Provision of inter-frequency subframe configuration in wireless communication

• US 8,526,419 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2010
• Issued: 09/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Tenny, Nathan Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Duong, Frank
• Application Number:
  US12/651,964
• Publication Number:
  US 20100172272A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,338 Days
• Field of Search: 370312-314, 370328-339, 370347-350, 370/503, 370509-510
• US Class Current: 370/350
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0055 Transmission or use of information for re-establishing the radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

Providing for inter-frequency timing provision in wireless communication is disclosed herein. By way of example, cells of a wireless network can be configured to acquire information pertaining to subframe timing configurations employed by nearby wireless cells, including cells that employ a different frequency as an acquiring cell. The subframe timing configuration can be forwarded to access terminals served by the acquiring cell, to facilitate proper reception of neighboring signals, including on the different frequency. Various formats are disclosed herein for conveying subframe timing configurations, including a single bit format and multiple bit formats, which can specify various ranges of timing information in relation to a known timing, or can specify a complete subframe timing configuration for one or more such cells.

Claims

1. A method of wireless communication, comprising:

obtaining, at a serving cell of a wireless network, a time division duplex (TDD) subframe timing configuration for an access point of the wireless network on a first TDD frequency; and

providing inter-frequency TDD subframe timing data via the serving cell of the wireless network on a second TDD frequency, comprising;

establishing an information element comprising one or more message fields that specify information about the TDD subframe timing configuration;

forwarding the information element on a wireless air interface utilizing the second TDD frequency for delivery to one or more access terminals.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying the first TDD frequency with the information element.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising employing a single bit data format or a multi-bit data format for the information element.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the single bit data format indicates the access point employs the same or a different subframe configuration as the serving cell.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the multi-bit data format specifies any one of the following:

the TDD subframe timing configuration of the access point is identical to a TDD subframe timing configuration employed by the serving cell;

cells of the wireless network employing the first TDD frequency also employ the TDD subframe timing configuration;

or

cells of the wireless network employing the first TDD frequency also employ one of a set of TDD subframe timing configurations which includes the TDD subframe timing configuration.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining and forwarding TDD subframe configuration data for one or more cells neighboring the serving cell.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining and forwarding TDD subframe configuration data for a plurality of TDD frequencies employed by cells neighboring the serving cell.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating and forwarding a neighboring cell list that specifies TDD subframe configuration data for each cell neighboring the serving cell on a per TDD frequency basis.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising specifying a complete subframe configuration of the TDD subframe timing configuration with the information element.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein forwarding the information element further comprises at least one of:

employing dedicated signaling for forwarding the information element to the one or more access terminals actively connected to the serving cell;

or

employing broadcast signaling for forwarding the information element to any access terminal receiving signaling messages from the serving cell.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining an additional TDD subframe timing configuration of a second access point of the wireless network, wherein the second access point employs a third TDD frequency, different from the first TDD frequency and the second TDD frequency;

specifying the additional TDD subframe timing configuration in the information element, or in a second information element dedicated for the second access point or the third TDD frequency; and

forwarding a message containing the information element or the second information element over the second TDD frequency to the one or more access terminals.

12. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

a communication interface configured to obtain a time-division duplex (TDD) subframe timing configuration of an inter-frequency cell of a wireless network operating at a different TDD frequency from a cell associated with the apparatus;

a data processor for executing modules configured to update an access terminal with network timing, the modules comprising;

a conversion module configured to generate an information element comprising one or more message fields for including information about the TDD subframe timing configuration;

a distribution module configured to send the information element over an air interface to the access terminal by way of a wireless transmitter employed by the apparatus; and

memory configured to store the modules.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the communication interface is coupled to a backhaul network between a base station associated with the apparatus and the inter-frequency cell.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the backhaul network is a wired electronic communication network or a wireless electronic communication network communicatively coupling the inter-frequency cell and the base station.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the information element is in a single-bit format or a multi-bit format.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the single-bit format indicates that the TDD subframe timing configuration is the same as or different from a serving subframe configuration employed by a serving cell.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the multi-bit format specifies a complete TDD subframe timing configuration employed by the inter-frequency cell.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the inter-frequency cell employs a first TDD frequency, and a serving cell that serves the access terminal and is associated with the apparatus employs a second TDD frequency, and further wherein the multi-bit format specifies any one of the following:

cells of the wireless network employing the first TDD frequency utilize a serving TDD subframe configuration of the serving cell;

cells of the wireless network employing the first TDD frequency utilize a common TDD subframe configuration, which is different from the serving subframe configuration;

or

cells of the wireless network employing the first TDD frequency also employ one of various TDD subframe configurations.

19. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a listing module configured to compile TDD subframe configuration data for a set of neighboring cells of the wireless network obtained from the communication interface on a per-cell or per-frequency basis, wherein the set of neighboring cells comprises the inter-frequency cell and at least one other cell.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a data store communicatively coupled with the apparatus and configured to store subframe configuration data compiled by the listing module.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the listing module is configured to generate a neighbor cell list from the TDD subframe configuration data that comprises a set of information elements specifying respective subsets of the TDD subframe configuration data for one of the set of neighboring cells of the wireless network or for one TDD frequency of the wireless network, or a combination thereof.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the distribution module is configured to send the neighbor cell list to the access terminal on a system information broadcast channel or a measurement configuration unicast channel.

23. An apparatus configured for wireless communication, comprising:

means for obtaining, at a serving cell of a wireless network, a time division duplex (TDD) subframe timing configuration for an access point of the wireless network on a first TDD frequency; and

means for providing inter-frequency TDD subframe timing data via the serving cell of the wireless network on a second TDD frequency, comprising;

means for establishing an information element (IE) comprising a set of message fields that specifies information about the TDD subframe timing configuration;

means for forwarding the information element utilizing the second TDD frequency to an access terminal within the serving cell.

24. At least one processor configured for wireless communication, comprising:

a module configured to obtain a time division duplex (TDD) subframe timing configuration for an access point of a wireless network on a first TDD frequency; and

a module configured to establish an information element (IE) comprising a set of message fields that specifies information about the TDD subframe timing configuration;

a module configured to forward the information element to an access terminal within a serving cell of the wireless network on a second TDD frequency.

25. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable non-transitory medium, comprising;

code for causing a computer to obtain a time division duplex (TDD) subframe timing configuration for an access point of a wireless network on a first TDD frequency; and

code for causing the computer to establish an information element (IE) comprising a set of message fields that specifies information about the TDD subframe timing configuration;

code for causing the computer to forward the information element to an access terminal within a serving cell of the wireless network on a second TDD frequency.

26. A method of engaging in wireless communications, comprising:

obtaining timing information pertaining to multiple frequencies of a wireless network; and

determining inter-frequency subframe timing data for cells of the wireless network, comprising;

parsing the timing information to identify timing data pertaining to a non-serving cell of the wireless network; and

analyzing the timing data to obtain or infer a subframe configuration of the non-serving cell.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein obtaining the timing information further comprises measuring wireless signals of the non-serving cell to obtain the subframe configuration if the subframe configuration is not within or cannot be inferred from the timing data.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein parsing the timing information further comprises identifying whether the subframe configuration is the same as or different from a serving subframe configuration employed by a serving cell of the wireless network.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising employing the serving subframe configuration for signal analysis of the non-serving cell if the subframe configuration is the same as the serving subframe configuration.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein parsing the timing information further comprises identifying any one of the following conditions:

one or more cells of the wireless network on a non-serving frequency (non-serving network cells) utilize a serving subframe configuration of a serving frequency;

one or more non-serving network cells utilize a common subframe configuration that is different from the serving subframe configuration;

or

one or more non-serving network cells utilize one of a set of multiple different subframe configurations.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising employing the serving subframe configuration for signal analysis of at least one of the non-serving network cells if such cell utilizes the serving subframe configuration.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising analyzing signals of at least one of the non-serving network cells to obtain a measured subframe configuration for the non-serving frequency, and imputing the measured subframe configuration to all of the non-serving network cells, if the one or more non-serving network cells utilize the common subframe configuration.

33. The method of claim 30, further comprising independently analyzing signals of at least one of the non-serving cells to identify which of the set of multiple different subframe configurations is employed by the at least one non-serving network cell, if the one or more non-serving network cells utilize one of the set of multiple different subframe configurations.

34. The method of claim 26, wherein the timing information comprises a neighboring cell list that provides subframe configuration information per cell or per frequency of the wireless network.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the neighboring cell list specifies both a per frequency subframe configuration list and a per cell subframe configuration list.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising associating a per frequency subframe configuration to all non-serving cells employing a particular frequency indicated in the per frequency subframe configuration list, except those non-serving cells employing the particular frequency that have a per cell subframe configuration indicated in the per cell subframe configuration list that is different from the per frequency subframe configuration.

37. An apparatus configured for engaging in wireless communication, comprising:

a wireless communication interface configured to support communication using multiple time-division duplex (TDD frequencies of a wireless network and to communicate with multiple cells of the wireless network;

memory arranged to store modules configured to obtain network timing configurations; and

at least one data processor configured to execute the modules, the modules comprising;

an analysis module configured to inspect timing data obtained by the wireless communication interface from a serving cell of the wireless network to identify TDD subframe configuration data pertaining to a non-serving frequency of the wireless network; and

an implementation module configured to employ a TDD subframe configuration utilized by network cells on the non-serving frequency for analyzing signals thereof.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, further comprising a correlation module configured to perform one of:

identifying a subset of the timing data pertaining to the non-serving frequency and determining or inferring the TDD subframe configuration from the subset of the timing data;

or

determining from the subset of the timing data that signals of the non-serving frequency must be measured to obtain the TDD subframe configuration.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the subset of the timing data specifies that the TDD subframe configuration is the same or is not the same as a known TDD subframe configuration employed by the apparatus.

40. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the subset of the timing data specifies the TDD subframe configuration is any one of the following:

the same as a serving TDD subframe configuration and commonly employed by network cells on the non-serving frequency

different from the serving TDD subframe configuration and commonly employed by the network cells on the non-serving frequency;

or

is but one of a set of TDD subframe configurations employed by the network cells on the non-serving frequency.

41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the correlation module is configured to determine that the serving TDD subframe configuration is employed by the non-serving frequency, if the TDD subframe configuration is the same as the serving TDD subframe configuration.

42. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the correlation module is configured to instruct the apparatus to measure signals of the non-serving frequency to obtain the TDD subframe configuration, and is configured to impute the TDD subframe configuration to all network cells on the non-serving frequency, if the TDD subframe configuration is different from the serving TDD subframe configuration and commonly employed by network cells on the non-serving frequency.

43. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the correlation module is configured to infer that signals of respective cells on the non-serving frequency must be independently measured to obtain respective TDD subframe configurations of the set of TDD subframe configurations for each such cell, if the TDD subframe configuration is but one of the set of TDD subframe configurations employed by the network cells on the non-serving frequency.

44. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the subset of the timing data specifies a complete TDD subframe configuration for the non-serving frequency or a network cell on the non-serving frequency.

45. The apparatus of claim 37, further comprising a signal measurement module configured to directly evaluate signals of a network cell on the non-serving frequency to derive the TDD subframe configuration.

46. The apparatus of claim 37, further comprising a parsing module configured to sort the timing data into respective subsets thereof pertaining to respective ones of the multiple TDD frequencies of the wireless network.

47. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein the analysis module is configured to inspect respective subsets of timing data to identify respective TDD subframe configuration data pertaining to the respective ones of the multiple TDD frequencies of the wireless network.

48. An apparatus for participating in wireless communication, comprising:

means for obtaining timing information pertaining to a non-serving frequency of a wireless network; and

means for determining inter-frequency timing data for cells of the wireless network, comprising;

means for inspecting the timing information to identify subframe configuration data pertaining to the non-serving frequency; and

means for employing a subframe configuration utilized by network cells on the non-serving frequency for analyzing signals thereof.

49. At least one processor for participating in wireless communication, comprising:

a module for obtaining timing information pertaining to a non-serving frequency of a wireless network;

a module for inspecting the timing information to identify subframe configuration data pertaining to the non-serving frequency; and

a module for employing a subframe configuration utilized by network cells on the non-serving frequency for analyzing signals thereof.

50. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable non-transitory medium, comprising;

code for causing a computer to obtain timing information pertaining to a non-serving frequency of a wireless network;

code for causing the computer to inspect the timing information to identify subframe configuration data pertaining to the non-serving frequency; and

code for causing the computer to employ a subframe configuration utilized by network cells on the non-serving frequency for analyzing signals thereof.