Pilot grouping and route protocols in multi-carrier communication systems

• US 20070066232A1
• Filed: 09/19/2006
• Published: 03/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Black, Peter
• Application Number:
  US11/523,959
• Publication Number:
  US 20070066232A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/67.110
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0026 Transmission of channel quality indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1671 the supervisory signal being transmitted together with control information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/261 Details of reference signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2613 Structure of the reference signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0007 the frequencies being orthogonal, e.g. OFDM(A), DMT
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0037 Inter-user or inter-terminal allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/005 of common pilots, i.e. pilots destined for multiple users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0091 Signaling for the administration of the divided path
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0069 in case of dual connectivity, e.g. decoupled uplink/downlink
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/185 using make before break
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/04 Scheduled access hybrid access H04W74/02

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein relate to methods and systems for pilot grouping, route protocols, and scheduling in multi-carrier communication systems. In an embodiment, an access terminal may group a plurality of pilot signals characterized by different frequencies into one or more pilot groups, each pilot grouping being identified by a plurality of parameters (e.g., a PN offset and a group ID). Each pilot group may include pilot signals having substantially the same coverage area. The access terminal may further select a representative pilot signal from each pilot group for pilot strength reporting. The access terminal may also use the pilot grouping for effective set management.

Claims

1. A method in a multi-carrier communication system, comprising:

grouping a plurality of pilot signals into one or more pilot groups, each pilot group being identified by a plurality of parameters; and

selecting a representative pilot signal from each pilot group for pilot strength reporting.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of parameters include a PN offset and a group identifier.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each pilot group includes one or more pilot signals having substantially the same coverage area.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the pilot signals are characterized by a plurality of frequencies.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising measuring a strength of the representative pilot signal.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising reporting the strength of the representative pilot signal, if the strength of the representative pilot signal exceeds a predetermined threshold.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising reporting the strength of the representative pilot signal, if the strength of the representative pilot signal falls below a predetermined threshold.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising pointing a data source control (DSC) channel associated with an access terminal to each of a plurality of cells on different frequencies.

9. An apparatus adapted for multi-carrier communications, comprising:

means for grouping a plurality of pilot signals into one or more pilot groups, each pilot group being identified by a plurality of parameters; and

means for selecting a representative pilot signal from each pilot group for pilot strength reporting.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the plurality of parameters include a PN offset and a group identifier.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein each pilot group includes one or more pilot signals having substantially the same coverage area.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising means for measuring a strength of the representative pilot signal.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising means for reporting the strength of the representative pilot signal, if the strength of the representative pilot signal exceeds a predetermined threshold.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising means for reporting the strength of the representative pilot signal, if the strength of the representative pilot signal falls below a predetermined threshold.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the pilot signals are characterized by a plurality of frequencies.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising means for pointing a data source control (DSC) channel associated with an access terminal to each of a plurality of cells on different frequencies.

17. A method in a communication system, comprising:

receiving a message indicating a plurality of forward link channels each carrying reverse link-related information for each of reverse link channels associated with an access terminal; and

assigning one of the reverse link channels to carry forward link-related information associated with at least one of the forward link channels.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the forward link-related information includes at least one of a cell selection, a sector selection, an automatic repeat request (ARQ) acknowledgment (ACK), and a signal-to-noise-and-interference (C/I) feedback.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the reverse link-related information includes a reverse power control (RPC) bit stream.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising monitoring a control channel carried one of the forward link channels.

21. An apparatus adapted for multi-carrier communications, comprising:

means for receiving a message indicating a plurality of forward link channels each carrying reverse link-related information for each of reverse link channels associated with an access terminal; and

means for assigning one of the reverse link channels to carry forward link-related information associated with at least one of the forward link channels.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the forward link-related information includes at least one of a cell selection, a sector selection, an automatic repeat request (ARQ) acknowledgment (ACK), and a signal-to-noise-and-interference (C/I) feedback

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the reverse link-related information includes a reverse power control (RPC) bit stream.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising means for monitoring a control channel carried one of the forward link channels.

25. A method in a multi-carrier communication system, comprising:

grouping a plurality of pilot signals into one or more scheduler groups in accordance with sequence numbers of the pilot signals, the pilot signals characterized by a plurality of frequencies; and

associating each scheduler group with a transmission queue.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein each scheduler group includes one or more pilot signals having a same sequence number.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the sequence number is associated with detecting gaps in a received data packet.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein each scheduler group includes one or more pilot signals associated with a sub-active set of an access terminal.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the pilot signals in each scheduler group are associated with a plurality of sectors in softer handoff.

30. An apparatus adapted for multi-carrier communications, comprising:

means for grouping a plurality of pilot signals into one or more scheduler groups in accordance with sequence numbers of the pilot signals, the pilot signals characterized by a plurality of frequencies; and

means for associating each scheduler group with a transmission queue.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein each scheduler group includes one or more pilot signals having a same sequence number.

32. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein each scheduler group includes one or more pilot signals associated with a sub-active set of an access terminal.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the pilot signals in each scheduler group are associated with a plurality of sectors in softer handoff.