Physical channel structure for communication in unlicensed frequency band

• US 10,165,585 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2015
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Kalhan, Amit, Chang, Henry, Comstock, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Ambaye, Mewale A
• Application Number:
  US15/311,799
• Publication Number:
  US 20170118748A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,313 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2615 using hybrid frequency-time division multiple access [FDMA-TDMA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/0006 Assessment of spectral gaps suitable for allocating digitally modulated signals, e.g. for carrier allocation in cognitive radio for spectrum sharing between different networks H04W16/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/001 the frequencies being arranged in component carriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0048 Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0053 Allocation of signaling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• 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 72/541 using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0808 using carrier sensing, e.g. carrier sense multiple access [CSMA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0866 using a dedicated channel for access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices

Abstract

Communication equipment communicates in a licensed frequency band using a licensed band physical channel structure (licensed structure) and communicates in an unlicensed frequency communication band using an unlicensed band physical channel structure (unlicensed structure) where the unlicensed structure includes at least the same symbol times and subcarrier frequency divisions as in the licensed structure. The symbol times and subcarriers form a plurality of time-frequency communication resource elements. A set of symbol times and subcarrier frequency divisions form a licensed reference subset of communication resource elements that are allocated for reference signal transmission in the licensed structure. The same set of symbol times and subcarrier frequency divisions form an unlicensed reference subset of communication resource elements that are allocated for reference signal transmission in the unlicensed structure.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

transmitting, from a communication equipment, first signals within a licensed frequency band using a licensed physical channel structure comprising a first plurality of time-frequency communication resource elements formed by a plurality of symbol times and a plurality of subcarrier divisions dividing the licensed frequency band; and

transmitting, from the communication equipment, second signals within an unlicensed frequency band using an unlicensed physical channel structure comprising a second plurality of time-frequency communication resource elements formed by the plurality of symbol times and the plurality of subcarrier divisions dividing the unlicensed frequency band.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the licensed physical channel structure comprises a first reference signal set of time-frequency communication blocks allocated for transmission of reference signals and a first data signal set of time-frequency communication blocks allocated for transmission of data; and

the unlicensed physical channel structure comprises a second reference signal set of time-frequency communication blocks allocated for transmission of reference signals and a second data signal set of time-frequency communication resources allocated for transmission of data, the second reference signal set and the first reference signal set having same symbol times, the second data signal set and the first data signal set having same symbol times.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein transmitting the first signals within the licensed frequency band using the licensed physical channel structure comprises transmitting the first signals over one or more time-frequency communication resource elements of the licensed physical channel structure and wherein transmitting the second signals within the unlicensed frequency band using the unlicensed physical channel structure comprises transmitting the second signals over one or more time-frequency communication resources of the unlicensed physical channel structure, at least one of the one or more time-frequency communication resource elements of the licensed physical channel structure being different from the at least one of the one or more time-frequency communication resource elements of the unlicensed physical channel structure.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the unlicensed physical channel structure comprises a channel access management set of time-frequency communication resources allocated for monitoring of the unlicensed frequency band, the channel access management set having a duration of at least one symbol time, the method further comprising monitoring the unlicensed frequency band for at least a portion of the duration.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

refraining from transmitting the second signals for a back-off period within the duration.

6. The method of claim 3, the unlicensed physical channel structure further comprises a preamble set of time-frequency communication resources allocated for transmitting a preamble, the preamble set of time-frequency communication resources between the channel access management set of time-frequency communication resources and the second data signal set of time-frequency communication resources.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the communication equipment is an eNode B (eNB) and the licensed physical channel structure is a downlink physical channel structure adhering to at least one revision of The Third-Generation Partnership Project Long-Term Evolution (3GPP LTE) communication specification.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the downlink physical channel structure comprises a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) set of time-frequency communication resources allocated for transmitting downlink control information, the PDCCH set formed with PDCCH symbol times, and

wherein a channel access management set of time-frequency communication resources is formed with least one of the PDCCH symbol times.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the unlicensed physical channel structure further comprises a control set of time-frequency communication resources allocated for transmitting other downlink control information.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein the communication equipment is a user equipment (UE) device and the licensed physical channel structure is an uplink physical channel structure adhering to at least one revision of The Third-Generation Partnership Project Long-Term Evolution (3GPP LTE) communication specification.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the uplink physical channel structure comprises a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) set of time-frequency communication resources allocated for transmitting uplink control information, the PUCCH set formed with PUCCH symbol times, and

wherein a channel access management set of time-frequency communication resources is formed with at least one of the PUCCH symbol times.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the unlicensed physical channel structure further comprises a control set of time-frequency communication resources allocated for transmitting other uplink control information.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the unlicensed physical channel structure comprises a Sound Reference Signal (SRS) set of time-frequency communication resources allocated for transmitting SRS.

