Methods and Apparatus for Synchronization of Communication Devices Operating in Half Duplex Mode

• US 20180145819A1
• Filed: 02/14/2017
• Published: 05/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Axmon, Joakim, Bergman, Johan, Blankenship, Yufei, Thangarasa, Santhan, Uesaka, Kazuyoshi
• Granted Patent: US 10,721,053 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/08 by repeating transmission, e.g. Verdan system H04L1/1858 and H04L1/189 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/0014 Carrier regulation of chaotic carriers H04L27/001; for multicarrier receivers H04L27/2657
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0092 Indication of how the channel is divided
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/16 Half-duplex systems; Simplex/duplex switching; Transmission of break signals non-automatically inverting the direction of transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/005 compensating for timing error by adjustment in the receiver

Abstract

Methods and apparatus disclosed herein enable a half-duplex, HD, wireless communication device, WCD (16), to remain synchronized to a supporting communication network (10), during uplink transmissions that use a large repetition factor, also referred to a using a large bundle size. For example, the WCD (16) uses a rule whereby the WCD (16) tunes back to the downlink carrier from time to time while making an uplink transmission that uses a large repetition factor. Re-tuning to the downlink carrier from time to time in this manner allows the WCD (16) to correct and maintain its time and frequency synchronization with respect to the network (10).

Claims

1-32. -32. (canceled)

33. A method of operation in a network node configured for operation in a wireless communication network:

receiving a bundled uplink (UL) transmission from a half-duplex (HD) wireless communication device (WCD), said bundled UL transmission comprising a set of repeated UL transmissions and including one or more synchronization gaps during which the HD WCD suspends UL transmission;

identifying the one or more synchronization gaps within the bundled UL transmission; and

suspending reception processing for the bundled UL transmission with respect to the one or more synchronization gaps.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the reception processing includes accumulating the repeated UL transmissions for reception gain, and wherein suspending the reception processing for the bundled UL transmission comprises suspending accumulation processing with respect to the one or more synchronization gaps, to thereby avoid spurious accumulations.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the bundled transmission spans a plurality of subframes or transmission time intervals (TTIs), and wherein identifying the one or more synchronization gaps within the bundled transmissions comprises determining which of the subframes or TTIs correspond to a synchronization gap pattern in use by the HD WCD.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein the HD WCD inserts the one or more synchronization gaps into the bundled UL transmission according to a rule, and wherein the network node identifies the synchronization gaps in the bundled UL transmission based on its knowledge of the rule.

37. The method of claim 33, further comprising, before receiving the bundled UL transmission, determining that a repetition factor associated with the HD WCD exceeds a time limit and, in response, sending signaling to the HD WCD to insert synchronization gaps when making bundled UL transmissions, said repetition factor corresponding to the number of repeated UL transmissions in the set of repeated UL transmissions comprising a given bundled UL transmission by the HD WCD, and said time limit corresponding to how long the HD WCD can maintain sufficient timing or frequency synchronization with the network node without receiving downlink, DL, signals from the network node.

38. The method of claim 33, wherein the HD WCD is an enhanced Machine Type Communication (eMTC) device and the bundled UL transmission is a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) transmission, a Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) transmission, or a Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) transmission.

39. The method of claim 33, wherein the HD WCD is a Narrowband Internet-of-Things (NB-IoT) device and the bundled UL transmission is a NB Physical Uplink Control Channel (NB-PUCCH) transmission, a NB Physical Uplink Shared Channel (NB-PUSCH) transmission, or a NB Physical Random Access Channel (NB-PRACH) transmission.

40. The method of claim 33, wherein, at least when the bundled UL transmission is a Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) or Narrowband (NB) PRACH transmission, the step of identifying the one or more synchronization gaps within the bundled UL transmission is based on the network node assuming that the HD WCD uses synchronization gaps.

41. The method of claim 33, further comprising receiving an indication from the HD WCD that the HD WCD uses synchronization gaps.

42. A network node configured for operation in a wireless communication network, the network node comprising:

communication interface circuitry configured to communicate with a half-duplex (HD) wireless communication device (WCD); and

processing circuitry operatively associated with the communication interface circuitry and configured to;

receive a bundled uplink (UL) transmission from the HD WCD, said bundled UL transmission comprising a set of repeated UL transmissions and including one or more synchronization gaps during which the HD WCD suspends UL transmission;

identify the one or more synchronization gaps within the bundled UL transmission; and

suspend reception processing for the bundled UL transmission with respect to the one or more synchronization gaps.

43. The network node of claim 42, wherein the reception processing includes accumulating the repeated UL transmissions for reception gain, and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to suspend the reception processing for the bundled UL transmission by suspending accumulation processing with respect to the one or more synchronization gaps, to thereby avoid spurious accumulations.

44. The network node of claim 42, wherein the bundled transmission spans a plurality of subframes or transmission time intervals (TTIs) and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to identify the one or more synchronization gaps within the bundled transmissions by determining which of the subframes or TTIs correspond to a synchronization gap pattern in use by the HD WCD.

45. The network node of claim 42, wherein the HD WCD inserts the one or more synchronization gaps into the bundled UL transmission according to a rule, and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to identify the synchronization gaps in the bundled UL transmission based on its knowledge of the rule.

