Methods and Apparatus for Operating Wireless Devices

• US 20130223294A1
• Filed: 02/21/2013
• Published: 08/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Renesas Mobile Corporation (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Inventors: LAMPINEN, Karl Marko Juhani, TURTINEN, Samuli, KOSKELA, Timo K., KARJALAINEN, Juha Pekka, HAKOLA, Sami Jukka
• Granted Patent: US 9,577,813 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/277
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0023 Time-frequency-space
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0032 Distributed allocation, i.e. involving a plurality of allocating devices, each making partial allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/14 Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/1438 Negotiation of transmission parameters prior to communication modified according to link quality H04L1/0001
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/12 Wireless traffic scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities

Abstract

A system of operating a wireless device in a wireless communication network includes selecting, by the wireless device, a preferred operating mode for use by the wireless device, the selection being made from at least a full duplex operating mode in which the wireless device can transmit and receive simultaneously on the same frequency band and a non full duplex operating mode; and transmitting a signal indicating the selected preferred operating mode to a network entity.

Claims

1. An apparatus for a wireless device operating in a wireless communication network, the apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code being configured to, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to;

select a preferred operating mode for use by the wireless device, the selection being made from at least a full duplex operating mode in which the wireless device can transmit and receive simultaneously on the same frequency band and a non full duplex operating mode; and

determine to transmit a signal indicating the selected preferred operating mode to a network entity.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to:

select a preferred transmission rank indicating a preferred number of data layers for transmissions to the wireless device from another device; and

determine to transmit a signal indicating the selected preferred transmission rank to the network entity.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to:

determine to transmit a signal that indicates the selected preferred operating mode and the selected preferred transmission rank together to the network entity.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the signal comprises a field comprising a first number of one or more bits that indicate the selected preferred transmission rank and a second number of one or more bits that indicate the selected preferred operating mode.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the selection is at least partly based on an amount of buffered data at the wireless device awaiting transmission.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to:

compare the amount of buffered data to a first threshold value and if the amount of buffered data is greater than the threshold select between a fall duplex operating mode and a half duplex operating mode, and if the amount of buffered data is less than the threshold select a half duplex operating mode.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the selection is at least partly based on determining which of a plurality of available combinations of full duplex or half duplex operating modes and transmission ranks it is estimated will provide a highest throughput of data received at the wireless device from another device, wherein a transmission rank indicates a number of data layers for transmission to the wireless device from the another device;

and the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to determine to transmit an indication of the selected preferred operating mode and an associated preferred transmission rank to the network device.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus:

to determine a full duplex mode and transmission rank combination it is estimated will provide a highest throughput of data received, in full duplex rode, at the wireless device from another device;

determine a half duplex mode and transmission rank combination it is estimated will provide a highest throughput of data received, in half duplex mode, at the wireless device from the another device;

estimate which of the two combinations will provide the highest throughput of data;

select this combination as a preferred combination of operating mode and transmission rank.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to:

determine a full duplex mode and transmission rank combination it is estimated will provide a highest throughput of data received, in full duplex mode, at the wireless device from another device;

determine a half duplex mode and transmission rank combination it is estimated will provide a highest throughput of data received, in half duplex mode, at the wireless device from the another device; and

determine a ratio of an estimated first data block size transmittable to the wireless device from the another device in a transmission time interval using the full duplex mode and transmission rank combination and an estimated second data block size transmittable to the wireless device from the another device in the transmission time interval using the half duplex mode and transmission rank combination and compare the ratio to a threshold value and if the ratio is greater than the threshold select the full duplex operating mode and transmission rank combination and if the ratio is less than the threshold select the half duplex operating mode and transmission rank combination.

10. The apparatus according claim 1 wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to:

determine a full duplex mode and transmission rank combination it is estimated will provide a highest throughput of data received, in full duplex mode, at the wireless device from another device;

determine a half duplex mode and transmission rank combination it is estimated will provide a highest throughput of data received, in half duplex mode, at the wireless device from the another device; and

determine a sum of an estimated first data block size transmittable to the wireless device in a transmission time interval from the another device using the full duplex mode and transmission rank combination and a previous scheduled second data block for transmission from the wireless device to the another device, compare the sum with an estimated third data block size transmittable to the wireless device in a transmission time interval from the another device using the half duplex mode and transmission rank combination and, if the sum exceeds the estimated third data block size select the full duplex mode and transmission rank combination and if the sum is less than the estimated third data block size select the half duplex mode and transmission rank combination.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the wireless device transmits a signal indicating at least one Channel Quality Indicator for the selected preferred operating mode to the network entity.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the at least one Channel Quality indicator is determined based on an SINR measurement for the selected preferred operating mode taken at the wireless device.

