Primary and secondary cell group configuration

• US 8,804,668 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2013
• Issued: 08/12/2014
• 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): PARK, JUNG H
• Application Number:
  US13/966,557
• Publication Number:
  US 20130329708A1
• Time in Patent Office: 363 Days
• US Class Current: 370/331
• 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 base station transmits a message assigning each secondary cell to a cell group. The message comprises dedicated parameters for a secondary cell. If the dedicated parameters comprise a cell group index for the secondary cell, the secondary cell is assigned to a secondary cell group. Otherwise, the secondary cell is assigned to the primary cell group. The message comprises MAC dedicated parameters comprising a sequence of at least one information element. Each information element comprises a first cell group index of a first secondary cell group and a corresponding time alignment timer value.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

a) transmitting, by a base station, at least one Radio Resource Control (RRC) message configured to cause assignment of each of at least one secondary cell to one of a primary cell group and at least one secondary cell group, said at least one RRC message comprising;

i) a plurality of dedicated parameters for each of said at least one secondary cell, wherein;

(1) if said plurality of dedicated parameters comprise a cell group index for a secondary cell, said secondary cell is assigned to one of said at least one secondary cell group identified by said cell group index; and

(2) otherwise, said secondary cell is assigned to said primary cell group; and

ii) MAC dedicated parameters comprising a sequence of at least one information element, each information element comprising;

a first cell group index of a first secondary cell group and a timer value for a corresponding time alignment timer, said corresponding time alignment timer indicating how long said first secondary cell group is considered to be uplink time aligned; and

b) transmitting a MAC timing advance command comprising said first cell group index causing restart of said corresponding time alignment timer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said primary cell group is identified by an index equal to zero.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said timing advance command is configured to cause substantial alignment of reception timing of uplink signals in subframes of a first cell group at said base station, said first cell group identified by said first cell group index.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said plurality of dedicated parameters further comprise an activation timer for said at least one secondary cell.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said timing advance command comprises:

a) a time adjustment value; and

b) said first cell group index; and

wherein said timing advance command is configured to cause substantial alignment of reception timing of uplink signals in subframes of a first cell group at said base station, said first cell group identified by said first cell group index.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one control message comprises a cell-add-modify information element for a secondary cell, said cell-add-modify information element comprising a first plurality of dedicated parameters in said plurality of dedicated parameters for a corresponding secondary cell.

7. A base station comprising:

a) one or more communication interfaces;

b) one or more processors; and

c) memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause said base station to;

i) transmit at least one Radio Resource Control (RRC) message configured to cause assignment of each of at least one secondary cell to one of a primary cell group and at least one secondary cell group, said at least one RRC message comprising;

(1) a plurality of dedicated parameters for each of said at least one secondary cell, wherein;

(a) if said plurality of dedicated parameters comprise a cell group index for a secondary cell, said secondary cell is assigned to one of said at least one secondary cell group identified by said cell group index; and

(b) otherwise, said secondary cell is assigned to said primary cell group; and

(2) MAC dedicated parameters comprising a sequence of at least one information element, each information element comprising;

a first cell group index of a first secondary cell group and a timer value for a corresponding time alignment timer, said corresponding time alignment timer indicating how long said first secondary cell group is considered to be uplink time aligned; and

ii) transmit a MAC timing advance command comprising said first cell group index causing restart of said corresponding time alignment timer.

8. The base station of claim 7, wherein said primary cell group is identified by an index equal to zero.

9. The base station of claim 7, wherein said timing advance command is configured to cause substantial alignment of reception timing of uplink signals in subframes of a first cell group at said base station, said first cell group identified by said first cell group index.

10. The base station of claim 7, wherein said plurality of dedicated parameters further comprise an activation timer for said at least one secondary cell.

11. The base station of claim 7, wherein said timing advance command comprises:

a) a time adjustment value; and

b) said first cell group index; and

wherein said timing advance command is configured to cause substantial alignment of reception timing of uplink signals in subframes of a first cell group at said base station, said first cell group identified by said first cell group index.

12. The base station of claim 7, wherein said at least one control message comprises a cell-add-modify information element for a secondary cell, said cell-add-modify information element comprising a first plurality of dedicated parameters in said plurality of dedicated parameters for a corresponding secondary cell.

13. The base station of claim 7, wherein:

a) said primary cell group comprises a first subset of a plurality of cells, said first subset comprising a primary cell, uplink transmissions by a wireless device in said primary cell group employing a first synchronization signal transmitted on said primary cell as a primary timing reference; and

b) a first secondary cell group in said at least one secondary cell group comprises a second subset of said at least one secondary cell, uplink transmissions in said first secondary cell group employing a second synchronization signal transmitted on an activated secondary cell in said first secondary cell group as a secondary timing reference.

14. 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) receive at least one Radio Resource Control (RRC) message to cause assignment of each of at least one secondary cell to one of a primary cell group and at least one secondary cell group, said at least one RRC message comprising;

(1) a plurality of dedicated parameters for each of said at least one secondary cell, wherein;

(a) if said plurality of dedicated parameters comprise a cell group index for a secondary cell, said secondary cell is assigned to one of said at least one secondary cell group identified by said cell group index; and

(b) otherwise, said secondary cell is assigned to said primary cell group; and

(2) MAC dedicated parameters comprising a sequence of at least one information element, each information element comprising;

a first cell group index of a first secondary cell group and a timer value for a corresponding time alignment timer, said corresponding time alignment timer indicating how long said first secondary cell group is considered to be uplink time aligned; and

ii) receive a MAC timing advance command comprising said first cell group index causing restart of said corresponding time alignment timer.

15. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein said primary cell group is identified by an index equal to zero.

16. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein said timing advance command is configured to cause substantial alignment of reception timing of uplink signals in subframes of a first cell group at said base station, said first cell group identified by said first cell group index.

17. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein said plurality of dedicated parameters further comprise an activation timer for said at least one secondary cell.

18. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein said timing advance command comprises:

a) a time adjustment value; and

b) said first cell group index; and

wherein said timing advance command is configured to cause substantial alignment of reception timing of uplink signals in subframes of a first cell group at said base station, said first cell group identified by said first cell group index.

19. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein said at least one control message comprises a cell-add-modify information element for a secondary cell, said cell-add-modify information element comprising a first plurality of dedicated parameters in said plurality of dedicated parameters for a corresponding secondary cell.

20. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein:

a) said primary cell group comprises a first subset of a plurality of cells, said first subset comprising a primary cell, uplink transmissions by a wireless device in said primary cell group employing a first synchronization signal transmitted on said primary cell as a primary timing reference; and

b) a first secondary cell group in said at least one secondary cell group comprises a second subset of said at least one secondary cell, uplink transmissions in said first secondary cell group employing a second synchronization signal transmitted on an activated secondary cell in said first secondary cell group as a secondary timing reference.