TRANSMISSION OF DEVICE TO DEVICE SOUNDING REFERENCE SIGNALS USING MACROCELL COMMUNICATION RESOURCES

• US 20140328299A1
• Filed: 11/12/2012
• Published: 11/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Kalhan, Amit
• Granted Patent: US 9,549,427 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2621 using frequency division multiple access [FDMA] H04B7/2615 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2601 Multicarrier modulation systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0007 the frequencies being orthogonal, e.g. OFDM(A), DMT
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0051 of dedicated pilots, i.e. pilots destined for a single user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0053 Allocation of signaling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0091 Signaling for the administration of the divided path
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0278 using buffer status reports dynamic wireless traffic scheduling definition H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/04 TPC
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/1215 for collaboration of different radio technologies
• 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 72/53 based on regulatory allocation policies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A first wireless communication user equipment (UE) device transmits a device-to device (D2D) Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) to a second wireless communication (UE) device using microcell communication resources. The second wireless communication (UE) device evaluates the SRS to discover the first wireless communication (UE) device, estimate channel conditions, and/or determine Channel State Information. Information indicative of the CSI is reported to a base station. Based on the reported channel conditions, (D2D) communication resources are scheduled by assigning microcell communication resources to the wireless communication (UE) devices.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a wireless communication user equipment device, a device-to-device (D2D) sounding reference signal transmitted from another wireless communication user equipment device using D2D communication resources of macrocell communication resources defined by a communication specification for macrocell communication between base stations and wireless communication user equipment devices.

2. The method claim 1, wherein the receiving comprises:

receiving, at the wireless communication user equipment device, the device-to-device (D2D) sounding reference signal transmitted from another wireless communication user equipment device using downlink communication resources defined by the communication specification for downlink transmission from base stations to wireless communication user equipment devices.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

demodulating a data signal transmitted from the another wireless communication user equipment device using the D2D sounding reference signal.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the D2D sounding reference signal to discover the another wireless communication device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

evaluating the D2D sounding reference signal to perform channel estimation.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the evaluating comprises:

evaluating the D2D sounding reference signals to determine timing delay.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the evaluating comprises:

evaluating the D2D sounding reference signals to determine path loss.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the evaluating comprises:

evaluating the D2D sounding reference signals to determine multiple input multiple output(MIMO) characteristics.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the evaluating comprises:

evaluating the D2D sounding reference signals to determine Channel State Information (CSI).

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

transmitting information indicative of the CSI to a base station.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving control information from the base station indicating the uplink communication resources for transmitting the information indicative of the CSI.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting, from the wireless communication user equipment devices, another device-to-device (D2D) sounding reference signal using macrocell communication resources defined by a Communication Specification for macrocell communication between base station and wireless communication user equipment devices.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the macrocell communication resources for transmitting the another D2D sounding reference signal are different from the macrocell communication resources used for the D2D sounding reference signal that was received.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the macrocell communication resources are time-frequency communication resources having a specified times and frequencies.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the defined macrocell communication resources are organized into a plurality of frequency bands and a plurality of time segments.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the defined macrocell communication resources comprise a plurality of frequency bands divided in time by a series of periodically repeating frames, each frame comprising a plurality of time slots, wherein each time-frequency resource is at least one time slot and at least one frequency band.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the communication specification is The Third-Generation Partnership Project Long-Term Evolution (3GPP LTE) communication specification.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the D2D SRS transmissions are scrambled with codes that are function of at least one of the wireless communication user equipment device and a Cell ID of a base station.

19. A communication system comprising

a base station;

and

a scheduler configured to assign, scheduled macrocell communication resources of defined macrocell communication resources defined by a communication specification for macrocell communication between base stations and wireless communication user equipment device and configured to assign device-to-device (D2D) communication resources, of the defined downlink communication resources, for transmitting a D2D sounding reference signal from a first wireless communication user equipment (UE) device to be received by a second wireless communication user equipment (UE) device.

20. The communication system of claim 19, wherein the D2D communication resources are time-frequency communication resources having a specified times and frequencies.

21. The communication system of claim 20, wherein the defined macrocell communication resources are organized into a plurality of frequency bands and a plurality of time segments.

22. The communication system of claim 21, wherein the defined macrocell communication resources comprise a plurality of frequency bands divided in time by a series of periodically repeating frames, each frame comprising a plurality of time slots, wherein each time-frequency resource is at least one time slot and at least one frequency band.