Method and apparatus for configuration uplink and downlink carriers

• US 10,536,331 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2015
• Issued: 01/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Wang, Yi, Li, Yingyang, Sun, Chengjun
• Primary Examiner(s): Lopata, Robert J
• Application Number:
  US15/539,899
• Publication Number:
  US 20170346685A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,478 Days
• Field of Search: 370254
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/001 the frequencies being arranged in component carriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0091 Signaling for the administration of the divided path
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/14 Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/1469 using time-sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/32 Hierarchical cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0045 compensating for timing error by altering transmission time
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method and an apparatus for configuring uplink and downlink carriers. In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the UE determines according to received uplink and downlink carrier configuration signaling, the pairing between the uplink and downlink carriers, and/or a timing reference downlink carrier for the uplink, and/or a pathloss reference cell for the uplink. Thus, the uplink and downlink carriers may be configured more flexibly. Further, through the configuration of the reference downlink carrier for the uplink timing and the uplink power control, the carrier aggregation performance and that on the unlicensed band may be supported more effectively, so as to improve the performance of the LTE system.

Claims

1. A method for configuring uplink and downlink carriers, comprising:

receiving, by a user equipment (UE), an uplink and downlink carrier configuration signaling, wherein the uplink and downlink carrier configuration signaling comprises association information of uplink and downlink carriers, timing reference information for the uplink, and pathloss reference cell information for an uplink; and

determining, by the UE according to the uplink and downlink carrier configuration signaling, pairing between the uplink and downlink carriers, a timing reference downlink carrier for the uplink, and a pathloss reference cell for the uplink,

wherein the association information of the uplink and downlink carriers comprises;

association information of a primary downlink carrier and a primary uplink carrier or association information of a primary secondary downlink carrier and a primary secondary uplink carrier,

wherein the association information of the uplink and downlink carriers is explicitly configured by higher layer signaling, and

wherein the timing reference information for the uplink comprises;

information of timing advance groups (TAGs) that the uplink and downlink carriers belong to, or information of the timing reference downlink carrier for the uplink.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein the information of the TAGS that the uplink and downlink carriers belong to comprises:

TAGs that paired uplink and downlink carriers respectively belong to, TAGs that a primary downlink carrier and a primary uplink carrier respectively belong to, TAGs that a primary secondary downlink carrier and a primary secondary uplink carrier belong to, or TAGs that a secondary downlink carrier and a secondary uplink carrier belong to, and

wherein the TAGs that the primary downlink carrier and the primary uplink carrier respectively belong to are configured to be different TAGs and that the primary secondary downlink carrier and the primary secondary uplink carrier respectively belong to are configured to be different TAGS and that the secondary downlink carrier and the secondary uplink carrier respectively belong to are configured to be different TAGs.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein the information of the timing reference downlink carrier for the uplink comprises:

a timing reference downlink carrier configured for an uplink carrier, or a fixed timing reference downlink carrier configured for an uplink carrier on an unlicensed band,

wherein the timing reference downlink carrier is configured for the uplink carrier by;

configuring a primary downlink carrier or a paired downlink carrier as the timing reference downlink carrier of a primary uplink carrier;

or configuring a primary secondary downlink carrier or a paired downlink carrier as the timing reference downlink carrier of a secondary uplink carrier;

or

configuring a primary secondary downlink carrier or any downlink carrier in the same TAG as the timing reference downlink carrier of a secondary uplink carrier;

or

indicating a cell identifier of a cell to which the timing reference downlink carrier belongs to identify the timing reference downlink carrier, and

wherein the fixed timing reference downlink carrier is configured for the uplink carrier on the unlicensed band by;

fixedly configuring a primary downlink carrier or a corresponding primary secondary downlink carrier as the timing reference downlink carrier;

or

if a TAG that the uplink carrier on the unlicensed band belongs to includes at least one downlink carrier on a licensed band, fixedly configuring the downlink carrier on the licensed band as the timing reference downlink carrier;

otherwise, configuring any downlink carrier in the same TAG as the timing reference downlink carrier;

or

if the TAG that the uplink carrier on the unlicensed band belongs to includes at least one downlink carrier on the licensed band, fixedly configuring the downlink carrier on the licensed band as the timing reference downlink carrier, otherwise, configuring a primary secondary downlink carrier in a same carrier group as the timing reference downlink carrier;

or

if the TAG that the uplink carrier on the unlicensed band belongs to includes a primary secondary downlink carrier, fixedly configuring the primary secondary downlink carrier as the timing reference downlink carrier;

otherwise, configuring any downlink carrier in a same TAG as the timing reference downlink carrier;

or

if the TAG that the uplink carrier on the unlicensed band belongs to includes a primary secondary downlink carrier, fixedly configuring the primary secondary downlink carrier as the timing reference downlink carrier;

otherwise, configuring a primary secondary downlink carrier in a same carrier group as the timing reference downlink carrier.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving assistance information of uplink timing while receiving the information of the timing reference downlink carrier for the uplink, wherein the assistance information comprises at least a time offset.

5. The method of claim 1,

wherein the pathloss reference cell information for the uplink comprises:

information of a pathloss reference cell configured for a primary uplink carrier, information of a pathloss reference cell configured for an uplink carrier in a secondary TAG (sTAG), or information of a pathloss reference cell fixedly configured for an uplink carrier on an unlicensed band,

wherein information of the pathloss reference cell is configured for the primary uplink carrier by;

indicating a paired downlink carrier, or indicating a primary downlink carrier;

or

indicating any activated downlink carrier or a configured downlink carrier as the timing reference downlink carrier, wherein the configured downlink carrier is an activated or deactivated downlink carrier;

or

indicating a cell identifier of a cell that the pathloss reference cell belongs to,

wherein the information of the pathloss reference cell is configured for the uplink carrier in the sTAG by;

indicating a paired downlink carrier or any downlink carrier in the same TAG as the pathloss reference cell for the uplink carrier;

or

indicating a paired downlink carrier or a primary secondary downlink carrier which belongs to the same carrier group but a different TAG as the pathloss reference cell for the uplink carrier;

or

indicating a paired downlink carrier or a primary downlink carrier as the pathloss reference cell for the uplink carrier;

or indicating a cell identifier of a cell that the pathloss reference cell belongs to, and

wherein the information of the pathloss reference cell is fixedly configured for the uplink carrier on the unlicensed band by;

fixedly configuring a downlink carrier on a licensed band of the same TAG as the pathloss reference cell;

or

fixedly configuring a primary secondary downlink carrier of the same TAG as the pathloss reference cell;

or

fixedly configuring a primary secondary downlink carrier of the same carrier group but a different TAG as the pathloss reference cell.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving assistance information of pathloss required for uplink carrier power control while receiving the pathloss reference cell information for the uplink;

wherein the assistance information of the pathloss required for the uplink carrier power control comprises at least;

an uplink power control offset or a downlink pathloss offset, a set of uplink open-loop power control parameters, or a set of uplink close-loop power control parameters.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when determining the timing reference downlink carrier for the uplink or determining the pathloss reference cell for the uplink, if the UE does not receive a primary uplink carrier configuration signaling or a timing reference downlink carrier for a primary TAG (pTAG), or a primary uplink carrier configuration signaling or a pathloss reference cell for the pTAG, determining, by the UE, the timing reference downlink carrier for the uplink or the pathloss reference cell for the uplink according to a default configuration, wherein the default configuration comprises a downlink carrier linked with the primary uplink carrier via system information block (SIB)2.

8. A method for activating/deactivating uplink and downlink carriers, comprising:

receiving, by a user equipment (UE), activation/deactivation configuration information, wherein the activation/deactivation configuration information further comprises information of a timing reference downlink carrier used for uplink timing and information of a pathloss reference carrier used for uplink power control;

determining an implicit or an explicit activation/deactivation manner;

determining, by the UE, a cell state or states of uplink and downlink carriers of a cell according to an activation/deactivation parameter in the information; and

adjusting, by the UE, a downlink reference carrier used for the uplink timing and the pathloss reference carrier used for the uplink power control according to the activation/deactivation configuration information.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the activation/deactivation configuration information comprises deactivation timer configuration information, wherein deactivation timer and an initial timer value are respectively configured for a primary secondary cell and a secondary cell;

the determining the cell state comprises;

respectively determining whether the secondary cell and the primary secondary cell in an activated state is to be deactivated according to deactivation timers of the primary secondary cell and the secondary cell respectively, if the deactivation timer of the secondary cell or the secondary primary cell expires, deactivating, by the UE, the secondary cell or the secondary primary cell, or

