Flexible subframes

• US 8,559,343 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2010
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Parkvall, Stefan, Astely, David, Dahlman, Erik, Rahman, Muhammad Imadur, Seln, Yngve, Nystrm, Johan, Skld, Johan
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Chirag
• Assistant Examiner(s): REDDIVALAM, SRINIVASA R
• Application Number:
  US12/816,821
• Publication Number:
  US 20110149813A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,217 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/280
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2643 using time-division multiple access [TDMA] H04B7/2615, H04B7/2618 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2656 for structure of frame, burst
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/14 Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management

Abstract

The technology disclosed provides the ability for a subframe to be configured as a “flexible” subframe. As a result, at least three different types of subframes in a TDD system may be configured: a downlink (“DL”) subframe, an uplink (“UL”) subframe, and a “flexible” subframe. While the DL and UL subframes are preconfigured for each frame instance, the flexible subframes are dynamically allocated to be an uplink subframe in one instance of a frame and a downlink subframe in another instance of the frame.

Claims

1. A radio network node for use in a radio communications network, comprising:

electronic circuitry configured to;

process data for or from a frame structure associated with a macro cell to which the radio network node is configured to provide service, wherein the frame structure includes one or more subframes preconfigured as downlink subframes, one or more subframes preconfigured as uplink subframes, and one or more flexible subframes each dynamically allocated to be an uplink subframe in one instance and a downlink subframe in another instance; and

generate information for a radio terminal indicating how the radio terminal should interpret or use one or more of the flexible subframes;

determine whether transmissions in the macro cell during a flexible subframe will interfere with transmissions in a pico cell located in the macro cell,

radio receive circuitry configured to receive and process information sent by the radio terminal in a flexible subframe; and

radio transmit circuitry configured to transmit information in a downlink direction using a flexible subframe as a downlink subframe, and

wherein the radio network node is configured to use the flexible subframe for either uplink or downlink transmissions when transmissions in the macro cell during the flexible subframe will not interfere with transmissions in the pico cell.

2. The radio network node in claim 1, wherein the electronic circuitry, receive circuitry, and transmit circuitry are configured to exchange with a neighboring base station information about intended usage of the one or more flexible subframes to avoid inter-cell interference.

3. The radio network node in claim 1, wherein the base station and the radio terminal communicate using time division duplex.

4. The radio network node in claim 1, wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to generate information for a radio terminal indicating when a particular flexible subframe should be interpreted or used as an uplink subframe and to instruct the transmit circuitry not to transmit to the radio terminal using the particular subframe.

5. The radio network node in claim 4, wherein the transmit circuitry is configured to transmit the information indicating when a particular flexible subframe should be interpreted or used as an uplink subframe in a subframe prior to the particular flexible subframe.

6. The radio network node in claim 1, wherein the transmit circuitry is configured to transmit feedback signaling only in an uplink or downlink subframe and not in a flexible subframe.

7. The radio network node in claim 1, wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to process information for legacy radio terminals without informing legacy radio terminals of the one or more flexible subframes.

8. The base station node in claim 1, wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to vary use of one or more flexible subframes in accordance with a detected traffic demand.

9. A method for a radio network node in a radio communications network, comprising:

processing, with electronic circuitry, data for or from a frame structure associate with a macro cell to which the radio network node is configured to provide service, wherein the frame structure includes one or more sub frames preconfigured as downlink sub frames, one or more sub frames preconfigured as uplink subframes, and one or more flexible subframes each dynamically allocated to be an uplink subframe in one instance and a downlink subframe in another instance;

generating, with electronic circuitry, information for a radio terminal indicating how the radio terminal should interpret or use one or more flexible subframes;

determining whether transmissions in the macro cell during a flexible subframe will interfere with transmissions in a pico cell located in the macro cell; and

using one or more of the flexible subframes for either uplink or downlink transmissions when transmissions in the macro cell during the flexible subframe will not interfere with transmissions in the pico cell, wherein using the flexible subframes comprise at least one of;

receiving and processing with a receiver information sent by the radio terminal in a flexible subframe; and

transmitting with a transmitter information in a downlink direction using a flexible subframe as a downlink subframe.

10. The method in claim 9, further comprising exchanging with a neighboring base station information about intended usage of the one or more flexible subframes to avoid inter-cell interference.

11. The method in claim 9, wherein the base station and the radio terminal communicate using time division duplex.

12. The method in claim 9, further comprising generating information for a radio terminal indicating when a particular flexible subframe should be interpreted or used as an uplink subframe and to instruct the transmit circuitry not to transmit information using the particular subframe.

13. The method in claim 12, further comprising transmitting the information indicating when a particular flexible subframe should be interpreted or used as an uplink subframe in a flexible subframe prior to the particular flexible subframe.

14. The method in claim 9, further comprising transmitting feedback signaling only in an uplink or downlink subframe and not in a flexible subframe.

15. The method in claim 9, further comprising processing information for legacy radio terminals without informing legacy radio terminals of the one or more flexible subframes.

16. The method in claim 9, further comprising varying use of one or more flexible subframes in accordance with a detected traffic demand.