METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR RESOLVING AMBIGUOUS USER EQUIPMENT (UE) CAPABILITY SIGNALING

• US 20140204848A1
• Filed: 11/20/2013
• Published: 07/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: GEIRHOFER, Stefan, CHEN, Wanshi, GAAL, Peter, XU, Hao
• Granted Patent: US 9,237,440 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/024 Co-operative use of antennas of several sites, e.g. in co-ordinated multipoint or co-operative multiple-input multiple-output [MIMO] systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0413 MIMO systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0628 Diversity capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 Transfer of terminal data

Abstract

Certain aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to resolving ambiguous user equipment (UE) capability signaling. According to certain aspects, a method for wireless communications by a UE is provided. The method generally includes determining capabilities of the UE to support at least one of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) or coordinated multipoint (CoMP) features on different operating frequency bands of a radio access network (RAN), signaling, to a base station (BS) of the RAN, a first combination of capabilities of the UE for a combination of bands, signaling, to the BS, a second combination of capabilities, different than the first combination of capabilities, for the combination of bands, and identifying, based on or more criteria, a particular combination of capabilities to be used to communicate with the BS. In certain aspects, the UE may identify the combination of capabilities to use by applying a deterministic rule.

Claims

1. A method for wireless communications by a user equipment (UE), comprising:

determining capabilities of the UE to support at least one of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) or coordinated multipoint (CoMP) features on different operating frequency bands of a radio access network (RAN);

signaling, to a base station (BS) of the RAN, a first combination of capabilities of the UE for a combination of bands;

signaling, to the BS, a second combination of capabilities, different than the first combination of capabilities, for the combination of bands; and

identifying, based on one or more criteria, a particular combination of capabilities to be used to communicate with the BS.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the capabilities comprise at least one of:

a number of MIMO layers supported for downlink reception or a number of channel state information (CSI) processes supported for channel feedback.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the first combination of capabilities indicates a first set of capabilities supported for a first band and a second set of capabilities supported for a second band; and

the second combination of capabilities indicates a third set of capabilities, different than the first set of capabilities, for the first band and a fourth set of capabilities, different than the second set of capabilities, for the second band.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying comprises:

taking a minimum common value for one or more capabilities in each of the first set of capabilities and second set of capabilities.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying comprises:

taking a maximum common value for one or more capabilities in each of the first set of capabilities and second set of capabilities.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying comprises:

applying a deterministic rule to determine which of the first combination of capabilities or the second combination of capabilities to use.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the deterministic rule is based on an order in which the first combination of capabilities and the second combination of capabilities were signaled.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the deterministic rule is based on an ordered list of band combinations, independent of an order in which the first combination of capabilities and the second combination of capabilities were signaled.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying comprises receiving, from the BS, signaling indicating a combination of capabilities to use.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the BS signaling indicates a different combination of capabilities than either the first combination of capabilities or the second combination of capabilities.

11. A method for wireless communications by a base station (BS), comprising:

receiving, from a user equipment (UE), signaling indicating a first combination of capabilities of the UE to support at least one of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) or coordinated multipoint (CoMP) features on different operating frequency bands of a radio access network (RAN) for a combination of bands;

receiving, from the UE, signaling indicating a second combination of capabilities of the UE to support at least one of MIMO or CoMP features on different operating frequency bands of a RAN, different than the first combination of capabilities, for the combination of bands; and

identifying, based on one or more criteria, a particular combination of capabilities to be used to communicate with the UE.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the capabilities comprise at least one of:

a number of MIMO layers supported for downlink reception or a number of channel state information (CSI) processes supported for channel feedback.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the first combination of capabilities indicates a first set of capabilities supported for a first band and a second set of capabilities supported for a second band; and

the second combination of capabilities indicates a third set of capabilities, different than the first set of capabilities, for the first band and a fourth set of capabilities, different than the second set of capabilities, for the second band.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the identifying comprises:

taking a minimum common value for one or more capabilities in each of the first set of capabilities and second set of capabilities.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the identifying comprises:

taking a maximum common value for one or more capabilities in each of the first set of capabilities and second set of capabilities.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the identifying comprises:

applying a deterministic rule to determine which of the first combination of capabilities or the second combination of capabilities to use.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the deterministic rule is based on an order in which the first combination of capabilities and the second combination of capabilities were signaled.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the deterministic rule is based on an ordered list of band combinations, independent of an order in which the first combination of capabilities and the second combination of capabilities were signaled.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising, signaling, to the UE an indication of a combination of capabilities to use.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the BS signaling indicates a different combination of capabilities than either the first combination of capabilities or the second combination of capabilities.

21. An apparatus for wireless communications by a user equipment (UE), comprising:

means for determining capabilities of the UE to support at least one of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) or coordinated multipoint (CoMP) features on different operating frequency bands of a radio access network (RAN);

means for signaling, to a base station (BS) of the RAN, a first combination of capabilities of the UE for a combination of bands;

means for signaling, to the BS, a second combination of capabilities, different than the first combination of capabilities, for the combination of bands; and

means for identifying, based on one or more criteria, a particular combination of capabilities to be used to communicate with the BS.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the capabilities comprise at least one of:

a number of MIMO layers supported for downlink reception or a number of channel state information (CSI) processes supported for channel feedback.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein:

the first combination of capabilities indicates a first set of capabilities supported for a first band and a second set of capabilities supported for a second band; and

the second combination of capabilities indicates a third set of capabilities, different than the first set of capabilities, for the first band and a fourth set of capabilities, different than the second set of capabilities, for the second band.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the means for identifying comprises:

means for taking a minimum common value for one or more capabilities in each of the first set of capabilities and second set of capabilities.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the means for identifying comprises:

means for taking a maximum common value for one or more capabilities in each of the first set of capabilities and second set of capabilities.

26. An apparatus for wireless communications by a base station (BS), comprising:

means for receiving, from a user equipment (UE), signaling indicating a first combination of capabilities of the UE to support at least one of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) or coordinated multipoint (CoMP) features on different operating frequency bands of a radio access network (RAN) for a combination of bands;

means for receiving, from the UE, signaling indicating a second combination of capabilities of the UE to support at least one of MIMO or CoMP features on different operating frequency bands of a RAN, different than the first combination of capabilities, for the combination of band; and

means for identifying, based on one or more criteria, a particular combination of capabilities to be used to communicate with the UE.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the capabilities comprise at least one of:

a number of MIMO layers supported for downlink reception or a number of channel state information (CSI) processes supported for channel feedback.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein:

the first combination of capabilities indicates a first set of capabilities supported for a first band and a second set of capabilities supported for a second band; and

the second combination of capabilities indicates a third set of capabilities, different than the first set of capabilities, for the first band and a fourth set of capabilities, different than the second set of capabilities, for the second band.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the means for identifying comprises:

means for taking a minimum common value for one or more capabilities in each of the first set of capabilities and second set of capabilities.

30. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the means for identifying comprises:

means for taking a maximum common value for one or more capabilities in each of the first set of capabilities and second set of capabilities.