LTE Transmission in Unlicensed Bands

• US 20160007378A1
• Filed: 07/02/2015
• Published: 01/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2014
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Sequans Communications SA
• Original Assignee: Sequans Communications SA
• Inventors: Bertorelle, Jerome, Vivier, Guillaume
• Granted Patent: US 10,264,616 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0247 based on conditions of the access network or the infrastructure network central resource management H04W28/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/001 Synchronization between nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/16 Involving different core network technologies, e.g. a packet-switched [PS] bearer in combination with a circuit-switched [CS] bearer

Abstract

A method of receiving LTE data by a user device, the data being transmitted on a channel of an unlicensed band comprising the steps of receiving a cell ID from a primary LTE cell, receiving system information from the primary LTE cell for access to an unlicensed channel, receiving LTE data on the channel of an unlicensed band.

Claims

1. A method of receiving LTE data by a user device, the data being transmitted on a channel of an unlicensed band comprising the steps of:

receiving a cell ID from a primary LTE cell;

receiving system information from the primary LTE cell for access to an unlicensed channel;

receiving LTE data on the channel of an unlicensed band.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the cell ID and system information is received as unicast data.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the unlicensed channel is served by a secondary LTE cell of a different eNodeB than the primary LTE cell.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising

determining from PDCCH whether an LTE transmission subframe on the unlicensed channel is one of used, partially used or not used.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the user device determines one or more transmission measurements of the unlicensed channel in relation to transmission on that channel based on used and/or partially used LTE transmission subframes on the unlicensed channel.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the user device determines one or more channel measurements of the unlicensed channel in relation to interference and/or noise on that channel based on unused LTE transmission subframes.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the user device sends data indicative of the one or more transmission and/or channel measurements to the primary cell.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the user device sends its geographical position to the primary LTE cell.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the user device calculates a timing error based on at least one of cell specific RS, user device specific RS and positioning RS and optionally the method further comprising using PDCCH to compensate for the timing error.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a synchronization signal through RRC or MAC from the primary cell;

and optionally wherein the synchronization signal comprises one or more LTE OFDM symbols.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein a determination is made as to whether a synchronization signal is required and optionally as to the length of the synchronization signal, when the user device registers to the primary cell.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising the user device decoding a WiFi header from the channel of the unlicensed band and wherein the user device turns off its LTE-U WiFi capable receiver for a duration specified in the header if the header indicates that the WiFi header has not originated from the secondary LTE cell.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising the user device determining from LTE DCI whether a detected WiFi header has originated from the secondary LTE cell, and if it has not originated from the secondary LTE cell, turning off its LTE-U WiFi capable receiver for the rest of the duration specified in the header.

14. A computer readable medium comprising instructions that when executed on a processor cause the processor to carry out the method of claim 1.

15. A user device arranged to carry out the method of claim 1.