Techniques for selecting subframe type or for interleaving signals for wireless communications over unlicensed spectrum

• US 10,645,742 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2016
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Bhushan, Naga, Malladi, Durga Prasad, Wei, Yongbin, Gaal, Peter, Luo, Tao, Ji, Tingfang, Horn, Gavin Bernard, Chen, Wanshi, Damnjanovic, Aleksandar
• Primary Examiner(s): Mattis, Jason E
• Application Number:
  US15/390,038
• Publication Number:
  US 20170111802A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,229 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 11/00 Orthogonal multiplex systems, e.g. using WALSH codesH04J13/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/00 Arrangements for detecting or preventing errors in the information received correcting synchronisation H04L7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0003 by switching between different modulation schemes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0009 by adapting the channel coding H04L1/1812 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0026 Transmission of channel quality indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/003 Adaptive formatting arrangements particular to signalling, e.g. variable amount of bits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/009 arrangements specific to transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0612 Space-time modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/0006 Assessment of spectral gaps suitable for allocating digitally modulated signals, e.g. for carrier allocation in cognitive radio for spectrum sharing between different networks H04W16/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2602 Signal structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2603 Signal structure ensuring backward compatibility with legacy system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/001 the frequencies being arranged in component carriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0044 allocation of payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/005 of common pilots, i.e. pilots destined for multiple users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0053 Allocation of signaling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals
• 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 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0252 per individual bearer or channel dynamic wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0289 : Congestion control load shedding arrangements in network planning H04W16/08; performing reselection for handling the traffic H04W36/22; wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/16 : Central resource management; Negotiation of resources or communication parameters, e.g. negotiating bandwidth or QoS [Quality of Service]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 : using broadcasted information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/001 : Synchronization between nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0015 : one node acting as a reference for the others
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/002 : Mutual synchronization
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 : Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/12 : Wireless traffic scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 : in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 : using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/006 : in the downlink, i.e. towards the terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/04 : Scheduled access hybrid access H04W74/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0808 : using carrier sensing, e.g. carrier sense multiple access [CSMA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0816 : with collision avoidance
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0833 : Random access procedures, e.g. with 4-step access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 : Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses are described in which an unlicensed spectrum is used for Long Term Evolution (LTE) communications. A first method includes comparing past transmission activity on an unlicensed spectrum to an activity threshold, transmitting a first subframe type in the unlicensed spectrum during a next active transmission when the past transmission activity is greater than the activity threshold, and transmitting a second subframe type in the unlicensed spectrum during a next active transmission when the past transmission activity is lesser than the activity threshold, the second subframe type comprising a more robust subframe type than the first subframe type. A second method includes generating one or both of PUCCH signals and PUSCH signals based on interleaved signals that increase nominal bandwidth occupancy in an unlicensed spectrum, and transmitting the generated signals in the unlicensed spectrum. A third method includes receiving the PUCCH signals and the PUSCH signals.

Claims

1. A method for wireless communications at a user equipment (UE), comprising:

generating a first single carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) signal from the UE using at least one interleaved signal, wherein each interleaved signal of the at least one interleaved signal occupies a set of non-consecutive frequency resources such that each frequency resource in the set is separated from a neighboring frequency resource in the set by a fixed number of frequency resources outside of the set, and wherein the at least one interleaved signal increases nominal bandwidth occupancy in an unlicensed spectrum relative to a non-interleaved signal; and

transmitting the generated first SC-FDMA PUSCH signal from the UE in the unlicensed spectrum, wherein the first SC-FDMA PUSCH signal from the UE is transmitted in the unlicensed spectrum concurrently with a second SC-FDMA signal from the UE in a licensed spectrum, wherein the generated first SC-FDMA PUSCH signal is confined to the at least one interleaved signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one interleaved signal comprises at least one interleaved orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (I-OFDM) waveform.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one interleaved signal comprises at least one interleaved frequency division multiplexing (IFDM) waveform.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a first orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) signal from a base station in a licensed spectrum; and

receiving, concurrently with the reception of the first OFDMA signal, a second OFDMA signal from the base station in an unlicensed spectrum;

wherein the reception of the second OFMDA signal in the unlicensed spectrum is time-synchronized with the first OFDMA signal in the licensed spectrum, with a fixed offset between a frame structure of the first OFDMA communications signal and a frame structure of the second OFDMA communications signal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of non-consecutive frequency resources comprises a set of non-consecutive subcarriers.

