Multi-carrier detection in a wireless network

• US 10,708,951 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2019
• Issued: 07/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Babaei, Alireza, Dinan, Esmael
• Primary Examiner(s): Han, Clemence S
• Application Number:
  US16/378,165
• Publication Number:
  US 20190239252A1
• Time in Patent Office: 456 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/006 in the downlink, i.e. towards the terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0808 using carrier sensing, e.g. carrier sense multiple access [CSMA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0891 for synchronized access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points

Abstract

Methods, apparatuses, and systems are described for wireless communications. A wireless device may perform listen before talk (LBT) procedures for licensed assisted access (LAA) cells. The LBT procedures may use different monitoring periods. The wireless device may transmit transport blocks (TBs) via the LAA cells.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a wireless device, one or more listen-before-talk (LBT) parameters for a plurality of licensed assisted access (LAA) cells;

receiving uplink grants for uplink transmissions, each having a same starting position, via the plurality of LAA cells;

performing, for a first LAA cell of the plurality of LAA cells, a first type of LBT procedure associated with a first duration;

performing, for a second LAA cell of the plurality of LAA cells, a second type of LBT procedure associated with a second duration shorter than the first duration, wherein the second LAA cell is different from the first LAA cell;

based on the first type of LBT procedure indicating a clear channel for the first LAA cell, transmitting a first transport block via the first LAA cell; and

based on the first type of LBT procedure indicating a clear channel for the first LAA cell and the second type of LBT procedure indicating a clear channel for the second LAA cell, transmitting a second transport block via the second LAA cell.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of LAA cells operate according to frame structure Type 3.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one uplink grant of the uplink grants is for one of the plurality of LAA cells.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the uplink grants comprises receiving at least one uplink grant of the uplink grants via at least one licensed cell.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the uplink grants comprises receiving the uplink grants via a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) or an enhanced physical downlink control channel (ePDCCH).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the receiving the uplink grants comprises receiving an uplink grant of the uplink grants in a first subframe; and

the uplink grant is for k subframes after the first subframe.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein transmission of the first transport block and transmission of the second transport block start at a respective pre-configured starting position of a plurality of pre-configured starting positions.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first type of LBT procedure comprises:

sensing an LAA cell; and

comparing a detected power with an energy detection threshold.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the LBT parameter indicates at least one of:

an energy detection threshold offset value;

or

a first energy detection threshold value.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting the first LAA cell uniformly randomly from the plurality of LAA cells.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining an energy detection threshold for one or more LAA cells of the plurality of LAA cells based on the LBT parameter.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the determining the energy detection threshold for the one or more LAA cells of the plurality of LAA cells comprises determining an individual energy detection threshold for an individual LAA cell of the plurality of LAA cells.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting via the second LAA cell is after the transmitting via the first LAA cell.

14. A wireless device comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wireless device to;

receive one or more listen-before-talk (LBT) parameters for a plurality of licensed assisted access (LAA) cells;

receive uplink grants for uplink transmissions, each having a same starting position, via the plurality of LAA cells;

perform, for a first LAA cell of the plurality of LAA cells, a first type of LBT procedure associated with a first duration;

perform, for a second LAA cell of the plurality of LAA cells, a second type of LBT procedure associated with a second duration shorter than the first duration, wherein the second LAA cell is different than the first LAA cell;

based on the first type of LBT procedure indicating a clear channel for the first LAA cell, transmit a first transport block via the first LAA cell; and

based on the first type of LBT procedure indicating a clear channel for the first LAA cell and the second type of LBT procedure indicating a clear channel for the second LAA cell, transmit a second transport block via the second LAA cell.

15. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein the plurality of LAA cells operate according to frame structure Type 3.

16. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein at least one uplink grant of the uplink grants is for one of the plurality of LAA cells.

17. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein at least one uplink grant of the uplink grants is received on at least one licensed cell.

18. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein an uplink grant of the uplink grants is transmitted via a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) or an enhanced physical downlink control channel (ePDCCH).

19. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein an uplink grant of the uplink grants:

is received in a first subframe; and

is for k subframes after the first subframe.

20. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the wireless device to transmit the first transport block and transmit the second transport block starting at a respective pre-configured starting position of a plurality of pre-configured starting positions.

21. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wireless device to perform the first type of LBT procedure by at least:

sensing an LAA cell; and

comparing a detected power with an energy detection threshold.

22. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein the LBT parameter indicates at least one of:

an energy detection threshold offset value;

or

a first energy detection threshold value.

23. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the wireless device to select the first LAA cell uniformly randomly from the plurality of LAA cells.

24. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the wireless device to determine an energy detection threshold for one or more LAA cells of the plurality of LAA cells based on the LBT parameter.

25. The wireless device of claim 24, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wireless device to determine the energy detection threshold for the one or more LAA cells of the plurality of LAA cells by determining an individual energy detection threshold for an individual LAA cell of the plurality of LAA cells.

26. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wireless device to transmit the second transport block via the second LAA cell after the wireless device transmits the first transport block via the first LAA cell.

