may be dependent on transport network information comprising at least one of road information, rail information, track information and water network information.

The apparatus may be configured to perform: using said movement information and said transport network information to determine if said user device is located on said trans- port network.

The apparatus may be configured to perform: using said transport network information to determine for said user device at least one potential path and provide at least one neighbour cell for each of said at least one potential path.

The apparatus may be configured to perform: using a change in speed information to determine if said user device has a plurality of different potential paths.

The change in speed information may comprise at least one of a decrease in speed or an increase in speed.

The change in speed information may indicate one of said user device leaving said transport network and said user device joining said transport network.

The plurality of neighbour cells may provide a coverage area surrounding said user device.

The neighbour cells may comprise at least one of: at least one macro cell, at least one femto cell, at least one pico cell, at least one relay, or at least one remote radio head.

The apparatus may be further configured to perform updating said neighbour cell list in dependence on said movement information.

A network element may comprise the apparatus according to the second aspect.

There is provided according to a third aspect an apparatus comprising a controller configured to provide for a user device a neighbour cell list comprising a plurality of neighbour cells, wherein one or more neighbour cells in said list is dependent on movement information associated with said user device.

The movement information may comprise at least one of speed and direction information.

One or more neighbour cells in said list may be dependent on transport network information.

The transport network information may comprise at least one of road information, rail information, track information and water network information. One or more neighbour cells in said list may be dependent on transport network information comprising at least one of road information, rail information, track information and water network information.

The apparatus may comprise a controller configured to determine if said user device is located on said transport network using said movement information and said transport network information.

The apparatus may comprise a controller configured to determine for said user device at least one potential path and provide at least one neighbour cell for each of said at least one potential path using said transport network information.

The apparatus may comprise a controller configured to use a change in speed information to determine if said user device has a plurality of different potential paths.

The change in speed information may comprise at least one of a decrease in speed or an increase in speed.

The change in speed information may indicate one of said user device leaving said transport network and said user equipment joining said transport network.

The plurality of neighbour cells may provide a coverage area surrounding said user device.

The neighbour cells may comprise at least one of: at least one macro cell, at least one femto cell, at least one pico cell, at least one relay, or at least one remote radio head.

The apparatus may further comprise a controller configured to update said neighbour cell list in dependence on said movement information.

A network element may comprise the apparatus according to the third aspect.

There is provided according to a fourth aspect an apparatus comprising: means for providing for a user device a neighbour cell list comprising a plurality of neighbour cells, wherein one or more neighbour cells in said list is dependent on movement information associated with said user device.

The movement information may comprise at least one of speed and direction information.

One or more neighbour cells in said list may be dependent on transport network in- formation.

The transport network information may comprise at least one of road information, rail information, track information and water network information.

One or more neighbour cells in said list may be dependent on transport network information comprising at least one of road information, rail information, track information and water network information. The apparatus may comprise means for using said movement information and said transport network information to determine if said user device is located on said transport network.

The apparatus may comprise means for using said transport network information to determine for said user device at least one potential path and provide at least one neighbour cell for each of said at least one potential path.

The apparatus may comprise means for using a change in speed information to determine if said user device has a plurality of different potential paths.

The change in speed information may comprise at least one of a decrease in speed or an increase in speed.

The change in speed information may indicate one of said user device leaving said transport network and said user device joining said transport network.

The plurality of neighbour cells may provide a coverage area surrounding said user device.

The neighbour cells may comprise at least one of: at least one macro cell, at least one femto cell, at least one pico cell, at least one relay, or at least one remote radio head.

The apparatus may further comprise means for updating said neighbour cell list in dependence on said movement information.

A network element may comprise the apparatus according to the second aspect. It should be appreciated that at least any one of the features discussed in relation to any of the aspects may be used in conjunction with one or more other aspects.

It should be appreciated that any feature of any aspect may be combined with any other feature of any other aspect.

