METHODS AND NODES OF A DISTRIBUTED BASE STATION SYSTEM FOR IMPROVED DOWNLINK TRANSMISSION

• US 20180309510A1
• Filed: 11/27/2015
• Published: 10/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: TROJER, Elmar, BERG, Miguel, DE BRUIN, Peter, HAGERMAN, Bo, SODER, Johan
• Granted Patent: US 10,707,955 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2606 Arrangements for base station coverage control, e.g. by using relays in tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/065 using assembly or disassembly of packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/16 Central resource management; Negotiation of resources or communication parameters, e.g. negotiating bandwidth or QoS [Quality of Service]
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/085 Access point devices with remote components

Abstract

A method performed by an intermediate unit of a distributed base station system of a wireless communication network. The distributed base station system has a first base unit and a second base unit connected to the intermediate unit. The intermediate unit is further connected to a first remote unit, which is further connected for distributing wireless signals to pieces of User Equipment (UEs). The intermediate unit receives, from the first base unit, first data and sends the first data over a point-to-point connection to the first remote unit for further distribution wirelessly over a radio channel to the UEs. In response to the reception of the first data, a first indication is sent to the second base unit that the radio channel is free. The second base unit can send second data that is then to be sent from the remote unit towards the UEs on the radio channel.

Claims

1. A method performed by an intermediate unit of a distributed base station system of a wireless communication network, for downlink transmission, the distributed base station system comprising a first base unit and a second base unit, each base unit being connected to the intermediate unit, the intermediate unit being further connected via a point-to-point connection to a first remote unit of the distributed base station system, which first remote unit is connected to at least one antenna for distributing wireless signals to pieces of User Equipment (UEs), the method comprising:

receiving, from the first base unit, first data that is to be sent from the first remote unit towards the UEs on a first radio channel of an unlicensed frequency band;

sending the first data over the point-to-point connection to the first remote unit for further distribution wirelessly over the first radio channel to the UEs, in response to the reception of the first data;

sending, to the second base unit, a first indication that the first radio channel is free;

receiving, from the second base unit, second data that is to be sent from the first remote unit towards the UEs on the first radio channel of the unlicensed frequency band, the second data being received in response to the sending of the first indication; and

sending the second data over the point-to-point connection to the first remote unit for further distribution wirelessly over the first radio channel to the UEs, in response to the reception of the second data.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sending of the first indication that the first radio channel is free is triggered by a reception of an indication from the first remote unit that the first radio channel is free.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sending of the first indication that the first radio channel is free is triggered by a detection that the first data is not sent on the point-to-point connection anymore.

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

receiving a second indication from the first remote unit that the second data was not sent from the first remote unit towards the UEs; and

sending the received second indication to the second base unit.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first data and the second data are sent on the point-to-point connection on a first frequency band or packet stream, further comprising:

receiving, from the first base unit, third data that is to be sent from the first remote unit towards the UEs on a second radio channel of a first licensed frequency band;

receiving, from the second base unit, fourth data that is to be sent from the first remote unit towards the UEs on a third radio channel of a second licensed frequency band;

sending, in response to the reception of the third data, the third data over the point-to-point connection on a second frequency band or packet stream different from the first frequency band or packet stream; and

sending, in response to the reception of the fourth data, the fourth data over the point-to-point connection on a third frequency band or packet stream different from the first frequency band or packet stream and different from the second frequency band or packet stream.

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

receiving, from the first base unit, third data that is to be sent from a second remote unit towards the UEs on a second radio channel of a first licensed frequency band;

receiving, from the second base unit, fourth data that is to be sent from a third remote unit towards the UEs on a third radio channel of a second licensed frequency band;

sending, in response to the reception of the third data, the third data over a second point-to-point connection towards the second remote unit connected to the second point-to-point connection; and

sending, in response to the reception of the fourth data, the fourth data over a third point-to-point connection towards the third remote unit connected to the third point-to-point connection.

