Method and apparatuses for suspending traffic in a frequency band

• US 10,070,321 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2016
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Li, Chong, Li, Junyi
• Primary Examiner(s): Towfighi, Afshawn M
• Application Number:
  US15/170,896
• Publication Number:
  US 20170353865A1
• Time in Patent Office: 825 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2613 Structure of the reference signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/1446 wherein at least one of the networks is unlicensed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/1215 for collaboration of different radio technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/566 of the information or information source or recipient
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0808 using carrier sensing, e.g. carrier sense multiple access [CSMA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Various types of communication may switch from an unlicensed spectrum to a licensed spectrum. MiCr communication may be synchronized based on transmission time intervals (TTIs), which may improve the duration required to switch between bands. A MiCr system may transmit a signal to temporarily suspend other traffic in a licensed band so that MiCr communication may occur. For example, an apparatus may be configured to determine synchronization between a first radio access technology (RAT) and a second RAT based on transmission time intervals associated with the first RAT and transmission time intervals associated with the second RAT, switch from the first RAT to the second RAT after the determined synchronization between the first RAT the second RAT. Further, the apparatus may transmit a silencing signal to suspend traffic in the second RAT.

Claims

1. A method of wireless communication, the method comprising:

determining that communication is to be switched from a first frequency band of a first radio access technology (RAT) to a second frequency band of a second RAT, wherein the second RAT is licensed;

switching to the second frequency band of the second RAT based on the determination that communication in the first frequency band is to be switched;

transmitting, in the second frequency band, a silencing signal indicating that another wireless device is to suspend communication in the second frequency band; and

communicating in the second frequency band after the transmission of the silencing signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the other wireless device comprises an evolved Node B (eNB).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting, in the second frequency band, a silencing signal comprises:

periodically transmitting, in the second frequency band, the silencing signal on the second frequency band.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting, in the second frequency band, a silencing signal comprises:

transmitting, in the second frequency band, the silencing signal on a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) of the second frequency band.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, in the second frequency band, a second silencing signal to a user equipment (UE).

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the silencing signal and the second silencing signal are each one half of an orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the silencing signal and the second silencing signal are each carried on at least one reserved resource block.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that communication is to be switched from a first frequency band of a first RAT to a second frequency band of a second RAT comprises:

detecting that the first frequency band is occupied.

9. The method of claim 1, determining that communication is to be switched from a first frequency band of a first RAT to a second frequency band of a second RAT comprises:

determining that a value of a quality-of-service (QoS) metric does not satisfy a predetermined threshold.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the QoS metric comprises a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) or a bit error rate (BER).

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring the first frequency band after the switch to the second frequency band; and

resuming communication in the first frequency band based on the monitoring of the first frequency band.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating in the second frequency band comprises:

transmitting a packet at a transmission time interval (TTI) of the second frequency band that aligns with a TTI of the first frequency band.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first RAT is unlicensed.

14. A method of wireless communication by a wireless device, the method comprising:

monitoring at least one resource of a licensed frequency band that is reserved for a silencing signal;

detecting the silencing signal based on the monitoring of the at least one resource; and

suspending transmission based on the detected silencing signal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the suspending transmission comprises muting communication on a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH).

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one resource is an orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol associated with a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH).

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the silencing signal is one half of an orthogonal OFDM symbol.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one resource is included in a resource block reserved for silencing signals, the resource block associated with a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH).

19. The method of claim 14 wherein the wireless device is one of an eNB or a UE.

20. An apparatus for wireless communication, the apparatus comprising:

means for determining that communication is to be switched from a first frequency band of a first radio access technology (RAT) to a second frequency band of a second RAT, wherein the second RAT is licensed;

means for switching to the second frequency band of the second RAT based on the determination that communication in the first frequency band is to be switched;

means for transmitting, in the second frequency band, a silencing signal indicating that another wireless device is to suspend communication in the second frequency band; and

means for communicating in the second frequency band after the transmission of the silencing signal.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the other wireless device comprises an evolved Node B (eNB).

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the means for transmitting, in the second frequency band, a silencing signal is configured to periodically transmit, in the second frequency band, the silencing signal.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein means for transmitting, in the second frequency band, a silencing signal is configured to transmit, in the second frequency band, the silencing signal on a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH).

24. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising:

means for transmitting, in the second frequency band, a second silencing signal to a user equipment (UE).

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the silencing signal and the second silencing signal are each one half of an orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the silencing signal and the second silencing signal are each carried on at least one reserved resource block.

27. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the means for determining that communication in a first frequency band is not to continue is configured to detect that the first frequency band is occupied.

28. An apparatus for wireless communication, the apparatus comprising:

means for monitoring at least one resource of a licensed frequency band that is reserved for a silencing signal;

means for detecting the silencing signal based on the monitoring of the at least one resource; and

means for suspending transmission based on the detected silencing signal.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the suspending transmission comprises muting communication on a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH).

30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the at least one resource is an orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol associated with a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH).