MEASUREMENT GAP PATTERN SCHEDULING TO SUPPORT MOBILITY

• US 20080189970A1
• Filed: 01/08/2008
• Published: 08/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wang, Peter S., Wang, Jin
• Application Number:
  US11/970,954
• Publication Number:
  US 20080189970A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 33/701
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0058 Transmission of hand-off measurement information, e.g. measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0088 Scheduling hand-off measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/54 based on quality criteria

Abstract

A method for taking measurements by a user equipment (UE) during a measurement gap begins with taking UE-specific measurements. The UE requests a measurement gap from a wireless network, the request including the UE-specific measurements. The UE receives measurement gap information from the network, including when the measurement gap is scheduled. The UE takes the measurements during the scheduled measurement gap.

Claims

1. A method for taking measurements by a user equipment (UE) during a measurement gap, comprising:

taking UE-specific measurements;

requesting a measurement gap from a wireless network, the request including the UE-specific measurements;

receiving measurement gap information from the network, including when the measurement gap is scheduled; and

taking measurements during the scheduled measurement gap.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the measurement gap information includes at least one of:

a number of measurement purposes, an enumerated list of measurement purposes, a measurement gap pattern scheme, an enumerated pairing between a measurement gap pattern to different measurement purposes, a number of different gap types in one gap pattern, a sequence of measurement purposes in one gap pattern, a number of measurement purposes in one gap of a gap pattern, a sequence of measurement purposes in one gap, measurement gap pattern parameters, a gap pattern identifier, a starting measurement gap sequence number, a measurement gap length, a measurement gap duration, and a measurement gap pattern length.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether all measurements are taken before the end of the measurement gap;

sending an indication to the network if all the measurements are taken before the end of the measurement gap; and

requesting an extended measurement gap from the network if all the measurements are not taken before the end of the measurement gap.

4. A method for scheduling a measurement gap, comprising:

receiving a request for a measurement gap from a user equipment (UE), the request including UE-specific measurements;

scheduling a measurement gap based on the received measurements; and

signaling measurement gap information to the UE, whereby the UE can take measurements during the scheduled measurement gap.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said scheduling includes scheduling one measurement gap for each measurement purpose requested by the UE.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein a different measurement gap is scheduled for each wireless technology to be monitored by the UE.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the wireless technology to be monitored is at least one of:

long term evolution inter-frequency, global system for mobile communication enhanced data rates for global evolution radio access network, universal mobile telecommunications system terrestrial radio access network, code division multiple access 2000, 802.11, 802.16, and 802.21.

8. The method according to claim 4, wherein said scheduling includes scheduling a different measurement gap length for each measurement purpose requested by the UE.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein a different measurement gap is scheduled for each wireless technology to be monitored by the UE.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the wireless technology to be monitored is at least one of:

long term evolution inter-frequency, global system for mobile communication enhanced data rates for global evolution radio access network, universal mobile telecommunications system terrestrial radio access network, code division multiple access 2000, 802.11, 802.16, and 802.21.

11. The method according to claim 4, wherein the measurement gap information includes at least one of:

a number of measurement purposes, an enumerated list of measurement purposes, a measurement gap pattern scheme, an enumerated pairing between a measurement gap pattern to different measurement purposes, a number of different gap types in one gap pattern, a sequence of measurement purposes in one gap pattern, a number of measurement purposes in one gap of a gap pattern, a sequence of measurement purposes in one gap, measurement gap pattern parameters, a gap pattern identifier, a starting measurement gap sequence number, a measurement gap length, a measurement gap duration, and a measurement gap pattern length.

12. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

receiving an indication that the UE completed taking its measurements before the end of the measurement gap; and

re-allocating radio resources assigned to the measurement gap for other purposes.

13. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

receiving a request that the UE needs additional time to take its measurements;

scheduling an extended measurement gap; and

signaling extended measurement gap information to the UE.

14. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

determining a length of time between consecutive measurement gaps.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein said determining includes:

receiving a velocity measurement for the UE;

comparing the UE velocity measurement against a plurality of thresholds; and

determining the length of time based on the comparison result.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein if the UE velocity is greater than a high velocity threshold for a predetermined period of time, then using a short length of time.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein if the UE velocity is between a high velocity threshold and a low velocity threshold for a predetermined period of time, then using a medium length of time.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein if the UE velocity is below a low velocity threshold for a predetermined period of time, then using a long length of time.

19. The method according to claim 14, wherein said determining includes:

receiving a pathloss measurement for the UE;

comparing the UE pathloss measurement against a plurality of thresholds; and

determining the length of time based on the comparison result.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein if the UE pathloss is greater than a high pathloss threshold for a predetermined period of time, then using a short length of time.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein if the UE pathloss is between a high pathloss threshold and a low pathloss threshold for a predetermined period of time, then using a medium length of time.

22. The method according to claim 19, wherein if the UE pathloss is below a low pathloss threshold for a predetermined period of time, then using a long length of time.

23. A user equipment (UE) configured to take measurements during a measurement gap, comprising:

a UE measurement device configured to take UE-specific measurements;

a measurement gap device in communication with said UE measurement device, said measurement gap device configured to;

receive the UE-specific measurements;

request a measurement gap from a wireless network, the request including the UE-specific measurements; and

receive measurement gap information from the network; and

an external measurement device in communication with said measurement gap device, said external measurement device configured to;

receive measurement gap information from said measurement gap device;

request external measurements during the measurement gap; and

receive the external measurements.

24. The UE according to claim 23, wherein the measurement gap information includes at least one of:

a number of measurement purposes, an enumerated list of measurement purposes, a measurement gap pattern scheme, an enumerated pairing between a measurement gap pattern to different measurement purposes, a number of different gap types in one gap pattern, a sequence of measurement purposes in one gap pattern, a number of measurement purposes in one gap of a gap pattern, a sequence of measurement purposes in one gap, measurement gap pattern parameters, a gap pattern identifier, a starting measurement gap sequence number, a measurement gap length, a measurement gap duration, and a measurement gap pattern length.

25. The UE according to claim 23, wherein said external measurement device is further configured to request an extended measurement gap from said measurement gap device.

26. The UE according to claim 25, wherein said measurement gap device is further configured to request the extended measurement gap.

27. A user equipment (UE) configured to take measurements during a measurement gap, comprising:

a measurement device configured to;

take UE-specific measurements;

receive measurement gap information;

request external measurements during the measurement gap; and

receive the external measurements; and

a measurement gap device in communication with said measurement device, said measurement gap device configured to;

receive the UE-specific measurements;

request a measurement gap from a wireless network, the request including the UE-specific measurements; and

receive the measurement gap information from the network.

28. The UE according to claim 27, wherein the measurement gap information includes at least one of:

a number of measurement purposes, an enumerated list of measurement purposes, a measurement gap pattern scheme, an enumerated pairing between a measurement gap pattern to different measurement purposes, a number of different gap types in one gap pattern, a sequence of measurement purposes in one gap pattern, a number of measurement purposes in one gap of a gap pattern, a sequence of measurement purposes in one gap, measurement gap pattern parameters, a gap pattern identifier, a starting measurement gap sequence number, a measurement gap length, a measurement gap duration, and a measurement gap pattern length.

29. The UE according to claim 27, wherein said measurement device is further configured to request an extended measurement gap from said measurement gap device.

30. The UE according to claim 29, wherein said measurement gap device is further configured to request the extended measurement gap from the network.

31. A base station configured to assign a measurement gap, comprising:

a measurement gap device configured to;

receive a measurement gap request from a user equipment (UE), the request including UE-specific measurements;

schedule the measurement gap based on the measurements; and

signal measurement gap information to the UE.

32. The base station according to claim 31, wherein the measurement gap information includes at least one of:

a number of measurement purposes, an enumerated list of measurement purposes, a measurement gap pattern scheme, an enumerated pairing between a measurement gap pattern to different measurement purposes, a number of different gap types in one gap pattern, a sequence of measurement purposes in one gap pattern, a number of measurement purposes in one gap of a gap pattern, a sequence of measurement purposes in one gap, measurement gap pattern parameters, a gap pattern identifier, a starting measurement gap sequence number, a measurement gap length, a measurement gap duration, and a measurement gap pattern length.

33. The base station according to claim 31, wherein said measurement gap device is further configured to:

receive a request that the UE needs additional time to take its measurements;

schedule an extended measurement gap; and

signal the extended measurement gap information to the UE.

34. The base station according to claim 31, further comprising:

a radio resource allocator configured to;

receive an indication from the UE that the UE has completed taking its measurements before the end of the measurement gap; and

re-allocate radio resources assigned to the measurement gap for other purposes.

35. A user equipment (UE) configured to take measurements during a measurement gap, comprising:

a UE measurement device configured to take UE-specific measurements;

a measurement gap device in communication with said UE measurement device, said measurement gap device configured to;

receive the UE-specific measurements;

request a measurement gap from a wireless network, the request including the UE-specific measurements; and

receive measurement gap information from the network, wherein the measurement gap information includes at least one of;

a number of measurement purposes, an enumerated list of measurement purposes, a measurement gap pattern scheme, an enumerated pairing between a measurement gap pattern to different measurement purposes, a number of different gap types in one gap pattern, a sequence of measurement purposes in one gap pattern, a number of measurement purposes in one gap of a gap pattern, a sequence of measurement purposes in one gap, measurement gap pattern parameters, a gap pattern identifier, a starting measurement gap sequence number, a measurement gap length, a measurement gap duration, and a measurement gap pattern length; and

an external measurement device in communication with said measurement gap device, said external measurement device configured to;

receive measurement gap information from said measurement gap device;

request external measurements during the measurement gap; and

receive the external measurements.