Communicating subframe timing of an access point on a shared communication medium

• US 10,292,093 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2016
• Issued: 05/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Chendamarai Kannan, Arumugam, Luo, Tao, Patel, Chirag Sureshbhai, Kadous, Tamer Adel
• Primary Examiner(s): Orgad, Edan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mansoury, Nourali
• Application Number:
  US15/346,986
• Publication Number:
  US 20170135029A1
• Time in Patent Office: 916 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0007 the frequencies being orthogonal, e.g. OFDM(A), DMT
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/005 of common pilots, i.e. pilots destined for multiple users or terminals
• 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: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

Techniques for indicating and determining a subframe timing of an access point on a shared communication medium are disclosed. A method of transmitting a discovery reference signal (DRS) may include establishing a transmission timing for transmission of the DRS relative to a system timing of an access point, determining whether to transmit the DRS during a particular SF based on the selected DRS transmission window, and transmitting the DRS to at least one access terminal during the particular SF in response to a determination to transmit the DRS.

Claims

1. A method of indicating a system timing of an access point, comprising:

determining a subframe index value of a particular subframe (SF) relative to the system timing of the access point;

determining a subframe offset value based on the subframe index value;

indicating the subframe offset value using a Discovery Reference Signal (DRS); and

transmitting the DRS to at least one access terminal during the particular SF,

wherein the DRS includes a Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) payload that is configured to be generated in accordance with a plurality of redundancy versions, each redundancy version of the plurality of redundancy versions being associated with a particular redundancy version value, and indicating the subframe offset value using the DRS comprises;

selecting a redundancy version value that is equal to the subframe offset value; and

generating a redundancy version of the PBCH payload based on the selected redundancy version value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the particular SF is within a particular system frame defined by the system timing of the access point; and

the subframe index value is equal to a number of SFs between a first SF of the particular system frame and the particular SF.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the subframe offset value is equal to the subframe index value and/or a number of SFs between the particular SF and a first SF of a DRS transmission window within the particular system frame.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first SF of the DRS transmission window is offset from the first SF of the particular system frame by one or more DRS transmission window offset SFs.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the DRS includes a Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) payload having a subframe offset indicator field, and indicating the subframe offset value using the DRS comprises:

populating the subframe offset indicator field with the subframe offset value.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

indicating a DRS transmission window type by indicating whether the particular SF is within a first transmission window comprising two or more consecutive SFs or a second transmission window comprising one SF.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the DRS includes a Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) payload that is configured to be generated in accordance with a plurality of redundancy versions, each redundancy version of the plurality of redundancy versions being associated with a particular redundancy version value;

indicating the DRS transmission window type comprises;

selecting a first redundancy version value if the particular SF is within the first transmission window and selecting a second redundancy version value different from the first redundancy version value if the particular SF is within the second transmission window; and

the method further comprises;

generating a redundancy version of the PBCH payload based on the selected redundancy version value.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the DRS includes a Cell-specific Reference Signal (CRS) and/or a Secondary Synchronization Signal (SSS) that is configured to be generated in accordance with a plurality of sequences, each sequence of the plurality of sequences being associated with a particular sequence value;

indicating the DRS transmission window type comprises;

selecting a first sequence value if the particular SF is within the first transmission window and selecting a second sequence value different from the first sequence value if the particular SF is within the second transmission window; and

the method, the processor is further configured to;

generating the CRS and/or the SSS based on the selected sequence value.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a DRS transmission window, the selected DRS transmission window comprising one or more subframes (SFs) during which the DRS may be selectively transmitted, wherein the selected DRS transmission window is selected from a group comprising a first transmission window comprising two or more consecutive SFs and a second transmission window comprising one SF;

indicating a periodicity of the first transmission window by populating a first transmission window periodicity field of a Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) payload; and

indicating a boundary of the first transmission window by populating a first transmission window boundary field of the PBCH payload.

