Random access failure in wireless device multiple timing advance groups

• US 8,588,169 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2013
• Issued: 11/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Ofinno Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Dinan, Esmael Hejazi
• Primary Examiner(s): Sefcheck, Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH, JOSHUA Y
• Application Number:
  US13/749,690
• Publication Number:
  US 20130188473A1
• Time in Patent Office: 298 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 2011/0096 Network synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2692 with preamble design, i.e. with negotiation of the synchronisation sequence with transmitter or sequence linked to the algorithm used at the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/32 Carrier systems characterised by combinations of two or more of the types covered by groups H04L27/02, H04L27/10, H04L27/18 or H04L27/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0055 Physical resource allocation for ACK/NACK for physical mapping arrangements in ARQ protocols H04L1/1861
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0094 Indication of how sub-channels of the path are allocated
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0098 Signalling of the activation or deactivation of component carriers, subcarriers or frequency bands
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1066 Session management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/00 Network traffic management; Network resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0072 of resource information of target access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/00 Access restriction access security to prevent unauthorised access H04W12/08; Network selection; Access point selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/14 Separate analysis of uplink or downlink
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/146 Uplink power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/18 TPC being performed according to specific parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/242 taking into account path loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/248 where transmission power control commands are generated based on a path parameter
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/34 TPC management, i.e. sharing limited amount of power among users or channels or data types, e.g. cell loading
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/50 at the moment of starting communication in a multiple access environment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/00 Synchronisation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0005 : synchronizing of arrival of multiple uplinks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/001 : Synchronization between nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0045 : compensating for timing error by altering transmission time
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 : in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/002 : Transmission of channel access control information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/006 : in the downlink, i.e. towards the terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0833 : Random access procedures, e.g. with 4-step access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 : Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/18 : Management of setup rejection or failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 : Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices

Abstract

A wireless device receives a control command to transmit a random access preamble on a first secondary cell. The wireless device repeatedly transmits the random access preamble until a random access response corresponding to the random access preamble is received or a predetermined number of transmissions is reached. If the predetermined number of transmissions is reached without receiving the random access response, the wireless device stops transmission of the random access preamble and keeps a connection with the base station active.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

a) repeatedly transmitting, by a wireless device to a base station, a first random access preamble on a primary cell until;

i) a first random access response corresponding to said first random access preamble is received from said base station;

or

ii) a first predetermined number of transmissions is reached;

b) if said first predetermined number of transmissions is reached without receiving said first random access response;

i) indicating a random access problem to a radio resource control layer in said wireless device; and

ii) said radio resource control layer determining a radio link failure;

c) receiving, by said wireless device, at least one control message from said base station, said at least one control message causing in said wireless device;

i) configuration of a plurality of cells comprising said primary cell and at least one secondary cell, said plurality of cells employed for communication between said wireless device and said base station; and

ii) assignment of each of said at least one secondary cell to a cell group in a plurality of cell groups, said plurality of cell groups comprising a secondary cell group comprising a subset of said at least one secondary cell;

d) receiving, by said wireless device, a MAC activation command causing activation of a first secondary cell in said secondary cell group;

e) receiving, by said wireless device from said base station and subsequent to receiving said MAC activation command, a control command causing said wireless device to transmit to said base station a second random access preamble on said first secondary cell;

f) repeatedly transmitting, by said wireless device to said base station, said second random access preamble until;

i) a second random access response corresponding to said second random access preamble is received from said base station on said primary cell;

or

ii) a second predetermined number of transmissions is reached; and

g) if said second predetermined number of transmissions is reached without receiving said second random access response, said wireless device;

i) stopping transmission of said second random access preamble to said base station; and

ii) keeping a connection with said base station active.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first random access preamble is transmitted one time if a first random access response is received after the first transmission of said first random access preamble.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

a) said first random access response comprises a first random access preamble identifier corresponding to said first random access preamble; and

b) said second random access response comprises a second random access preamble identifier corresponding to said second random access preamble.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising said wireless device entering a no uplink transmission status for said secondary cell group until at least another control command is received from said base station if said second predetermined number of retransmissions is reached.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, if said second predetermined number of transmissions is reached, said wireless device:

a) entering an out-of-sync status if said wireless device was in-sync before said wireless device receives said control command; and

b) staying in said out-of-sync status if said wireless device was in said out-of-sync status before said wireless device receives said control command.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising said wireless device staying in an in-sync status if a corresponding time alignment timer of said secondary cell group is running when said second predetermined number of transmissions is reached.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising, triggering a connection re-establishment process by said wireless device if said first predetermined number of transmissions is reached without receiving said first random access response.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said control command comprises:

a) a mask index; and

b) said random access preamble identifier.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein uplink signals, transmitted by said wireless device, in:

a) said primary cell group employ a first synchronization signal transmitted on said primary cell as a first timing reference; and

b) said secondary cell group employ a second synchronization signal transmitted on an activated secondary cell in said secondary cell group as a second timing reference.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising said wireless device stopping uplink transmissions in said secondary cell group if said second predetermined number of transmissions is reached without receiving said second random access response.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising said wireless device stopping uplink transmissions in said first secondary cell if said second predetermined number of transmissions is reached without receiving said second random access response.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving by said wireless device, at least one control message from said base station, said at least one control message comprising:

a) said first predetermined number; and

b) said second predetermined number.

13. A wireless device comprising:

a) one or more communication interfaces;

b) one or more processors; and

c) memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause said wireless device to;

i) repeatedly transmit a first random access preamble to a base station on a primary cell until;

(1) a first random access response corresponding to said first random access preamble is received from said base station;

or

(2) a first predetermined number of transmissions is reached;

ii) if said first predetermined number of transmissions is reached without receiving said first random access response;

(1) indicate a random access problem to a radio resource control layer in said wireless device; and

(2) said radio resource control layer determining a radio link failure;

iii) receive, from said base station, at least one control message causing;

(1) configuration of a plurality of cells comprising said primary cell and at least one secondary cell, said plurality of cells employed for communication between said wireless device and said base station; and

(2) assignment of each of said at least one secondary cell to a cell group in a plurality of cell groups, said plurality of cell groups comprising a secondary cell group comprising a subset of said at least one secondary cell;

iv) receive a MAC activation command causing activation of a first secondary cell in said secondary cell group;

v) receive a control command from said base station, subsequent to receiving said MAC activation command, causing said wireless device to transmit to said base station a second random access preamble on said first secondary cell;

vi) repeatedly transmit said second random access preamble to said base station until;

(1) a second random access response corresponding to said second random access preamble is received from said base station on said primary cell;

or

(2) a second predetermined number of transmissions is reached; and

vi) if said second predetermined number of transmissions is reached without receiving said second random access response;

(1) stop transmission of said second random access preamble to said base station; and

(2) keep a connection with said base station active.

14. The wireless device of claim 13, wherein said control command comprises:

a) a mask index; and

b) said random access preamble identifier.

15. The wireless device of claim 13, wherein:

a) said first random access response comprises a first random access preamble identifier corresponding to said first random access preamble; and

b) said second random access response comprises a second random access preamble identifier corresponding to said second random access preamble.