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

sending a further indication to the second base unit that the point-to-point connection is occupied, in response to the receiving of the first data from the first base unit.

8. A method performed by a remote unit of a distributed base station system of a wireless communication network, for downlink transmission, the base station system comprising a first base unit and a second base unit, each base unit being connected to an intermediate unit of the distributed base station system, the intermediate unit being connected via a point-to-point connection to the remote unit, and the remote unit is connected to at least one antenna for distributing wireless signals to pieces of User Equipment (UEs), the method comprising:

receiving, from the intermediate unit over the point-to-point connection, a first data originating from the first base unit;

sending the first data over a first radio channel to the UEs, in response to the reception of the first data;

receiving, from the intermediate unit over the point-to-point connection, a second data originating from the second base unit; and

sending the second data over the first radio channel to the UEs, in response to the reception of the second data.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

detecting that the first radio channel is free; and

sending, to the intermediate unit, an indication that the first radio channel is free, in response to the detection that the first radio channel is free.

10. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

detecting that the first radio channel is occupied when trying to send the second data to the UEs; and

sending an indication to the intermediate unit that the second data was not sent from the remote unit towards the UEs.

11. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

receiving, from the intermediate unit, third data over the point-to-point connection on a second frequency band or packet stream different from a first frequency band or packet stream on which the first data and the second data is sent, the third data originating from the first base unit;

receiving, from the intermediate unit, fourth data over the point-to-point connection on a third frequency band or packet stream different from the first frequency band or packet stream, the fourth data originating from the second base unit;

sending the third data over a second radio channel of a licensed frequency band towards the UEs; and

sending the fourth data over a third radio channel of a licensed frequency band towards the UEs.

12. An intermediate unit operable in a distributed base station system of a wireless communication network, the distributed base station system comprising a first base unit and a second base unit, each base unit being connected to the intermediate unit, the intermediate unit being further connected via a point-to-point connection to a first remote unit of the distributed base station system, which first remote unit is connected to at least one antenna for distributing wireless signals to pieces of User Equipment (UEs), the intermediate unit comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, said memory containing instructions which, when executed by said processor, instructs the intermediate unit to perform operations to;

receive, from the first base unit, first data that is to be sent from the first remote unit towards the UEs on a first radio channel of an unlicensed frequency band;

send the first data over the point-to-point connection to the first remote unit for further distribution wirelessly over the first radio channel to the UEs, in response to the reception of the first data;

send, to the second base unit, a first indication that the first radio channel is free;

receive, from the second base unit, second data that is to be sent from the first remote unit towards the UEs on the first radio channel of the unlicensed frequency band, the second data being received in response to sending of the first indication; and

send the second data over the point-to-point connection to the first remote unit for further distribution wirelessly over the first radio channel to the UEs, in response to the reception of the second data.

13. The intermediate unit according to claim 12, being operative to trigger to send the first indication that the first radio channel is free is by a reception of an indication from the first remote unit that the first radio channel is free.

14. The intermediate unit according to claim 12, being operative to trigger to send the first indication that the first radio channel is free by a detection that the first data is not sent on the point-to-point connection anymore.

15. The intermediate unit according to claim 12, wherein the instructions further instruct the intermediate unit to perform operations to:

receive a second indication from the first remote unit that the second data was not sent from the first remote unit towards the UEs; and

send the received second indication to the second base unit.

16. The intermediate unit according to claim 12, wherein the instructions further instruct the intermediate unit to perform operations to:

send the first data and the second data on the point-to-point connection on a first frequency band or packet stream;

receive, from the first base unit, third data that is to be sent from the first remote unit towards the UEs on a second radio channel of a first licensed frequency band;

receive, from the second base unit, fourth data that is to be sent from the first remote unit towards the UEs on a third radio channel of a second licensed frequency band;

send, in response to the reception of the third data, the third data over the point-to-point connection on a second frequency band or packet stream different from the first frequency band or packet stream; and

send, in response to the reception of the fourth data, the fourth data over the point-to-point connection on a third frequency band or packet stream different from the first frequency band or packet stream and different from the second frequency band or packet stream.

