System and method for uplink timing synchronization

• US 8,385,320 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2008
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Guangdong OPPO Mobile Telecommunications Corporation Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Cai, Zhijun, Womack, James Earl, Jia, Yongkang
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao, Kwang B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Elpenord, Candal
• Application Number:
  US12/338,299
• Publication Number:
  US 20090161654A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,531 Days
• Field of Search: 370/252, 370335-336, 370/350, 370/330, 370342-343, 370/503, 370/329, 455/502
• US Class Current: 370/350
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2681 Synchronisation of a mobile station with one base station
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0005 synchronizing of arrival of multiple uplinks

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for providing uplink timing synchronization in a wireless communication system. The uplink timing synchronization may be provided via a specific message sent from the user equipment to a network access device, or may be calculated based upon data received at the network access device from the user equipment.

Claims

1. A method of uplink timing alignment in a network access equipment comprising:

receiving an uplink transmission comprised of at least one time interval, the time interval designated for uplink timing reference signal transmission;

evaluating the time interval to determine if an uplink timing reference signal transmission was received; and

responsive to evaluating, when an uplink timing reference signal transmission is received during the time interval, calculating an uplink timing alignment adjustment based on the uplink timing reference signal transmission, when an uplink timing reference signal transmission is not received during the time interval, calculating the uplink timing alignment adjustment based on data received on a physical uplink shared channel in the time interval,

wherein the received data comprises a demodulation reference symbol.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a message further comprises receiving a sub-frame.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the uplink timing reference signal transmission comprises a sounding reference signal.

4. A network access equipment comprising:

one or more processors configured to promote receiving a message comprised of at least one time interval, the time interval designated for uplink timing reference signal transmission;

the one or more processors further configured to evaluate the time interval to determine if an uplink timing reference signal transmission was received;

the one more processors further configured to;

when an uplink timing reference signal transmission is received during the time interval, calculate an uplink timing alignment adjustment based on the uplink timing reference signal transmission; and

when an uplink timing reference signal transmission is not received during the time interval, calculating the uplink timing alignment adjustment based on data received on a physical uplink shared channel in the time interval,

wherein the received data comprises a demodulation reference symbol.

5. The network access equipment of claim 4, wherein the one or more processors configured to promote receiving a message further comprises the one or more processors being configured to promote receiving a sub-frame.

6. The network access equipment of claim 4, wherein the uplink timing reference signal transmission comprises a sounding reference signal.