27. A system comprising:

a base station comprising;

one or more processors; and

memory storing first instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors of the base station, cause the base station to;

transmit one or more listen-before-talk (LBT) parameters for a plurality of license assisted access (LAA) cells;

transmit uplink grants for uplink transmissions, each having a same starting position, via the plurality of LAA cells; and

a wireless device comprising;

one or more processors and

memory storing second instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors of the wireless device, cause the wireless device to;

perform, for a first LAA cell of the plurality of LAA cells, a first type of LBT procedure associated with a first duration;

perform, for a second LAA cell of the plurality of LAA cells, a second type of LBT procedure associated with a second duration shorter than the first duration,

wherein the second LAA cell is different than the first LAA cell;

based on the first type of LBT procedure indicating a clear channel for the first LAA cell, transmit a first transport block via the first LAA cell; and

based on the first type of LBT procedure indicating a clear channel for the first LAA cell and the second type of LBT procedure indicating a clear channel for the second LAA cell, transmit a second transport block via the second LAA cell.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the plurality of LAA cells operate according to frame structure Type 3.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein at least one uplink grant of the uplink grants is for one of the plurality of LAA cells.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein at least one uplink grant of the uplink grants is received on at least one licensed cell.

31. The system of claim 27, wherein an uplink grant of the uplink grants is transmitted via a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) or an enhanced physical downlink control channel (ePDCCH).

32. The system of claim 27, wherein an uplink grant of the uplink grants:

is received in a first subframe; and

is for k subframes after the first subframe.

33. The system of claim 27, wherein transmission of the first transport block and transmission of the second transport block start at a respective pre-configured starting position of a plurality of pre-configured starting positions.

34. The system of claim 27, wherein the first type of LBT procedure comprises:

sensing an LAA cell; and

comparing a detected power with an energy detection threshold.

35. The system of claim 27, wherein the LBT parameter indicates at least one of:

an energy detection threshold offset value;

or

a first energy detection threshold value.

36. The system of claim 27, wherein the second instructions, when executed by the one or more processors of the wireless device, further cause the wireless device to select the first LAA cell uniformly randomly from the plurality of LAA cells.

37. The system of claim 27, wherein the second instructions, when executed by the one or more processors of the wireless device, further cause the wireless device to determine an energy detection threshold for one or more LAA cells of the plurality of LAA cells based on the LBT parameter.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the second instructions, when executed by the one or more processors of the wireless device, further cause the wireless device to determine the energy detection threshold for the one or more LAA cells of the plurality of LAA cells by determining an individual energy detection threshold for an individual LAA cell of the plurality of LAA cells.

39. The system of claim 27, wherein the second instructions, when executed by the one or more processors of the wireless device, further cause the wireless device to transmit the second transport block via the second LAA cell after the wireless device transmits the first transport block via the first LAA cell.

40. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, configure a wireless device to:

receive one or more listen-before-talk (LBT) parameters for a plurality of licensed assisted access (LAA) cells;

receive uplink grants for uplink transmissions, each having a same starting position, via the plurality of LAA cells;

perform, for a first LAA cell of the plurality of LAA cells, a first type of LBT procedure associated with a first duration;

perform, for a second LAA cell of the plurality of LAA cells, a second type of LBT procedure associated with a second duration shorter than the first duration, wherein the second LAA cell is different than the first LAA cell;

based on the first type of LBT procedure indicating a clear channel for the first LAA cell, transmit a first transport block via the first LAA cell; and

based on the first type of LBT procedure indicating a clear channel for the first LAA cell and the second type of LBT procedure indicating a clear channel for the second LAA cell, transmit a second transport block via the second LAA cell.

41. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 40, wherein the plurality of LAA cells operate according to frame structure Type 3.

42. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 40, wherein at least one uplink grant of the uplink grants is for one of the plurality of LAA cells.

43. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 40, wherein at least one uplink grant of the uplink grants is received on at least one licensed cell.

44. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 40, wherein an uplink grant of the uplink grants is transmitted via a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) or an enhanced physical downlink control channel (ePDCCH).

45. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 40, wherein an uplink grant of the uplink grants:

is received in a first subframe; and

is for k subframes after the first subframe.

46. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 40, wherein the instructions, when executed, configure the wireless device to transmit the first transport block and transmit the second transport block starting at a respective pre-configured starting position of a plurality of pre-configured starting positions.

47. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 40, wherein the instructions, when executed, configure the wireless device to perform the first type of LBT procedure by at least:

sensing an LAA cell; and

comparing a detected power with an energy detection threshold.

48. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 40, wherein the LBT parameter indicates at least one of:

an energy detection threshold offset value;

or

a first energy detection threshold value.

49. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 40, wherein the instructions, when executed, configure the wireless device to select the first LAA cell uniformly randomly from the plurality of LAA cells.

50. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 40, wherein the instructions, when executed, configure the wireless device to determine an energy detection threshold for one or more LAA cells of the plurality of LAA cells based on the LBT parameter.

51. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 50, wherein the instructions, when executed, configure the wireless device to determine the energy detection threshold for the one or more LAA cells of the plurality of LAA cells by determining an individual energy detection threshold for an individual LAA cell of the plurality of LAA cells.

52. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 40, wherein the instructions, when executed, configure the wireless device to transmit the second transport block via the second LAA cell after the wireless device transmits the first transport block via the first LAA cell.