Embodiments will now be described in further detail, by way of example only, with reference to the following examples and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of a communication system comprising a base station and a plurality of communication devices;

Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of a mobile communication device according to some embodiments;

Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of a control apparatus according to some embodiments;

Figure 4A shows a heterogenous network according to some embodiments;

Figure 4B shows a heterogenous network according to some embodiments;

Figures 5A-D show an urban heterogenous network; and

Figure 6 shows a method in accordance with some embodiments. In the following certain exemplifying embodiments are explained with reference to a wireless or mobile communication system serving mobile communication devices. Before explaining in detail the exemplifying embodiments, certain general principles of a wireless communication system and mobile communication devices are briefly explained with refer- ence to Figures 1 to 3 to assist in understanding the technology underlying the described examples.

In a wireless communication system mobile communication devices, user device or user equipment (UE) 102, 103, 105 are provided wireless access via at least one base station or similar wireless transmitting and/or receiving node or point. In the Figure 1 an exam- pie of two overlapping access systems or radio service areas of a cellular system 100 and 1 10 and three smaller radio service areas 1 15, 1 17 and 1 19 provided by base stations 106, 107, 1 16, 1 18 and 120 are shown. Each mobile communication device and base station may have one or more radio channels open at the same time and may send signals to and/or receive signals from more than one source. It is noted that the radio service area borders or edges are schematically shown for illustration purposes only in Figure 1 . It shall also be understood that the sizes and shapes of radio service areas may vary considerably from the shapes of Figure 1 . A base station site can provide one or more cells. A base station can also provide a plurality of sectors, for example three radio sectors, each sector providing a cell or a subarea of a cell. All sectors within a cell may be served by the same base station.

Base stations are typically controlled by at least one appropriate controller apparatus so as to enable operation thereof and management of mobile communication devices in communication with the base stations. In Figure 1 control apparatus 108 and 109 is shown to control the respective macro level base stations 106 and 107. The control apparatus of a base station can be interconnected with other control entities. The control apparatus is typi- cally provided with memory capacity and at least one data processor. The control apparatus and functions may be distributed between a plurality of control units. In some systems, the control apparatus may additionally or alternatively be provided in a radio network controller.

In Figure 1 base stations 106 and 107 are shown as connected to a wider communications network 1 13 via gateway 1 12. A further gateway function may be provided to con- nect to another network.

The smaller base stations 1 16, 1 18 and 120 may also be connected to the network 1 13, for example by a separate gateway function and/or via the controllers of the macro level stations. In the example, stations 1 16 and 1 18 are connected via a gateway 1 1 1 whilst station 120 connects via the controller apparatus 108. In some embodiments, the smaller sta- tions may not be provided. The small cells provided by the smaller base stations may be femto cells, pico cells, relays, remote radio heads or any other small cell.

A possible mobile communication device will now be described in more detail with reference to Figure 2 showing a schematic, partially sectioned view of a communication de- vice 102. Such a communication device is often referred to as user equipment (UE) or terminal. An appropriate mobile communication device may be provided by any device capable of sending and receiving radio signals. Non-limiting examples include a mobile station (MS) or mobile device such as a mobile phone or what is known as a 'smart phone', a computer provided with a wireless interface card or other wireless interface facility, personal data assis- tant (PDA) provided with wireless communication capabilities, or any combinations of these or the like. A mobile communication device may provide, for example, communication of data for carrying communications such as voice, electronic mail (email), text message, multimedia and so on. Users may thus be offered and provided numerous services via their communication devices. Non-limiting examples of these services include two-way or multi- way calls, data communication or multimedia services or simply an access to a data communications network system, such as the Internet. Users may also be provided broadcast or multicast data. Non-limiting examples of the content include downloads, television and radio programs, videos, advertisements, various alerts and other information.

The mobile device 102 may receive signals over an air interface 207 via appropriate apparatus for receiving and may transmit signals via appropriate apparatus for transmitting radio signals. In Figure 2 transceiver apparatus is designated schematically by block 206. The transceiver apparatus 206 may be provided for example by means of a radio part and associated antenna arrangement. The antenna arrangement may be arranged internally or externally to the mobile device.

