Wireless communication between wideband ENB and narrowband UE

• US 10,652,889 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2017
• Issued: 05/12/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Yerramalli, Srinivas, Kadous, Tamer, Liu, Chih-Hao, Patel, Chirag, Rico Alvarino, Alberto
• Primary Examiner(s): Crompton, Christopher R
• Application Number:
  US15/635,033
• Publication Number:
  US 20180124777A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,050 Days
• Field of Search: 370329
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/713 using frequency hopping
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/12 by using return channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/189 Transmission or retransmission of more than one copy of a message
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/00 Arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/001 the frequencies being arranged in component carriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0023 Time-frequency-space
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0048 Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/14 Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/26 Resource reservation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• 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 72/21 in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/51 based on terminal or device properties
• 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

A method and apparatus for wireless communication in the unlicensed spectrum between an eNB and UEs having different bandwidths, e.g., between a narrowband UE and a wideband eNB. A UE apparatus transmits uplink transmissions in a plurality of transmission units and hops frequency bands in a first pattern across frames based on a base station hopping pattern. The apparatus may transmit uplink transmissions based on dual hopping patterns, and may hop in a second pattern across transmission units within the base station'"'"'s channel occupancy within a frame. A base station apparatus may hop frequency bands in a first pattern across frames based on a base station hopping pattern, and may receive uplink transmissions in a narrowband from a UE in a plurality of transmission units within the frequency bands based on the base station hopping pattern.

Claims

1. A method of wireless communication at a user equipment, comprising:

transmitting uplink transmissions in a plurality of transmission units to a base station that hops from a first set of narrowband frequency bands for a first channel occupancy to a second set of narrowband frequency bands for a second channel occupancy across frames in a base station hopping pattern, the first set of narrowband frequency bands being different than the second set of narrowband frequency bands; and

hopping sets of narrowband frequency bands in a first pattern across frames based on the base station hopping pattern.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the uplink transmissions are transmitted based on dual hopping patterns, the method further comprising:

hopping based on the base station hopping pattern across frames and hopping in a second pattern across transmission units within a frame, wherein narrowband frequency bands are hopped within the channel occupancy of the base station for the frame based on the second pattern.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user equipment transmits the uplink transmissions in a same narrowband in relation to the channel occupancy of the base station in each frame.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the channel occupancy of the base station comprises a narrowband within a designated frequency band.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user equipment transmits up to a maximum number of transmission units per frequency before hopping the frequency bands.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the maximum number is based on a number of downlink subframes in a frame structure and a number of narrowbands on which the user equipment can hop.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the user equipment transmits the uplink transmissions without performing a Listen-Before-Talk (LBT) procedure at a beginning of a frame.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first pattern comprises a fixed pattern.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein an uplink narrowband and a downlink narrowband are different.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication comprises Internet of Things (IoT) communication.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the uplink transmissions are transmitted within a bandwidth of the base station for the channel occupancy of the base station during the frame.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of narrowband frequency bands is occupied for a duration of the first channel occupancy following a successful clear channel assessment (CCA) procedure.

13. An apparatus for wireless communication at a user equipment, comprising:

means for transmitting uplink transmissions in a plurality of transmission units to a base station that hops from a first set of narrowband frequency bands for a first channel occupancy to a second set of narrowband frequency bands for a second channel occupancy across frames in a base station hopping pattern, the first set of narrowband frequency bands being different than the second set of narrowband frequency bands; and

means for hopping sets of narrowband frequency bands in a first pattern across frames based on the base station hopping pattern.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the uplink transmissions are transmitted based on dual hopping patterns, the apparatus further comprising:

means for hopping based on the base station hopping pattern across frames and hopping in a second pattern across transmission units within a frame, wherein narrowband frequency bands are hopped within the channel occupancy of the base station for the frame based on the second pattern.

