Coordination techniques for discontinuous reception (DRX) operations in dual-connectivity architectures

• US 10,231,263 B2
• Filed: 11/28/2014
• Issued: 03/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Koc, Ali T., Jha, Satish C., Sivanesan, Kathiravetpillai, Vannithamby, Rath
• Primary Examiner(s): Ly, Anh Vu H
• Application Number:
  US15/026,548
• Publication Number:
  US 20160249405A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,565 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2621 using frequency division multiple access [FDMA] H04B7/2615 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0026 Transmission of channel quality indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1825 Adaptation of specific ARQ protocol parameters according to transmission conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2607 Cyclic extensions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/25 with rate being modified by the source upon detecting a change of network conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0007 the frequencies being orthogonal, e.g. OFDM(A), DMT
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0032 Distributed allocation, i.e. involving a plurality of allocating devices, each making partial allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0051 of dedicated pilots, i.e. pilots destined for a single user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0073 Allocation arrangements that take into account other cell interferences for intercell interference mitigation or co-ordination in orthogonal multiplex systems H04J11/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0078 Timing of allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/14 Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/1469 using time-sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/22 using time-division multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/161 Implementation details of TCP/IP or UDP/IP stack architecture; Specification of modified or new header fields
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/163 In-band adaptation of TCP data exchange; In-band control procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/321 Interlayer communication protocols or service data unit [SDU] definitions; Interfaces between layers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/324 in the data link layer [OSI layer 2], e.g. HDLC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/326 in the transport layer [OSI layer 4] H04L69/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/24 Cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0205 : at the air interface dynamic wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0069 : in case of dual connectivity, e.g. decoupled uplink/downlink
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0083 : Determination of parameters used for hand-off, e.g. generation or modification of neighbour cell lists
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/30 : for proactive routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 : using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 : detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• 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 72/21 : 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 72/51 : based on terminal or device properties
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/04 : Scheduled access hybrid access H04W74/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 : Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/28 : Discontinuous transmission [DTX]; Discontinuous reception [DRX]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/06 : Transport layer protocols, e.g. TCP [Transport Control Protocol] over wireless transmission control protocol/Internet protocol [TCP/IP] or user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• 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 88/10 : adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 : in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Coordination techniques for discontinuous reception (DRX) operations in dual-connectivity architectures are described. In one embodiment, for example, user equipment (UE) may comprise logic, at least a portion of which is in hardware, the logic to receive a radio resource control (RRC) configuration message during operation in a dually-connected UE state, determine whether UE assistance information reporting is enabled for the UE based on the RRC configuration message, and in response to a determination that UE assistance information reporting is enabled for the UE, send one or more UE assistance information messages to report a macro cell power preference and a small cell power preference. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. User equipment (UE), comprising:

a display; and

logic, at least a portion of which is in hardware, the logic to;

receive a radio resource control (RRC) configuration message during operation in a dually-connected UE state;

determine whether UE assistance information reporting is enabled for the UE based on the RRC configuration message; and

in response to a determination that UE assistance information reporting is enabled for the UE, send one or more UE assistance information messages to report a macro cell power preference and a small cell power preference, the one or more UE assistance information messages to collectively comprise a master power preference indication (PPI) information element (IE) to indicate the macro cell power preference and a secondary PPI IE to indicate the small cell power preference.

2. The UE of claim 1, the logic to send one UE assistance information message to report the macro cell power preference and the small cell power preference, the one UE assistance information message to comprise the master PPI IE and the secondary PPI IE.

3. The UE of claim 2, the logic to send the one UE assistance information message to a master evolved node B (MeNB) of a serving macro cell of the UE.

4. The UE of claim 1, the logic to send a first UE assistance information message to report the macro cell power preference and send a second UE assistance information message to report the small cell power preference, the first UE assistance information message to comprise the master PPI IE, the second UE assistance information message to comprise the secondary PPI IE.

5. The UE of claim 4, the logic to send the first UE assistance information message and the second UE assistance information message to a master evolved node B (MeNB) of a serving macro cell of the UE.

6. The UE of claim 4, the logic to send the first UE assistance information message to a master evolved node B (MeNB) of a serving macro cell of the UE and send the second UE assistance information message to a secondary evolved node B (SeNB) of a serving small cell of the UE.

7. The UE of claim 1, the logic to receive macro cell discontinuous reception (DRX) settings and small cell DRX settings in response to the one or more UE assistance information messages.

8. The UE of claim 1, comprising:

at least one radio frequency (RF) transceiver; and

at least one RF antenna.

9. A master evolved node B (MeNB), comprising:

at least one memory unit; and

logic, at least a portion of which is in hardware, the logic to;

receive a user equipment (UE) assistance information message comprising;

a master power preference indication (PPI) information element (IE) that indicates a macro cell power preference of a UE; and

a secondary PPI IE that indicates a small cell power preference of the UE;

select macro cell discontinuous reception (DRX) settings for the UE;

receive a radio resource control (RRC) message from a secondary evolved node B (SeNB) of a serving small cell of the UE, the RRC message comprising small cell DRX settings for the UE;

send a first RRC configuration message comprising the macro cell DRX settings; and

send a second RRC configuration message comprising the small cell DRX settings.

10. The MeNB of claim 9, the logic to select the macro cell DRX settings for the UE based on the macro cell power preference.

11. The MeNB of claim 9, the logic to send an RRC message to enable UE assistance information reporting for the UE and receive the UE assistance information message in response to the RRC message.

12. The MeNB of claim 9, the logic to send a message over an X2 interface connection to report the small cell power preference to the SeNB.

13. The MeNB of claim 9, comprising:

one or more radio frequency (RF) transceivers; and

one or more RF antennas.