A wireless communication device can be provided with a Multiple Input / Multiple

Output (MIMO) antenna system. MIMO arrangements as such are known. MIMO systems use multiple antennas at the transmitter and receiver along with advanced digital signal processing to improve link quality and capacity. Although not shown in Figures 1 and 2, multiple antennas can be provided, for example at base stations and mobile stations, and the transceiver apparatus 206 of Figure 2 can provide a plurality of antenna ports. More data can be received and/or sent where there are more antenna elements. A station may comprise an array of multiple antennas. Signalling and muting patterns can be associated with TX antenna numbers or port numbers of MIMO arrangements.

A mobile device is typically provided with at least one data processing entity 201 , at least one memory 202 and other possible components 203 for use in software and hardware aided execution of tasks it is designed to perform, including control of access to and com- munications with access systems and other communication devices. The data processing, storage and other relevant control apparatus can be provided on an appropriate circuit board and/or in chipsets. This feature is denoted by reference 204. The user may control the operation of the mobile device by means of a suitable user interface such as key pad 205, voice commands, touch sensitive screen or pad, combinations thereof or the like. A display 208, a speaker and a microphone can be also provided. Furthermore, a mobile communication device may comprise appropriate connectors (either wired or wireless) to other devices and/or for connecting external accessories, for example hands-free equipment, thereto.

Figure 3 shows an example of a control apparatus for a communication system, for example to be coupled to and/or for controlling a station of an access system, such as a base station. In some embodiments, base stations comprise a separate control apparatus. In other embodiments, the control apparatus can be another network element such as a radio network controller. In some embodiments, each base station may have such a control apparatus as well as a control apparatus being provided in a radio network controller. The control apparatus 109 can be arranged to provide control on communications in the service area of the system. The control apparatus 109 comprises at least one memory 301 , at least one data processing unit 302, 303 and an input/output interface 304. Via the interface the control apparatus can be coupled to a receiver and a transmitter of the base station. For example the control apparatus 109 can be configured to execute an appropriate software code to pro- vide the control functions.

The communication devices 102, 103, 105 may access the communication system based on various access techniques, such as code division multiple access (CDMA), or wideband CDMA (WCDMA). Other non-limiting examples comprise time division multiple access (TDMA), frequency division multiple access (FDMA) and various schemes thereof such as the interleaved frequency division multiple access (I FDMA), single carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) and orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OF- DMA), space division multiple access (SDMA) and so on.

An example of wireless communication systems are architectures standardized by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). A latest 3GPP based development is often referred to as the long-term evolution (LTE) of the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) radio-access technology. The various development stages of the 3GPP LTE specifications are referred to as releases. More recent developments of the LTE are often referred to as LTE Advanced (LTE-A). The LTE employs a mobile architecture known as the Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN). Base stations of such systems are known as evolved or enhanced Node Bs (eNBs) and may provide E-UTRAN features such as user plane Radio Link Control/Medium Access Control/Physical layer pro- tocol (RLC/MAC/PHY) and control plane Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol terminations towards the communication devices. Other examples of radio access system include those provided by base stations of systems that are based on technologies such as wireless local area network (WLAN) and/or WiMax (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Ac- cess).

Figure 4A shows a heterogenous network 400 in accordance with some embodiments. The heterogenous network comprises at least one macro cell base station 106 and at least one smaller cell base station 1 18, 120, 122, 124, 126, 128, 130, 132, 134, 136, 138, 140 and a user equipment 402. In some embodiments, the network may comprise only macro cells, only small cells or a mixture of at least one macro cell and at least one small cell.

A neighbour cell list (NCL) 412 for the user equipment may comprise at least one of the small cell base stations 122, 124, 132, 134, 136, 142 which is in close proximity to the user equipment 402. The macro cell base station 106 may determine which small cell base stations are in the neighbour cell list of the user equipment as described below. In some em- bodiments this determination may be made by the base station, an RNC or any other suitable part of the network.

