Random access mechanism for a wireless device and base station

• US 10,397,957 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2017
• Issued: 08/27/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Dinan, Esmael Hejazi
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamara, Mohamed A
• Application Number:
  US15/790,573
• Publication Number:
  US 20180176959A1
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/261 Details of reference signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2662 Symbol synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/146 Uplink power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/22 taking into account previous information or commands
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/242 taking into account path loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0005 synchronizing of arrival of multiple uplinks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/001 Synchronization between nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0833 Random access procedures, e.g. with 4-step access

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses are described for wireless communications. Cells may be grouped into a plurality of cell groups. A wireless device may receive configuration parameters for the cells.

Claims

1. 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 at least one message comprising configuration parameters of a plurality of cells grouped into a plurality of cell groups, wherein the plurality of cells comprises a plurality of downlink-uplink cells and at least one downlink-only cell, wherein;

each cell group of the plurality of cell groups comprises at least one of the plurality of downlink-uplink cells; and

each of the at least one downlink-only cell is assigned to a cell group comprising at least one of the plurality of downlink-uplink cells;

receive a timing advance command comprising a time adjustment value and an index of a first cell group of the plurality of cell groups; and

apply the timing advance command to uplink transmission timing of at least one downlink-uplink cell, of the plurality of downlink-uplink cells, associated with the first cell group.

2. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the at least one message further comprises a time alignment timer parameter for each cell group of the plurality of cell groups.

3. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the wireless device to receive a control command configured to cause a transmission of a random access preamble via random access resources of a first secondary cell of a secondary cell group of the plurality of cell groups.

4. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of cell groups comprises a primary cell group and a secondary cell group;

uplink signals, transmitted by the wireless device via the primary cell group, use a first synchronization signal, transmitted via a primary cell, as a first timing reference; and

uplink signals, transmitted by the wireless device via the secondary cell group, use a second synchronization signal, transmitted via one of at least one activated cell of the secondary cell group, as a second timing reference.

5. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the timing advance command is configured to cause alignment of reception timing of uplink signals at a base station, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the wireless device to transmit the uplink signals in frames and subframes of one or more activated downlink-uplink cells of the first cell group.

6. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the wireless device to start or restart a first time alignment timer corresponding to the first cell group in response to the wireless device receiving the timing advance command.

7. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the wireless device to determine that the first cell group is:

out-of-sync, if a first time alignment timer has expired or is not running; and

in-sync, if the first time alignment timer is running.

8. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one message comprises a plurality of radio dedicated parameters for each one of a plurality of secondary cells; and

one secondary cell is assigned to;

one of at least one secondary cell group indicated by a cell group index, if the plurality of radio dedicated parameters comprises the cell group index for the one secondary cell;

or

a primary cell group.

9. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the at least one message comprises at least one radio resource control message.

10. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the at least one message is further configured to add or modify a radio bearer.

11. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one downlink-only cell is assigned to a cell group comprising at least one of the plurality of downlink-uplink cells in a same frequency band as the each of the at least one downlink-only cell.

12. A base station comprising:

one or more processors; and

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

transmit at least one message comprising configuration parameters of a plurality of cells grouped into a plurality of cell groups, wherein the plurality of cells comprise a plurality of downlink-uplink cells and at least one downlink-only cell, wherein;

each cell group of the plurality of cell groups comprises at least one of the plurality of downlink-uplink cells; and

each of the at least one downlink-only cell is assigned to a cell group comprising at least one of the plurality of downlink-uplink cells; and

transmit a timing advance command comprising a time adjustment value and an index of a first cell group of the plurality of cell groups.

13. The base station of claim 12, wherein the at least one message further comprises a time alignment timer parameter for each cell group of the plurality of cell groups.

14. The base station of claim 12, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the base station to transmit a control command configured to cause a transmission of a random access preamble via random access resources of a first secondary cell of a secondary cell group of the plurality of cell groups.

15. The base station of claim 12, wherein the timing advance command is configured to cause alignment of reception timing of uplink signals at the base station, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the base station to receive the uplink signals in frames and subframes of one or more activated downlink-uplink cells of a first cell group.

16. The base station of claim 12, wherein the timing advance command is configured to cause a wireless device to start or restart a first time alignment timer corresponding to a first cell group.

17. The base station of claim 12, wherein:

the at least one message comprises a plurality of radio dedicated parameters for each one of a plurality of secondary cells; and

one secondary cell is assigned to;

one of at least one secondary cell group indicated by a cell group index, if the plurality of radio dedicated parameters comprises the cell group index for the one secondary cell;

or

a primary cell group.

18. The base station of claim 12, wherein the at least one message comprises at least one radio resource control message.

19. The base station of claim 12, wherein the at least one message is further configured to add or modify a radio bearer.

20. The base station of claim 12, wherein each of the at least one downlink-only cell is assigned to a cell group comprising at least one of the plurality of downlink-uplink cells in a same frequency band as the each of the at least one downlink-only cell.

21. A system comprising:

a base station comprising;

one or more processors; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors of the base station, cause the base station to;

transmit at least one message comprising configuration parameters of a plurality of cells, grouped into a plurality of cell groups, wherein the plurality of cells comprise a plurality of downlink-uplink cells and at least one downlink-only cell, wherein;

each cell group of the plurality of cell groups comprises at least one of the plurality of downlink-uplink cells; and

each of the at least one downlink-only cell is assigned to a cell group comprising at least one of the plurality of downlink-uplink cells; and

transmit a timing advance command comprising a time adjustment value and an index of a first cell group of the plurality of cell groups; and

a wireless device comprising;

one or more processors; and

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

apply the timing advance command to uplink transmission timing of at least one downlink-uplink cell, of the plurality of downlink-uplink cells, associated with the first cell group.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the instructions stored in the memory of the base station, when executed by the one or more processors of the base station, further cause the base station to transmit a control command configured to cause a transmission of a random access preamble via random access resources of a first secondary cell of a secondary cell group of the plurality of cell groups.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the timing advance command is configured to cause alignment of reception timing of uplink signals at the base station, and wherein the instructions stored in the memory of the wireless device, when executed by the one or more processors of the wireless device, further cause the wireless device to transmit the uplink signals in frames and subframes of one or more activated downlink-uplink cells of a first cell group.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the timing advance command is configured to cause the wireless device to start or restart a first time alignment timer corresponding to a first cell group.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein:

the at least one message comprises a plurality of radio dedicated parameters for each one of a plurality of secondary cells; and

one secondary cell is assigned to;

one of at least one secondary cell group indicated by a cell group index, if the plurality of radio dedicated parameters comprises the cell group index for the one secondary cell;

or

a primary cell group.