6. An apparatus for wireless communications at a user equipment (UE), comprising:

means for generating a first single carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) signals from the UE using at least one interleaved signal, wherein each interleaved signal of the at least one interleaved signal is based on a set of non-consecutive frequency resources such that each frequency resource in the set is separated from a neighboring frequency resource in the set by a fixed number of frequency resources outside of the set, and wherein the at least one interleaved signal increases nominal bandwidth occupancy in an unlicensed spectrum relative to a non-interleaved signal; and

means for transmitting the generated first SC-FDMA PUSCH signal from the UE in the unlicensed spectrum, wherein the first SC-FDMA PUSCH signal from the UE is transmitted in the unlicensed spectrum concurrently with a second SC-FDMA signal from the UE in a licensed spectrum, wherein the generated first SC-FDMA PUSCH signal is confined to the at least one interleaved signal.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the at least one interleaved signal comprises at least one interleaved orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (I-OFDM) waveform.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the at least one interleaved signal comprises at least one interleaved frequency division multiplexing (IFDM) waveform.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

means for receiving a first orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) signal from a base station in a licensed spectrum; and

means for receiving, concurrently with the reception of the first OFDMA signal, a second OFDMA signal from the base station in an unlicensed spectrum;

wherein the reception of the second OFMDA signal in the unlicensed spectrum is time-synchronized with the first OFDMA signal in the licensed spectrum, with a fixed offset between a frame structure of the first OFDMA communications signal and a frame structure of the second OFDMA communications signal.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the set of non-consecutive frequency resources comprises a set of non-consecutive subcarriers.

11. An apparatus for wireless communications at a user equipment (UE), comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor; and

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to;

generate a first single carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) signal from the UE using at least one interleaved signal, wherein each interleaved signal of the at least one interleaved signal occupies a set of non-consecutive frequency resources such that each frequency resource in the set is separated from a neighboring frequency resource in the set by a fixed number of frequency resources outside of the set, and wherein the at least one interleaved signal increases nominal bandwidth occupancy in an unlicensed spectrum relative to a non-interleaved signal; and

transmit the generated first SC-FDMA PUSCH signal from the UE in the unlicensed spectrum, wherein the first SC-FDMA PUSCH signal from the UE is transmitted in the unlicensed spectrum concurrently with a second SC-FDMA signal from the UE in a licensed spectrum, wherein the generated first SC-FDMA PUSCH signal is confined to the at least one interleaved signal.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one interleaved signal comprises at least one interleaved orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (I-OFDM) waveform.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one interleaved signal comprises at least one interleaved frequency division multiplexing (IFDM) waveform.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:

receive a first orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) signal from a base station in a licensed spectrum; and

receive, concurrently with the reception of the first OFDMA signal, a second OFDMA signal from the base station in an unlicensed spectrum;

wherein the reception of the second OFMDA signal in the unlicensed spectrum is time-synchronized with the first OFDMA signal in the licensed spectrum, with a fixed offset between a frame structure of the first OFDMA communications signal and a frame structure of the second OFDMA communications signal.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the set of non-consecutive frequency resources comprises a set of non-consecutive subcarriers.

16. A computer program product for communications by a wireless communications apparatus in a wireless communications system, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a processor to cause the wireless communications apparatus to:

generate, at a user equipment (UE), a first single carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) signal from the UE using at least one interleaved signal, wherein each interleaved signal of the at least one interleaved signal occupies a set of non-consecutive frequency resources such that each frequency resource in the set is separated from a neighboring frequency resource in the set by a fixed number of frequency resources outside of the set, and wherein the at least one interleaved signal increases nominal bandwidth occupancy in an unlicensed spectrum relative to a non-interleaved signal; and

transmit the generated first SC-FDMA PUSCH signal from the UE in the unlicensed spectrum, wherein the first SC-FDMA PUSCH signal from the UE is transmitted in the unlicensed spectrum concurrently with a second SC-FDMA signal from the UE in a licensed spectrum, wherein the generated first SC-FDMA PUSCH signal is confined to the at least one interleaved signal.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the at least one interleaved signal comprises at least one interleaved orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (I-OFDM) waveform.

18. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the at least one interleaved signal comprises at least one interleaved frequency division multiplexing (IFDM) waveform.

19. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:

receive a first orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) signal from a base station in a licensed spectrum; and

receive, concurrently with the reception of the first OFDMA signal, a second OFDMA signal from the base station in an unlicensed spectrum;

wherein the reception of the second OFMDA signal in the unlicensed spectrum is time-synchronized with the first OFDMA signal in the licensed spectrum, with a fixed offset between a frame structure of the first OFDMA communications signal and a frame structure of the second OFDMA communications signal.

20. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the set of non-consecutive frequency resources comprises a set of non-consecutive subcarriers.