15. The Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus is configured for use in a LTE, LTE-A or CDMA wireless network.

13. An apparatus for a network entity operating in a wireless communications network, the apparatus comprising at least one processor;

and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code being configured to, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to;

receive from each of one or more wireless devices operating in the network an indication of a preferred operating mode for use by the wireless device and selected by that wireless device from at least a full duplex operating mode in which the wireless device can transmit and receive simultaneously on the same frequency band and a non full duplex operating mode;

determine for each of the one or more wireless devices whether or not to support its indicated preferred operating mode.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to:

receive from each of the one or more wireless devices operating in the network a signal indicating a transmission rank indicating a preferred number of layers for transmissions to that wireless device from another device in the network, in conjunction with that wireless device using its selected preferred operating mode; and

determine for each of the one or more wireless devices whether or not to support its indicated preferred transmission rank.

16. The Apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the apparatus is configured for use in a LTE, LTE-A or CDMA wireless network.

17. A method of operating a wireless device in a wireless communication network, the method comprising:

selecting, by the wireless device, a preferred operating mode for use by the wireless device, the selection being made from at least a full duplex operating mode in which the wireless device can transmit and receive simultaneously on the same frequency band and a non full duplex operating mode; and

determining to transmit a signal indicating the selected preferred operating mode to a network entity.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising:

selecting, by the wireless device, a preferred transmission rank indicating a preferred number of data layers for transmission to the wireless device from another device; and

determining to transmit an indication of the selected preferred transmission rank and preferred operating mode to the network entity.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising a set of computer-readable instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processing system, cause the processing system to carry out the method of claim 17.

19. A method of operating a network entity in a wireless communications network, the method comprising:

receiving from each of one or more wireless devices operating in the network an indication of a preferred operating mode for use by the wireless device and selected by that wireless device from at least a full duplex operating mode in which the wireless device can transmit and receive simultaneously on the same frequency band and a non full duplex operating mode; and

determining for each of the one or more wireless devices whether or not to support its indicated preferred operating mode.

20. The method according to claim 19, the method further comprising:

receiving from each of the one or more wireless devices operating in the network an indication of a transmission rank indicating a preferred number of data layers for transmissions to that wireless device from another device in the network; and

determining for each of the one or more wireless devices whether or not to support its indicated preferred transmission rank.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising a set of computer-readable instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processing system, cause the processing system to carry out the method of claim 19.

23. A network apparatus in a wireless communication system, the apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code being configured to, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to;

determine to send, at least one first user equipment served by a base station, a message indicating that the at least one first user equipment is to operate in a half duplex mode, in which mode some time periods are reserved for the first user equipment to transmit in a frequency band without receiving in the frequency band and other time periods are reserved for the first user equipment to receive in the frequency band without transmitting in the frequency band;

determine to send, at least one second user equipment, served concurrently by the base station with the at least one first user equipment, a message indicating that the at least one second user equipment is to operate in a full duplex mode in which mode the at least one second user equipment can simultaneously transmit and receive in the frequency band; and

schedule transmissions to and from the at least one first user equipment and to and from the at least one second user equipment.

24. The network apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the at least one memory and computer program code, are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to:

(a) schedule the at least one first user equipment to receive a transmission to be transmitted by a transceiver operating in full duplex mode in the frequency band in a first time period of a radio frame; and

(b) schedule the at least one second user equipment to transmit a transmission to the transceiver in the first time period in the first frequency band.

25. The network apparatus according to claim 24 wherein the at least one memory and computer program code, are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to:

(c) schedule the first user equipment operating in the half duplex mode to transmit a transmission to the transceiver in the first frequency band in a second time period of a radio frame without scheduling the second user equipment operating in a full duplex mode to receive a signal in the second time slot in the first frequency band from the transceiver.

26. The network apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the at least one memory and computer program code, are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to:

estimate prior to (a) and (b) that interference at the first user equipment that would be caused by the at least one second user equipment transmitting the transmission to the transceiver in the first time period in the first frequency band will be low enough for the first user equipment to receive the transmission from the transceiver.

27. The network apparatus according to claim 26 wherein the estimation is at least partly based upon an estimate of the positions of the first and second user equipments.

28. The network apparatus according to claim 24 wherein the at least one memory and computer program code, are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to, prior to (a) and (b), to receive at the network a report from the first user equipment indicating that its preferred operating mode is half duplex mode and a report from the second user equipment indicating that its preferred operating mode is full duplex mode.