Methods and apparatus for subframe interlacing in heterogeneous networks

• US 8,942,192 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2010
• Issued: 01/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Damnjanovic, Aleksandar, Wei, Yongbin, Barany, Peter A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Chirag
• Assistant Examiner(s): PANCHOLI, RINA C
• Application Number:
  US12/882,090
• Publication Number:
  US 20110188481A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,596 Days
• Field of Search: 370/336
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 11/0079 Acquisition of downlink reference signals, e.g. detection of cell-ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 2211/005 Long term evolution [LTE]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0057 Physical resource allocation for CQI
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0092 Indication of how the channel is divided
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/10 Dynamic resource partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for providing wireless communications using subframe partitioning are disclosed. Two or more base stations may be allocated subframes in a radio frame. All or part of the subframe allocation may be provided to the associated user equipment (UEs), which may use it to determine signal metrics during assigned subframes for an associated base station.

Claims

1. A method for wireless signal transmission, the method comprising:

storing, in a first base station, a subframe partition configuration, wherein the subframe partition configuration includes an interlace allocation of a first downlink (DL) resource that is configured as one of a semi-static resource or dynamic resource; and

transmitting, from the first base station, a first signal according to the the first DL resource allocation,

wherein the first DL resource is time-division orthogonal to a second DL resource allocated to a second base station;

wherein a base station type of the first base station is one of a first power class macrocell base station, a second power class macrocell base station, a femtocell base station, or a picocell base station; and

the base station type of the first base station is different from a base station type of the second base station.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second DL resource is allocated by the subframe partition configuration as one of a semi-static resource or dynamic resource.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first DL resource is a semi-static resource and the second DL resource is a dynamic resource.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the first DL resource and the second DL resource are time-division multiplexed.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second DL resource is allocated by the subframe partition configuration as one of a semi-static resource or dynamic resource.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the subframe partition configuration further includes an allocation of at least one unassigned resource.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

negotiating, at least in part in conjunction with the second base station, a subframe resource allocation; and

determining, based on the negotiation, the subframe partition configuration.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a request to a core network for interlace subframe partitioning;

and

receiving the subframe partition configuration.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the subframe partition configuration is determined at the core network at least in part based on information associated with the second base station.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, responsive to the first signal, from a user equipment (UE) associated with the first base station, a signal metric measuring a communications resource allocation.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising allocating the communications resource based at least in part on the signal metric.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the signal metric is a radio link monitoring (RLM) metric.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the RLM metric is determined during a semi-static subframe.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the semi-static subframe is signaled to the UE prior to the transmitting.

15. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium including code for causing a computer to:

store, in a first base station, a subframe partition configuration, wherein the subframe partition configuration includes an interlace allocation of a first downlink (DL) resource that is configured as one of a semi-static resource or dynamic resource; and

send, from the first base station, a first signal according to the first DL resource allocation,

wherein the first DL resource is time-division orthogonal to a second DL resource allocated to a second base station;

wherein a base station type of the first base station is one of a first power class macrocell base station, a second power class macrocell base station, a femtocell base station, or a picocell base station; and

the base station type of the first base station is different from a base station type of the second base station.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the second DL resource is allocated by the subframe partition configuration as one of a semi-static resource or dynamic resource.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the first DL resource is a semi-static resource and the second DL resource is a dynamic resource.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the second DL resource is allocated by the subframe partition configuration as one of a semi-static resource or dynamic resource.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising code for causing the computer to negotiate, at least in part in conjunction with the second base station, a subframe resource allocation, and determine, based on the negotiation, the subframe partition configuration.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising code for sending a request to a core network for interlace subframe partitioning and receiving the subframe partition configuration.

21. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising code for causing the computer to receive, responsive to the first signal, from a user equipment (UE) associated with the first base station, a signal metric usable for allocating a communications resource.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, further comprising code for causing the computer to allocate the communications resource based at least in part on the signal metric.

23. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the signal metric is an RLM metric.

24. A communications device, comprising:

a memory configured to store, in a first base station, a subframe partition configuration, wherein the subframe partition configuration includes an interlace allocation of a first downlink (DL) resource that is configured as one of a semi-static resource or dynamic resource; and

a transmitter module configured to transmit, from the first base station, a first signal according to the first DL resource allocation,

wherein the first DL resource is time-division orthogonal to a second DL resource allocated to a second base station;

wherein a base station type of the first base station is one of a first power class macrocell base station, a second power class macrocell base station, a femtocell base station, or a picocell base station; and

the base station type of the first base station is different from a base station type of the second base station.

25. The communications device of claim 24, wherein the second DL resource is allocated by the subframe partition configuration to be one of a semi-static resource or dynamic resource.

26. The communications device of claim 25, wherein the first DL resource is a semi-static resource and the second DL resource is a dynamic resource.