10. An apparatus for indicating a system timing of an access point, comprising:

a transceiver configured to transmit a Discovery Reference Signal (DRS) to at least one access terminal during a particular subframe (SF);

memory and at least one processor coupled to the memory, the processor being configured to;

determine a subframe index value of the particular SF relative to the system timing of the access point;

determine a subframe offset value based on the subframe index value; and

indicate the subframe offset value using the DRS,

wherein the DRS includes a Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) payload that is configured to be generated in accordance with a plurality of redundancy versions, each redundancy version of the plurality of redundancy versions being associated with a particular redundancy version value, and to indicate the subframe offset value using the DRS, the processor is configured to;

select a redundancy version value that is equal to the subframe offset value; and

generate a redundancy version of the PBCH payload based on the selected redundancy version value.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein:

the particular SF is within a particular system frame defined by the system timing of the access point; and

the subframe index value is equal to a number of SFs between a first SF of the particular system frame and the particular SF.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the subframe offset value is equal to the subframe index value and/or a number of SFs between the particular SF and a first SF of a DRS transmission window within the particular system frame.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first SF of the DRS transmission window is offset from the first SF of the particular system frame by one or more DRS transmission window offset SFs.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the DRS includes a Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) payload having a subframe offset indicator field, and to indicate the subframe offset value using the DRS, the processor is configured to:

populate the subframe offset indicator field with the subframe offset value.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to:

indicate a DRS transmission window type by indicating whether the particular SF is within a first transmission window comprising two or more consecutive SFs or a second transmission window comprising one SF.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein:

the DRS includes a Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) payload that is configured to be generated in accordance with a plurality of redundancy versions, each redundancy version of the plurality of redundancy versions being associated with a particular redundancy version value;

to indicate the DRS transmission window type, the processor is configured to;

select a first redundancy version value if the particular SF is within the first transmission window and select a second redundancy version value different from the first redundancy version value if the particular SF is within the second transmission window; and

the processor is further configured to;

generate a redundancy version of the PBCH payload based on the selected redundancy version value.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein:

the DRS includes a Cell-specific Reference Signal (CRS) and/or a Secondary Synchronization Signal (SSS) that is configured to be generated in accordance with a plurality of sequences, each sequence of the plurality of sequences being associated with a particular sequence value;

to indicate the DRS transmission window type, the processor is configured to;

select a first sequence value if the particular SF is within the first transmission window and select a second sequence value different from the first sequence value if the particular SF is within the second transmission window; and

the processor is further configured to;

generate the CRS and/or the SSS based on the selected sequence value.

18. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to:

select a DRS transmission window, the selected DRS transmission window comprising one or more subframes (SFs) during which the DRS may be selectively transmitted, wherein the selected DRS transmission window is selected from a group comprising a first transmission window comprising two or more consecutive SFs and a second transmission window comprising one SF;

indicate a periodicity of the first transmission window by populating a first transmission window periodicity field of a Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) payload; and

indicate a boundary of the first transmission window by populating a first transmission window boundary field of the PBCH payload.

19. An apparatus for indicating a system timing of an access point, comprising:

means for determining a subframe index value of a particular subframe (SF) relative to the system timing of the access point;

means for determining a subframe offset value based on the subframe index value;

means for indicating the subframe offset value using a Discovery Reference Signal (DRS); and

means for transmitting the DRS to at least one access terminal during the particular SF,

wherein the DRS includes a Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) payload that is configured to be generated in accordance with a plurality of redundancy versions, each redundancy version of the plurality of redundancy versions being associated with a particular redundancy version value, and means for indicating the subframe offset value using the DRS comprises;

means for selecting a redundancy version value that is equal to the subframe offset value; and

means for generating a redundancy version of the PBCH payload based on the selected redundancy version value.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein:

the particular SF is within a particular system frame defined by the system timing of the access point; and

the subframe index value is equal to a number of SFs between a first SF of the particular system frame and the particular SF.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the DRS includes a Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) payload having a subframe offset indicator field, and means for indicating the subframe offset value using the DRS comprises:

means for populating the subframe offset indicator field with the subframe offset value.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

means for indicating a DRS transmission window type by indicating whether the particular SF is within a first transmission window comprising two or more consecutive SFs or a second transmission window comprising one SF.

23. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including code, which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform operations, the non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising:

code for determining a subframe index value of a particular subframe (SF) relative to a system timing of an access point;

code for determining a subframe offset value based on the subframe index value;

code for indicating the subframe offset value using a Discovery Reference Signal (DRS); and

code for transmitting the DRS to at least one access terminal during the particular SF,

wherein the DRS includes a Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) payload that is configured to be generated in accordance with a plurality of redundancy versions, each redundancy version of the plurality of redundancy versions being associated with a particular redundancy version value, and code for indicating the subframe offset value using the DRS comprises;

code for selecting a redundancy version value that is equal to the subframe offset value; and

code for generating a redundancy version of the PBCH payload based on the selected redundancy version value.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein:

the particular SF is within a particular system frame defined by the system timing of the access point; and

the subframe index value is equal to a number of SFs between a first SF of the particular system frame and the particular SF.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the DRS includes a Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) payload having a subframe offset indicator field, and code for indicating the subframe offset value using the DRS comprises:

code for populating the subframe offset indicator field with the subframe offset value.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, further comprising:

code for indicating a DRS transmission window type by indicating whether the particular SF is within a first transmission window comprising two or more consecutive SFs or a second transmission window comprising one SF.