14. A user equipment (UE) device comprising:

a first transmitter configured to transmit first signals within a licensed frequency band using a licensed physical channel structure comprising a first plurality of time-frequency communication resource elements formed by a plurality of symbol times and a plurality of subcarrier divisions dividing the licensed frequency band; and

a second transmitter configured to transmit second signals within an unlicensed frequency band using an unlicensed physical channel structure comprising a second plurality of time-frequency communication resource elements formed by the plurality of symbol times and the plurality of subcarrier divisions dividing the unlicensed frequency band.

15. The UE device of claim 14, wherein:

the licensed physical channel structure comprises a first reference signal set of time-frequency communication blocks allocated for transmission of reference signals and a first data signal set of time-frequency communication blocks allocated for transmission of data; and

the unlicensed physical channel structure comprises a second reference signal set of time-frequency communication blocks allocated for transmission of reference signals and a second data signal set of time-frequency communication resources allocated for transmission of data, the second reference signal set having the same symbol times as the first reference signal set, the second data signal set having the same symbol times as the first data signal set.

16. The UE device of claim 15, wherein the first transmitter is configured to transmit the first signals within the licensed frequency band using a licensed physical channel structure comprises transmitting the first signals over one or more time-frequency communication resource elements of the licensed physical channel structure and wherein the second transmitter is configured to transmit the second signals within the unlicensed frequency band using the unlicensed physical channel structure comprises transmitting the second signals over one or more time-frequency communication resources of the unlicensed physical channel structure, at least one of the one or more time-frequency communication resource elements of the licensed physical channel structure being different from the at least one of the one or more time-frequency communication resource elements of the unlicensed physical channel structure.

17. The UE device of claim 16, wherein the unlicensed physical channel structure comprises a channel access management set of time-frequency communication resources allocated for monitoring of the unlicensed frequency band, the channel access management set having a duration of at least one symbol time, the method further comprising monitoring the unlicensed frequency band for at least a portion of the duration.

18. An eNB comprising:

a first transmitter configured to transmit first signals within a licensed frequency band using a licensed physical channel structure comprising a first plurality of time-frequency communication resource elements formed by a plurality of symbol times and a plurality of subcarrier divisions dividing the licensed frequency band; and

a second transmitter configured to transmit second signals within an unlicensed frequency band using an unlicensed physical channel structure comprising a second plurality of time-frequency communication resource elements formed by the plurality of symbol times and the plurality of subcarrier divisions dividing the unlicensed frequency band.

19. The eNB of claim 18, wherein:

the licensed physical channel structure comprises a first reference signal set of time-frequency communication blocks allocated for transmission of reference signals and a first data signal set of time-frequency communication blocks allocated for transmission of data; and

the unlicensed physical channel structure comprises a second reference signal set of time-frequency communication blocks allocated for transmission of reference signals and a second data signal set of time-frequency communication resources allocated for transmission of data, the second reference signal set having the same symbol times as the first reference signal set, the second data signal set having the same symbol times as the first data signal set.

20. The eNB of claim 19, wherein the first transmitter is configured to transmit the first signals within the licensed frequency band using a licensed physical channel structure comprises transmitting the first signals over one or more time-frequency communication resource elements of the licensed physical channel structure and wherein the second transmitter is configured to transmit the second signals within the unlicensed frequency band using the unlicensed physical channel structure comprises transmitting the second signals over one or more time-frequency communication resources of the unlicensed physical channel structure, at least one of the one or more time-frequency communication resource elements of the licensed physical channel structure being different from the at least one of the one or more time-frequency communication resource elements of the unlicensed physical channel structure.

21. The eNB of claim 20, wherein the unlicensed physical channel structure comprises a channel access management set of time-frequency communication resources allocated for monitoring of the unlicensed frequency band, the channel access management set having a duration of at least one symbol time, the method further comprising monitoring the unlicensed frequency band for at least a portion of the duration.