Transmission Timing in a Carrier Group

• US 20140010163A1
• Filed: 09/03/2013
• Published: 01/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Ofinno Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Dinan, Esmael Hejazi
• Granted Patent: US 8,699,317 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2613 Structure of the reference signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2657 Carrier synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2666 Acquisition of further OFDM parameters, e.g. bandwidth, subcarrier spacing, or guard interval length
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2692 with preamble design, i.e. with negotiation of the synchronisation sequence with transmitter or sequence linked to the algorithm used at the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0085 when channel conditions change
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0098 Signalling of the activation or deactivation of component carriers, subcarriers or frequency bands
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0005 synchronizing of arrival of multiple uplinks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0045 compensating for timing error by altering transmission time
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management
• 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 74/006 in the downlink, i.e. towards the terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/008 with additional processing of random access related information at receiving side
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0833 Random access procedures, e.g. with 4-step access

Abstract

A base station configures a first carrier group and a second carrier group in a wireless device. The wireless device transmits first uplink signals in the second carrier group employing a first secondary carrier in the second carrier group as a timing reference carrier. The wireless device autonomously changes the timing reference carrier to a second secondary carrier in the second carrier group. The second secondary carrier is an active carrier different from the first secondary carrier. The wireless device transmits second uplink signals in the second carrier group employing the second secondary carrier as the timing reference carrier.

Claims

1. A method for use in a wireless device, the method comprising:

a) receiving at least one message causing configuration of;

i) a first carrier and one or more additional carriers; and

ii) a plurality of carrier groups comprising a first carrier group and a second carrier group;

b) transmitting first uplink signals in said second carrier group employing a first additional carrier as a timing reference carrier, said first additional carrier being an activated carrier in said second carrier group;

c) changing autonomously said timing reference carrier to a second additional carrier in said second carrier group in response to deactivation or release of said first additional carrier and when at least one additional carrier in said second carrier group is active; and

d) transmitting second uplink signals in said second carrier group employing said second additional carrier as said timing reference carrier.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

a) said first carrier group comprises a first subset of a plurality of carriers, said first subset comprising said first carrier; and

b) a second carrier group comprises a second subset of said one or more additional carriers.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

a) receiving a time alignment command, said time alignment command comprising;

i) a time adjustment value; and

ii) an index identifying said first carrier group or said second carrier group; and

b) applying said time adjustment value to third uplink signals transmitted on all activated uplink carriers in one of said first carrier group or said second carrier group identified by said index.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising restarting a time alignment timer of a carrier group identified by said index in response to receiving said time alignment command.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein uplink transmission timing of frames and subframes in said first carrier group and said second carrier group employ different synchronization signals on different carriers as timing reference and are adjusted in response to different time alignment commands.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said configuration of said one or more additional carriers comprises configuring of at least one of a physical layer parameter, a media access control layer parameter and a radio link control layer parameter.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a plurality of radio capability parameters to a base station on said first carrier, said plurality of radio capability parameters comprising at least one parameter indicating whether said wireless device supports configuration of a plurality of carrier groups.

8. A wireless device comprising:

a) one or more communication interfaces configured to communicate with a base station via at least one wireless link;

b) one or more processors; and

c) memory storing instructions that, when executed by said at least one or more processors, cause said wireless device to;

i) receive at least one message to cause configuration of;

(1) a first carrier and one or more additional carriers; and

(2) a plurality of carrier groups comprising a first carrier group and a second carrier group;

ii) transmit first uplink signals in said second carrier group employing a first additional carrier as a timing reference carrier, said first additional carrier being an activated carrier in said second carrier group;

iii) change autonomously said timing reference carrier to a second additional carrier in said second carrier group in response to deactivation or release of said first additional carrier and when at least one additional carrier in said second carrier group is active; and

iv) transmit second uplink signals in said second carrier group employing said second additional carrier as said timing reference carrier.

9. The wireless device of claim 8, wherein:

a) said first carrier group comprises a first subset of a plurality of carriers, said first subset comprising said first carrier; and

b) a second carrier group comprises a second subset of said one or more additional carriers.

10. The wireless device of claim 9, wherein uplink transmissions by said wireless device in said first carrier group employs said first carrier as a first timing reference carrier.

11. The wireless device of claim 8, wherein uplink transmission timing of frames and subframes in said first carrier group and said second carrier group employ different synchronization signals on different carriers as timing reference and are adjusted in response to different time alignment commands.

12. The wireless device of claim 8, wherein said changing is performed by said wireless device without said wireless device informing said base station.

13. The wireless device of claim 8, wherein said instructions further cause said wireless device to transmit a plurality of radio capability parameters to said base station on said first carrier, said plurality of radio capability parameters comprising at least one parameter indicating whether said wireless device supports configuration of a plurality of carrier groups.

14. A wireless device comprising:

a) one or more communication interfaces configured to communicate with a base station via at least one wireless link;

b) one or more processors; and

c) memory storing instructions that, when executed by said at least one or more processors, cause said wireless device to;

i) receive at least one message causing configuration of;

(1) a first carrier and one or more secondary carriers; and

(2) a plurality of carrier groups comprising a first carrier group and a second carrier group;

ii) receive a control command to cause transmission a random access preamble on a reference secondary carrier in said second carrier group, said reference secondary carrier to be employed as a timing reference carrier to transmit first uplink signals in said second carrier group;

iii) change autonomously said timing reference carrier to a second activated secondary carrier in said second carrier group in response to deactivation or release of said reference secondary carrier and when at least one secondary carrier in said second carrier group is active; and

iv) transmit second uplink signals in said second carrier group employing said second activated secondary carrier as said timing reference carrier.

15. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein:

a) said first carrier group comprises a first subset of a plurality of carriers, said first subset comprising said first carrier; and

b) a second carrier group comprises a second subset of said one or more secondary carriers.

16. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein said control command is received on a scheduling downlink carrier of said reference secondary carrier.

17. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein said control command further comprises a power control command.

18. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein said control command is scrambled using an identifier of said wireless device.

19. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein said control command is transmitted in response to said wireless device transmitting a buffer status report to said base station, said buffer status report comprising a buffer size, said buffer size indicating an amount of data available for transmission in one or more uplink buffers of said wireless device.

20. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein said control command further comprises a mask index, said wireless device employing, at least in part, said mask index to determine said random access preamble transmission timing or said random access preamble transmission resources.