A heterogenous network (HetNet) comprising small cells co-existing with macro cells such as the one shown in Figure 1 may be used in High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) Evolution and the deployment of small cells together with macro cells.

Mobile network capacity enhancement is one of the key areas in current research driven by increasing data traffic demands. Such capacity enhancements may be fulfilled by either adding more spectrum resources into the system (for example by multicarrier) or by optimizing existing spectrum usage (for example by multiflow). The use of so called small cells may be suitable for increased traffic.

In 3G system, small cells maybe low powered NodeBs (having for example, 1 Watt to

5 Watts of transceiver power) aimed at serving a specific concentration of data traffic. Small cells may be particularly beneficial in indoor or outdoor urban environments. Indoor deployments may serve users located in public or private establishments with high traffic demands such as offices, airports, stations, shopping malls and the like. On the other hand, outdoor deployments are envisioned for users in outdoor public places such as parks and roadsides or in some cases, users with relatively higher mobility. UEs which move at high speeds for example in a car may experience worse channel conditions than slow moving, pedestrian or static UEs. Some embodiments may arrange small cells along a movement path, for example along roads, railways, tramways, cycleways, footpaths, waterways to improve service experiences. In some embodiments, transport network information relate to at least one of the movement paths. In a dense urban environment with numerous small cells located in the coverage area of a legacy (high power or macro) NodeB, a means for ensuring that the neighbour cell lists comprise the best possible candidates may be beneficial. NCL may be limited by its size (for example 32 entries). Furthermore, NCL may not be able to distinguish between different small cells with varying targeted user base.

Detected Set Reporting may increase the maximum number of intra-frequency neighbour cell definitions significantly so that the controller configured to generate the NCL may include all potential target cells in the active set.

Some embodiments may provide a method of dynamically updating an NCL (of a given UE) through RNC based on a user's mobility profile or movement information. The mobility profile or movement information of a user refers to the classification of a user based on at least one of a UE location, speed estimate and a direction of travel. At least three mobility profiles may be used for the purpose to determine the updating of the NCL. The Low Mobility profile or class 1 UEs may comprise pedestrian and static UEs. These UEs may typically travel at speeds of less than 20km/h.

The Medium Mobility profile or class 2 UEs may comprise UEs moving at relatively higher speed. This typically reflects vehicular UEs in an urban environment (around 20-40 km/h). The High Mobility profile or class 3 UES may comprise UEs with speeds upwards of 40 km/h.

Some embodiments may comprise more or less than three mobility classes. In some embodiments other speeds may be used to determine the boundaries of the mobility classes.

Some embodiments may provide a method to dynamically update NCL in using a known update procedure, as such when this is enabled in the RAN, the UE would make more focussed radio measurements, and the mobility profile.

In some embodiments UEs may not need to have all the small cells present in the HetNet listed in their neighbour list, instead their NCL may be a subset of the small cells.

Class 1 UEs may tend to have more random and unpredictable mobility patterns and therefore require all small cells in their vicinity to be included in the NCL including indoor and outdoor cells but the targeted area can be rather small.

Class 2 UEs may tend to have predictable mobility patterns for instance a UE moving at 30 km/h will be likely to connect to small cells only along the movement path (road, rail tracks) along with possible deviations (intersections).

Class 3 UEs may also have predictable mobility patterns but due to their high speed may not need to connect to small cells or may not be allowed to connect to small cells be- cause they may have exited the coverage area provided by the small cell before handover to that small cell from the macro cell has been completed.

Some embodiments may require a classification of the UE based on approximate speed of the UE and therefore not require an accurate determination of the speed of the UE.

In some embodiments transmissions from the UE may be required as the classification may be based on at least one of the statistical treatment of the received signal at the NodeB and the cell connectivity profile of the UE in the near past at the RNC level using such methods.

In some embodiments Speed Detection Measurement methods may be used to col- lect information regarding the speed of the user equipment.