17. The intermediate unit according to claim 12, wherein the instructions further instruct the intermediate unit to perform operations to:

receive, from the first base unit, third data that is to be sent from a second remote unit towards the UEs on a second radio channel of a first licensed frequency band;

receive, from the second base unit, fourth data that is to be sent from a third remote unit towards the UEs on a third radio channel of a second licensed frequency band;

send, in response to the reception of the third data, the third data over a second point-to-point connection towards the second remote unit connected to the second point-to-point connection; and

send, in response to the reception of the fourth data, the fourth data over a third point-to-point connection towards the third remote unit connected to the third point-to-point connection.

18. The intermediate unit according to claim 12, wherein the interactions further instruct the intermediate unit to perform operations to send a further indication to the second base unit that the point-to-point connection is occupied, in response to the reception of the first data from the first base unit.

19. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium containing computer readable code to be run in an intermediate unit of a distributed base station system, the distributed base station system comprising a first base unit and a second base unit, each base unit being connected to the intermediate unit, the intermediate unit being further connected via a point-to-point connection to a first remote unit of the distributed base station system, which first remote unit is connected to at least one antenna for distributing wireless signals to pieces of User Equipment (UEs), wherein the computer readable code which, when executed on a processor of the intermediate unit, causes the intermediate unit to perform operations comprising:

receiving, from the first base unit, first data that is to be sent from the first remote unit towards the UEs on a first radio channel of an unlicensed frequency band;

sending the first data over the point-to-point connection to the first remote unit for further distribution wirelessly over the first radio channel to the UEs, in response to the reception of the first data;

sending, to the second base unit, a first indication that the first radio channel is free;

receiving, from the second base unit, second data that is to be sent from the first remote unit towards the UEs on the first radio channel of the unlicensed frequency band, the second data being received in response to the sending of the first indication; and

sending the second data over the point-to-point connection to the first remote unit for further distribution wirelessly over the first radio channel to the UEs, in response to the reception of the second data.

20. (canceled)

21. A remote unit operable in a distributed base station system of a wireless communication network, for efficient downlink transmission, the base station system comprising a first base unit and a second base unit, each base unit being connected to an intermediate unit of the distributed base station system, the intermediate unit being connected via a point-to-point connection to the remote unit, and the remote unit is connected to a at least one antenna for distributing wireless signals to pieces of User Equipment (UEs), the remote unit comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, said memory containing instructions which, when executed by said processor, instructs the remote unit to perform operations to;

receive, from the intermediate unit over the point-to-point connection, a first data originating from the first base unit;

send the first data over a first radio channel to the UEs, in response to the reception of the first data;

receive, from the intermediate unit over the point-to-point connection, a second data originating from the second base unit; and

send the second data over the first radio channel to the UEs, in response to the reception of the second data.

22. The remote unit according to claim 21, further being operative to:

detect that the first radio channel is free; and

send, to the intermediate unit, an indication that the first radio channel is free, in response to detection that the first radio channel is free.

23. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium containing computer readable code to be run in a remote unit of a distributed base station system, the distributed base station system comprising a first base unit and a second base unit, each base unit being connected to an intermediate unit of the distributed base station system, the intermediate unit being connected via a wireline connection or a wireless point-to-point connection to the remote unit, and the remote unit is connected to at least one antenna for distributing wireless signals to pieces of User Equipment (UEs), wherein the computer readable code which, when executed on a processor of the remote unit causes the remote unit to perform operation comprising:

receiving, from the intermediate unit over the point-to-point connection, a first data originating from the first base unit;

sending the first data over a first radio channel to the UEs, in response to the reception of the first data;

receiving, from the intermediate unit over the point-to-point connection, a second data originating from the second base unit; and

sending the second data over the first radio channel to the UEs, in response to the reception of the second data.

24-26. -26. (canceled)