Configuring base station and wireless device carrier groups

• US 9,161,322 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2013
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Ofinno Technologies, LLC (Ofinno, LLC)
• Inventors: Dinan, Esmael Hejazi
• Primary Examiner(s): PARK, JUNG H
• Application Number:
  US13/748,586
• Publication Number:
  US 20130188613A1
• Time in Patent Office: 992 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 2011/0096 Network synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2692 with preamble design, i.e. with negotiation of the synchronisation sequence with transmitter or sequence linked to the algorithm used at the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/32 Carrier systems characterised by combinations of two or more of the types covered by groups H04L27/02, H04L27/10, H04L27/18 or H04L27/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0055 Physical resource allocation for ACK/NACK for physical mapping arrangements in ARQ protocols H04L1/1861
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0094 Indication of how sub-channels of the path are allocated
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0098 Signalling of the activation or deactivation of component carriers, subcarriers or frequency bands
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1066 Session management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/00 Network traffic management; Network resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/00 Access restriction access security to prevent unauthorised access H04W12/08; Network selection; Access point selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/14 Separate analysis of uplink or downlink
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/146 Uplink power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/18 TPC being performed according to specific parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/242 taking into account path loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/248 where transmission power control commands are generated based on a path parameter
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/34 TPC management, i.e. sharing limited amount of power among users or channels or data types, e.g. cell loading
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/50 at the moment of starting communication in a multiple access environment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/00 Synchronisation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0005 synchronizing of arrival of multiple uplinks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/001 : Synchronization between nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0045 : compensating for timing error by altering transmission time
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 : Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 : Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 : in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/002 : Transmission of channel access control information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/006 : in the downlink, i.e. towards the terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0833 : Random access procedures, e.g. with 4-step access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 : Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/18 : Management of setup rejection or failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 : Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices

Abstract

A base station transmits control message(s) to a wireless device configuring secondary cell(s). Each of the secondary cells is assigned to a cell group in a plurality of cell groups comprising a primary cell group and at least one secondary cell group. The control message(s) comprise dedicated parameters. If dedicated parameters comprise a cell group index for the secondary cell, the wireless device assigns the secondary cell to one of the at least one secondary cell group identified by the cell group index. Otherwise, the wireless device assigns the secondary cell to the primary cell group.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

a) transmitting, by a base station, at least one Radio Resource Control (RRC) message comprising;

i) a cell group index of a secondary cell in at least one secondary cell, said cell group index identifying a secondary cell group in a plurality of cell groups, said plurality of cell groups comprising;

(1) a primary cell group comprising a primary cell, uplink transmissions by a wireless device in said primary cell group employing a first synchronization signal on said primary cell as a primary timing reference; and

(2) at least one secondary cell group, each of said at least one secondary cell group comprising a subset of said at least one secondary cell, uplink transmissions in a secondary cell group employing a second synchronization signal on a secondary cell as a secondary timing reference; and

ii) MAC dedicated parameters comprising a sequence of at least one information element, an information element comprising;

a first cell group index of a first secondary cell group and a timer value for a corresponding time alignment timer, said corresponding time alignment timer indicating how long said first secondary cell group is considered to be uplink time aligned; and

b) transmitting a MAC timing advance command comprising said first cell group index causing restart of said corresponding time alignment timer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said primary cell group is identified by an index equal to zero.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said MAC timing advance command is configured to cause substantial alignment of reception timing of uplink signals in subframes of said first secondary cell group at said base station.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one RRC message further comprises an activation timer for said at least one secondary cell.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said MAC timing advance command comprises:

a) a time adjustment value; and

b) said first cell group index; and

wherein said timing advance command is configured to cause substantial alignment of reception timing of uplink signals in subframes of said first secondary cell group at said base station.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one RRC message comprises a cell-add-modify information element for said secondary cell, said cell-add-modify information element comprising a plurality of dedicated parameters for said secondary cell, said plurality of dedicated parameters comprising said cell group index.

