Multi-carrier detection in a wireless network

• US 10,257,855 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2017
• Issued: 04/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Babaei, Alireza, Dinan, Esmael Hejazi
• Primary Examiner(s): Han, Clemence S
• Application Number:
  US15/425,992
• Publication Number:
  US 20170230945A1
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/006 in the downlink, i.e. towards the terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0808 using carrier sensing, e.g. carrier sense multiple access [CSMA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0891 for synchronized access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points

Abstract

The wireless device selects a first licensed assisted access (LAA) cell uniformly randomly from a plurality of LAA cells. The wireless device performs a first listen before talk (LBT) procedure for the first LAA cell employing a long monitoring period. The wireless device performs a second LBT procedure for a second LAA cell in the plurality of LAA cells employing a short monitoring period. The wireless device transmits to a base station one or more first transport blocks (TBs) on the first LAA cell and one or more second TBs on the second LAA cell.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a wireless device from a base station, one or more messages comprising a corresponding listen before talk (LBT) parameter for each of a plurality of licensed assisted access (LAA) cells;

receiving, by the wireless device, uplink grants for uplink transmissions on the plurality of LAA cells, the uplink transmissions configured to have a same starting position;

determining, by the wireless device, an energy detection threshold for each of the plurality of LAA cells based, at least in part, on the corresponding LBT parameter;

selecting, by the wireless device, a first LAA cell uniformly randomly from the plurality of LAA cells;

performing, by the wireless device and for the first LAA cell, a first LBT procedure employing a long monitoring period;

performing, by the wireless device, a second LBT procedure for a second LAA cell of the plurality of LAA cells employing a short monitoring period, wherein the second LAA cell is different than the first LAA cell;

based on the first LBT procedure indicating a clear channel, transmitting, to the base station, one or more first transport blocks (TBs) on the first LAA cell; and

based on the first LBT procedure indicating a clear channel for the first LAA cell and the second LBT procedure indicating a clear channel for the second LAA cell, transmitting, to the base station, one or more second TBs on the second LAA cell.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of LAA cells operate according to frame structure Type 3.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one uplink grant of the uplink grants is for one of the plurality of LAA cells.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one uplink grant of the uplink grants is received on at least one licensed cell.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each uplink grant of the uplink grants is transmitted via a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) or an enhanced physical downlink control channel (ePDCCH).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each uplink grant of the uplink grants:

is received in a first subframe; and

is for k subframes after the first subframe.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein transmissions of the one or more first TBs and the one or more second TBs start at one of a plurality of pre-configured starting positions.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first LBT procedure comprises:

sensing a corresponding LAA cell; and

comparing a detected power with a corresponding energy detection threshold.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the corresponding LBT parameter indicates an energy detection threshold offset value.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the corresponding LBT parameter indicates a first energy detection threshold value.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the energy detection threshold for each of the plurality of LAA cells comprises determining an individual energy detection threshold for each individual LAA cell of the plurality of LAA cells.

12. A wireless device comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wireless device to;

receive, from a base station, one or more messages comprising a corresponding listen before talk (LBT) parameter for each of a plurality of licensed assisted access (LAA) cells;

receive uplink grants for uplink transmissions on the plurality of LAA cells, the uplink transmissions configured to have a same starting position;

determine an energy detection threshold for each of the plurality of LAA cells based, at least in part, on the corresponding LBT parameter;

select a first LAA cell uniformly randomly from the plurality of LAA cells;

perform, for the first LAA cell, a first LBT procedure employing a long monitoring period;

perform a second LBT procedure for a second LAA cell of the plurality of LAA cells employing a short monitoring period, wherein the second LAA cell is different than the first LAA cell;

based on the first LBT procedure indicating a clear channel, transmit, to the base station, one or more first transport blocks (TBs) on the first LAA cell; and

based on the first LBT procedure indicating a clear channel for the first LAA cell and the second LBT procedure indicating a clear channel for the second LAA cell, transmit, to the base station, one or more second TBs on the second LAA cell.

13. The wireless device of claim 12, wherein the plurality of LAA cells operate according to frame structure Type 3.

14. The wireless device of claim 12, wherein at least one uplink grant of the uplink grants is for one of the plurality of LAA cells.

15. The wireless device of claim 12, wherein at least one uplink grant of the uplink grants is received on at least one licensed cell.

16. The wireless device of claim 12, wherein each uplink grant of the uplink grants is transmitted via a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) or an enhanced physical downlink control channel (ePDCCH).

17. The wireless device of claim 12, wherein each uplink grant of the uplink grants:

is received in a first subframe; and

is for k subframes after the first subframe.

18. The wireless device of claim 12, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the wireless device to transmit the one or more first TBs and the one or more second TBs starting at one of a plurality of pre-configured starting positions.

19. The wireless device of claim 12, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wireless device to perform the first LBT procedure by at least:

sensing a corresponding LAA cell; and

comparing a detected power with a corresponding energy detection threshold.

20. The wireless device of claim 12, wherein the corresponding LBT parameter indicates an energy detection threshold offset value.

21. The wireless device of claim 12, wherein the corresponding LBT parameter indicates a first energy detection threshold value.

22. The wireless device of claim 12, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wireless device to determine the energy detection threshold for each of the plurality of LAA cells by determining an individual energy detection threshold for each individual LAA cell of the plurality of LAA cells.

23. A system comprising:

a base station; and

a wireless device;

wherein the base station is configured to;

transmit, to the wireless device, one or more messages comprising a corresponding listen before talk (LBT) parameter for each of a plurality of licensed assisted access (LAA) cells; and

wherein the wireless device is configured to;

receive, from the base station, the one or more messages comprising the corresponding LBT parameter;

receive uplink grants for uplink transmissions on the plurality of LAA cells, the uplink transmissions configured to have a same starting position;

determine an energy detection threshold for each of the plurality of LAA cells based, at least in part, on the corresponding LBT parameter;

select a first LAA cell uniformly randomly from the plurality of LAA cells;

perform, for the first LAA cell, a first LBT procedure employing a long monitoring period;

perform a second LBT procedure for a second LAA cell of the plurality of LAA cells employing a short monitoring period, wherein the second LAA cell is different than the first LAA cell;

based on the first LBT procedure indicating a clear channel, transmit to the base station, one or more first transport blocks (TBs) on the first LAA cell;

based on the first LBT procedure indicating a clear channel for the first LAA cell and the second LBT procedure indicating a clear channel for the second LAA cell, transmit to the base station, one or more second TBs on the second LAA cell.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the plurality of LAA cells operate according to frame structure Type 3.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein at least one uplink grant of the uplink grants is for one of the plurality of LAA cells.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein at least one uplink grant of the uplink grants is received on at least one licensed cell.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein each uplink grant of the uplink grants is transmitted via a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) or an enhanced physical downlink control channel (ePDCCH).

28. The system of claim 23, wherein each uplink grant of the uplink grants:

is received in a first subframe; and

is for k subframes after the first subframe.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein transmissions of the one or more first TBs and the one or more second TBs start at one of a plurality of pre-configured starting positions.

30. The system of claim 23, wherein the first LBT procedure comprises:

sensing a corresponding LAA cell; and

comparing a detected power with a corresponding energy detection threshold.

31. The system of claim 23, wherein the corresponding LBT parameter indicates at least one of an energy detection threshold offset value or a first energy detection threshold value.

32. The system of claim 23, wherein the wireless device is configured to determine the energy detection threshold for each of the plurality of LAA cells by determining an individual energy detection threshold for each individual LAA cell of the plurality of LAA cells.