21. A method for wireless communications at a base station, comprising:

receiving, in an unlicensed spectrum, a first single carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) signal from a user equipment (UE) using at least one interleaved signal, wherein each interleaved signal of the at least one interleaved signal occupies a set of non-consecutive frequency resources such that each frequency resource in the set is separated from a neighboring frequency resource in the set by a fixed number of frequency resources outside of the set, and wherein the at least one interleaved signal increases nominal bandwidth occupancy in the unlicensed spectrum relative to a non-interleaved signal; and

receiving, concurrently with the first SC-FDMA signal, a second SC-FDMA signal from the UE in a licensed spectrum, wherein the first SC-FDMA PUSCH signal is confined to the at least one interleaved signal.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the at least one interleaved signal comprises at least one interleaved orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (I-OFDM) waveform.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the at least one interleaved signal comprises at least one interleaved frequency division multiplexing (IFDM) waveform.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

transmitting a first orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) signal to the UE in a licensed spectrum; and

transmitting, concurrently with the transmission of the first OFDMA communications signal, a second OFDMA signal to the UE in an unlicensed spectrum;

wherein the second OFDMA signal in the unlicensed spectrum is time-synchronized with the first OFDMA signal in the licensed spectrum, with a fixed offset between a frame structure of the first OFDMA communications signal and a frame structure of the second OFDMA communications signal.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the set of non-consecutive frequency resources comprises a set of non-consecutive subcarriers.

26. An apparatus for wireless communications at a base station, comprising:

means for receiving, in an unlicensed spectrum, a first single carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) signal from a user equipment (UE) using at least one interleaved signal, wherein each interleaved signal of the at least one interleaved signal is based on a set of non-consecutive frequency resources such that each frequency resource in the set is separated from a neighboring frequency resource in the set by a fixed number of frequency resources outside of the set, and wherein the at least one interleaved signal increases nominal bandwidth occupancy in an unlicensed spectrum relative to a non-interleaved signal; and

means for receiving, concurrently with the first SC-FDMA signal, a second SC-FDMA signal from the UE in a licensed spectrum, wherein the first SC-FDMA PUSCH signal is confined to the at least one interleaved signal.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the at least one interleaved signal comprises at least one interleaved orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (I-OFDM) waveform.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the at least one interleaved signal comprises at least one interleaved frequency division multiplexing (IFDM) waveform.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the set of non-consecutive frequency resources comprises a set of non-consecutive subcarriers.

30. An apparatus for wireless communications at a base station, comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor; and

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to;

receive, in an unlicensed spectrum, a first single carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) signal from a user equipment (UE) using at least one interleaved signal, wherein each interleaved signal of the at least one interleaved signal occupies a set of non-consecutive frequency resources such that each frequency resource in the set is separated from a neighboring frequency resource in the set by a fixed number of frequency resources outside of the set, and wherein the at least one interleaved signal increases nominal bandwidth occupancy in the unlicensed spectrum relative to a non-interleaved signal; and

receive, concurrently with the first SC-FDMA signal, a second SC-FDMA signal from the UE in a licensed spectrum, wherein the first SC-FDMA PUSCH signal is confined to the at least one interleaved signal.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the at least one interleaved signal comprises at least one interleaved orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (I-OFDM) waveform.

32. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the at least one interleaved signal comprises at least one interleaved frequency division multiplexing (IFDM) waveform.

33. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:

transmit a first orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) signal to the UE in a licensed spectrum; and

transmit, concurrently with the transmission of the first OFDMA signal, a second OFDMA signal to the UE in an unlicensed spectrum;

wherein the second OFDMA signal in the unlicensed spectrum is time-synchronized with the first OFDMA signal in the licensed spectrum, with a fixed offset between a frame structure of the first OFDMA communications signal and a frame structure of the second OFDMA communications signal.

34. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the set of non-consecutive frequency resources comprises a set of non-consecutive subcarriers.

35. A computer program product for communications by a wireless communications apparatus in a wireless communications system, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a processor to cause the wireless communications apparatus to:

receive, in an unlicensed spectrum, a first single carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) signals from a user equipment (UE) using at least one interleaved signal, wherein each interleaved signal of the at least one interleaved signal occupies a set of non-consecutive frequency resources such that each frequency resource in the set is separated from a neighboring frequency resource in the set by a fixed number of frequency resources outside of the set, and wherein the at least one interleaved signal increases nominal bandwidth occupancy in the unlicensed spectrum relative to a non-interleaved signal; and

receive, concurrently with the first SC-FDMA signal, a second SC-FDMA signal from the UE in a licensed spectrum, wherein the first SC-FDMA PUSCH signal is confined to the at least one interleaved signal.

36. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the at least one interleaved signal comprises at least one interleaved orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (I-OFDM) waveform.

37. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the at least one interleaved signal comprises at least one interleaved frequency division multiplexing (IFDM) waveform.

38. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the set of non-consecutive frequency resources comprises a set of non-consecutive subcarriers.