27. The communications device of claim 24, wherein the second DL resource is allocated by the subframe partition configuration as one of a semi-static resource or dynamic resource.

28. The communications device of claim 24, further including a processor module configured to negotiate, at least in part in conjunction with the second base station, a subframe resource allocation and determine, based on the negotiation, the subframe partition configuration.

29. The communications device of claim 24, further including a processor module configured to generate and send a request to a core network for interlace subframe partitioning, and a receiver module configured to receive the subframe partition configuration.

30. The communications device of claim 24, further including a receiver module configured to receive, from a user equipment (UE) associated with the first base station, a signal metric usable for allocating a communications resource.

31. The communications device of claim 30, further including a processor module configured to allocate a communications resource based at least in part on the signal metric.

32. The communications device of claim 31, wherein the signal metric is an RLM metric.

33. A method for wireless communications, comprising:

receiving, at a UE, information relating to a predetermined subframe resource interlace allocation of a first downlink (DL) resource to a first base station;

receiving, by the UE during a time interval associated with the resource interlace allocation, a first signal; and

determining, at the UE, a signal metric associated with the first signal,

wherein the first DL resource is time-division orthogonal to a second DL resource allocated to a second base station;

wherein a base station type of the first base station is one of a first power class macrocell base station, a second power class macrocell base station, a femtocell base station, or a picocell base station; and

the base station type of the first base station is different from a base station type of the second base station.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the signal metric is a Radio Link Monitoring (RLM) metric, and further comprising determining whether to declare Radio Link Failure (RLF) based on the signal metric.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the information further includes Radio Resource Management (RRM) control information and further comprising transmit the signal metric to the first base station.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein the information further includes channel feedback information.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein the information further includes channel quality indication (CQI) information.

38. The method of claim 33, further comprising transmitting the signal metric to the first base station, wherein the first base station is associated with a first cell and the first signal is transmitted from a node associated with a second cell.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the first cell is a macrocell and the second cell is a picocell or femtocell.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the first cell is a picocell or femtocell and the second cell is a macrocell.

41. The method of claim 33, wherein the first signal comprises a reference signal.

42. The method of claim 33, wherein the resource interlace allocation is a semi-static resource allocation.

43. The method of claim 33, wherein the time interval is a portion of the semi-static resource allocation.

44. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium including codes for causing a computer to:

receive, at a UE, information relating to a predetermined subframe resource interlace allocation of a first downlink (DL) resource to a first base station;

receive, by the UE during a time interval associated with the resource interlace allocation, a first signal; and

determine, at the UE, a signal metric associated with the first signal,

wherein the first DL resource is time-division orthogonal to a second DL resource allocated to a second base station;

wherein a base station type of the first base station is one of a first power class macrocell base station, a second power class macrocell base station, a femtocell base station, or a picocell base station; and

the base station type of the first base station is different from a base station type of the second base station.

45. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein the signal metric is an RLM metric, and the computer-readable medium further includes codes for causing a computer to determine whether to declare Radio Link Failure (RLF) based on the signal metric.

46. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein the information includes one or more of channel feedback information, channel quality indication (CQI) information, and Radio Resource Management (RRM) control information and the computer-readable medium further includes codes for causing a computer to transmit the signal metric to the first base station.

47. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein the first base station is associated with a first cell and the first signal is transmitted from a node associated with a second cell.

48. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein the first signal comprises a reference signal.

49. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein the resource interlace allocation is a semi-static resource allocation.

50. A wireless communications device, comprising:

a receiver module configured to;

receive, at a UE, information relating to a predetermined subframe resource interlace allocation of a first downlink (DL) resource to a first base station; and

receive, by the UE during a time interval associated with the resource interlace allocation, a first signal; and

a processor module configured to determine, at the UE, a signal metric associated with the first signal,

wherein the first DL resource is time-division orthogonal to a second DL resource allocated to a second base station;

wherein a base station type of the first base station is one of a first power class macrocell base station, a second power class macrocell base station, a femtocell base station, or a picocell base station; and

the base station type of the first base station is different from a base station type of the second base station.

51. The device of claim 50, wherein the signal metric is a Radio Link Monitoring (RLM) metric and the processor module is further configured to determine whether to declare Radio Link Failure (RLF) based on the signal metric.

52. The device of claim 50, wherein the information includes one or more of channel feedback information, channel quality indication (CQI) information, and Radio Resource Management (RRM) control information, and further comprising a transmit module configured to transmit the signal metric to the first base station.

53. The device of claim 50, wherein the first base station is associated with a first cell and the first signal is transmitted from a node associated with a second cell.

54. The device of claim 50, wherein the first signal comprises a reference signal.

55. The device of claim 50, wherein the resource interlace allocation is a semi-static resource allocation.