Device and method of handling communication operations in a licensed frequency band and an unlicensed frequency band

• US 10,165,553 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2015
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Original Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Inventors: Wu, Chih-Hsiang
• Primary Examiner(s): Nowlin, Eric
• Application Number:
  US14/806,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20160037503A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,251 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/001 the frequencies being arranged in component carriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0062 Avoidance of ingress interference, e.g. ham radio channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal

Abstract

A communication device for handling communication operations in a licensed frequency band and an unlicensed frequency band comprises a storage unit for storing instructions and a processing means coupled to the storage unit. The instructions comprise performing a first communication operation on a first carrier in a first unlicensed frequency band; receiving a message from a network for indicating the communication device to perform a second communication operation with the network on a second carrier in the first unlicensed frequency band; and switching the first communication operation from the first carrier in the first unlicensed frequency band to a third carrier in a second unlicensed frequency band. The processing means is configured to execute the instructions stored in the storage unit.

Claims

1. A communication device for handling communication operations in a licensed frequency band and a plurality of unlicensed frequency bands, comprising:

a data storage device for storing instructions of;

performing a WiFi communication operation on a first carrier in a first unlicensed frequency band;

receiving a message from a network for indicating the communication device to perform a first cellular communication operation with the network on a second carrier in the first unlicensed frequency band;

performing the first cellular communication operation with the network according to the message; and

switching the WiFi communication operation from the first carrier in the first unlicensed frequency band to a third carrier in a second unlicensed frequency band in response to the message, after performing the first cellular communication operation on the second carrier in the first unlicensed frequency band; and

a processing circuit, coupled to the data storage device, configured to execute the instructions stored in the data storage device.

2. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the instructions further comprise:

performing a second cellular communication operation on a fourth carrier in the licensed frequency band.

3. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the WiFi communication operation comprises a WiFi transmission or a WiFi reception and the first cellular communication operation comprises an uplink (UL) transmission or a downlink (DL) reception of a cellular system.

4. A communication device for handling communication operations in a licensed frequency band and a plurality of unlicensed frequency bands, comprising:

a data storage device for storing instructions of;

performing a first cellular communication operation with a network on a first carrier in a first unlicensed frequency band;

activating a WiFi communication operation;

selecting a second carrier in the first unlicensed frequency band for the WiFi communication operation and the second carrier is not overlapped with the first carrier, in response to that the communication device is configured by the network to perform the first cellular communication operation with the network on the first carrier in the first unlicensed frequency band;

wherein the first cellular communication operation comprises an uplink (UL) transmission or a downlink (DL) reception of a cellular system and the WiFi communication operation comprises a WiFi transmission or a WiFi reception; and

a processing circuit, coupled to the data storage device, configured to execute the instructions stored in the data storage device.

5. The communication device of claim 4, wherein the instructions further comprise:

performing a second cellular communication operation with the network on a third carrier in a licensed frequency band.

6. A cellular network for handling communication operations in a licensed frequency band and a plurality of unlicensed frequency bands, comprising:

a data storage device for storing instructions of;

configuring a communication device to perform a first cellular communication operation on a first carrier in a first unlicensed frequency band;

receiving a first message transmitted by the communication device, wherein the first message indicates that a WiFi communication operation is activated in the first unlicensed frequency band; and

transmitting a second message to indicate the communication device to release the first cellular communication operation on the first carrier in the first unlicensed frequency band according to the first message;

wherein the first cellular communication operation comprises an uplink (UL) transmission or a downlink (DL) reception of a cellular system and the WiFi communication operation comprises a WiFi transmission or a WiFi reception; and

a processing circuit, coupled to the data storage device, configured to execute the instructions stored in the data storage device.

7. The cellular network of claim 6, wherein the instructions further comprise:

configuring the communication device to perform a second cellular communication operation with the network on a second carrier in a licensed frequency band.

8. The cellular network of claim 6, wherein the first message comprises a WiFi channel number or information of the first unlicensed frequency band.

9. The cellular network of claim 6, wherein the second message further indicates the communication device to perform the first cellular communication operation with the network on a third carrier in a second unlicensed frequency band.

10. The cellular network of claim 6, wherein the instructions further comprise:

transmitting a third message to the communication device, wherein the third message further indicates the communication device to perform the first cellular communication operation on a fourth carrier in a third unlicensed frequency band.

11. The cellular network of claim 6, wherein the instructions further comprise:

receiving a fourth message transmitted by the communication device, wherein the fourth message indicates that the WiFi communication operation is deactivated in the first unlicensed frequency band; and

transmitting a fifth message to the communication device, wherein the fifth message indicates the communication device to perform the first cellular communication operation on the first carrier or a fifth carrier in the first unlicensed frequency band.

12. The cellular network of claim 6, wherein the instruction further comprise:

stopping the first cellular communication operation on the first carrier in the first unlicensed frequency band when receiving the first message.