Identifying and Communicating Coverage Shortfall for Machine Type Communication Devices

• US 20160174256A1
• Filed: 07/30/2014
• Published: 06/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: RATASUK, Rapeepat, YANG, Weidong, TAN, Jun
• Granted Patent: US 10,057,923 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0829 Packet loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/004 in the uplink, i.e. towards network

Abstract

Various communication systems may benefit from identification of and communication of coverage shortfall. For example, certain communication systems that employ machine type communication devices may benefit from having such shortfall communicated from the devices to a base station. For example, a method can include determining an amount of coverage shortfall of a device. The method can also include transmitting an indication of the amount of coverage shortfall.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining an amount of coverage shortfall of a device; and

transmitting an indication of the amount of coverage shortfall.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the amount comprises a coarse amount.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting is contingent on a path loss of the device exceeding a first threshold path loss.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting is further contingent on the path loss of the device not exceeding a second threshold path loss.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the amount is indicated by an mPRACH.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting the mPRACH overlapping a PRACH.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein a period of the mPRACH is at least double a period of the PRACH.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting the indication comprises selecting a preamble format based on a coverage shortfall.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the coverage shortfall comprises comparing a path loss to a nominal path loss provided by a base station.

59. A non-transitory computer readable medium is encoded with instructions that, when executed in hardware, perform a process, the process comprising the method according to claim 1.

7. (canceled)

11-19. -19. (canceled)

20. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code,

wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to

determine an amount of coverage shortfall of a device; and

transmit an indication of the amount of coverage shortfall.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the amount comprises a coarse amount.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to transmit contingent on a path loss of the device exceeding a first threshold path loss.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to transmit further contingent on the path loss of the device not exceeding a second threshold path loss.

24. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the amount is indicated by an mPRACH.

25. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to transmit the mPRACH overlapping a PRACH.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein a period of the mPRACH is at least double a period of the PRACH.

28. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to transmit the indication by selecting a preamble format based on a coverage shortfall.

29. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to determine the coverage shortfall by comparing a path loss to a nominal path loss provided by a base station.

26. (canceled)

30-58. -58. (canceled)