Communicating information indicating support for a plurality of coverage enhancement levels

• US 10,425,963 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2018
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Ratasuk, Rapeepat, Yang, Weidong, Tan, Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Ghowrwal, Omar J
• Application Number:
  US16/037,107
• Publication Number:
  US 20190141739A1
• Time in Patent Office: 434 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0829 Packet loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/004 in the uplink, i.e. towards network

Abstract

Various communication systems may benefit from identification of and communication of coverage shortfall. For example, certain communication systems that employ machine type communication devices may benefit from having such shortfall communicated from the devices to a base nation. For example, a method can include determining an amount of coverage shortfall of a device. The method can also include transmitting an indication of the amount of coverage shortfall.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

in a base station,

transmitting to a mobile device, information indicating support of a plurality of coverage enhancement levels for the mobile device, wherein a coverage enhancement level provides signal strength information and each coverage enhancement level corresponds to a different physical random access channel for the mobile device; and

receiving from the mobile device, a preamble signal using a physical random access channel corresponding to a coverage enhancement level selected, by the mobile device, from the plurality of coverage enhancement levels,

wherein the physical random access channel corresponding to the selected coverage enhancement level is an extended physical random access channel overlapping a physical random access channel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected coverage enhancement level is based on measurements at the mobile device for downlink signal strength of the base station.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein an amount of coverage enhancement required by the mobile device from the base station is determined related to the selected coverage enhancement level.

4. The method of claim 3, comprising receiving from the mobile device, an indication of the amount of coverage enhancement required by the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected coverage enhancement level is contingent on a path loss of the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a period of the extended physical random access channel is different from a period of the physical random access channel.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein a preamble format is selected based on the amount of coverage enhancement required by the mobile device.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the amount of coverage enhancement required by the mobile device is determined by comparing the downlink signal strength measurement of the base station with signal strength information associated with one or more of the plurality of coverage enhancement levels provided by the base station.

9. The method of claim 4, comprising transmitting a random access response message having at least one of a physical downlink control channel aggregation level or a repetition factor based on the indication of the amount of coverage enhancement.

10. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code,

wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to

transmit to a mobile device, information indicating support of a plurality of coverage enhancement levels for the mobile device, wherein a coverage enhancement level provides signal strength information and each coverage enhancement level corresponds to a different physical random access channel for the mobile device; and

receive from the mobile device, a preamble signal using a physical random access channel corresponding to a coverage enhancement level selected by the mobile device, from the plurality of coverage enhancement levels,

wherein the physical random access channel corresponding to the selected coverage enhancement level is an extended physical random access channel overlapping a physical random access channel.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the selected coverage enhancement level is based on measurements at the mobile device for downlink signal strength of the apparatus.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein an amount of coverage enhancement required by the mobile device from the apparatus is determined related to the selected coverage enhancement level.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to receive from the mobile device, an indication of the amount of coverage enhancement required by the mobile device.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the selected coverage enhancement level is contingent on a path loss of the mobile device.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein a period of the extended physical random access channel is different from a period of the physical random access channel.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein a preamble format is selected based on the amount of coverage enhancement required by the mobile device.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the amount of coverage enhancement required by the mobile device is determined by comparing the downlink signal strength measurement of the apparatus with signal strength information associated with one or more of the plurality of coverage enhancement levels provided by the apparatus.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to transmit a random access response message having at least one of a physical downlink control channel aggregation level or a repetition factor based on the indication of the amount of coverage enhancement.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium, encoded with instructions that, when executed in hardware, cause the hardware to perform a process, the process comprising:

transmitting to a mobile device, information indicating support of a plurality of coverage enhancement levels for the mobile device, wherein a coverage enhancement level provides signal strength information and each coverage enhancement level corresponds to a different physical random access channel for the mobile device; and

receiving from the mobile device, a preamble signal using a physical random access channel corresponding to a coverage enhancement level selected by the mobile device, from the plurality of coverage enhancement levels,

wherein the physical random access channel corresponding to the selected coverage enhancement level is an extended physical random access channel overlapping a physical random access channel.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein an amount of coverage enhancement required by the mobile device is determined related to the selected coverage enhancement level.