Configuring component carriers in carrier aggregation

• US 8,743,734 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2011
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Etemad, Kamran
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): ASEFA, DEBEBE A
• Application Number:
  US13/299,765
• Publication Number:
  US 20120063357A1
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• Field of Search: 370254-430
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1614 using bitmaps
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/11 Identifying congestion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/283 in response to processing delays, e.g. caused by jitter or round trip time [RTT]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/30 in combination with information about buffer occupancy at either end or at transit nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/001 the frequencies being arranged in component carriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0016 Time-frequency-code
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/003 Arrangements for allocating sub-channels of the transmission path
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0032 Distributed allocation, i.e. involving a plurality of allocating devices, each making partial allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0051 of dedicated pilots, i.e. pilots destined for a single user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0053 Allocation of signaling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0064 Rate requirement of the data, e.g. scalable bandwidth, data priority
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0094 Indication of how sub-channels of the path are allocated
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/02 Traffic management, e.g. flow control or congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/12 using signalling between network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/22 for handling the traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• 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 72/21 in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 : in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/52 : based on load
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 : Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 : Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/00 : Reducing energy consumption in communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Technology for configuring component carriers in carrier aggregation is disclosed. One method comprises scanning for an enhanced Node B (eNode B) with a user equipment (UE). An eNode B is selected by the UE. The UE is attached to an available carrier provided by the eNode B. The available carrier is designated as a Primary Component Carrier (PCC). The PCC is configured as a component carrier pair comprising a downlink primary component carrier (DL PCC) and an uplink primary component carrier (UL PCC). Mobility management and security input information is received at the UE from the eNode B via the DL PCC and the UL PCC.

Claims

1. A method for configuring carriers in carrier aggregation, comprising:

scanning by a user equipment (UE) for an enhanced Node B (eNode B) operable in a wireless network;

selecting by the UE an eNode B;

attaching the UE to an available carrier provided by the eNode B and designating the available carrier as a Primary Component Carrier (PCC), wherein the PCC is configured as a component carrier pair comprising a downlink primary component carrier (DL PCC) and an uplink primary component carrier (UL PCC);

receiving at the UE mobility management and security input information from the eNode B via the DL PCC and the UL PCC; and

transmitting to the eNode B a carrier aggregation capability from the UE to enable the eNode B to configure a plurality of secondary component carriers (SCCs) at the eNode B for the UE based on the carrier aggregation capability of the UE.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein each of the plurality of SCCs are configured as a component carrier pair comprising a downlink secondary component carrier (DL SCC) and an uplink secondary component carrier (UL SCC).

3. The method of claim 2, wherein configured carriers of the UE always consist of one PCC and one or more SCCs.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the PCC can only be changed with a handover procedure including a security key update.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the PCC is used for transmission of a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the PCC may be changed due to load balancing, interference management, or selected link level preferences.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the PCC change is effected through the use of a radio resource control (RRC) level carrier configuration.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the PCC remains activated while the UE is in an RRC-Connected mode.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

a user equipment (UE) configured to scan for an enhanced Node B (eNode B) operable in a wireless network and attach to an available carrier provided by the eNode B;

wherein the available carrier is designated as a Primary Component Carrier (PCC) that is configured as a component carrier pair comprising a downlink primary component carrier (DL PCC) and an uplink primary component carrier (UL PCC);

wherein the UE is further configured to receive mobility management and security input information from the eNode B via the DL PCC and UL PCC; and

send to the eNode B the UE'"'"'s carrier aggregation capability,

wherein the eNode B is configured to provide service for a plurality of UEs within the eNode B'"'"'s network and configure at least one secondary component carrier (SCC) for the UE based on the aggregation capability of the UE.

10. The apparatus of claim 9,

wherein the at least one SCC is configured as a component carrier pair comprising a downlink secondary component carrier (DL SCC) and an uplink secondary component carrier (UL SCC).

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein configured carriers of the UE always consists of one PCC and one or more SCCs.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the PCC can only be changed with a handover procedure including a security key update.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the PCC is used for transmission of a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH).

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the PCC may be changed for load balancing, interference management, or other link level preferences.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the PCC change is effected through the use of radio resource control (RRC) level carrier configuration.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the PCC remains activated while the UE is in an RRC-Connected mode.

17. An enhanced Node B (eNode B) operable in a wireless network and adapted for configuring component carriers, comprising:

a carrier aggregation module configured to provide an available carrier to attach to a UE, wherein once attached to the UE, the available carrier is designated as a Primary Component Carrier (PCC) that is configured as a component carrier pair comprising a downlink primary component carrier (DL PCC) and an uplink primary component carrier (UL PCC);

wherein the eNode B is configured to;

communicate mobility management and security input information to the UE via the DL PCC and the UL PCC

receive a carrier aggregation capability from the UE; and

configure at least one secondary component carrier (SCC) for the UE based on the carrier aggregation capability of the UE.

18. The eNode B of claim 17, wherein the at least one SCC is configured as a component carrier pair comprising a downlink secondary component carrier (DL SCC) and an uplink secondary component carrier (UL SCC).

19. The eNode B of claim 18, wherein configured carriers of the UE always consist of one PCC and one or more SCCs.

20. The eNode B of claim 17, wherein the PCC can only be changed with a handover procedure including a security key update.

21. The eNode B of claim 17, wherein the PCC is used for transmission of a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH).

22. The eNode B of claim 17, wherein the PCC may be changed for load balancing, interference management, or other link level preferences.

23. The eNode B of claim 22, wherein the PCC change is effected through the use of radio resource control (RRC) level carrier configuration.

24. The eNode B of claim 23, wherein the PCC remains activated while the UE is in an RRC-Connected mode.