Listen-Before-Talk Operation with Freeze Interval

• US 20160278078A1
• Filed: 03/17/2015
• Published: 09/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Godana, Bruhtesfa, Cheng, Jung-Fu, Falahati, Sorour, Falconetti, Laetitia, Kang, Du Ho, Koorapaty, Havish, Larsson, Daniel, Yang, Yu
• Granted Patent: US 10,009,892 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 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0808 using carrier sensing, e.g. carrier sense multiple access [CSMA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

There is disclosed a method for operating a radio node for a wireless communication network, the radio node being adapted for transmitting communication data on at least one carrier based on a timing relative to a pre-defined time structure. The method comprises defining at least one freeze interval relative to the pre-defined time structure, performing a Listen-Before-Talk, LBT, procedure to determine whether accessing the at least one carrier for transmission is allowed, and, if accessing the at least one carrier for transmission is determined to be allowed based on performing the LBT procedure, starting transmission of communication data on the at least one carrier outside the at least one freeze interval. There are also disclosed a corresponding node, system, program product and storage medium.

Claims

1-21. -21. (canceled)

22. A method for operating a radio node for a wireless communication network, the radio node being adapted for transmitting communication data on at least one carrier based on a timing relative to a pre-defined time structure, the method comprising:

defining at least one freeze interval relative to the pre-defined time structure;

performing a Listen-Before-Talk, LBT, procedure to determine whether accessing the at least one carrier for transmission is allowed; and

if accessing the at least one carrier for transmission is determined to be allowed based on performing the LBT procedure, starting transmission of communication data on the at least one carrier outside the at least one freeze interval.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the pre-defined time structure comprises and/or is a subframe.

24. The method according to claim 22, further comprising defining at least one transmission start interval relative to the time structure, wherein optionally starting transmission of communication data may be performed inside the transmission start interval.

25. The method according to claim 22, wherein the time structure is repetitive, wherein optionally the arrangement of intervals within a time structure may differ between repetitions.

26. The method according to claim 22, wherein transmitting the communication data is performed over a duration covering more than one instances of the time structure.

27. The method according to claim 22, wherein the LBT procedure comprises a number of Clear Channel Assessments, wherein the number may be larger than one and/or be based on a random backoff number or counter.

28. The method according to claim 22, further comprising delaying starting transmission of communication data on the at least one carrier if accessing the at least one carrier is determined to be allowed based on performing the LBT procedure during the freeze interval, in particular delaying until a transmission start interval is reached.

29. The method according to claim 22, further comprising occupying the carrier if accessing the at least one carrier is determined to be allowed based on performing the LBT procedure during the freeze interval.

30. The method according to claim 22, wherein the pre-defined time structure is synchronized for more than one carrier.

31. A radio node for a wireless communication system, the radio node being adapted for transmitting communication data on at least one carrier based on a timing relative to a pre-defined time structure, the radio node further being adapted for defining at least one freeze interval relative to the pre-defined time structure, and for performing a Listen-Before-Talk, LBT, procedure to determine whether transmission of communication data on the at least one carrier is allowed, as well as being adapted for starting transmission of communication data on the at least one carrier outside the at least one freeze interval if transmission of communication data on the at least one carrier is determined to be allowed based on performing the LBT procedure.

32. The radio node according to claim 31, wherein the pre-defined time structure comprises and/or is a subframe.

33. The radio node according to claim 31, the radio node further being adapted for defining at least one transmission start interval relative to the time structure, wherein optionally the radio node may further be adapted for starting transmission of communication data inside the transmission start interval.

34. The radio node according to claim 31, wherein the time structure is repetitive, wherein optionally the arrangement of intervals within a time structure may differ between repetitions.

35. The radio node according to claim 31, wherein transmitting the communication data is performed over a duration covering more than one instances of the time structure.

36. The radio node according to claim 31, wherein the LBT procedure comprises a number of Clear Channel Assessments, CCA, and/or CCA procedures, wherein the number may be larger than one and/or be based on a random backoff number or counter.

37. The radio node according to claim 31, further comprising delaying starting transmission of communication data on the at least one carrier if accessing the at least one carrier is determined to be allowed based on performing the LBT procedure during the freeze interval, in particular delaying until a transmission start interval is reached.

38. The radio node according to claim 31, further comprising occupying the carrier if accessing the at least one carrier is determined to be allowed based on performing the LBT procedure during the freeze interval.

39. The radio node according to claim 31, wherein the pre-defined time structure is synchronized for more than one carrier.

40. A wireless communication system comprising a radio node being adapted for transmitting communication data on at least one carrier, based on a timing relative to a pre-defined time structure, the radio node further being adapted for defining at least one freeze interval relative to the pre-defined time structure, and for performing a Listen-Before-Talk, LBT, procedure to determine whether transmission of communication data on the at least one carrier is allowed, as well as being adapted for starting transmission of communication data on the at least one carrier outside the at least one freeze interval if transmission of communication data on the at least one carrier is determined to be allowed based on performing the LBT procedure.

41. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a computer program product comprising code that, when executed by control circuitry in a radio node adapted for transmitting communication data on at least one carrier, configures the radio node to:

based on a timing relative to a pre-defined time structure, define at least one freeze interval relative to the pre-defined time structure;

perform a Listen-Before-Talk, LBT, procedure to determine whether transmission of communication data on the at least one carrier is allowed; and

start transmission of communication data on the at least one carrier outside the at least one freeze interval, responsive to determining, based on the LBT procedure, that transmission of communication data on the at least one carrier is allowed.