System and Method for Multi-Carrier Network Operation

• US 20130010619A1
• Filed: 09/24/2010
• Published: 01/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Fong, Mo-Han, Heo, Youn Hyoung
• Granted Patent: US 9,585,164 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/50 at the moment of starting communication in a multiple access environment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/00 Local resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/002 Transmission of channel access control information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0833 Random access procedures, e.g. with 4-step access

Abstract

Methods, devices, and systems for multi-carrier network operation are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of pairing and linking carriers in a multi-carrier network, wherein the multi-carrier network includes a downlink carrier, a first uplink carrier, and a second uplink carrier between a base station and a user equipment (“UE”), comprises receiving a Radio Resource Control (“RRC”) signaling; pairing the first uplink carrier with the downlink carrier using information in the RRC signaling, wherein the information includes the pairing of the downlink carrier with the first uplink carrier; and linking the second uplink carrier with the downlink carrier using information in the RRC signaling, wherein the information includes the linking of the downlink carrier with the second uplink carrier.

Claims

1. A method of pairing and linking carriers in a multi-carrier network, wherein the multi-carrier network includes a downlink carrier, a first uplink carrier, and a second uplink carrier between a base station and a user equipment (“

UE”

), comprising;

receiving a Radio Resource Control (“

RRC”

) signaling;

pairing the first uplink carrier with the downlink carrier using information in said RRC signaling, wherein said information includes the pairing of the downlink carrier with the first uplink carrier; and

linking the second uplink carrier with the downlink carrier using information in said RRC signaling, wherein said information includes the linking of the downlink carrier with the second uplink carrier.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the downlink carrier and the first uplink carrier is a cell.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said information in said RRC signaling associated with pairing the first uplink carrier with the downlink carrier is included in a system information (“

SI”

), wherein said SI is associated with at least one of the downlink carrier and the first uplink carrier.

4. A method of pairing and linking carriers in a multi-carrier network, wherein the multi-carrier network includes a first downlink carrier, a second downlink carrier, and an uplink carrier between a base station and a user equipment (“

UE”

), comprising;

receiving a Radio Resource Control (“

RRC”

) signaling;

pairing the uplink carrier with the first downlink carrier using information in said RRC signaling, wherein said information includes the pairing of the first downlink carrier with the uplink carrier; and

linking the uplink carrier with the second downlink carrier using information in said RRC signaling, wherein said information includes the linking of the second downlink carrier with the uplink carrier.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one of the first downlink carrier and the uplink carrier is a cell.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said information in said RRC signaling associated with said pairing the uplink carrier with the first downlink carrier is included in a system information (“

SI”

), wherein said SI is associated with at least one of the first downlink carrier and the uplink carrier.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein said information in said RRC signaling associated with said linking of the second downlink carrier with the uplink carrier includes a criteria for using the second downlink carrier for assigning a data channel resource on the uplink carrier.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said criteria includes at least one of the second downlink carrier is active, the first downlink carrier is not active, and the second downlink carrier is higher priority than the first downlink carrier.

9. A method of linking carriers in a multi-carrier network, wherein the multi-carrier network includes a first downlink carrier, a second downlink carrier, and a third downlink carrier between a base station and a user equipment (“

UE”

), comprising;

receiving a Radio Resource Control (“

RRC”

) signaling;

linking the first downlink carrier with the second downlink carrier using information in said RRC signaling, wherein said information includes the linking of the first downlink carrier with the second downlink carrier; and

linking the first downlink carrier with the third downlink carrier using information in said RRC signaling, wherein said information includes the linking of the first downlink carrier with the third downlink carrier.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said information in said RRC signaling associated with said linking the first downlink carrier with the second downlink carrier includes a criteria for using the second downlink carrier to assign a data channel resource on the first downlink carrier.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said criteria includes at least one of the second downlink carrier is active, the third downlink carrier is not active, and the second downlink carrier is higher priority than the third downlink carrier.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said information in said RRC signaling associated with said linking the first downlink carrier with the third downlink carrier includes a criteria for using the third downlink carrier to assign a data channel resource on the first downlink carrier.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said criteria includes at least one of the third downlink carrier is active, the second downlink carrier is not active, and the third downlink carrier is higher priority than the second downlink carrier.

14. A method of assigning a carrier group in a multi-carrier network, wherein the multi-carrier network includes one or more downlink carriers and one or more uplink carriers between a base station and a user equipment (“

UE”

), comprising;

determining a propagation metric for each of the one or more downlink carriers and each of the one or more uplink carriers;

grouping each of the one or more downlink carriers and each of the one or more uplink carriers having about the same said propagation metric to form the carrier group; and

sending the carrier group information.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein at least one of the one or more downlink carriers and one of the one or more uplink carriers is a cell.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

pairing the one or more downlink carriers in the carrier group with the one or more uplink carriers in the carrier group.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

pairing the one or more downlink carriers in the carrier group with the one or more uplink carriers in another carrier group.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein said propagation metric includes at least one of a path loss (“

PL”

) and a propagation delay (“

PD”

).

19. A method of assigning a carrier group in a multi-carrier network, wherein the multi carrier network includes one or more downlink carriers between a base station and a user equipment (“

UE”

), comprising;

determining a propagation metric for each of the one or more downlink carriers;

grouping each of the one or more downlink carriers having about the same said propagation metric to form the carrier group; and

sending the carrier group information.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said propagation metric includes at least one of a path loss (“

PL”

) and a propagation delay (“

PD”

).

21. A method of assigning a carrier group in a multi-carrier network, wherein the multi-carrier network includes one or more uplink carriers between a base station and a user equipment (“

UE”

), comprising;

determining a propagation metric for each of the one or more uplink carriers;

grouping each of the one or more uplink carriers having about the same said propagation metric to form the carrier group; and

sending the carrier group information.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said propagation metric includes at least one of a path loss (“

PL”

) and a propagation delay (“

PD”

).

23. A Method of performing a random access (“

RA”

) procedure in a multi-carrier network, wherein the multi-carrier network includes a carrier group associated with a base station and a user equipment (“

UE”

), wherein said carrier group includes one or more downlink carriers and one or more uplink carriers, comprising;

receiving a set of RA parameters of the carrier group;

transmitting an RA preamble signal on at least one uplink carrier in the carrier group using said set of RA parameters; and

receiving an RA response signal on at least one downlink carrier in the carrier group, wherein said RA response signal corresponds to said RA preamble signal.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein at least one of the one or more downlink carriers and one of the one or more uplink carriers is a cell.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein said transmitting an RA preamble signal on the at least one uplink carrier using said set of RA parameters includes transmitting only one RA preamble signal at any one time on the uplink carrier.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein at least one of the one or more uplink carriers is paired, linked, or both with at least one of the one or more downlink carriers.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein at least one of the one or more uplink carriers is a designated uplink carrier.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein at least one of the one or more downlink carriers is a designated downlink carrier.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein at least one of the one or more uplink carriers is an uplink anchor carrier.

30. The method of claim 23, wherein at least one of the one or more downlink carriers is a downlink anchor carrier.

31. The method of claim 23, wherein at least one of the one or more uplink carriers includes a Physical Random Access Channel (“

PRACH”

).

32. The method of claim 23, wherein said set of RA parameters includes at least one of a timer parameter, a counter parameter, and a transmit power parameter.

33. The method of claim 23, wherein the multi-carrier network includes another carrier group associated with the base station and the UE, wherein said other carrier group includes one or more other downlink carriers and one or more other uplink carriers, further comprising:

maintaining another set of RA parameters of said other carrier group;

transmitting another RA preamble signal on said one or more other uplink carriers using said other set of RA parameters; and

receiving another RA response signal on said one or more other downlink carriers, wherein said other RA response signal corresponds to said other RA preamble signal.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein said transmitting another. RA preamble signal on said one or more other uplink carriers using said other set of RA parameters includes transmitting only one said other RA preamble signal at any one time on said one or more other uplink carriers.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein said RA preamble signal and said other RA preamble signal are independently transmitted.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein at least one of said one or more other uplink carriers is paired, linked, or both to at least one of said one or more other downlink carriers.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein said one or more other uplink carriers is a designated uplink carrier.

38. The method of claim 33, wherein said one or more other downlink carriers is a designated downlink carrier.

39. The method of claim 33, wherein at least one of the one or more other uplink carriers is an uplink anchor carrier.

40. The method of claim 33, wherein at least one of the one or more other downlink carriers is a downlink anchor carrier.

41. The method of claim 33, wherein at least one of the one or more other uplink carriers includes a Physical. Random Access Channel (“

PRACH”

).

42. The method of claim 33, wherein said other set of RA parameters includes at least one of a timer parameter, a counter parameter, and a transmit power parameter.