Method and system for synchronizing network nodes in time division duplex system

• US 8,811,238 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2010
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZTE Corporation
• Original Assignee: ZTE Corporation
• Inventors: Huang, Yada
• Primary Examiner(s): Lai, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, ANDREW CHUNG CHEUNG
• Application Number:
  US13/258,314
• Publication Number:
  US 20120236765A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,565 Days
• Field of Search: 370/230, 370/230.1, 370/235, 370/242, 370/252, 370/328, 370/338, 370/389, 370/522
• US Class Current: 370/280
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/002 Mutual synchronization

Abstract

The disclosure discloses a method for synchronizing network nodes in a time division duplex system. The method includes that: a network node acquires the cell identity information of other network nodes, and inquires the synchronization status information of the other network nodes from a synchronization information node according to the cell identity information; the network node implements synchronization policy according to its own synchronization status and the inquired synchronization status of the other network nodes. A system for synchronizing the network nodes in the time division duplex system is also disclosed, which includes an acquiring unit (60), an inquiring unit (61) and a implementing unit (62).

Claims

1. A method for synchronizing network nodes in a time division duplex system, comprising:

acquiring, by a network node, cell identity information of other network nodes via a radio interface, and inquiring synchronization status information of the other network nodes from a synchronization information node according to the cell identity information; and

implementing, by the network node, a synchronization policy according to a synchronization status of the network node and an inquired synchronization status of the other network nodes, wherein the synchronization status at least comprises;

being synchronous or not, and/or a synchronization level; and

the synchronization policy comprises;

when the network node is asynchronous, the network node is synchronized with a network node having a highest synchronization level amongst the other network nodes, or when the network node is synchronous, the network node is synchronized with a network node which has a highest synchronization level and has a synchronization level at least two levels higher than a synchronization level of the network node amongst the other network nodes.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the synchronization status at least comprises:

being synchronous or not, and/or a synchronization level.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the synchronization information node is a centre network node or the other network nodes.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

after synchronization is done, informing, by the network node, the synchronization information node of synchronization status information of a network node with which the network node is synchronized;

when a synchronization status of the network node with which the network node is synchronized changes, informing, by the synchronization information node, the network node of the changed synchronization status; and

modifying, by the network node, the synchronization status of the network node.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the network node modifying the synchronization status of the network node comprises:

when the synchronization status of the network node with which the network node is synchronized is asynchronism, the network node modifying the synchronization status of the network node to be asynchronism; and

when a synchronization level of the network node with which the network node is synchronized changes, the network node modifying its own synchronization level.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the synchronization information node is a centre network node or the other network nodes.

7. The method according to claim 4, wherein the synchronization information node is a centre network node or the other network nodes.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the synchronization information node is a centre network node or the other network nodes.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cell identity is a physical cell identity and cell carrier frequency information, or a global cell identity of a cell.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the cell identity information is acquired by measuring or by reading cell broadcasting information.

11. A system for synchronizing network nodes in a time division duplex system, comprising:

an acquiring unit configured to acquire a cell identity information of other network nodes via a radio interface;

an inquiring unit configured to inquire synchronization status information of the other network nodes from a synchronization information node according to the cell identity information acquired by the acquiring unit; and

an implementing unit configured to implement a synchronization policy according to a synchronization status of the network node and an inquired synchronization status of the other network nodes, wherein the synchronization status at least comprises;

being synchronous or not, and/or a synchronization level; and

the synchronization policy comprises;

when the network node is asynchronous, the network node is synchronized with a network node having a highest synchronization level amongst the other network nodes, or when the network node is synchronous, the network node is synchronized with a network node which has a highest synchronization level and has a synchronization level at least two levels higher than a synchronization level of the network node amongst the other network nodes.

12. The system according to claim 11, further comprising a first informing unit, a second informing unit and a synchronization status modifying unit,

wherein the first informing unit is configured to inform the synchronization information node of information of the network node to be synchronized with after the implementing unit implements the synchronization;

the second informing unit is disposed in the synchronization information node and is configured to inform the synchronization status modifying unit of a changed synchronization status when the synchronization status of the network node with which the network node is synchronized changes;

and the synchronization status modifying unit is configured to modify the synchronization status of the network node.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the synchronization status modifying unit is further configured to modify the synchronization status of the network node to be asynchronism when the synchronization status of the network node with which the network node is synchronized is determined to be asynchronism;

and

the synchronization status modifying unit is further configured to modify a synchronization level of the network node when the synchronization level of the network node with which the network node is synchronized changes.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the synchronization information node is a centre network node or the other network nodes.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the cell identity is a physical cell identity and cell carrier frequency information, or a global cell identity of a cell.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the acquiring unit acquires the cell identity information by measuring or by reading cell broadcasting information.

17. The system according to claim 12, wherein the synchronization information node is a centre network node or the other network nodes.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the cell identity is a physical cell identity and cell carrier frequency information, or a global cell identity of a cell.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the acquiring unit acquires the cell identity information by measuring or by reading cell broadcasting information.

20. The system according to claim 11, wherein the synchronization information node is a centre network node or the other network nodes.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein the cell identity is a physical cell identity and cell carrier frequency information, or a global cell identity of a cell.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein the acquiring unit acquires the cell identity information by measuring or by reading cell broadcasting information.

23. The system according to claim 11, wherein the synchronization information node is a centre network node or the other network nodes.

24. The system according to claim 23, wherein the cell identity is a physical cell identity and cell carrier frequency information, or a global cell identity of a cell.

25. The system according to claim 24, wherein the acquiring unit acquires the cell identity information by measuring or by reading cell broadcasting information.