In some embodiments, the state of the UE may determine how the speed of the UE is to be determined. For example when the UE is in a high activity state such as the CELL_DCH state, the location of the UE is known at the cell level and handover process may calculate the speed of the UE based on the active set changes needed for the UE.

When the UE is in medium activity states such as the Cell_FACH or Cell_PCH states, the location and speed of the UE are determined at the cell level based on the contents and frequency of cell updates sent by the UE when a cell change occurs.

Alternatively or additionally, one or more other suitable methods for determining the speed of the UE may comprise using level crossing rate, Autocorrelation, Autocovariance, Mean distance between local minima and the squared deviation of a logarithmically compressed signal.

In some embodiments the classification knowledge for the subject UE may be already present at the RNC. In other embodiments, the RNC may determine the classification of the UE.

Observations and corresponding actions based on UE mobility may be categorized as follows;

The RNC may store a group of NCLs based on UE mobility class and the current small cell in which UE is located. The RNC may also use knowledge of the location of the small cells and information about the target user base of each of these cells to select suit- able candidate small cells for the NCL. For example the RNC may know which cells are meant for indoor coverage, which cells that are meant of general outdoor coverage and which cells that primarily designed to serve class 2 (or even 3) mobility profiles (for example a series of pico cells along a street or rail track).

The NCL may comprise a number of macro cells and a number of small cells. The small cells selected for the NCL may depend on the location and mobility class of the UE. Figure 4B shows the same heterogenous network 400 as Figure 4A wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements. However, the user equipment 102 has moved from its original position 1 to a new position 2. The RNC associated with macro base station 106 determines that the user equipment 102 has moved or is moving from its original location and the direction in which is it travelling. The RNC then updates the NCL 412B of the UE 102 to comprise small cells 124, 132, 134, 136 and 138 which are at least one of in close proximity to the UE's new position and in the direction of travel of the UE. Specifically, the difference between the NCL 412A of Figure 4A and the NCL 412B of Figure 4B is that the NCL 412A comprises small cells 122 and 142 rather than small cell 138.

Thus in some embodiments, the NCL is updated to comprise small cells near the UE.

The updated NCL 412B may comprise possible small cells within a limited geographic area. The new updated NCL may make sure that the service is not comprised by the randomness of the direction of travel of the user equipment by ensuring that the new NCL comprises at least some surrounding cells in all directions or by keeping the UE in the center of the area covered by the small cells on the NCL. If the UE connects to an 'on-road' pico cells, the new NCL may include some of 'on-road' cells in its NCL in case UE changes its mobility class, for example by continuing a call in a moving vehicle as explained in more detail below.

Changes to the mobility class of a UE may be estimated by at least one of velocity estimates acceleration estimates or measurement reports coming from the cells located on a given travel path.

Figure 5A, B, C and D show different positions of a class 2 user equipment 503 travelling in a vehicle 501 within an urban environment 500. The urban environment 500 comprises a latitudinal roads 570, 572, 578 and longitudinal roads 574, 576 and 578. The roads 570, 572, 574 and 576 meet at a crossroad 580. The roads 576, 578 and 579 meet at T- junction 582. Urban area 592 lies between roads 570 and 574. Urban area 590 lies between roads 570, 576 and 578. Urban area 594 lies between roads 578 and 572. Urban area 598 lies between roads 574 and 572.

Urban area 592 comprises small cells 524, 536, 528, 538 and 540 arranged along the road 570. Urban area 592 further comprises small cell 542 arranged along road 574. Urban area further comprises small cells 530, 532, 534 and 536.

Urban area 590 comprises small cells 506, 512 and 518 arranged along 570, small cell 522 at the intersection 580, small cell 520 at the intersection 582, small cells 516, 510 and 504 arranged along road 579 and small cells 502, 508 and 514.

