Method for channel access and related network node

• US 10,327,260 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2016
• Issued: 06/18/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Li, Gen, Ansari, Junaid
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Hoang-Chuong Q
• Application Number:
  US15/516,616
• Publication Number:
  US 20180235006A1
• Time in Patent Office: 929 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0808 using carrier sensing, e.g. carrier sense multiple access [CSMA]

Abstract

A method for channel access performed by a network node in a first wireless system is disclosed. In the method, the network node detects one or more wireless systems coexisted with the first wireless system on a channel, the channel operating on a shared spectrum. Then the network node determines a channel access scheme based on the detected one or more wireless systems. The channel access scheme may be one of listen before talk (LBT) channel access scheme, listen after talk (LAT) channel access scheme, and hybrid LBT and LAT channel access scheme. The network node performs channel access according to the determined channel access scheme. The related network node is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method performed by a network node in a first wireless system for channel access comprising:

detecting one or more wireless systems coexist with the first wireless system on a channel, the channel operating on a shared spectrum;

determining a channel access scheme based on the detected one or more wireless systems, the channel access scheme being one of listen before talk (LBT) channel access scheme, listen after talk (LAT) channel access scheme, and hybrid LBT and LAT channel access scheme, wherein determining the channel access scheme comprises;

determining whether the detected one or more wireless systems perform LBT channel access scheme or LAT channel access scheme;

in response to all of the detected one or more wireless systems performing LBT channel access scheme, determining the channel access scheme as LBT channel access scheme;

in response to all of the detected one or more wireless systems performing LAT channel access scheme, determining the channel access scheme as LAT channel access scheme; and

in response to some of the detected one or more wireless systems performing LBT channel access scheme and some performing LAT channel access scheme, determining the channel access scheme as hybrid LBT and LAT channel access scheme; and

performing channel access according to the channel access scheme.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein detecting the one or more wireless systems coexist with the first wireless system on the channel comprises:

detecting feature information specific to a wireless system on the channel; and

in response to the detection of the feature information, determining existence of the wireless system on the channel.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein detecting the one or more wireless systems coexist with the first wireless system on the shared spectrum comprises:

obtaining information of a wireless system operating on the channel from at least one wireless device which is configured to monitor channel status of the channel; and

determining the one or more wireless systems coexist on the channel from the obtained information.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein, in response to determining the channel access scheme as hybrid LBT and LAT channel access scheme, performing the channel access according to the channel access scheme comprises:

determining a first energy level of the channel from one or more wireless systems performing LBT channel access scheme among the detected one or more wireless systems;

determining whether the channel is idle based on the first energy level; and

in response to the determination that the channel is idle, transmitting signals in the channel according to LAT channel access scheme.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein determining the first energy level of the channel from one or more wireless systems performing LBT channel access scheme among the detected one or more wireless systems comprises:

detecting a total energy level of the channel;

detecting an energy level from each wireless system performing LAT channel access scheme among the detected one or more wireless systems; and

subtracting the detected energy levels from the total energy level to obtain the first energy level;

or wherein determining the first energy level of the channel from one or more wireless systems performing LBT channel access scheme among the detected one or more wireless systems comprises;

detecting an energy level from each wireless system performing LBT channel access scheme among the detected one or more wireless systems; and

summing the detected energy levels to obtain the first energy level.

6. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

determining a channel access constraint on the channel;

wherein the channel access scheme is determined based on the channel access constraint and the detected one or more wireless systems.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the detection of the one or more wireless systems is performed at initialization of the network node or periodically or is triggered by a predefined event.

8. A network node in a first wireless system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, said memory containing instructions executable by said processor, whereby said network node is operative to;

detect one or more wireless systems that coexist with the first wireless system on a channel, the channel operating on a shared spectrum;

determine a channel access scheme based on the detected one or more wireless systems, the channel access scheme being one of listen before talk (LBT) channel access scheme, listen after talk (LAT) channel access scheme, and hybrid LBT and LAT channel access scheme, wherein, when determining the channel access scheme, the network node is further operative to;

determine whether the detected one or more wireless systems perform LBT channel access scheme or LAT channel access scheme;

in response to all of the detected one or more wireless systems performing LBT channel access scheme, determine the channel access scheme as LBT channel access scheme;

in response to all of the detected one or more wireless systems performing LAT channel access scheme, determine the channel access scheme as LAT channel access scheme; and

in response to some of the detected one or more wireless systems performing LBT channel access scheme and some performing LAT channel access scheme, determine the channel access scheme as hybrid LBT and LAT channel access scheme; and

perform channel access according to the channel access scheme.

9. The network node according to claim 8 wherein the network node is operative to detect the one or more wireless systems that coexist with the first wireless system on the channel by:

detecting feature information specific to a wireless system on the channel; and

in response to the detection of the feature information, determining existence of the wireless system on the channel.

10. The network node according to claim 8 wherein the network node is operative to detect the one or more wireless systems that coexist with the first wireless system on the channel by:

obtaining information of a wireless system operating on the channel from at least one wireless device which is configured to monitor channel status of the channel; and

determining the one or more wireless systems that coexist on the channel from the obtained information.

11. The network node according to claim 8 wherein the network node is further operative to determine a channel access constraint on the channel;

and wherein the network node is operative to determine the channel access scheme based on the channel access constraint and the detected one or more wireless systems.

12. The network node according to claim 8 wherein the network node is operative to detect the one or more wireless systems at initialization of the network node or periodically or in response to a predefined event.

13. The network node according to claim 8 further comprising:

a transceiver operative to transmit signals to and receive signals from a wireless terminal; and

a network interface operative to communicate signals with backend network elements.

14. The network node according to claim 8, wherein the network node is operative to, in response to determining the channel access scheme as hybrid LBT and LAT channel access scheme, perform the channel access according to the channel access scheme by:

determining a first energy level of the channel from one or more wireless systems performing LBT channel access scheme among the detected one or more wireless systems;

determining whether the channel is idle based on the first energy level; and

in response to the determination that the channel is idle, transmitting signals in the channel according to the LAT channel access scheme.

15. The network node according to claim 14, wherein the network node is operative to determine the first energy level of the channel from the one or more wireless systems performing LBT channel access scheme among the detected one or more wireless systems by:

detecting a total energy level in the channel;

detecting an energy level from each wireless system performing LAT channel access scheme among the detected one or more wireless systems; and

subtracting a second energy level from the total energy level to obtain the first energy level;

or wherein the network node is operative to determine the first energy level of the channel from the one or more wireless systems performing LBT channel access scheme among the detected one or more wireless systems by;

detecting an energy level from each wireless system performing LBT channel access scheme among the detected one or more wireless systems; and

summing the detected energy levels to obtain the first energy level.