SYSTEMS, APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR INTERFERENCE MANAGEMENT IN WIRELESS NETWORKS

• US 20100238888A1
• Filed: 03/18/2010
• Published: 09/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Sampath, Ashwin, Bachu, Raja Sekhar, Rangan, Sundeep
• Application Number:
  US12/727,163
• Publication Number:
  US 20100238888A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/54 based on quality criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B

Abstract

Systems, apparatus, methods and computer program products are provided. In some embodiments, a method for facilitating interference management in an unplanned wireless communication system is provided. The method can include a non-serving base station synchronizing a non-serving base station downlink subframe to a serving base station downlink subframe, wherein the serving base station downlink subframe is transmitted from a serving base station to a user equipment served by the serving base station. The method can also include the non-serving base station decoding one or more control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe; and determining information for performing interference management associated with the user equipment. The determined information can be based, at least, in part, on the decoded one or more control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating interference management in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

synchronizing a non-serving base station downlink subframe to a serving base station downlink subframe, wherein the serving base station downlink subframe is transmitted from a serving base station to a user equipment served by the serving base station, and wherein synchronizing is performed by a non-serving base station;

decoding one or more control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe; and

determining information for performing interference management associated with the user equipment, wherein determining information is based, at least, in part, on the decoding one or more control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe is one or more physical downlink control channel symbols, and wherein at least a first portion of the information is semi-static information and wherein a second portion of the information is dynamic information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the semi-static information is included in a coordinating message and comprises at least one of a cell radio network temporary identifier for the user equipment, a physical uplink control channel resource assigned to the user equipment, a category of the user equipment or a physical uplink control channel format,

and wherein the dynamic information comprises at least one of:

a set of resource blocks assigned to the user equipment, hopping information for the user equipment or modulation and coding scheme information.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

staggering the non-serving base station downlink subframe with the serving base station downlink subframe such that one or more control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe is aligned with one or more data channel symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe; and

gating one or more data symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe, wherein the gating one or more data symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe comprises reducing or ceasing, by the non-serving base station, a power for transmitting a gated one or more data symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the non-serving base station and the serving base station are configured for normal cyclic prefix operation,

and wherein the one or more control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe comprises three physical downlink control channel symbols,

and wherein the one or more data channel symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe comprises symbols two, three and four of a second slot of the non-serving base station downlink subframe.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising searching, during the symbols two, three and four of a second slot of the non-serving base station downlink subframe, for the cell radio network temporary identifier for the user equipment served by the serving base station, and determining uplink assignment information for the user equipment served by the serving base station.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

performing interference management at the non-serving base station, wherein performing interference management comprises at least one of;

selecting a transport format and one or more resource blocks to assign on an uplink to a user equipment served by the non-serving base station, or selecting an uplink power control command for the user equipment served by the non-serving base station.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the non-serving base station and the serving base station are configured for extended cyclic prefix operation,

and wherein the one or more control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe comprises three physical downlink control channel symbols, and wherein the one or more data channel symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe comprises symbols two, three and four of a second slot of the non-serving base station downlink subframe, the method further comprising:

power boosting a first symbol containing a cell-specific reference signal in the one or more data channel symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein the non-serving base station and the serving base station are configured for extended cyclic prefix operation,

and wherein the one or more control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe comprises a first one or two physical downlink control channel symbols, and wherein the one or more data channel symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe comprises symbols two or symbols two and three of a second slot of the non-serving base station downlink subframe, the method further comprising:

decoding the first one or two physical downlink control channel symbols, wherein decoding comprises using control channel elements decoded by the non-serving base station during the symbols two or symbols two and three of a second slot of the non-serving base station downlink subframe.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein the non-serving base station and the serving base station are configured for extended cyclic prefix operation,

and wherein the one or more control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe comprises a first two physical downlink control channel symbols,

and wherein the one or more data channel symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe comprises symbols two, three and four of a second slot of the non-serving base station downlink subframe, wherein a reference signal is transmitted on symbol four, but data is not transmitted on symbol four.

11. The method of claim 4, wherein the non-serving base station and the serving base station are configured for extended cyclic prefix operation,

and wherein the one or more control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe comprises a first two physical downlink control channel symbols,

and wherein the one or more data channel symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe comprises symbols two, three and four of a second slot of the non-serving base station downlink subframe, wherein symbol four of the second slot includes a common reference signal and not data, and wherein the second slot also includes common reference signals transmitted within data resource blocks from the non-serving base station.

12. The method of claim 4, wherein the non-serving base station is configured for normal cyclic prefix operation and the serving base station is configured for extended cyclic prefix operation,

and wherein the one or more control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe comprises three physical downlink control channel symbols,

and wherein the one or more data channel symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe comprises three symbols, wherein a second symbol of the three symbols is synchronized to align with a first symbol of the three physical downlink control channel symbols.

13. The method of claim 4, wherein the serving base station is configured for normal cyclic prefix operation and the non-serving base station is configured for extended cyclic prefix operation,

and wherein the one or more control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe comprises physical downlink control channel symbols,

and wherein the one or more data channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe are aligned such that a second symbol of a second slot of the non-serving base station downlink subframe is synchronized to align with a first one of the physical downlink control channel symbols.

14. The method of claim 4, further comprising performing interference management at the non-serving base station, wherein performing interference management comprises:

demodulating and decoding, by the non-serving base station, the physical downlink control channel symbols;

demodulating and decoding, by the non-serving base station, data associated with the user equipment served by the serving base station based, at least, on demodulating and decoding the physical downlink control channel symbols;

re-spreading demodulated soft symbols;

canceling re-spread information from a chip-level input stream; and

demodulating data associated with a user equipment served by the non-serving base station after the canceling re-spread information from a chip-level input stream.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising quantizing demodulated soft symbols to a nearest constellation prior to re-spreading and canceling.

16. The method of claim 4, wherein performing interference management at the non-serving base station comprises:

demodulating, by the non-serving base station, physical downlink control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe.

17. The method of claim 4, wherein performing interference management at the non-serving base station comprises:

scheduling transmission of a signal on a carrier different than a carrier on which an uplink signal is scheduled from the user equipment served by the serving base station or performing power control for a user equipment served by the non-serving base station.

18. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium, comprising;

a first set of codes for causing a computer to synchronize a non-serving base station downlink subframe to a serving base station downlink subframe, wherein the serving base station downlink subframe is transmitted from a serving base station to a user equipment served by the serving base station, and wherein synchronizing is performed by a non-serving base station, the non-serving base station including the computer;

a second set of codes for causing the computer to decode one or more symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe; and

a third of codes for causing the computer to determine information for performing interference management associated with the user equipment, wherein determining information is based, at least, in part, on decoding one or more symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe, wherein a non-serving base station includes the computer.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the one or more control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe is one or more physical downlink control channel symbols, and wherein at least a first portion of the information is semi-static information and wherein a second portion of the information is dynamic information.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the semi-static information is included in a coordinating message and comprises at least one of a cell radio network temporary identifier for the user equipment, a physical uplink control channel resource assigned to the user equipment, a category of the user equipment or a physical uplink control channel format,

and wherein the dynamic information comprises at least one of:

a set of resource blocks assigned to the user equipment, hopping information for the user equipment or modulation and coding scheme information.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, further comprising:

a fourth set of codes for causing the computer to stagger the non-serving base station downlink subframe with the serving base station downlink subframe such that one or more control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe is aligned with one or more data channel symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe; and

a fifth set of codes for causing the computer to gate one or more data channel symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe, wherein gating one or more data channel symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe comprises reducing or ceasing, by the non-serving base station, a power for transmitting a gated one or more data channel symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the non-serving base station and the serving base station are configured for normal cyclic prefix operation,

and wherein the one or more control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe comprises three physical downlink control channel symbols,

and wherein the one or more data channel symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe comprises symbols two, three and four of a second slot of the non-serving base station downlink subframe.

23. The computer program product of claim 22, further comprising a sixth set of codes for causing a computer to search, during the symbols two, three and four of a second slot of the non-serving base station downlink subframe, for the cell radio network temporary identifier for the user equipment served by the serving base station, and a sixth set of codes for causing the computer to determine uplink assignment information for the user equipment served by the serving base station.

24. The computer program product of claim 23, further comprising:

a seventh set of codes for causing the computer to perform interference management at the non-serving base station, wherein performing interference management comprises at least one of;

selecting a transport format and one or more resource blocks to assign on an uplink to a user equipment served by the non-serving base station, or selecting an uplink power control command for the user equipment served by the non-serving base station.

25. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the non-serving base station and the serving base station are configured for extended cyclic prefix operation,

and wherein the one or more control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe comprises three physical downlink control channel symbols, and wherein the one or more data channel symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe comprises symbols two, three and four of a second slot of the non-serving base station downlink subframe, the computer program product further comprising:

a sixth set of codes for causing the computer to power boost a first symbol containing a cell-specific reference signal in the one or more data channel symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe.

26. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the non-serving base station and the serving base station are configured for extended cyclic prefix operation,

and wherein the one or more control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe comprises a first one or two physical downlink control channel symbols, and wherein the one or more data channel symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe comprises symbols two or symbols two and three of a second slot of the non-serving base station downlink subframe, the computer program product further comprising:

a sixth set of codes for causing the computer to decode the first one or two physical downlink control channel symbols, wherein decoding comprises using control channel elements decoded by the non-serving base station during the symbols two or symbols two and three of a second slot of the non-serving base station downlink subframe.

27. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the non-serving base station and the serving base station are configured for extended cyclic prefix operation,

and wherein the one or more control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe comprises a first two physical downlink control channel symbols,

and wherein the one or more data channel symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe comprises symbols two, three and four of a second slot of the non-serving base station downlink subframe, wherein a reference signal is transmitted on symbol four, but data is not transmitted on symbol four.

28. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the non-serving base station and the serving base station are configured for extended cyclic prefix operation,

and wherein the one or more control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe comprises a first two physical downlink control channel symbols,

and wherein the one or more data channel symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe comprises symbols two, three and four of a second slot of the non-serving base station downlink subframe, wherein symbol four of the second slot includes a common reference signal and not data, and wherein the second slot also includes common reference signals transmitted within data resource blocks from the non-serving base station.

29. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the non-serving base station is configured for normal cyclic prefix operation and the serving base station is configured for extended cyclic prefix operation,

and wherein the one or more control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe comprises three physical downlink control channel symbols,

and wherein the one or more data channel symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe comprises three symbols, wherein a second symbol of the three symbols is synchronized to align with a first symbol of the three physical downlink control channel symbols.

30. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the serving base station is configured for normal cyclic prefix operation and the non-serving base station is configured for extended cyclic prefix operation,

and wherein the one or more control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe comprises physical downlink control channel symbols,

and wherein the one or more data channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe are aligned such that a second symbol of a second slot of the non-serving base station downlink subframe is synchronized to align with a first one of the physical downlink control channel symbols.

31. The computer program product of claim 21, further comprising a sixth set of codes for causing the computer to perform interference management at the non-serving base station, wherein performing interference management comprises:

demodulating and decoding, by the non-serving base station, the physical downlink control channel symbols;

demodulating and decoding, by the non-serving base station, data associated with the user equipment served by the serving base station based, at least, on demodulating and decoding the physical downlink control channel symbols;

re-spreading demodulated soft symbols;

canceling re-spread information from a chip-level input stream; and

demodulating data associated with a user equipment served by the non-serving base station after the canceling re-spread information from a chip-level input stream.

32. The computer program product of claim 31, wherein performing interference management at the non-serving base station further comprises quantizing demodulated soft symbols to a nearest constellation prior to re-spreading and canceling.

33. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein performing interference management at the non-serving base station comprises:

demodulating, by the non-serving base station, physical downlink control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe.

34. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein performing interference management at the non-serving base station comprises:

scheduling transmission of a signal on a carrier different than a carrier on which an uplink signal is scheduled from the user equipment served by the serving base station or performing power control for a user equipment served by the non-serving base station.

35. An apparatus, comprising:

means for synchronizing a non-serving base station downlink subframe to a serving base station downlink subframe, wherein the serving base station downlink subframe is transmitted from a serving base station to a user equipment served by the serving base station, and wherein synchronizing is performed by a non-serving base station;

means for decoding one or more symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe; and

means for determining information for performing interference management associated with the user equipment, wherein determining information is based, at least, in part, on the decoding one or more symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the one or more control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe is one or more physical downlink control channel symbols, and wherein at least a first portion of the information is semi-static information and wherein a second portion of the information is dynamic information.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the semi-static information is included in a coordinating message and comprises at least one of a cell radio network temporary identifier for the user equipment, a physical uplink control channel resource assigned to the user equipment, a category of the user equipment or a physical uplink control channel format,

and wherein the dynamic information comprises at least one of:

a set of resource blocks assigned to the user equipment, hopping information for the user equipment or modulation and coding scheme information.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, further comprising:

means for staggering the non-serving base station downlink subframe with the serving base station downlink subframe such that one or more control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe is aligned with one or more data channel symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe; and

means for gating one or more data channel symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe, wherein the gating one or more data channel symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe comprises reducing or ceasing, by means for gating, a power for transmitting a gated one or more data channel symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the non-serving base station and the serving base station are configured for normal cyclic prefix operation,

and wherein the one or more control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe comprises three physical downlink control channel symbols,

and wherein the one or more data channel symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe comprises symbols two, three and four of a second slot of the non-serving base station downlink subframe.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, further comprising means for searching, during the symbols two, three and four of a second slot of the non-serving base station downlink subframe, for the cell radio network temporary identifier for the user equipment served by the serving base station, and means for determining uplink assignment information for the user equipment served by the serving base station.

41. The apparatus of claim 40, further comprising:

means for performing interference management at the apparatus, wherein performing interference management comprises at least one of;

selecting a transport format and one or more resource blocks to assign on an uplink to a user equipment served by the non-serving base station, or selecting an uplink power control command for the user equipment served by the non-serving base station.

42. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the apparatus and the serving base station are configured for extended cyclic prefix operation,

and wherein the one or more control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe comprises three physical downlink control channel symbols, and wherein the one or more data channel symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe comprises symbols two, three and four of a second slot of the non-serving base station downlink subframe, the apparatus further comprising:

means for power boosting a first symbol containing a cell-specific reference signal in the one or more data channel symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe.

43. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the apparatus and the serving base station are configured for extended cyclic prefix operation,

and wherein the one or more control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe comprises a first one or two physical downlink control channel symbols, and wherein the one or more data channel symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe comprises symbols two or symbols two and three of a second slot of the non-serving base station downlink subframe, the apparatus further comprising:

means for decoding the first one or two physical downlink control channel symbols, wherein decoding comprises using control channel elements decoded by the non-serving base station during the symbols two or symbols two and three of a second slot of the non-serving base station downlink subframe.

44. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the apparatus and the serving base station are configured for extended cyclic prefix operation,

and wherein the one or more control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe comprises a first two physical downlink control channel symbols,

and wherein the one or more data channel symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe comprises symbols two, three and four of a second slot of the non-serving base station downlink subframe, wherein a reference signal is transmitted on symbol four, but data is not transmitted on symbol four.

45. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the apparatus and the serving base station are configured for extended cyclic prefix operation,

and wherein the one or more control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe comprises a first two physical downlink control channel symbols,

and wherein the one or more data channel symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe comprises symbols two, three and four of a second slot of the non-serving base station downlink subframe, wherein symbol four of the second slot includes a common reference signal and not data, and wherein the second slot also includes common reference signals transmitted within data resource blocks from the non-serving base station.

46. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the apparatus is configured for normal cyclic prefix operation and the serving base station is configured for extended cyclic prefix operation,

and wherein the one or more control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe comprises three physical downlink control channel symbols,

and wherein the one or more data channel symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe comprises three symbols, wherein a second symbol of the three symbols is synchronized to align with a first symbol of the three physical downlink control channel symbols.

47. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the serving base station is configured for normal cyclic prefix operation and the apparatus is configured for extended cyclic prefix operation,

and wherein the one or more control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe comprises physical downlink control channel symbols,

and wherein the one or more data channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe are aligned such that a second symbol of a second slot of the non-serving base station downlink subframe is synchronized to align with a first one of the physical downlink control channel symbols.

48. The apparatus of claim 38, further comprising means for performing interference management at the non-serving base station, wherein performing interference management comprises:

demodulating and decoding, by the non-serving base station, the physical downlink control channel symbols;

demodulating and decoding, by the non-serving base station, data associated with the user equipment served by the serving base station based, at least, on demodulating and decoding the physical downlink control channel symbols;

re-spreading demodulated soft symbols;

canceling re-spread information from a chip-level input stream; and

demodulating data associated with a user equipment served by the non-serving base station after the canceling re-spread information from a chip-level input stream.

49. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein performing interference management at the non-serving base station further comprises quantizing demodulated soft symbols to a nearest constellation prior to re-spreading and canceling.

50. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein performing interference management at the non-serving base station comprises:

demodulating, by the non-serving base station, physical downlink control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe.

51. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein performing interference management at the non-serving base station comprises:

scheduling transmission of a signal on a carrier different than a carrier on which an uplink signal is scheduled from the user equipment served by the serving base station or performing power control for a user equipment served by the non-serving base station.

52. An apparatus, comprising:

a non-serving base station configured to;

synchronize a non-serving base station downlink subframe to a serving base station downlink subframe, wherein the serving base station downlink subframe is transmitted from a serving base station to a user equipment served by the serving base station, wherein synchronizing is performed by a non-serving base station;

decode one or more symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe; and

determine information for performing interference management associated with the user equipment, wherein determining information is based, at least, in part, on decoding one or more symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe.

53. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein the one or more control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe is one or more physical downlink control channel symbols, and wherein at least a first portion of the information is semi-static information and wherein a second portion of the information is dynamic information.

54. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein the semi-static information is included in a coordinating message and comprises at least one of a cell radio network temporary identifier for the user equipment, a physical uplink control channel resource assigned to the user equipment, a category of the user equipment or a physical uplink control channel format,

and wherein the dynamic information comprises at least one of:

a set of resource blocks assigned to the user equipment, hopping information for the user equipment or modulation and coding scheme information.

55. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein the non-serving base station is further configured to:

stagger the non-serving base station downlink subframe with the serving base station downlink subframe such that one or more control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe is aligned with one or more data channel symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe; and

gate one or more data channel symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe, wherein gating one or more data channel symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe comprises reducing or ceasing, by means for gating, a power for transmitting a gated one or more data channel symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe.

56. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the non-serving base station and the serving base station are configured for normal cyclic prefix operation,

and wherein the one or more control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe comprises three physical downlink control channel symbols,

and wherein the one or more data channel symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe comprises symbols two, three and four of a second slot of the non-serving base station downlink subframe.

57. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein the non-serving base station is further configured to:

search, during the symbols two, three and four of a second slot of the non-serving base station downlink subframe, for the cell radio network temporary identifier for the user equipment served by the serving base station, and determine uplink assignment information for the user equipment served by the serving base station.

58. The apparatus of claim 57, wherein the non-serving base station is further configured to:

perform interference management at the apparatus, wherein performing interference management comprises at least one of;

selecting a transport format and one or more resource blocks to assign on an uplink to a user equipment served by the non-serving base station, or selecting an uplink power control command for the user equipment served by the non-serving base station.

59. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the apparatus and the serving base station are configured for extended cyclic prefix operation,

and wherein the one or more control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe comprises three physical downlink control channel symbols, and wherein the one or more data channel symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe comprises symbols two, three and four of a second slot of the non-serving base station downlink subframe, wherein the non-serving base station is further configured to:

power boost a first symbol containing a cell-specific reference signal in the one or more data channel symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe.

60. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the apparatus and the serving base station are configured for extended cyclic prefix operation,

and wherein the one or more control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe comprises a first one or two physical downlink control channel symbols, and wherein the one or more data channel symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe comprises symbols two or symbols two and three of a second slot of the non-serving base station downlink subframe, wherein the non-serving base station is further configured to:

decode the first one or two physical downlink control channel symbols, wherein decoding comprises using control channel elements decoded by the non-serving base station during the symbols two or symbols two and three of a second slot of the non-serving base station downlink subframe.

61. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the apparatus and the serving base station are configured for extended cyclic prefix operation,

and wherein the one or more control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe comprises a first two physical downlink control channel symbols,

and wherein the one or more data channel symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe comprises symbols two, three and four of a second slot of the non-serving base station downlink subframe, wherein a reference signal is transmitted on symbol four, but data is not transmitted on symbol four.

62. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the apparatus and the serving base station are configured for extended cyclic prefix operation,

and wherein the one or more control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe comprises a first two physical downlink control channel symbols,

and wherein the one or more data channel symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe comprises symbols two, three and four of a second slot of the non-serving base station downlink subframe, wherein symbol four of the second slot includes a common reference signal and not data, and wherein the second slot also includes common reference signals transmitted within data resource blocks from the non-serving base station.

63. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the apparatus is configured for normal cyclic prefix operation and the serving base station is configured for extended cyclic prefix operation,

and wherein the one or more control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe comprises three physical downlink control channel symbols,

and wherein the one or more data channel symbols of the non-serving base station downlink subframe comprises three symbols, wherein a second symbol of the three symbols is synchronized to align with a first symbol of the three physical downlink control channel symbols.

64. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the serving base station is configured for normal cyclic prefix operation and the apparatus is configured for extended cyclic prefix operation,

and wherein the one or more control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe comprises physical downlink control channel symbols,

and wherein the one or more data channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe are aligned such that a second symbol of a second slot of the non-serving base station downlink subframe is synchronized to align with a first one of the physical downlink control channel symbols.

65. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the non-serving base station is further configured to:

perform interference management at the non-serving base station, wherein performing interference management comprises;

demodulating and decoding, by the non-serving base station, the physical downlink control channel symbols;

demodulating and decoding, by the non-serving base station, data associated with the user equipment served by the serving base station based, at least, on demodulating and decoding the physical downlink control channel symbols;

re-spreading demodulated soft symbols;

canceling re-spread information from a chip-level input stream; and

demodulating data associated with a user equipment served by the non-serving base station after the canceling re-spread information from a chip-level input stream.

66. The apparatus of claim 65, wherein performing interference management at the non-serving base station further comprises quantizing demodulated soft symbols to a nearest constellation prior to re-spreading and canceling.

67. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein performing interference management at the non-serving base station comprises:

demodulating, by the non-serving base station, physical downlink control channel symbols of the serving base station downlink subframe.

68. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein performing interference management at the non-serving base station comprises:

scheduling transmission of a signal on a carrier different than a carrier on which an uplink signal is scheduled from the user equipment served by the serving base station or performing power control for a user equipment served by the non-serving base station.