Optimized signaling of primary scrambling codes and frequency lists in wireless communications

• US 8,995,998 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2009
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Singh, Damanjit, Chen, Jen Mei, Deshpande, Manoj M., Pica, Francesco
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAHEED, KHALID W
• Application Number:
  US12/573,541
• Publication Number:
  US 20100120426A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,003 Days
• Field of Search: 455/435.1, 455/435.2, 455/450, 455/442, 370/331, 370/328, 370/335, 370/342, 370/336, 370/337
• US Class Current: 455/435.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/12 using downlink control channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate communicating PSC split information regarding neighboring cells. The PSC split information can be transmitted in one or more overhead messages selected based on network deployment. Where macro cells and femto cells provide PSC split information, which can be a PSC range for related cells, PSC list, etc., the information can be transmitted in a low priority overhead message since it can be obtained at a source cell. Where only femto cells or closed subscriber group (CSG) cells provide PSC split information, the information can be transmitted in a higher priority more frequently transmitted message. In this regard, the information is available at target cells since not all devices can access CSG cells. Thus, by providing the PSC split information in a more frequently transmitted message, devices can retrieve the PSC split information early on in communications to lower power consumption.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving primary scrambling code (PSC) split information related to one or more cells in one of a plurality of overhead messages based at least in part on a network deployment; and

utilizing, by a mobile device, the PSC split information to identify at least one of the one or more cells based at least in part on a broadcast signal received from the at least one of the one or more cells.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the PSC split information includes receiving the PSC split information in an overhead message that includes parameters related to cell selection/reselection.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the network deployment indicates that only closed subscriber group (CSG) access points transmit the PSC split information.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the receiving the PSC split information in the overhead message includes receiving the PSC split information in a system information block 3 (SIB3) message from a target Node B.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising receiving a closed subscriber group (CSG) identifier in the overhead message.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising determining whether cell selection/reselection is allowed to a target Node B transmitting the overhead message based at least in part on comparing the CSG identifier to a stored white list of cell identifiers.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising storing the PSC split information as related to cells to avoid or exploit based at least in part on whether the stored white list of cell identifiers is empty.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the PSC split information includes receiving the PSC split information in an overhead message that includes a dedicated frequency list for closed subscriber group (CSG) cells.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the receiving the PSC split information in the overhead message includes receiving the PSC split information in a system information block 11 bis (SIB11bis) message from a source Node B.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a neighbor list comprising a plurality of PSCs relating to neighboring cells from an cell from which the PSC split information is received.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising storing PSCs in the neighbor list that are absent from the PSC split information as relating to macro cells.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the PSC split information relates to a range of PSCs corresponding to cells of similar type and operating on similar frequencies to a cell implemented by a Node B from which the PSC split information is received.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the PSC split information relates to a list of PSCs corresponding to cells of similar type and operating on similar frequencies to a cell implemented by a Node B from which the PSC split information is received.

88. The method of claim 1, wherein the PSC split information is an information element (IE) in the overhead message comprising closed subscriber group (CSG) PSC split information that provides PSC reservation and dedicated frequency information for CSG cells.

89. The method of claim 1, wherein the PSC split information comprises a list or range of PSCs assigned to closed subscriber group (CSG) cells operating in a given frequency.

90. The method of claim 89, wherein the PSC split information comprises a bit indicating whether the given frequency is a closed subscriber group (CSG) cell only frequency.

14. A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

obtain primary scrambling code (PSC) split information relating to one or more cells in one of a plurality of overhead messages based at least in part on a network deployment; and

store the PSC split information to indicate cells to avoid or exploit in subsequent cell identifying; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor.

15. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 14, wherein the one of the plurality of overhead messages comprises cell selection/reselection parameters.

16. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 15, wherein the one of the plurality of overhead messages is a system information block 3 (SIB3) message.

17. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to obtain a closed subscriber group (CSG) identifier received in the one of the plurality of overhead messages.

18. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine whether access is allowed to a Node B from which the one of the plurality of overhead messages is received based at least in part on whether a closed subscriber group (CSG) identifier is present in a stored white list of CSG cells.

19. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 18, wherein the at least one processor stores the PSC split information to indicate cells to exploit or avoid in subsequent cell identifying based on whether the stored white list of CSG cells is empty.

20. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 14, wherein the one of the plurality of overhead messages comprises a dedicated frequency list for closed subscriber group (CSG) cells.

21. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 20, wherein the one of the plurality of overhead messages is a system information block 11 bis (SIB11bis) message.

22. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to receive a neighbor list comprising a plurality of PSCs relating to neighboring Node Bs from a Node B from which the one of the plurality of overhead messages is received.

23. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 22, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to store PSCs from the neighbor list as relating to macro cells where the PSCs from the neighbor list are not present in the PSC split information.

24. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 14, wherein the PSC split information relates to a range of PSCs corresponding to cells of similar type and operating on similar frequencies to a cell implemented by a Node B from which the one of the plurality of overhead messages is received.