46. The network node of claim 42, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine, before receiving the bundled UL transmission, that a repetition factor associated with the HD WCD exceeds a time limit and, in response, send signaling to the HD WCD to insert synchronization gaps when making bundled UL transmissions, the repetition factor corresponding to the number of repeated UL transmissions in the set of repeated UL transmissions comprising a given bundled UL transmission by the HD WCD, and the time limit corresponding to how long the HD WCD can maintain sufficient timing or frequency synchronization with the network node without receiving downlink (DL) signals from the network node.

47. The network node of claim 42, wherein the HD WCD is an enhanced Machine Type Communication (eMTC) device and the bundled UL transmission is a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) transmission, a Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) transmission, or a Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) transmission.

48. The network node of claim 42, wherein the HD WCD is a Narrowband Internet-of-Things (NB-IoT) device and the bundled UL transmission is a NB Physical Uplink Control Channel (NB-PUCCH) transmission, a NB Physical Uplink Shared Channel (NB-PUSCH) transmission, or a NB Physical Random Access Channel (NB-PRACH) transmission.

49. The network node of claim 42, wherein, at least when the bundled UL transmission is a Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) or Narrowband (NB) PRACH transmission, the processing circuitry is configured to assume that the HD WCD uses synchronization gaps.

50. The network node of claim 42, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to receive an indication from the HD WCD that the HD WCD uses synchronization gaps.

51. A method of operation in a half-duplex (HD) wireless communication device (WCD) configured for operation in a wireless communication network:

performing a bundled uplink (UL) transmission towards a network node in the wireless communication network, said bundled UL transmission comprising a set of repeated UL transmissions; and

inserting, at least on a conditional basis, one or more synchronization gaps into the bundled UL transmission; and

suspending UL transmission during the one or more synchronization gaps, to receive downlink (DL) signals from the network node, for maintaining synchronization with the network node.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein inserting the one or more synchronization gaps is performed conditionally, in dependence on at least one of the following:

whether the network node has indicated that synchronization gaps are permitted or should be used;

the overall number of repeated UL transmissions comprising the bundled UL transmission, or an overall time span represented by the bundled UL transmission; and

the amount of time between instances of DL reception that the HD WCD can maintain synchronization with the network node.

53. The method of claim 51, further comprising sending an indication to the network node that the HD WCD uses synchronization gaps.

54. The method of claim 51, wherein the HD WCD is an enhanced Machine Type Communication (eMTC) device and the bundled UL transmission is a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) transmission, a Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) transmission, or a Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) transmission.

55. The method of claim 51, wherein the HD WCD is a Narrowband Internet-of-Things (NB-IoT) device and the bundled UL transmission is a NB Physical Uplink Control Channel (NB-PUCCH) transmission, a NB Physical Uplink Shared Channel (NB-PUSCH) transmission, or a NB Physical Random Access Channel (NB-PRACH) transmission.

56. The method of claim 51, further comprising configuring the insertion of the synchronization gaps according to a rule configured in the HD WCD.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein the rule is preconfigured in the HD WCD or is dynamically configured in the HD WCD, based on signaling received from the wireless communication network.

58. A half-duplex (HD) wireless communication device (WCD) configured for operation in a wireless communication network and comprising:

communication interface circuitry configured to communicate with a network node in the wireless communication network; and

processing circuitry operatively associated with the communication interface circuitry and configured to;

perform a bundled uplink (UL) transmission towards the network node in the wireless communication network, said bundled UL transmission comprising a set of repeated UL transmissions; and

insert, at least on a conditional basis, one or more synchronization gaps into the bundled UL transmission; and

suspend UL transmission during the one or more synchronization gaps, to receive downlink (DL) signals from the network node, for maintaining synchronization with the network node.

59. The HD WCD of claim 58, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to insert the one or more synchronization gaps conditionally, in dependence on at least one of the following:

whether the network node has indicated that synchronization gaps are permitted or should be used;

the overall number of repeated UL transmissions comprising the bundled UL transmission, or an overall time span represented by the bundled UL transmission; and

the amount of time between instances of DL reception that the HD WCD can maintain synchronization with the network node.

60. The HD WCD of claim 58, further comprising sending an indication to the network node that the HD WCD uses synchronization gaps.

61. The HD WCD of claim 58, wherein the HD WCD is an enhanced Machine Type Communication (eMTC) device and the bundled UL transmission is a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) transmission, a Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) transmission, or a Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) transmission.

62. The HD WCD of claim 58, wherein the HD WCD is a Narrowband Internet-of-Things (NB-IoT) device and the bundled UL transmission is a NB Physical Uplink Control Channel (NB-PUCCH) transmission, a NB Physical Uplink Shared Channel (NB-PUSCH) transmission, or a NB Physical Random Access Channel (NB-PRACH) transmission.

63. The HD WCD of claim 58, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to configure the insertion of the synchronization gaps according to a rule configured in the HD WCD.

64. The HD WCD of claim 63, wherein the rule is preconfigured in the HD WCD or is dynamically configured in the HD WCD, based on signaling received from the wireless communication network.