wherein the activation/deactivation configuration information comprises configuration information of one deactivation timer;

the determining the cell state comprises;

determining whether the secondary cell is to be deactivated according to the deactivation timer but not determining whether the primary secondary cell is to be deactivated according to the deactivation timer;

if the deactivation timer of the secondary cell expires, deactivating, by the UE, the secondary cell;

after receiving a deactivating signaling, deactivating, by the UE, the primary secondary cell.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the activation/deactivation configuration information comprises configuration information of one deactivation timer;

the determining the cell state comprises;

determining whether a secondary cell and a primary secondary cell are to be deactivated according to the deactivation timer;

wherein for the primary secondary cell, once the deactivation timer of a secondary cell of the same carrier group is reset, or a secondary cell in the same carrier group has downlink data transmission, resetting the deactivation timer of the primary secondary cell, or if the primary secondary cell has downlink/uplink data scheduling, resetting the deactivation timer of the primary secondary cell;

if the deactivation timer of a cell expires, deactivating, by the UE, the cell, or

wherein the activation/deactivation configuration information comprises configuration information of one deactivation timer;

the determining the cell state comprises;

determining whether a secondary cell and a primary secondary cell are to be deactivated according to the deactivation timer;

the determining the state of the uplink and downlink carriers of the cell comprises;

respectively deactivating uplink and downlink carriers of the primary secondary cell, wherein the respectively deactivating the uplink and downlink carriers of the primary secondary cell comprises;

when an activating timer expires, deactivating, by the UE, the downlink carrier, and keeping the uplink carrier in an activated state, wherein a downlink reference carrier used for uplink timing and a pathloss reference carrier used for uplink power control are changed to predefined downlink carriers automatically or are re-configured.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the activation/deactivation configuration information comprises:

at least a deactivation timer for carriers on an unlicensed band and a deactivation timer for carriers on a licensed band;

the determining the cell state comprises;

determining whether a cell in an activated state is to be deactivated according to the deactivation timer for the carriers on the unlicensed band and the deactivation timer for the carriers on the licensed band respectively;

if the deactivation timer of a cell expires, deactivating, by the UE, the cell, or

wherein the activation/deactivation configuration information is transmitted via an activation/deactivation signaling, to indicate whether an uplink or a downlink carrier of the cell is to be activated/deactivated;

determining, by the UE, the state of the uplink and downlink carriers of the cell according to an activation/deactivation indication in the activation/deactivation configuration information.

12. An apparatus for configuring uplink and downlink carriers, the apparatus comprising:

a transceiver configured to transmit or receive data; and

a processing unit coupled with the transceiver and configured to;

control the transceiver to receive an uplink and downlink carrier configuration signaling, wherein the uplink and downlink carrier configuration signaling comprises association information of uplink and downlink carriers, timing reference information for an uplink, and pathloss reference cell information for the uplink; and

determine, according to the uplink and downlink carrier configuration signaling, pairing between the uplink and downlink carriers, a timing reference downlink carrier for the uplink, and a pathloss reference cell for the uplink,

wherein the association information of the uplink and downlink carriers comprises;

association information of a primary downlink carrier and a primary uplink carrier or association information of a primary secondary downlink carrier and a primary secondary uplink carrier,

wherein the association information of the uplink and downlink carriers is explicitly configured by higher layer signaling, and

wherein the timing reference information for the uplink comprises;

information of timing advance groups (TAGs) that the uplink and downlink carriers belong to, or information of the timing reference downlink carrier for the uplink.

13. The apparatus of claim 12,

wherein the pathloss reference cell information for the uplink comprises:

information of a pathloss reference cell configured for a primary uplink carrier, information of a pathloss reference cell configured for an uplink carrier in a secondary TAG (sTAG), or information of a pathloss reference cell fixedly configured for an uplink carrier on an unlicensed band,

wherein information of the pathloss reference cell is configured for the primary uplink carrier by;

indicating a paired downlink carrier, or indicating a primary downlink carrier;

or

indicating any activated downlink carrier or a configured downlink carrier as the timing reference downlink carrier, wherein the configured downlink carrier is an activated or deactivated downlink carrier;

or

indicating a cell identifier of a cell that the pathloss reference cell belongs to,