7. A base station comprising:

a) one or more communication interfaces;

b) one or more processors; and

c) memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause said base station to;

i) transmit at least one Radio Resource Control (RRC) message comprising;

(1) a cell group index of a secondary cell in at least one secondary cell, said cell group index identifying a secondary cell group in a plurality of cell groups, said plurality of cell groups comprising;

(a) a primary cell group comprising a primary cell, uplink transmissions by a wireless device in said primary cell group employing a first synchronization signal on said primary cell as a primary timing reference; and

(b) at least one secondary cell group, each of said at least one secondary cell group comprising a subset of said at least one secondary cell, uplink transmissions in a secondary cell group employing a second synchronization signal on a secondary cell as a secondary timing reference; and

(2) MAC dedicated parameters comprising a sequence of at least one information element, an information element comprising;

a first cell group index of a first secondary cell group and a timer value for a corresponding time alignment timer, said corresponding time alignment timer indicating how long said first secondary cell group is considered to be uplink time aligned; and

ii) transmit a MAC timing advance command comprising said first cell group index causing restart of said corresponding time alignment timer.

8. The base station of claim 7, wherein said primary cell group is identified by an index equal to zero.

9. The base station of claim 7, wherein said MAC timing advance command is configured to cause substantial alignment of reception timing of uplink signals in subframes of said first secondary cell group at said base station.

10. The base station of claim 7, wherein said at least one RRC message further comprises an activation timer for said at least one secondary cell.

11. The base station of claim 7, wherein said MAC timing advance command comprises:

a) a time adjustment value; and

b) said first cell group index; and

wherein said timing advance command is configured to cause substantial alignment of reception timing of uplink signals in subframes of said first secondary cell group at said base station.

12. The base station of claim 7, wherein said at least one RRC message comprises a cell-add-modify information element for said secondary cell, said cell-add-modify information element comprising a plurality of dedicated parameters for said secondary cell, said plurality of dedicated parameters comprising said cell group index.

13. A wireless device comprising:

a) one or more communication interfaces;

b) one or more processors; and

c) memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause said wireless device to;

i) receive at least one Radio Resource Control (RRC) message comprising;

(1) a cell group index of a secondary cell in at least one secondary cell, said cell group index identifying a secondary cell group in a plurality of cell groups, said plurality of cell groups comprising;

(a) a primary cell group comprising a primary cell, uplink transmissions by a wireless device in said primary cell group employing a first synchronization signal on said primary cell as a primary timing reference; and

(b) at least one secondary cell group, each of said at least one secondary cell group comprising a subset of said at least one secondary cell, uplink transmissions in a secondary cell group employing a second synchronization signal on a secondary cell as a secondary timing reference; and

(2) MAC dedicated parameters comprising a sequence of at least one information element, an information element comprising;

a first cell group index of a first secondary cell group and a timer value for a corresponding time alignment timer, said corresponding time alignment timer indicating how long said first secondary cell group is considered to be uplink time aligned; and

ii) receive a MAC timing advance command comprising said first cell group index causing restart of said corresponding time alignment timer.

14. The wireless device of claim 13, wherein said primary cell group is identified by an index equal to zero.

15. The wireless device of claim 13, wherein said MAC timing advance command is configured to cause substantial alignment of reception timing of uplink signals in subframes of said first secondary cell group at said base station.

16. The wireless device of claim 13, wherein said at least one RRC message further comprises an activation timer for said at least one secondary cell.

17. The wireless device of claim 13, wherein said MAC timing advance command comprises:

a) a time adjustment value; and

b) said first cell group index; and

wherein said timing advance command is configured to cause substantial alignment of reception timing of uplink signals in subframes of said first secondary cell group at said base station.

18. The wireless device of claim 13, wherein said at least one RRC message comprises a cell-add-modify information element for said secondary cell, said cell-add-modify information element comprising a plurality of dedicated parameters for said secondary cell.