Devices for multi-group communications

• US 8,837,304 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2011
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yamada, Shohei
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton, Dang
• Assistant Examiner(s): AMBAYE, MEWALE A
• Application Number:
  US13/083,456
• Publication Number:
  US 20120257513A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,257 Days
• Field of Search: 370/248, 370/328, 370/329, 370/241
• US Class Current: 370/248
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0026 Transmission of channel quality indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0618 Space-time coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1671 the supervisory signal being transmitted together with control information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1861 Physical mapping arrangements for ACK signaling see also H04L5/0053
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/001 the frequencies being arranged in component carriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0045 compensating for timing error by altering transmission time
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0833 Random access procedures, e.g. with 4-step access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/40 for selective distribution or broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A User Equipment (UE) configured for multi-group communications is described. The UE includes a processor and instructions stored in memory that is in electronic communication with the processor. The UE detects a plurality of cells. The UE also determines to use multiple groups of one or more cells. The UE further determines a primary secondary cell (PSCell) for a non-primary cell (non-PCell) group based on UE-specific radio resource control (RRC) signaling. The UE additionally receives information using the multiple groups.

Claims

1. A User Equipment (UE), comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor;

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable to;

determine to use multiple groups of one or more serving cells;

adjust uplink transmission timing for one or more serving cells of each group so that all serving cells in a group have a same uplink transmission timing,

wherein the multiple groups comprise a primary cell (PCell) group comprising at least a PCell and one or more non-primary (non-PCell) groups that do not comprise the PCell,

wherein a path loss reference for a path loss measurement for a secondary cell (SCell) in the PCell group is selected from the PCell or the SCell, wherein the PCell is not used as a path loss reference for a path loss measurement for an SCell in the non-PCell group.

2. The UE of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further executable to:

receive a timing advance command;

determine for which group the timing advance command is to be sent; and

adjust the uplink transmission timing for the group.

3. The UE of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further executable to transmit information indicating a multiple uplink time alignment capability, wherein the multiple uplink time alignment capability indicates whether the UE supports multiple uplink timing adjustments based on multiple timing advances in a certain band combination.

4. An evolved Node B (eNB), comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor;

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable to;

determine to use multiple groups of one or more serving cells; and

receive an uplink signal from one or more serving cells of each group, wherein all serving cells in a group have a same uplink transmission timing;

wherein the multiple groups comprise at least a primary cell (PCell) group comprising a PCell and one or more non-primary (non-PCell) groups that do not comprise the PCell,

wherein a path loss reference for a path loss measurement for a secondary cell (SCell) in the PCell group is selected from the PCell or the SCell, wherein the PCell is not used as a path loss reference for a path loss measurement for an SCell in the non-PCell group.

5. The eNB of claim 4, wherein the instructions are further executable to receive information indicating a user equipment (UE) multiple uplink time alignment capability, wherein the multiple uplink time alignment capability indicates whether the UE supports multiple uplink timing adjustments based on multiple timing advances in a certain band combination.

6. The eNB of claim 4, wherein the instructions are further executable to:

determine for which group a timing advance command is to be sent; and

transmit the timing advance command for the group.

7. A method on a User Equipment (UE), comprising:

determining to use multiple groups of one or more serving cells;

adjusting uplink transmission timing for one or more serving cells of each group so that all serving cells in a group have a same uplink transmission timing,

wherein the multiple groups comprise a primary cell (PCell) group comprising at least a PCell and one or more non-primary (non-PCell) groups that do not comprise the PCell,

wherein a path loss reference for a path loss measurement for a secondary cell (SCell) in the PCell group is selected from the PCell or the SCell, wherein the PCell is not used as a path loss reference for a path loss measurement for an SCell in the non-PCell group.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a timing advance command;

determining for which group the timing advance command is to be sent; and

adjusting the uplink transmission timing for the group.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising transmitting information indicating a multiple uplink time alignment capability, wherein the multiple uplink time alignment capability indicates whether the UE supports multiple uplink timing adjustments based on multiple timing advances in a certain band combination.

10. A method for multi-group communications on an evolved Node B (eNB), comprising:

determining to use multiple groups of one or more serving cells for a User Equipment (UE); and

receiving an uplink signal from one or more serving cells of each group, wherein all serving cells in a group have a same uplink transmission timing;

wherein the multiple groups comprise a primary cell (PCell) group comprising at least a PCell and one or more non-primary (non-PCell) groups that do not comprise the PCell,

wherein a path loss reference for a path loss measurement for a secondary cell (SCell) in the PCell group is selected from the PCell or the SCell, wherein the PCell is not used as a path loss reference for a path loss measurement for an SCell in the non-PCell group.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving information indicating the UE multiple uplink time alignment capability, wherein the multiple uplink time alignment capability indicates whether the UE supports multiple uplink timing adjustments based on multiple timing advances in a certain band combination.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining for which group a timing advance command is to be sent; and

transmitting the timing advance command for the group.