Method and apparatus for channel sensing in communication system

• US 10,499,426 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2016
• Issued: 12/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Oh, Jin-Young, Kim, Dong-Han, Bae, Tae-Han, Shin, Cheol-Kyu, Choi, Seung-Hoon
• Primary Examiner(s): Sam, Phirin
• Application Number:
  US15/361,301
• Publication Number:
  US 20170150524A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0808 using carrier sensing, e.g. carrier sense multiple access [CSMA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

Provided herein are communication schemes for combining 5G communication systems with IoT technology to support higher data transmission rate as post-4G systems and systems for the same. The present disclosure may be used in intelligent services (e.g., smart home, smart building, smart city, smart car, connected car, health-care, digital education, retail business, security and safety-related services) based on the 5G communication technology and IoT-related techniques. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for sensing a channel by a base station in a communication system comprises setting a channel sensing interval for sensing a channel available on an unlicensed band, based on a first start time when the base station starts a signal transmission and the set channel sensing interval, setting a second start time when a channel sensing operation starts, and performing the channel sensing operation during the channel sensing interval from the set second start time.

Claims

1. A method for sensing a channel by a base station in a communication system, the method comprising:

identifying a channel sensing interval;

based on a transmission start time when the base station starts a signal transmission on an unlicensed band and the identified channel sensing interval, determining a sensing start time; and

performing a channel sensing operation on a channel in the unlicensed band during the channel sensing interval starting at the determined sensing start time,

wherein the channel sensing interval is set differently according to whether the signal transmission is to include a data signal or a reference signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensing start time is determined using a preset method, wherein the preset method comprises at least one of:

determining, as the sensing start time, a time that comes the identified channel sensing interval earlier than the transmission start time,

determining, as the sensing start time, a start time of a symbol contained in the time that comes the identified channel sensing interval earlier than the transmission start time, or

determining, as the sensing start time, a start time of a symbol present ahead of the time that comes the identified channel sensing interval earlier than the transmission start time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the channel sensing interval is set based on at least one of a length of slots or a time minimally required to perform the channel sensing operation.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to the channel sensed as a result of performing the channel sensing operation being in an idle state, transmitting a signal through the sensed channel.

5. A method for sensing a channel by a user equipment (UE) in a communication system, the method comprising:

receiving, from a base station, information for identifying a channel sensing interval;

determining the channel sensing interval based on the received information;

based on a transmission start time when the UE starts a signal transmission on an unlicensed band and the identified channel sensing interval, determining a sensing start time; and

performing a channel sensing operation on a channel in the unlicensed band during the channel sensing interval starting at the determined sensing start time,

wherein the channel sensing interval is set differently according to whether the signal transmission is to include a data signal or a reference signal.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the sensing start time is determined using a preset method, wherein the preset method comprises at least one of:

determining, as the sensing start time, a time that comes the identified channel sensing interval earlier than the transmission start time,

determining, as the sensing start time, a start time of a symbol contained in the time that comes the identified channel sensing interval earlier than the transmission start time, or

determining, as the sensing start time, a start time of a symbol present ahead of the time that comes the identified channel sensing interval earlier than the transmission start time.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the channel sensing interval is set based on at least one of a length of a slot, or a time minimally required to perform the channel sensing operation.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

in response to the channel sensed as a result of performing the channel sensing operation being in an idle state, transmitting a signal through the sensed channel.

9. A base station sensing a channel in a communication system, the base station comprising:

a transceiver; and

a controller coupled with the transceiver and configured to;

identify a channel sensing interval,

based on a transmission start time when the base station starts a signal transmission on an unlicensed band and the identified channel sensing interval, determine a sensing start time,

performing a channel sensing operation on a channel in the unlicensed band during the channel sensing interval starting at the determined sensing start time, and

transmit a signal through a sensed channel

wherein the channel sensing interval is set differently according to whether the signal transmission is to include a data signal or a reference signal.

10. The base station of claim 9, wherein the sensing start time is determined by a preset method, wherein the preset method comprises at least one of:

determining, as the sensing start time, a time that comes the identified channel sensing interval earlier than the transmission start time,

determining, as the sensing start time, a start time of a symbol contained in the time that comes the identified channel sensing interval earlier than the transmission start time, or

determining, as the sensing start time, a start time of a symbol present ahead of the time that comes the identified channel sensing interval earlier than the transmission start time.

11. The base station of claim 9, wherein the channel sensing interval is set based on at least one of a length of slots or a time minimally required to perform the channel sensing operation.

12. The base station of claim 9, wherein, in response to the channel sensed as a result of performing the channel sensing operation being in an idle state, the controller is further configured to transmit a signal through the sensed channel.

13. A user equipment (UE) sensing a channel in a communication system, the UE comprising:

a transceiver; and

a controller coupled with the transceiver and configured to;

receive, from a base station, information for identifying a channel sensing interval,

determine the channel sensing interval based on the received information,

based on a transmission start time when the UE starts a signal transmission on an unlicensed band and the identified channel sensing interval, determine a sensing start time, and

performing a channel sensing operation on a channel in the unlicensed band during the channel sensing interval starting at the determined sensing start time,

wherein the channel sensing interval is set differently according to whether the signal transmission is to include a data signal or a reference signal.

14. The UE of claim 13, wherein the sensing start time is determined by a preset method, wherein the preset method comprises at least one of:

determining, as the sensing start time, a time that comes the identified channel sensing interval earlier than the transmission start time,

determining, as the sensing start time, a start time of a symbol contained in the time that comes the identified channel sensing interval earlier than the transmission start time, or

determining, as the sensing start time, a start time of a symbol present ahead of the time that comes the identified channel sensing interval earlier than the transmission start time.

15. The UE of claim 13, wherein the channel sensing interval is set based on at least one of a length of a slot or a time minimally required to perform the channel sensing operation.

16. The UE of claim 13, wherein, in response to the channel sensed as a result of performing the channel sensing operation being in an idle state, the controller is further configured to transmit a signal through the sensed channel.