Urban area 596 comprises macro cell 106, small cell 554 at intersection 580, small cell 556 arranged along road 572, small cells 558 and 560 at intersection 582 and small cell 562. Urban area 598 comprises small cells 544 at intersection 580, small cell 548 arranged along road 572, small cells 546 and 550 arranged along road 574 and small cell 552.

In Figure 5A, the vehicle 501 comprising a user equipment is travelling along road 570. As the vehicle is not near the junction 580, the potential direction of travel of the user equipment 503 is restricted to forwards and backwards along road 570. Therefore the NCL 505A for the UE comprises small cells 506, 512, 524, 526 and 528 which are located along the road and in the vicinity of the user equipment 503.

In Figure 5B, the vehicle 501 comprising the user equipment 503 is approaching junction 580, here, the user equipment 503 may travel along any one of roads 570, 572, 574 or 576. Therefore the NCL for the UE comprises small cells 538, 540, 518, 522, 554, 556, 548, 544 and 546 in order to provide small cell options for all potential paths which the UE may take.

Similarly, in Figure 5C, as the car 501 comprising the user equipment 503 approaches junction 582, the potential directions of travel are along roads 578, 576 and 578. Therefore the NCL 505C comprises the small cells 560, 564, 566, 520 and 558.

In some embodiments, such as shown in Figure 5D, the speed of the user equipment may change in a manner which indicates that the mobility class of the user equipment is changing. For example, in Figure 5D, the user equipment 503 on road 570 may begin to decelerate or may stop for a period of time. This may indicate that the user equipment is changing from having class 2 mobility to class 1 mobility, for example by exiting a vehicle, or changing from class 1 mobility to class 2 mobility, for example waiting for and entering a vehicle.

In these situations, the NCL 505D comprises small cells 528, 538, 540; 512 and 518 suitable for class 2 mobility as well as small cells 508, 514 which are suitable for class 1 mo- bility.

Class 2 UE may more predictable paths than class 1 UEs, such that the potential directions of movement of a class 2 UE has fewer degrees of freedom. For example, on a straight road, the direction of movement is limited to only two directions forward or backwards along the road. Thus in some embodiments the NCL may be determined.

The NCL of a class 2 UE may need to be updated more frequently compared to the

NCL of a class 1 UE.

Figure 6 shows a method 600 of performing some embodiments. Speed and direction information is determined 610 for the user equipment. The class of the UE is then determined 612 based on at least the speed information associated with the UE. When the UE is in class 1 614, the small cells are selected such that the UE substantially central with respect to the locations of the small cells in the set. In other words, the small cells are selected such that they provide cellular cover around the UE. The NCL is provided to the user equipment 630.

When the UE is in class 2 618, the potential paths for the UE are determined 620 and the small cells are selected 622 such that they provide cellular coverage for the potential paths. The NCL is then provided to the user equipment 630.

When the UE is a class 3 624, the potential paths for the UE and potential deceleration locations are determined 628 and the small cells are selected 628 to such that they provide cellular coverage to for the potential deceleration locations. The NCL is then provided to the user equipment 630.

When the speed and direction information indicates that a UE is changing class, the method may combine two or more class specific determination methods in order to provide the NCL.

In some embodiments past history of connectivity either of the current or other user equipment, may be used to provide potential directions of movement. This may enable more cells which are located to be added in the direction of movement compared to the opposite direction. In other words, in some embodiments for class 2 UEs the NCL may comprise more small cells which are in front of the UE than which are behind the UE whereas, for class 1 UEs the NCL may comprise small cells which are distributed around the UE. If the UE reconnects with one of the previous cells, or a cell behind or to the side of the UEs current direction of travel it may be assumed that the direction of travel of the UE has changed and the NCL may be updated accordingly.

At an intersection, there may be more potential directions for the UE to take therefore the NCL may comprise at least some of the immediate neighbours along all potential paths. Once the UE connects to a cell on one particular path (for example by taking a right turn), NCL may be updated by excluding the cells from other paths and only focusing on the new path, in other words, once a path has been chosen, the NCL may revert to a "straight line" list.