15. An apparatus for wireless communication at a user equipment, comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to;

transmit uplink transmissions in a plurality of transmission units to a base station that hops from a first set of narrowband frequency bands for a first channel occupancy to a second set of narrowband frequency bands fbr a second channel occupancy across frames in a base station hopping pattern, the first set of narrowband frequency bands being different than the second set of narrowband frequency bands; and

hop sets of narrowband frequency bands in a first pattern across frames based on the base station hopping pattern.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the uplink transmissions are transmitted based on dual hopping patterns, and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

hop based on the base station hopping pattern across frames and hop in a second pattern across transmission units within a frame, wherein narrowband frequency bands are hopped within the channel occupancy of the base station (or the frame based on the second pattern.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the apparatus transmits the uplink transmissions in a same narrowband in relation to the channel occupancy of the base station in each frame.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the channel occupancy of the base station comprises a narrowband within a designated frequency band.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the user equipment transmits up to a maximum number of transmission units per frequency before hopping the frequency bands.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the maximum number is based on a number of downlink subframes in a frame structure and a number of narrowbands on which the user equipment can hop.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the user equipment transmits the uplink transmissions without performing a Listen-Before-Talk (UST) procedure at a beginning of a frame.

22. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first pattern comprises a fixed pattern.

23. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein an uplink narrowband and a downlink narrowband are different.

24. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the wireless communication comprises Internet of Things (IoT) communication.

25. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer executable code for wireless communication at a user equipment, comprising code to:

transmit uplink transmissions in a plurality of transmission units to a base station that hops from a first set of narrowband frequency bands for a first channel occupancy to a second set of narrowband frequency bands for a second channel occupancy across frames in a base station hopping pattern, the first set of narrowband frequency bands being different than the second set of narrowband frequency bands; and

hop sets of narrowband frequency bands in a first pattern across frames based on the base station hopping pattern.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the uplink transmissions are transmitted based on dual hopping patterns, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code to:

hop based on the base station hopping pattern across frames and hop in a second pattern across transmission units within a frame, wherein narrowband frequency bands are hopped within the channel occupancy of the base station for the frame based on the second pattern.

27. A method of wireless communication at a base station, comprising:

hopping from a first set of narrowband frequency bands for a first channel occupancy to a second set of narrowband frequency bands for a second channel occupancy in a base station hopping pattern across frames, the first set of narrowband frequency bands being different than the second set of narrowband frequency bands; and

receiving uplink transmissions in a narrowband from a user equipment in a plurality of transmission units within a corresponding set of narrowband frequency bands based on the base station hopping pattern.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the uplink transmissions are received from the user equipment based on dual hopping patterns, wherein the user equipment hops based on the base station hopping pattern across frames and hops in a second pattern across transmission units within a frame, wherein the user equipment hops narrowband frequency bands within the channel occupancy of the base station for the frame based on the second pattern.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the uplink transmissions are received from the user equipment in the same narrowband in relation to the channel occupancy of the base station in each frame.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the base station comprises a wideband base station, the method further comprising:

multiplexing communication with a plurality of narrowband user equipments.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein the uplink transmissions are received in an uplink narrowband, the method further comprising:

transmitting downlink communication to the user equipment in a downlink narrowband, wherein the uplink narrowband is different than the downlink narrowband.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein the base station hops frequency channels in the first pattern across frames in coordination with at least one neighbor base station to occupy different frequency channels than the at least one neighbor base station.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the hopping is performed across a number of frequency channels, the number being based on a bandwidth used by the base station.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the number is further based on a minimum number of frequencies required by the user equipment.

35. The method of claim 27, wherein the wireless communication comprises Internet of Things (IoT) communication.

36. The method of claim 27, wherein the uplink transmissions are received within a bandwidth of the base station for the channel occupancy of the base station during the frame.

37. The method of claim 27, wherein the first set of narrowband frequency bands is occupied for a duration of the first channel occupancy following a successful clear channel assessment (CCA) procedure.

