Base station and method for configuring sub-frames for relay-node operations

• US 8,917,638 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2013
• Issued: 12/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Ahmadi, Sassan
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAN, SAI MING
• Application Number:
  US14/044,070
• Publication Number:
  US 20140105075A1
• Time in Patent Office: 447 Days
• Field of Search: 370/280, 370/278
• US Class Current: 370/278
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2656 for structure of frame, burst
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2025/03426 transmission using multiple-input and multiple-output channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/03012 operating in the time domain H04L25/03165, H04L25/03178 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2602 Signal structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2603 Signal structure ensuring backward compatibility with legacy system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2607 Cyclic extensions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0007 the frequencies being orthogonal, e.g. OFDM(A), DMT
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0044 allocation of payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/14 Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/04 Error control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/065 using assembly or disassembly of packets

Abstract

A frame structure for support of large delay spread deployment scenarios (e.g., cellular system operation in large cell sizes or low frequency bands) is generally presented. In this regard a method is introduced comprising partitioning a radio frame into a plurality of equal-sized (or non-equal-sized) sub-frames to simplify system implementation. Other embodiments are also disclosed and claimed.

Claims

1. A method for relay node operation performed by a relay node (RN) in which enhanced node-B (eNB) to RN and RN to user-equipment (UE) transmissions are time multiplexed using time-frequency resources set aside by an eNB, the method comprising:

determining a slot configuration for receipt of eNB to RN transmissions, the slot configuration defining starting and ending orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols of a subframe;

receiving eNB to RN transmissions restricted to a subset of OFDM symbols in a slot based on the slot configuration; and

receiving a control channel in accordance with one of the slot configurations for the eNB to RN transmissions.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising decoding a data channel comprising the eNB to RN transmissions based on information received on the control channel.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising the relay node:

demodulating the eNB to RN transmissions based on downlink reference signals transmitted by the eNB, and

re-transmitting data from the eNB to RN transmissions in different time-frequency resources.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the slot configuration is determined based on receipt of the control channel, and

wherein the slot configuration indicates starting and ending OFDM symbols for a first slot and starting and ending OFDM symbols for a second slot.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the slot configuration indicates a start symbol index and an end symbol index for the first slot and for the second slot.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the control channel is a relay control channel, and

wherein the RN is configured to operate in accordance with a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) long term evolution (LTE) cellular network.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the slot configuration is a slot configuration for a downlink subframe, and

wherein for frequency-division duplex (FDD) operation, the method includes determining whether the downlink subframe is configured for relay node transmissions based on an offset value for a particular downlink subframe configuration.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the slot configuration is a slot configuration for a subframe, and

wherein for time-division duplex (TDD) operation, the method includes determining whether the subframe in a TDD frame is a downl ink subframe for eNB to RN transmission or an uplink subframe for RN to eNB transmissions based on the subframe configuration.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the subframe is configured in accordance with an uplink-downlink configuration and a subframe configuration for an eNB to RN transmission, each subframe comprising slots for either receiving or transmitting signals within resource blocks,

wherein the method includes determining the uplink-downlink configuration from a plurality of uplink-downlink configurations and a plurality of subframe configurations for the eNB to RN transmissions.

10. Processing circuitry arranged for relay node operation performed by a relay node (RN) in which enhanced node-B (eNB) to RN and RN to user-equipment (UE) transmissions are time multiplexed using time-frequency resources set aside by an eNB, the processing circuitry configured to:

determine a slot configuration for receipt of eNB to RN transmissions, the slot configuration defining starting and ending orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols of a subframe;

process received eNB to RN transmissions restricted to a subset of OFDM symbols in a slot based on the slot configuration; and

process a control channel in accordance with one of the slot configurations for the eNB to RN transmissions.

11. The processing circuitry of claim 10 further configured to decode a data channel comprising the eNB to RN transmissions based on information received on the control channel.

12. The processing circuitry of claim 11 further arranged to:

demodulate the eNB to RN transmissions based on downlink reference signals transmitted by the eNB, and

configure the relay node to re-transmit data from the eNB to RN transmissions in different time-frequency resources.

13. The processing circuitry of claim 12 wherein the slot configuration is determined based on receipt of the control channel, and

wherein the slot configuration indicates starting and ending OFDM symbols for a first slot and starting and ending OFDM symbols for a second slot.

14. The processing circuitry of claim 13 wherein the slot configuration indicates a start symbol index and an end symbol index for the first slot and for the second slot.

15. The processing circuitry of claim 14 wherein the control channel is a relay control channel, and

wherein the RN is configured to operate in accordance with a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) long term evolution (LTE) cellular network.

16. The processing circuitry of claim 15 wherein the slot configuration is a slot configuration for a downlink subframe, and

wherein for frequency-division duplex (FDD) operation, the processing circuit is arranged to determine whether the downlink subframe is configured for relay node transmissions based on an offset value for a particular downlink subframe configuration.

17. The processing circuitry of claim 15 wherein he slot configuration is a slot configuration for a subframe, and

wherein for time-division duplex (TDD) operation, the processing circuitry is arranged to determine whether the subframe in a TDD frame is a downlink subframe for eNB to RN transmission or an uplink subframe for RN to eNB transmissions based on the subframe configuration.

18. The processing circuitry of claim 15 wherein the subframe is configured in accordance with an uplink-downlink configuration and a subframe configuration for an eNB to RN transmission, each subframe comprising slots for either receiving or transmitting signals within resource blocks, and

wherein the processing circuitry is further arranged to determine the uplink-downlink configuration from a plurality of uplink-downlink configurations and a plurality of subframe configurations for the eNB to RN transmissions.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions for execution by one or more processors to perform operations for relay node operation performed by a relay node (RN) in which enhanced node-B (eNB) to RN and RN to user-equipment (UE) transmissions are time multiplexed using time-frequency resources set aside by an eNB, the operations configured to:

determine a slot configuration for receipt of eNB to RN transmissions, the slot configuration defining starting and ending orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols of a subframe;

process received eNB to RN transmissions restricted to a subset of OFDM symbols in a slot based on the slot configuration; and

process a control channel in accordance with one of the slot configurations for the eNB to RN transmissions.