27. A method of determining a system timing of an access point, comprising:

receiving a Discovery Reference Signal (DRS) from the access point during a particular subframe (SF);

determining a subframe offset value based on the DRS;

determining a subframe index value of the particular SF relative to the system timing of the access point, based on the determined subframe offset value; and

resolving the system timing of the access point based on the determined subframe index value,

wherein the DRS includes a Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) payload that is configured to be generated in accordance with a plurality of redundancy versions, each redundancy version of the plurality of redundancy versions being associated with a particular redundancy version value, and determining the subframe offset value based on the DRS comprises;

determining a redundancy version value of the PBCH payload; and

determining the subframe offset value based on the determined redundancy version value.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein:

the particular SF is within a particular system frame defined by the system timing of the access point; and

the subframe index value is equal to a number of SFs between a first SF of the particular system frame and the particular SF.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the subframe offset value is equal to the subframe index value and/or a number of SFs between the particular SF and a first SF of a DRS transmission window within the particular system frame.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the first SF of the DRS transmission window is offset from the first SF of the particular system frame by one or more DRS transmission window offset SFs.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein the DRS includes a Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) payload having a subframe offset indicator field populated with the subframe offset value, and determining the subframe offset value based on the DRS comprises:

reading the subframe offset value from the subframe offset indicator field.

32. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

determining a DRS transmission window type associated with the received DRS, the DRS transmission window type comprising a first transmission window comprising two or more consecutive SFs or a second transmission window comprising one SF.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein:

the received DRS includes a Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) payload that is configured to be generated in accordance with a plurality of redundancy versions, each redundancy version of the plurality of redundancy versions being associated with a particular redundancy version value; and

determining the DRS transmission window type comprises;

determining a redundancy version value of the PBCH payload included in the received DRS; and

determining that the DRS was received during the first transmission window if the redundancy version value is a first redundancy version value and determining that the DRS was received during the second transmission window is the redundancy version value is a second redundancy version value different from the first redundancy version value.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein:

the received DRS includes a Cell-specific Reference Signal (CRS) and/or a Secondary Synchronization Signal (SSS) that is configured to be generated in accordance with a plurality of sequences, each sequence of the plurality of sequences being associated with a particular sequence value;

determining the DRS transmission window type comprises;

determining a sequence value of the PBCH payload included in the received DRS; and

determining that the DRS was received during the first transmission window if the sequence value is a first sequence value and determining that the DRS was received during the second transmission window is the sequence value is a second sequence value different from the first sequence value.

35. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

determining a periodicity of the first transmission window by reading a first transmission window periodicity field of a Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) payload; and

determining a boundary of the first transmission window by reading a first transmission window boundary field of the PBCH payload.

36. An apparatus for determining a system timing of an access point, comprising:

a transceiver configured to receive a Discovery Reference Signal (DRS) from an access point during a particular subframe (SF);

memory and at least one processor coupled to the memory, the processor being configured to;

determine a subframe offset value based on the DRS;

determine a subframe index value of the particular SF relative to the system timing of the access point, based on the determined subframe offset value; and

resolve the system timing of the access point based on the determined subframe index value,

wherein the DRS includes a Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) payload that is configured to be generated in accordance with a plurality of redundancy versions, each redundancy version of the plurality of redundancy versions being associated with a particular redundancy version value, and to determine the subframe offset value based on the DRS, the processor is configured to;

determine a redundancy version value of the PBCH payload; and

determine the subframe offset value based on the determined redundancy version value.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein:

the particular SF is within a particular system frame defined by the system timing of the access point; and

the subframe index value is equal to a number of SFs between a first SF of the particular system frame and the particular SF.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the subframe offset value is equal to the subframe index value and/or a number of SFs between the particular SF and a first SF of a DRS transmission window within the particular system frame.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the first SF of the DRS transmission window is offset from the first SF of the particular system frame by one or more DRS transmission window offset SFs.

40. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the DRS includes a Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) payload having a subframe offset indicator field populated with the subframe offset value, and to determine the subframe offset value based on the DRS, the processor is configured to:

read the subframe offset value from the subframe offset indicator field.

41. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine a DRS transmission window type associated with the received DRS, the DRS transmission window type comprising a first transmission window comprising two or more consecutive SFs or a second transmission window comprising one SF.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein:

the received DRS includes a Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) payload that is configured to be generated in accordance with a plurality of redundancy versions, each redundancy version of the plurality of redundancy versions being associated with a particular redundancy version value; and

to determine the DRS transmission window type, the processor is configured to;

determine a redundancy version value of the PBCH payload included in the received DRS; and

determine that the DRS was received during the first transmission window if the redundancy version value is a first redundancy version value and determine that the DRS was received during the second transmission window is the redundancy version value is a second redundancy version value different from the first redundancy version value.

43. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein:

the received DRS includes a Cell-specific Reference Signal (CRS) and/or a Secondary Synchronization Signal (SSS) that is configured to be generated in accordance with a plurality of sequences, each sequence of the plurality of sequences being associated with a particular sequence value; and

to determine the DRS transmission window type, the processor is configured to;

determine a sequence value of the PBCH payload included in the received DRS; and

determine that the DRS was received during the first transmission window if the sequence value is a first sequence value and determine that the DRS was received during the second transmission window is the sequence value is a second sequence value different from the first sequence value.

44. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine a periodicity of the first transmission window by reading a first transmission window periodicity field of a Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) payload; and

determine a boundary of the first transmission window by reading a first transmission window boundary field of the PBCH payload.

45. An apparatus for determining a system timing of an access point, comprising:

means for receiving a Discovery Reference Signal (DRS) from an access point during a particular subframe (SF);

means for determining a subframe offset value based on the DRS;

means for determining a subframe index value of the particular SF relative to the system timing of the access point, based on the determined subframe offset value; and

means for resolving the system timing of the access point based on the determined subframe index value,

wherein the DRS includes a Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) payload that is configured to be generated in accordance with a plurality of redundancy versions, each redundancy version of the plurality of redundancy versions being associated with a particular redundancy version value, and means for determining the subframe offset value based on the DRS comprises;

means for determining a redundancy version value of the PBCH payload; and

means for determining the subframe offset value based on the determined redundancy version value.

46. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein:

the particular SF is within a particular system frame defined by the system timing of the access point; and

the subframe index value is equal to a number of SFs between a first SF of the particular system frame and the particular SF.

47. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the DRS includes a Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) payload having a subframe offset indicator field populated with the subframe offset value, and means for determining the subframe offset value based on the DRS comprises:

means for reading the subframe offset value from the subframe offset indicator field.

48. The apparatus of claim 45, further comprising:

means for determining a DRS transmission window type associated with the received DRS, the DRS transmission window type comprising a first transmission window comprising two or more consecutive SFs or a second transmission window comprising one SF.

49. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including code, which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform operations, the non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising:

code for receiving a Discovery Reference Signal (DRS) from an access point during a particular subframe (SF);

code for determining a subframe offset value based on the DRS;

code for determining a subframe index value of the particular SF relative to the system timing of the access point, based on the determined subframe offset value; and

code for resolving the system timing of the access point based on the determined subframe index value,

wherein the DRS includes a Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) payload that is configured to be generated in accordance with a plurality of redundancy versions, each redundancy version of the plurality of redundancy versions being associated with a particular redundancy version value, and code for determining the subframe offset value based on the DRS comprises;

code for determining a redundancy version value of the PBCH payload; and

code for determining the subframe offset value based on the determined redundancy version value.

50. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 49, wherein:

the particular SF is within a particular system frame defined by the system timing of the access point; and

the subframe index value is equal to a number of SFs between a first SF of the particular system frame and the particular SF.

51. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 49, wherein the DRS includes a Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) payload having a subframe offset indicator field populated with the subframe offset value, and code for determining the subframe offset value based on the DRS comprises:

code for reading the subframe offset value from the subframe offset indicator field.

52. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 49, further comprising:

code for determining a DRS transmission window type associated with the received DRS, the DRS transmission window type comprising a first transmission window comprising two or more consecutive SFs or a second transmission window comprising one SF.