METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ENHANCED SECONDARY CELL ACTIVATION AND DEACTIVATION

• US 20160128003A1
• Filed: 05/20/2013
• Published: 05/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Callender, Christopher, BAI, Wei
• Granted Patent: US 9,999,005 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/32 Hierarchical cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0206 in access points, e.g. base stations access point devices per se H04W88/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0261 managing power supply demand, e.g. depending on battery level
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/365 Power headroom reporting
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided in order to enhance network notification of secondary cell activation. In a first embodiment, the method includes receiving a secondary cell activation command, activating a secondary cell, and transmitting a PHR indicating activation of the secondary cell. In a second embodiment, the method includes receiving a secondary cell activation command, activating a secondary cell, and transmitting a signal indicating an expected time period until activation of the secondary cell. In a third embodiment, the method may optimize implicit SCell deactivation by receiving a secondary cell activation command, activating a secondary cell, receiving a PDCCH order for an uplink grant or a downlink assignment, and starting a secondary cell deactivation timer associated with the secondary cell in response to receiving the PDCCH order. A corresponding apparatus and computer program product are also provided.

Claims

1. A method for use with a communication device connected to a primary cell and at least one secondary cell, the method comprising:

causing the communication device to activate a secondary cell; and

causing the communication device to transmit a signal regarding activation of the secondary cell,

wherein the signal comprises a power headroom report (PHR) or an indication of an estimated expected time period after which a secondary cell will be ready for use.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the signal comprises a PHR transmitted after receiving a secondary cell activation command, and wherein the signal includes information indicating that the PHR was transmitted in response to completion of activation of the secondary cell.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

receiving an indication that the secondary cell is ready for use,

wherein the PHR indicates that the secondary cell is active, and

wherein the step of causing the communication device to transmit the signal is performed in response to receiving the indication that the secondary cell is ready for use.

4. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

transmitting a valid channel quality indicator (CQI) or sounding reference signal (SRS),

wherein the PHR indicates that the secondary cell is active, and

wherein the step of causing the communication device to transmit the signal is performed in response to transmitting the valid CQI or SRS.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

estimating the expected time period after which a secondary cell will be ready for use,

wherein the signal comprises an indication of the estimated expected time period after

which the secondary cell will be ready for use.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein estimating the expected time period is performed in response to receiving a secondary cell activation command.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein estimating the expected time period is performed prior to receiving a secondary cell activation command.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein causing the communication device to transmit the signal is performed prior to receiving a secondary cell activation command.

9. The method according to any of claims 5 to 8, wherein the indication of the expected time period comprises an index reference to a group of preconfigured time periods or an estimate in units of time.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the units of time are milliseconds.

11. The method according to any of claims 1 to 10, wherein the communication device comprises a mobile phone.

12. An apparatus for use with a communication device connected to a primary cell and at least one secondary cell, the apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the communication device to:

activate a secondary cell; and

transmit a signal regarding activation of the secondary cell,

wherein the signal comprises a PHR or an indication of an estimated expected time period after which a secondary cell will be ready for use.

13. A computer program product for use with a communication device connected to a primary cell and at least one secondary cell, the computer program product comprising at least one computer readable storage medium storing computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause the communication device to:

activate a secondary cell; and

transmit a signal regarding activation of the secondary cell,

wherein the signal comprises a PHR or an indication of an estimated expected time period after which a secondary cell will be ready for use.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the signal comprises a PHR received after transmission of a secondary cell activation command, and wherein the signal includes information indicating that the PHR was transmitted in response to completion of activation of the secondary cell.

19. The method according to claim 13, wherein the signal comprises an indication of the estimated expected time period after which the secondary cell will be ready for use.

14. An apparatus for use with a communication device connected to a primary cell and at least one secondary cell, the apparatus comprising:

means for activating a secondary cell; and

means for transmitting a signal regarding activation of the secondary cell,

wherein the signal comprises a PHR or an indication of an estimated expected time period after which a secondary cell will be ready for use.