Cells outside the path or potential paths may be excluded from the NCL except when the UE spends longer than expected in one cell. This may indicate a change of mobility class.

The paths of class 3 UEs may be similar to those of class 2 UEs. In particular, it may comprise fewer potential path changes. In some embodiments, the paths for class 3 UEs may only allow forward motion, as in order for the vehicle to negotiate junctions, interchanges or turns, the speed of the vehicle, and so the speed may have to reduce such that the class 3 UE becomes a class 2 UE. The NCLs of class 3 UEs comprise a small number of small cells and a larger number of macro cells to avoid frequent handovers and measure- merits. The candidate small cells for a class 3 NCL may be located at traffic lights or other locations where the speed of the UE may decrease. Some form of connectivity with occasional small cells for class 3 UEs may still be required in order to determine whether the UE is maintaining its mobility class. A high speed may indicate that the movement path is more predictable than other two classes.

In some embodiments if a UE does not arrive under a coverage zone of an expected cell at an expected time, a request may be made that the UE may provide measurement reports and the mobility class of the UE may be changed accordingly.

In some embodiments the dynamic allocated NCLs may be initially designed com- prising suitable cells for every UE speed class and direction of movement based on known network layouts. In some embodiments, the initial NCLs may not be optimum and may be optimized during operation based on Handover KPIs (Key Performance Indicators). The NCLs may be optimized by considering factors which may comprise at least one of time of day, most likely or used routes, satellite navigation information, mapping information, traffic congestion information, public transport timetable information weather information. In some embodiments the RNC may provide information about the UE to the network management center via additional Handover KPIs.

In some embodiments the Network Management Center may dynamically select cells in NCLs for every UE speed class and direction of movement based on network architecture, network condition and potential loading of candidate small cells.

In dense HetNet network there may be many cells which are good candidates for NCL and the cells based on at least one of their current loading, potential loading, presence on NCL lists associate with other UEs of the same or different class, potential capacity, reliability, quality of service may be selected.

In some embodiments, small cells may be selected for the NCL based on technology features which the small cell and UE have in common and that the UE is currently using, in such embodiments, the for example when the UE is using MIMO, the NCL may comprise cells for which MIMO enabled when there is possibility to choose between MIMO cells and non-MIMO cells. However when the same UE is no longer using MIMO, the NCL may com- prise cells for which MIMO is not enabled.

Class 1 UEs may require small cells in its immediate vicinity. The NCL will require fewer updates compared to other mobility classes and it is only done when the Class 1 UE moves in any direction while maintaining the same mobility profile.

In some embodiments, knowledge of permanent or temporary path limitations may be used to determine the NCL. In some embodiments the NCL may be determined by any one of a base station, RNC, controller, communications system control apparatus, gateway or

In general, the various embodiments may be implemented in hardware or special purpose circuits, software, logic or any combination thereof. Some aspects of the invention may be implemented in hardware, while other aspects may be implemented in firmware or software which may be executed by a controller, microprocessor or other computing device, although the invention is not limited thereto. While various aspects of the invention may be illustrated and described as block diagrams, flow charts, or using some other pictorial representation, it is well understood that these blocks, apparatus, systems, techniques or meth- ods described herein may be implemented in, as non-limiting examples, hardware, software, firmware, special purpose circuits or logic, general purpose hardware or controller or other computing devices, or some combination thereof. The software may be stored on such physical media as memory chips, or memory blocks implemented within the processor, magnetic media such as hard disk or floppy disks, and optical media such as for example DVD and the data variants thereof, CD.

The foregoing description has provided by way of exemplary and non-limiting examples a full and informative description of the exemplary embodiment of this invention. However, various modifications and adaptations may become apparent to those skilled in the relevant arts in view of the foregoing description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims. However, all such and similar modifications of the teachings of this invention will still fall within the scope of this invention as defined in the appended claims. Indeed there is a further embodiment comprising a combination of one or more of any of the other embodiments previously discussed.