25. An apparatus, comprising:

means for receiving an overhead message comprising primary scrambling code (PSC) split information related to one or more cells, wherein the overhead message in which the PSC split information is received is based at least in part on a network deployment;

means for determining the PSC split information from the overhead message; and

means for storing the PSC split information to indicate cells to exploit or avoid in subsequent cell searching.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the overhead message comprises cell selection/reselection parameters.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the overhead message is a system information block 3 (SIB3) message.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising means for obtaining a closed subscriber group (CSG) identifier in the overhead message.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising means for determining whether access is allowed to a Node B from which the means for receiving receives the overhead message based at least in part on whether the CSG identifier is present in a white list of CSG cells.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the means for storing the PSC split information stores the PSC split information to indicate cells to exploit or avoid based at least in part on whether the white list of CSG cells is empty.

31. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the overhead message comprises dedicated frequency information for closed subscriber group (CSG) cells.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the overhead message is a system information block 11 bis (SIB11bis) message.

33. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the means for receiving the overhead message receives a neighbor list comprising PSCs of neighboring Node Bs from a Node B from which the means for receiving receives the overhead message.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the means for storing the PSC split information stores PSCs present in the neighbor list but not present in the PSC split information as relating to macro cell Node Bs.

35. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the PSC split information relates to a range of PSCs corresponding to cells of similar type and operating on similar frequencies to a cell implemented by a Node B from which the means for receiving receives the overhead message.

36. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising:

code for causing at least one computer to receive primary scrambling code (PSC) split information related to one or more cells in one of a plurality of overhead messages based at least in part on a network deployment; and

code for causing the at least one computer to utilize the PSC split information to identify at least one of the one or more cells based at least in part on a broadcast signal received from the at least one of the one or more cells.

37. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 36, wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to receive the PSC split information receives the PSC split information in an overhead message that includes parameters related to cell selection/reselection.

38. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 37, wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to receive the PSC split information in the overhead message receives the PSC split information in a system information block 3 (SIB3) message from a Node B.

39. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 37, further comprising code for causing the at least one computer to receive a closed subscriber group (CSG) identifier in the overhead message.

40. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 39, further comprising code for causing the at least one computer to determine whether cell selection/reselection is allowed to a Node B transmitting the overhead message based at least in part on comparing the CSG identifier to a stored white list of cell identifiers.

41. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 40, further comprising code for causing the at least one computer to store the PSC split information as related to cells to avoid or exploit based at least in part on whether the stored white list of cell identifiers is empty.

42. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 36, wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to receive the PSC split information receives the PSC split information in an overhead message that includes a dedicated frequency list for closed subscriber group (CSG) cells.

43. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 42, wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to receive the PSC split information receives the PSC split information in a system information block 11 bis (SIB11bis) message from a source Node B.

44. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 36, further comprising code for causing the at least one computer to receive a neighbor list comprising a plurality of PSCs relating to neighboring Node Bs from a Node B from which the PSC split information is received.

45. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 44, further comprising code for causing the at least one computer to store PSCs in the neighbor list that are absent from the PSC split information as relating to macro cells.

46. The non-transitory computer-readable medium program product of claim 36, wherein the PSC split information relates to a range of PSCs corresponding to cells of similar type and operating on similar frequencies to a cell implemented by a Node B from which the PSC split information is received.

47. An apparatus, comprising:

an overhead message processing component that obtains an overhead message comprising primary scrambling code (PSC) split information related to one or more cells, wherein the overhead message in which the PSC split information is received is based at least in part on a network deployment;

a PSC split information receiving component that determines the PSC split information from the overhead message; and

a PSC split information storing component that stores the PSC split information to indicate cells to exploit or avoid in subsequent cell searching.

48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the overhead message comprises cell selection/reselection parameters.

49. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the overhead message is a system information block 3 (SIB3) message.

50. The apparatus of claim 48, further comprising a closed subscriber group (CSG) identifier receiving component that obtains a CSG identifier in the overhead message.

51. The apparatus of claim 50, further comprising an access determining component that discerns whether access is allowed to a Node B from which the overhead message processing component obtains the overhead message based at least in part on whether the CSG identifier is present in a white list of CSG cells.

52. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the PSC split information storing component stores the PSC split information to indicate cells to exploit or avoid based at least in part on whether the white list of CSG cells is empty.

53. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the overhead message comprises dedicated frequency information for closed subscriber group (CSG) cells.

54. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein the overhead message is a system information block 11 bis (SIB11bis) message.

55. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the overhead message processing component obtains a neighbor list comprising PSCs of neighboring Node Bs from a Node B from which the overhead message processing component obtains the overhead message.

56. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the PSC split information storing component stores PSCs present in the neighbor list but not present in the PSC split information as relating to macro cell Node Bs.

57. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the PSC split information relates to a range of PSCs corresponding to cells of similar type and operating on similar frequencies to a cell implemented by a Node B from which the overhead message processing component obtains the overhead message.

58. A method, comprising:

receiving primary scrambling code (PSC) split information relating to one or more cells of similar type and operating over similar frequencies;

selecting an overhead message for transmitting the PSC split information based at least in part on a network deployment; and

transmitting, by a base station, the overhead message including the PSC split information to one or more wireless devices.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein selecting the overhead message includes selecting a system information block 3 (SIB3) message where the network deployment indicates only femto cell access points transmit the PSC split information or only a subset of macro cell access points transmit the PSC split information.

60. The method of claim 59, further comprising including one or more access restriction parameters in the SIB3 message.

61. The method of claim 60, wherein the one or more access restriction parameters includes a closed subscriber group (CSG) identifier.

62. The method of claim 58, wherein selecting the overhead message includes selecting a system information block 11 bis (SIB11bis) message where the network deployment indicates macro cell and femto cell access points transmit the PSC split information.

63. The method of claim 62, further comprising including a dedicated frequency list for closed subscriber group (CSG) cells in the SIB11bis message.

64. The method of claim 58, wherein the receiving the PSC split information includes receiving the PSC split information from a network device, configuration, specification, or hardcoding.

65. The method of claim 58, wherein the selecting the overhead message is based at least in part on access point type.

66. A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

receive primary scrambling code (PSC) split information related to one or more cells operating over a similar frequency;

determine an overhead message for transmitting the PSC split information based at least in part on a network deployment; and

transmit the overhead message to one or more devices using the overhead message; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor.

67. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 66, wherein the at least one processor determines the overhead message to be a system information block 3 (SIB3) message where the network deployment indicates that only femto cell access points provide the PSC split information.

68. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 67, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to include one or more access restriction parameters in the SIB3 message.

69. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 66, wherein the at least one processor determines the overhead message as a system information block 11 bis (SIB11bis) message where the network deployment indicates that macro cell and femto cell access points provide the PSC split information.

70. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 69, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to include a dedicated frequency list for closed subscriber group (CSG) cells in the SIB11bis message.

71. An apparatus, comprising:

means for receiving primary scrambling code (PSC) split information related to one or more cells operating over a similar frequency;

means for selecting an overhead message within which to include the PSC split information based at least in part on a network deployment; and

means for providing the overhead message with the PSC split information to one or more wireless devices.

72. The apparatus of claim 71, wherein the means for selecting the overhead message selects a system information block 3 (SIB3) message where the network deployment specifies that only femto cell access points provide the PSC split information or only a subset of macro cell access points transmit the PSC split information.

73. The apparatus of claim 72, wherein the means for selecting the overhead message includes one or more access restriction parameters in the SIB3 message.

74. The apparatus of claim 71, wherein the means for selecting the overhead message selects a system information block 11 bis (SIB11bis) message where the network deployment specifies that macro cell and femto cell access points provide the PSC split information.

75. The apparatus of claim 74, wherein the means for selecting the overhead message includes a dedicated frequency list for closed subscriber group (CSG) cells in the SIB11bis message.

76. The apparatus of claim 71, wherein means for receiving the PSC split information receives the PSC split information from a network device, configuration, specification, or hardcoding.

77. The apparatus of claim 71, wherein the means for selecting selects the overhead message is based at least in part on an access point type of the apparatus.

78. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising:

code for causing at least one computer to receive primary scrambling code (PSC) split information relating to one or more cells of similar type and operating over similar frequencies;

code for causing the at least one computer to select an overhead message for transmitting the PSC split information based at least in part on a network deployment; and

code for causing the at least one computer to transmit the overhead message including the PSC split information to one or more wireless devices.

79. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 78, wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to select the overhead message selects a system information block 3 (SIB3) message where the network deployment indicates only femto cell access points transmit the PSC split information.

80. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 79, further comprising code for causing the at least one computer to include one or more access restriction parameters in the SIB3 message.

81. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 78, wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to select the overhead message selects a system information block 11 bis (SIB11bis) message where the network deployment indicates macro cell and femto cell access points transmit the PSC split information.

82. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 81, further comprising code for causing the at least one computer to include a dedicated frequency list for closed subscriber group (CSG) cells in the SIB11bis message.

83. An apparatus, comprising:

a primary scrambling code (PSC) split information determining component that receives PSC split information related to one or more cells operating over a similar frequency;

an overhead message generating component that selects an overhead message within which to include the PSC split information based at least in part on a network deployment; and

an overhead message transmitting component that provides the overhead message with the PSC split information to one or more wireless devices.

84. The apparatus of claim 83, wherein the overhead message generating component selects a system information block 3 (SIB3) message where the network deployment specifies that only femto cell access points provide the PSC split information.

85. The apparatus of claim 84, wherein the overhead message generating component includes one or more access restriction parameters in the SIB3 message.

86. The apparatus of claim 83, wherein the overhead message generating component selects a system information block 11 bis (SIB11bis) message where the network deployment specifies that macro cell and femto cell access points provide the PSC split information.

87. The apparatus of claim 86, wherein the overhead message generating component includes a dedicated frequency list for closed subscriber group (CSG) cells in the SIB11bis message.