wherein the information of the pathloss reference cell is configured for the uplink carrier in the sTAG by;

indicating a paired downlink carrier or any downlink carrier in the same TAG as the pathloss reference cell for the uplink carrier;

or indicating a paired downlink carrier or a primary secondary downlink carrier which belongs to the same carrier group but a different TAG as the pathloss reference cell for the uplink carrier;

or

indicating a paired downlink carrier or a primary downlink carrier as the pathloss reference cell for the uplink carrier;

or

indicating a cell identifier of a cell that the pathloss reference cell belongs to, and

wherein the information of the pathloss reference cell is fixedly configured for the uplink carrier on the unlicensed band by;

fixedly configuring a downlink carrier on the licensed band of the same TAG as the pathloss reference cell;

or

fixedly configuring a primary secondary downlink carrier of the same TAG as the pathloss reference cell;

or

fixedly configuring a primary secondary downlink carrier of the same carrier group but a different TAG as the pathloss reference cell.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein, when determining the timing reference downlink carrier for the uplink or determining the pathloss reference cell for the uplink, if the apparatus does not receive a primary uplink carrier configuration signaling or a timing reference downlink carrier for a primary TAG (pTAG), or a primary uplink carrier configuration signaling or a pathloss reference cell for the pTAG, the processing unit is configured to determine the timing reference downlink carrier for the uplink or the pathloss reference cell for the uplink according to a default configuration, wherein the default configuration comprises a downlink carrier linked with the primary uplink carrier via system information block (SIB)2.

15. An apparatus for activating/deactivating uplink and downlink carriers, the apparatus comprising:

a receiving unit configured to transmit or receive data; and

a processing unit coupled with the receiving unit and configured to;

control the receiving unit to receive activation/deactivation configuration information, wherein the activation/deactivation configuration information further comprises information of a timing reference downlink carrier used for uplink timing and information of a pathloss reference carrier used for uplink power control,

determine an implicit or an explicit activation/deactivation manner,

determine a cell state and/or states of uplink and downlink carriers of a cell according to an activation/deactivation parameter in the information, and

adjust, by the apparatus, the downlink reference carrier used for the uplink timing and the pathloss reference carrier used for the uplink power control according to the activation/deactivation configuration information.

16. The apparatus of claim 15,

wherein the activation/deactivation configuration information comprises deactivation timer configuration information, wherein deactivation timer and an initial timer value are respectively configured for a primary secondary cell and a secondary cell, the processing unit is configured to respectively determine whether the secondary cell and the primary secondary cell in an activated state is to be deactivated according to deactivation timers of the primary secondary cell and the secondary cell respectively, if the deactivation timer of the secondary cell or the secondary primary cell expires, deactivating the secondary cell or the secondary primary cell, or

wherein the activation/deactivation configuration information comprises configuration information of one deactivation timer, the processing unit is configured to determine whether a secondary cell is to be deactivated according to the deactivation timer but not determining whether a primary secondary cell is to be deactivated according to the deactivation timer;

if the deactivation timer of the secondary cell expires, deactivating the secondary cell;

after receiving a deactivating signaling, deactivating the primary secondary cell.

17. The apparatus of claim 15,

wherein the activation/deactivation configuration information comprises configuration information of one deactivation timer, the processing unit is configured to determine whether a secondary cell and a primary secondary cell are to be deactivated according to the deactivation timer;

wherein for the primary secondary cell, once the deactivation timer of a secondary cell of the same carrier group is reset, or a secondary cell in the same carrier group has downlink data transmission, resetting the deactivation timer of the primary secondary cell, or if the primary secondary cell has downlink/uplink data scheduling, resetting the deactivation timer of the primary secondary cell;

if the deactivation timer of a cell expires, deactivating the cell, or

wherein the activation/deactivation configuration information comprises configuration information of one deactivation timer, the processing unit is configured to determine whether a secondary cell and a primary secondary cell are to be deactivated according to the deactivation timer; and

when an activating timer expires, deactivate the downlink carrier of the primary secondary cell, and keep the uplink carrier of the primary secondary cell in an activated state, wherein a downlink reference carrier used for uplink of the primary secondary cell timing and a pathloss reference carrier used for uplink power control are changed to predefined downlink carriers automatically or are re-configured.