17. The method according claim 14, wherein the signal is received in response to the communication device receiving an indication that the secondary cell is ready for use.

18. The method according to claim 14, wherein the signal is received in response to the communication device transmitting a valid CQI or SRS.

20. The method according to claim 17, wherein the signal is received prior to transmission of a secondary cell activation command.

21. The method according to claim 17, wherein the signal is received after transmission of a secondary cell activation command.

22. The method according to any of claims 17 to 19, wherein the indication of the expected time period comprises an index reference to a group of preconfigured time periods or an estimate in units of time.

23. The method according to claim 20, wherein the units of time are milliseconds.

15. A method for use with an access point connected to a communication device, the method comprising:

receiving a signal regarding activation of the secondary cell, wherein the signal comprises a PHR or an indication of an estimated expected time period after which a secondary cell will be ready for use; and

determining that the secondary cell is ready for use based on the received signal.

24. The method according to any of claims 15 to 21, wherein the communication device comprises a mobile phone.

25. An apparatus for use with an access point connected to a communication device, the apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:

receive a signal regarding activation of the secondary cell, wherein the signal comprises a PHR or an indication of an estimated expected time period after which a secondary cell will be ready for use; and

determine that the secondary cell is ready for use based on the received signal.

26. A computer program product for use with an access point connected to a communication device, the computer program product comprising at least one computer readable storage medium storing computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause an apparatus to:

receive a signal regarding activation of the secondary cell, wherein the signal comprises a PHR or an indication of an estimated expected time period after which a secondary cell will be ready for use; and

determine that the secondary cell is ready for use based on the received signal.

29. The method of claim 26, further comprising restarting the secondary cell deactivation timer in response to receiving a subsequent secondary cell activation command or a subsequent PDCCH order for an uplink grant or a downlink assignment.

27. An apparatus for use with an access point connected to a communication device, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a signal regarding activation of the secondary cell, wherein the signal comprises a PHR or an indication of an estimated expected time period after which a secondary cell will be ready for use; and

means for determining that the secondary cell is ready for use based on the received signal.

28. A method for use with a communication device connected to a primary cell and at least one secondary cell, the method comprising:

receiving a secondary cell activation command;

causing the communication device to activate a secondary cell;

receiving a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) order for an uplink grant or a downlink assignment; and

causing the communication device to start a secondary cell deactivation timer associated with the secondary cell in response to receiving the PDCCH order.

31. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to restart the secondary cell deactivation timer in response to receiving a subsequent secondary cell activation command or a subsequent PDCCH order for an uplink grant or a downlink assignment.

30. An apparatus for use with a communication device connected to a primary cell and at least one secondary cell, the apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:

receive a secondary cell activation command;

activate a secondary cell;

receive a PDCCH order for an uplink grant or a downlink assignment; and

start a secondary cell deactivation timer associated with the secondary cell in response to receiving the PDCCH order.

33. The computer program product of claim 30, wherein the computer readable instructions, when executed, further cause the communication device to restart the secondary cell deactivation timer in response to receiving a subsequent secondary cell activation command or a subsequent PDCCH order for an uplink grant or a downlink assignment.

32. A computer program product for use with a communication device connected to a primary cell and at least one secondary cell, the computer program product comprising at least one computer readable storage medium storing computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause the communication device to:

receive a secondary cell activation command;

activate a secondary cell;

receive a PDCCH order for an uplink grant or a downlink assignment; and

start a secondary cell deactivation timer associated with the secondary cell in response to receiving the PDCCH order.

35. The apparatus of claim 32, further comprising means for restarting the secondary cell deactivation timer in response to receiving a subsequent secondary cell activation command or a subsequent PDCCH order for an uplink grant or a downlink assignment.

34. An apparatus for use with a communication device connected to a primary cell and at least one secondary cell, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a secondary cell activation command;

means for activating a secondary cell;

means for receiving a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) order for an uplink grant or a downlink assignment; and

means for causing the communication device to start a secondary cell deactivation timer associated with the secondary cell in response to receiving the PDCCH order.