38. An apparatus for wireless communication at a base station, comprising:

means for hopping from a first set of narrowband frequency bands for a first channel occupancy to a second set of narrowband frequency bands for a second channel occupancy in a base station hopping pattern across frames, the first set of narrowband frequency bands being different than the second set of narrowband frequency bands; and

means for receiving uplink transmissions in a narrowband from a user equipment in a plurality of transmission units within a corresponding set of narrowband frequency bands based on the base station hopping pattern.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the uplink transmissions are received from the user equipment based on dual hopping patterns, wherein the user equipment hops based on the base station hopping pattern across frames and hops in a second pattern across transmission units within a frame, wherein the user equipment hops narrowband frequency bands within the channel occupancy of the base station for the frame based on the second pattern.

40. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the base station comprises a wideband base station, the apparatus further comprising:

means for multiplexing communication with a plurality of narrowband user equipments.

41. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the uplink transmissions are received in an uplink narrowband, the apparatus further comprising:

means for transmitting downlink communication to the user equipment in a downlink narrowband, wherein the uplink narrowband is different than the downlink narrowband.

42. An apparatus for wireless communication at a base station, comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to;

hop from a first set of narrowband frequency bands for a first channel occupancy to a second set of narrowband frequency bands for a second channel occupancy in a base station hopping pattern across frames, the first set of narrowband frequency bands being different than the second set of narrowband frequency bands; and

receive uplink transmissions in a narrowband from a user equipment in a plurality of transmission units within a corresponding set of narrowband frequency bands based on the base station hopping pattern.

43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the uplink transmissions are received from the user equipment based on dual hopping patterns, wherein the user equipment hops based on the base station hopping pattern across frames and hops in a second pattern across transmission units within a frame, wherein the user equipment hops narrowband frequency bands within the channel occupancy of the base station for the frame based on the second pattern.

44. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the uplink transmissions are received from the user equipment in the same narrowband in relation to the channel occupancy of the base station in each frame.

45. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the base station comprises a wideband base station, and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

multiplex communication with a plurality of narrowband user equipments.

46. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the uplink transmissions are received in an uplink narrowband, and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

transmit downlink communication to the user equipment in a downlink narrowband, wherein the uplink narrowband is different than the downlink narrowband.

47. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the base station hops frequency channels in the first pattern across frames in coordination with at least one neighbor base station to occupy different frequency channels than the at least one neighbor base station.

48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the hopping is performed across a number of frequency channels, the number being based on a bandwidth used by the base station.

49. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the number is further based on a minimum number of frequencies required by the user equipment.

50. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the wireless communication comprises Internet of Things (IoT) communication.

51. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer executable code for wireless communication at a base station, comprising code to:

hop from a first set of narrowband frequency bands for a first channel occupancy to a second set of narrowband frequency bands for a second channel occupancy in a base station hopping pattern across frames, the first set of narrowband frequency bands being different than the second set of narrowband frequency bands; and

receive uplink transmissions in a narrowband from a user equipment in a plurality of transmission units within a corresponding set of narrowband frequency bands based on the base station hopping pattern.

52. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 51, wherein the uplink transmissions are received from the user equipment based on dual hopping patterns, wherein the user equipment hops based on the base station hopping pattern across frames and hops in a second pattern across transmission units within a frame, wherein the user equipment hops narrowband frequency bands within the channel occupancy of the base station for the frame based on the second pattern.

53. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 51, wherein the uplink transmissions are received from the user equipment in the same narrowband in relation to the channel occupancy of the base station in each frame.

54. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 51, wherein the base station comprises a wideband base station, the computer-readable medium further comprising code to:

multiplex communication with a plurality of narrowband user equipments.

55. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 51, wherein the uplink transmissions are received in an uplink narrowband, the computer-readable medium further comprising code to:

transmit downlink communication to the user equipment in a downlink narrowband, wherein the uplink narrowband is different than the downlink narrowband.