Method of measuring small cell and user equipment

• US 10,237,768 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2015
• Issued: 03/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Yang, Yoonoh, Lee, Sangwook, Lim, Suhwan, Jung, Manyoung, Hwang, Jinyup
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Parth
• Application Number:
  US15/520,635
• Publication Number:
  US 20170318490A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,230 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 11/00 Orthogonal multiplex systems, e.g. using WALSH codesH04J13/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/08 Configuration management of networks or network elements address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0048 Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0051 of dedicated pilots, i.e. pilots destined for a single user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/1469 using time-sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/0008 Synchronisation information channels, e.g. clock distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/32 Hierarchical cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0088 Scheduling hand-off measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0094 Definition of hand-off measurement parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/12 using downlink control channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/00 Synchronisation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B

Abstract

A disclosure of the present specification provides a method of measuring a neighboring small cell. The method may include the steps of: receiving measurement configuration information from a serving cell; and measuring on the serving cell, the neighboring small cell, and a neighboring macro cell. The measurement configuration information may include one or more of a discovery signal measurement timing configuration (DMTC) and a measurement gap (MG) for the neighboring small cell. In addition, the DMTC may include DMTC periodicity information and information on the occasion section of a discovery signal. When a frequency band in which the serving cell operates, a frequency band in which the neighboring small cell operates, and a frequency band in which the neighboring macro cell operates are all the same, a measurement on the neighboring small cell may be performed for the time section by the DMTC and a measurement on the serving cell may be performed for sections other than the time section by the DMTC.

Claims

1. A method for measuring a neighboring small cell, the method comprising:

receiving, by a User Equipment (UE), measurement configuration information from a serving cell;

setting, by the UE, a plurality of time durations to be used for measurement based on the measurement configuration information and a relationship among a first frequency band, a second frequency band and a third frequency band,

wherein the first frequency band includes a frequency band in which the serving cell operates, the second frequency band includes a frequency band in which a neighboring macro cell operates, and the third frequency band includes a frequency band in which the neighboring small cell operates;

performing, by the UE, a measurement for the serving cell, the neighboring small cell and the neighboring macro cell based on the plurality of time durations; and

reporting, by the UE, a result of the performed measurement to the serving cell,

wherein the measurement configuration information includes one or more of a Discovery signal Measurement Timing Configuration (DMTC) for the neighboring small cell and a Measurement Gap (MG),

wherein the DMTC includes DMTC period information and information of an occasion duration of a discovery signal, and

wherein when the first frequency band, the second frequency band, and the third frequency band are same, the measurement for the neighboring small cell is performed, by the UE, during a time duration indicated by the DMTC and the measurement for the serving cell is performed, by the UE, during a time duration except for the time duration indicated by the DMTC.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when the first frequency band, the second frequency band and the third frequency band are the same, receiving, by the UE, signaling instructing to perform the measurement during the time duration indicated by the DMTC and a duration except for the time duration indicated by the DMTC, respectively.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein when all of the first frequency band, the second frequency band and the third frequency band are different from each other, the measurement for the neighboring small cell is performed during a duration in which the time duration indicated by the DMTC and a time duration indicated by the MG overlap, and the measurement for the neighboring macro cell is performed during a duration in which the time duration indicated by the MG does with the time duration indicated by the DMTC.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein when all of the first frequency band, the second frequency band and the third frequency band are different from each other, a period of the DMTC has a greater value than a period of the MG.

5. The method claim 1, further comprising:

when the second frequency band and the third frequency band are the same, and the second frequency band and the third frequency band are different from the first frequency band, receiving, by the UE, signaling instructing to perform the measurement during a time duration except for the time duration indicated by the DMTC.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein when the second frequency band and the third frequency band are the same, and the second frequency band and the third frequency band are different from the first frequency band, the measurement for the neighboring small cell is performed during a duration in which the time duration indicated by the DMTC and a time duration indicated by the MG overlap, and the measurement for the neighboring macro cell is performed during a duration in which the time duration indicated by the MG does not overlap with the time duration indicated by the DMTC.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the discovery signal includes one or a combination of a Primary Synchronization Signal (PSS), a Secondary Synchronization Signal (SSS), a Cell-specific Reference Signal (CRS) and a Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS).

8. A user equipment for measuring a neighboring small cell, the user equipment comprising:

a transceiver; and

a processor operatively coupled to the transceiver and configured to;

control the transceiver to receive a measurement configuration information from a serving cell,

set a plurality of time durations to be used for measurement based on the measurement configuration information and a relationship among a first frequency band, a second frequency band and a third frequency band,

wherein the first frequency band includes a frequency band in which the serving cell operates, the second frequency band includes a frequency band in which a neighboring macro cell operates, and the third frequency band includes a frequency band in which the neighboring small cell operates,

perform a measurement for the serving cell, the neighboring small cell and the neighboring macro cell based on the plurality of time durations, and

report a result of the performed measurement to the serving cell,

wherein the measurement configuration information includes one or more of a Discovery Signal Measurement Timing Configuration (DMTC) for the neighboring small cell and a Measurement Gap (MG),

wherein the DMTC includes DMTC period information and information of an occasion duration of a discovery signal, and

wherein when the first frequency band, the second frequency band, and the third frequency band are same, the measurement for the neighboring small cell is performed during a time duration indicated by the DMTC and the measurement for the serving cell is performed during a time duration except for the time duration indicated by the DMTC.

9. The user equipment of claim 8, wherein when all of the first frequency band, the second frequency band, and the third frequency band are different from each other, the measurement for the neighboring small cell is performed during a duration in which the time duration indicated by the DMTC and a time duration indicated by the MG overlap, and the measurement for the neighboring macro cell is performed during a duration in which the time duration indicated by the MG does not overlap with the time duration indicated by the DMTC.

10. The user equipment of claim 8, wherein when the second frequency band and the third frequency band are the same, and the second frequency band and the third frequency band are different from the first frequency band, the measurement for the neighboring small cell is performed during a duration in which the time duration indicated by the DMTC and a time duration indicated by the MG overlap, and the measurement for the neighboring macro cell is performed during a duration in which the time duration indicated by the MG does not overlap with the time duration indicated by the DMTC.

11. The user equipment of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to:

when the first frequency band, the second frequency band and the third frequency band are the same, control the transceiver to receive signaling instructing to perform the measurement during the time duration indicated by the DMTC and a time duration except for the time duration indicated by the DMTC, respectively.

12. The user equipment of claim 8, wherein when all of the first frequency band, the second frequency band and the third frequency band are different from each other, a period of the DMTC has a greater value than a period of the MG.

13. The user equipment of claim 8, wherein when the second frequency band and the third frequency band are the same, and the second frequency band and the third frequency band are different from the first frequency band, control the transceiver to receive signaling instructing to perform the measurement during a time duration except for the time duration indicated by the DMTC.

14. The user equipment of claim 8, wherein the discovery signal includes one or a combination of a Primary Synchronization Signal (PSS), a Secondary Synchronization Signal (SSS), a Cell-specific Reference Signal (CRS) and a Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS).