METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TRANSMISSION AND RECEPTION OF SIGNALS AND RELATED METHOD OF SIGNALING

• US 20130003668A1
• Filed: 04/27/2012
• Published: 01/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Futurewei Technologies Incorporated (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Futurewei Technologies Incorporated (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Xiao, Weimin, Classon, Brian, Qu, Bingyu
• Granted Patent: US 9,485,075 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/001 the frequencies being arranged in component carriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0044 allocation of payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0053 Allocation of signaling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0098 Signalling of the activation or deactivation of component carriers, subcarriers or frequency bands
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/12 using downlink control channel

Abstract

A base station (e.g., an evolved Node B) determines whether the physical broadcast channel (PBCH), reference signals (SCH) and common reference signals (CRS) are transmitted (or awaiting transmission) on a secondary component carrier (Scell) with the cell. The determination information is transmitted to a user equipment (UE) to inform the UE that the Scell transmissions do not include PBCH/SCH/CRS. As a result, the resource elements (REs) normally used to carry system information in the PBCH/SCH/CRS can be dynamically assigned (or reassigned) to the data channel. In this manner, the physical downlink shared channel (PBSCH) bandwidth can be increased by utilizing those resource elements that are normally reserved/assigned to the PBCH/SCH/CRS.

Claims

1. A method for signaling information to a wireless communications device (UE), the method comprising:

establishing a primary component carrier cell (Pcell) between a base station and the UE, the Pcell associated with a first component carrier (CC);

transmitting determination information from the base station to the UE via the Pcell, the determination information identifying a secondary component carrier cell (Scell) associated with a second CC, the determination information operable for indicating to the UE the absence of at least a one of the following in the Scell;

a physical broadcast channel (PBCH), one or more synchronization signals (SCH), or one or more cell-specific reference signals (CRS); and

transmitting user data within one or more resource elements normally associated with at least one of the following in the Scell;

the PBCH, the SCH or the CRS.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein transmitting the determination information to the UE comprises:

transmitting the determination information using radio resource control (RRC) signaling through the Pcell.

3. The method in accordance with claim 2 wherein transmitting the determination information using RRC signaling comprises at least a one of RRC dedicated signaling or RRC broadcast signaling.

4. The method in accordance with claim 3 wherein transmitting the determination information using RRC signaling comprises:

transmitting the determination information using RRC dedicated signaling in at least a one of;

a master information block (MIB) or a system information block (SIB).

5. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the determination information comprises information identifying an allocation of bandwidth resources for the UE to utilize in the Scell.

6. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the base station is an evolved Node B device, and the Pcell is compliant with a Long Term Evolution (LTE) standard/specification.

7. The method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

determining the Scell does not include the PBCH, the SCH and the CRS; and

assigning one or more resource elements associated with the PBCH, the SCH or the CRS to a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) to carry other data.

8. A base station for signaling information and transmitting data to a wireless communications device (UE), the base station comprising:

a transmitter;

one or more antennas; and

a processor operable to;

establish a primary component carrier cell (Pcell) associated with a first component carrier (CC) between the base station and the UE,

determine whether a secondary carrier cell (Scell) established or to be established by the base station includes one or more of at least a one of the following in the Scell;

a physical broadcast channel (PBCH), one or more synchronization signals (SCH), or one or more cell-specific reference signals (CRS),

transmit determination information from the base station to the UE via the Pcell, the determination information identifying the Scell and indicating to the UE the absence of at least one of the following in the Scell;

the PBCH, the SCH or the CRS, and

transmit user data within one or more resource elements normally associated with at least one of the following in the Scell;

the PBCH, the SCH or the CRS.

9. The base station in accordance with claim 8 wherein the processor is further operable to transmit the determination information using radio resource control (RRC) signaling through the Pcell.

10. The base station in accordance with claim 9 wherein the RRC signaling comprises at least a one of RRC dedicated signaling or RRC broadcast signaling.

11. The base station in accordance with claim 10 wherein the processor is further operable to transmit the determination information using RRC dedicated signaling in at least a one of:

a master information block (MIB) or a system information block (SIB).

12. The base station in accordance with claim 8 wherein the determination information comprises information identifying an allocation of bandwidth resources for the UE to utilize in the Scell.

13. The base station in accordance with claim 8 wherein the base station comprises an evolved Node B device compliant with a Long Term Evolution (LTE) standard/specification.

14. The base station in accordance with claim 8 wherein the processor is operable to:

determine the Scell does not include the PBCH, the SCH and the CRS; and

assign one or more resource elements associated with the PBCH, the SCH or the CRS to a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) for carrying other data.

15. A method for dynamically assigning resource elements (REs) within a secondary component carrier cell (Scell) in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

establishing a primary component carrier cell (Pcell) between an evolved Node-B (eNodeB) and a user equipment (UE), the Pcell associated with a first component carrier (CC);

generating determination information by the eNodeB indicating that the Scell does not include one or more of;

a broadcast channel assigned a first set of predefined REs, synchronization signals assigned a second set of predefined REs, or reference signals assigned a third set of predefined REs;

transmitting the determination information from the eNodeB to the UE via the Pcell;

assigning one or more of the REs within one of the first set, the second set or the third set of predefined REs to a physical downlink shared channel of the Scell enabling the RE to carry data to the UE; and

transmitting data within the one or more assigned REs via the Scell to the UE.