DUAL CONNECTIVITY FOR TERMINALS SUPPORTING ONE UPLINK CARRIER

• US 20160050706A1
• Filed: 12/20/2013
• Published: 02/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intel IP Corporation (Intel Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Intel IP Corporation (Intel Corporation)
• Inventors: Zhang, Yujian, He, Hong, Heo, Youn Hyoung, Fong, Mo-Han, Yiu, Candy, Pinheiro, Ana Lucia
• Application Number:
  US14/778,801
• Publication Number:
  US 20160050706A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/38 Transceivers, i.e. devices in which transmitter and receiver form a structural unit and in which at least one part is used for functions of transmitting and receiving
• 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 7/0456 Selection of precoding matrices or codebooks, e.g. using matrices antenna weighting
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0639 Using selective indices, e.g. of a codebook, e.g. pre-distortion matrix index [PMI] or for beam selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1854 Scheduling and prioritising arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/18 for broadcast or conference , e.g. multicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0823 Errors, e.g. transmission errors
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0007 the frequencies being orthogonal, e.g. OFDM(A), DMT
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0053 Allocation of signaling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0055 Physical resource allocation for ACK/NACK for physical mapping arrangements in ARQ protocols H04L1/1861
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0094 Indication of how sub-channels of the path are allocated
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/14 Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1045 Proxies, e.g. for session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1076 Resource dissemination mechanisms or network resource keeping policies for optimal resource availability in the overlay network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 : Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0088 : Scheduling hand-off measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0094 : Definition of hand-off measurement parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 : Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/302 : due to low signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/38 : by fixed network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 : Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/001 : Synchronization between nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/02 : Arrangements for increasing efficiency of notification or paging channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 : Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/1215 : for collaboration of different radio technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/1263 : Mapping of traffic onto schedule, e.g. scheduled allocation or multiplexing of flows
• 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 72/51 : based on terminal or device properties
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/52 : based on load
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0808 : using carrier sensing, e.g. carrier sense multiple access [CSMA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/00 : Connection management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 : Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 : Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/12 : Setup of transport tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 : Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 : Manipulation of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/22 : Manipulation of transport tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 : Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/28 : Discontinuous transmission [DTX]; Discontinuous reception [DRX]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/30 : Connection release
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/38 : triggered by timers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 : Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 : using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/20 : between access points
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Techniques for enabling dual-connectivity in LTE systems for terminals with only single uplink component carrier capability are described. Dual connectivity refers to a terminal having serving cells from two base stations. In one technique, the terminal transmits to macro and small cells using time division multiplexing. In another, the terminal transmits to one cell only, either the macro cell or the small cell.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A method for operating an evolved Node B (eNB) as a macro cell in an LTE (Long Term Evolution) network, comprising:

communicating via an X2 interface with a small cell eNB serving as a secondary cell for a user equipment (UE);

operating as a primary cell for the UE in time division duplex (TDD) mode; and

,

allocating downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) subframes between the UE and the macro cell eNB over a first component carrier and between the UE and the small cell eNB over a second component carrier in a manner that allows the UE to switch UL carrier frequencies during DL subframes.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising contiguously grouping UL subframes to the macro cell and contiguously grouping UL subframes to the small cell eNB with DL subframes therebetween in order to allow the UE to use DL subframes between the UL subframes to switch UL carrier frequencies.

23. The method of claim 21 further comprising relaying data to and from a serving gateway (S-GW) for the small cell eNB.

24. A method for operating an evolved Node B (eNB) g as a macro cell in an LTE (Long Term Evolution) network, comprising:

operating as a primary cell for a user equipment (UE) when a small cell eNB operates as a secondary cell for the UE and when no uplink transmissions are allowed for the UE over the secondary cell;

forwarding HARQ (hybrid automatic repeat request) acknowledgements and CSI (channel state information) reports from the UE to the small cell eNB via an X2 interface; and

,

after receiving, in a MAC (medium access control) layer, data from the UE that includes RLC (radio link control) PDUs (protocol data units) associated with a radio bearer set up between the UE and the small cell eNB, forwarding the RLC PDUs to the small cell eNB over the X2 interface.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising transmitting DCI (downlink control information) in a PDCCH (physical downlink control channel) with a four-bit HARQ process number field for frequency division duplex (FDD) mode and with a five-bit HARQ process number field for time division duplex (TDD) mode.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising providing sixteen HARQ processes for FDD mode.

27. A method for operating an evolved Node B (eNB) as a macro cell in an LTE (Long Term Evolution) network, comprising:

operating as a primary cell for a user equipment (UE) when a small cell eNB operates as a secondary cell for the UE and when no uplink transmissions are allowed for the UE over the secondary cell; and

,

forwarding data received from an S-GW (serving gateway) over an Si interface to the small cell eNB over an X2 interface when that received data is associated with a radio bearer set up between the small cell eNB and the UE.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising forwarding data received from the small cell eNB over the X2 interface to the S-GW over the S1 interface when that received data is associated with a radio bearer set up between the small cell eNB and the UE.

29. The method of claim 27 further comprising, when the small cell eNB is transmitting to the UE in RLC acknowledged mode, forwarding RLC status PDUs from the UE to the small cell eNB over the X2 interface.

30. The method of claim 27 further comprising, when the small cell eNB is transmitting to the UE in RLC acknowledged mode, forwarding RLC data PDUs with a polling bit from the UE to the small cell eNB over the X2 interface.

31. The method of claim 27 further comprising transmitting DCI (downlink control information) in a PDCCH (physical downlink control channel) with a four-bit HARQ process number field for frequency division duplex (FDD) mode and with a five-bit HARQ process number field for time division duplex (TDD) mode.

32. The method of claim 27 further comprising providing sixteen HARQ processes for FDD mode.

33. A method for operating a user equipment (UE), comprising:

communicating with a macro cell evolved Node B (eNB) serving as a primary cell for a first component carrier;

communicating with a small cell evolved Node B (eNB) serving as a secondary cell for a second component carrier;

in time division duplex (TDD) mode, receiving allocations of downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) subframes between the UE and the macro cell eNB over a first component carrier and between the UE and the small cell eNB over a second component carrier; and

,

switching UL carrier frequencies during DL subframes.

34. The method of claim 33 further comprising receiving allocations of contiguously grouped UL subframes to the macro cell eNB and contiguously grouped UL subframes to the small cell eNB.

35. The method of claim 33 further comprising receiving allocations of UL subframes to the macro cell eNB and UL subframes to the small cell eNB with DL subframes therebetween in order to allow the UE to use DL subframes between the UL subframes to switch UL carrier frequencies.

36. A method for operating a user equipment (UE), comprising:

communicating with a macro cell evolved Node B (eNB) serving as a primary cell for both uplink (UL) and downlink (DL) transmissions; and

,

communicating with a small cell eNB serving as a secondary cell for DL transmissions but not UL transmissions;

37. The method of claim 36 further comprising establishing hybrid automatic request repeat (HARQ) processes in accordance with DCI (downlink control information) in a PDCCH (physical downlink control channel) having a four-bit HARQ process number field in frequency division duplex (FDD) mode.

38. The method of claim 36 further comprising establishing hybrid automatic request repeat (HARQ) processes in accordance with DCI (downlink control information) in a PDCCH (physical downlink control channel) having a five-bit HARQ process number field in time division duplex (TDD) mode.

39. The method of claim 37 further comprising establishing sixteen HARQ processes in FDD mode.

40. The method of claim 38 further comprising establishing thirty HARQ processes in TDD mode.