Synchronization in base stations and wireless networks

• US 9,161,323 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2015
• 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): Mohebbi, Kouroush
• Application Number:
  US14/597,483
• Publication Number:
  US 20150131630A1
• Time in Patent Office: 271 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 subframes of downlink carriers in a primary cell group and downlink carriers in a secondary cell group in substantial time alignment with each other. A wireless device transmits subframes of uplink carriers in the primary cell group in substantially time alignment with each other. The wireless device transmits subframes of uplink carriers in the secondary cell group in substantially time alignment with each other. The subframes transmission timing for uplink carriers in the primary cell group and in the secondary cell group employ different synchronization signals as a timing reference and different timing advance commands.

Claims

1. A method for use by a base station, the method comprising:

a) transmitting at least one message comprising configuration parameters of a plurality of cells grouped into a plurality of cell groups, said plurality of cell groups comprising a primary cell group and a secondary cell group; and

b) transmitting to a wireless device a timing advance (TA) command, said TA command comprising;

i) a TA value; and

ii) an index identifying a cell group; and

wherein;

i) frame and subframe transmission timing for a downlink carrier in said primary cell group and a downlink carrier in said secondary cell group are time aligned with each other;

ii) frame and subframe transmission timing for downlink carriers in said plurality of cell groups of said base station are time aligned with frame and subframe transmission timing of downlink carriers of a plurality of base stations;

iii) frame and subframe transmission timing for uplink carriers in said primary cell group and in said secondary cell group of said wireless device employ;

(1) different synchronization signals as timing reference; and

(2) different TA commands; and

iv) said TA command is configured to cause said wireless device to adjust timing of uplink signals transmitted by said wireless device in one or more uplink carriers of said cell group identified by said index such that said base station receives uplink signals in alignment with each other.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

a) said primary cell group comprises a first subset of said plurality of cells, said first subset comprising a primary cell, uplink transmissions by said wireless device in said primary cell group employing a first synchronization signal transmitted on said primary cell as a primary timing reference; and

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

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

a) frame and subframe transmission timing for uplink carriers in said primary cell group of said wireless device are time aligned with each other; and

b) frame and subframe transmission timing for uplink carriers in said secondary cell group of said wireless device are time aligned with each other.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said at least one message further comprises at least one configuration parameter of uplink random access resources on said reference secondary cell.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

a) transmitting a control command configured to cause transmission of a random access preamble on random access resources of said reference secondary cell in said secondary cell group; and

b) transmitting a random access response on a primary cell in said primary cell group, said random access response comprising a TA command for said secondary cell group.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said control command comprises:

a) a mask index; and

b) an identifier for said random access preamble.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein frame and subframe reception timing of said base station for an uplink carrier in said primary cell group and an uplink carrier in said secondary cell group are time aligned with frame and subframe reception timing of uplink carriers of said plurality of base stations.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein frame and subframe transmission timing of said wireless device for an uplink carrier in said primary cell group and an uplink carrier in said secondary cell group are not necessarily time aligned.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one message further comprises a plurality of media access control dedicated parameters comprising a plurality of time alignment timer values, each of said plurality of time alignment timer values being associated with a cell group in said wireless device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein transmission time is divided into frames, and each frame is divided into a plurality of subframes.

11. The base station of claim 10, wherein:

a) said primary cell group comprises a first subset of said plurality of cells, said first subset comprising a primary cell, uplink transmissions by said wireless device in said primary cell group employing a first synchronization signal transmitted on said primary cell as a primary timing reference; and

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

12. The base station of claim 11, wherein:

a) frame and subframe transmission timing for uplink carriers in said primary cell group of said wireless device are time aligned with each other; and

b) frame and subframe transmission timing for uplink carriers in said secondary cell group of said wireless device are time aligned with each other.

13. The base station of claim 11, wherein said at least one message further comprises at least one configuration parameter of uplink random access resources on said reference secondary cell.

14. The base station of claim 11, wherein said instructions, when executed, further cause said base station to:

a) transmit a control command configured to cause transmission of a random access preamble on random access resources of said reference secondary cell in said secondary cell group; and

b) transmit a random access response on a primary cell in said primary cell group, said random access response comprising a TA command for said secondary cell group.

15. The base station of claim 14, wherein said control command comprises:

a) a mask index; and

b) an identifier for said random access preamble.

16. The base station of claim 10, wherein frame and subframe reception timing of said base station for an uplink carrier in said primary cell group and an uplink carrier in said secondary cell group are time aligned with frame and subframe reception timing of uplink carriers of said plurality of base stations.

17. The base station of claim 10, wherein frame and subframe transmission timing for an uplink carrier in said primary cell group and an uplink carrier in said secondary cell group of said wireless device are not necessarily time aligned.

18. The base station of claim 10, wherein said at least one message further comprises a plurality of media access control dedicated parameters comprising a plurality of time alignment timer values, each of said plurality of time alignment timer values being associated with a cell group in said wireless device.

19. The base station of claim 10, wherein transmission time is divided into frames, and each frame is divided into a plurality of subframes.

20. 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 message comprising configuration parameters of a plurality of cells grouped into a plurality of cell groups, said plurality of cell groups comprising a primary cell group and a secondary cell group; and

ii) transmit to a wireless device a timing advance (TA) command, said TA command comprising;

(1) a TA value; and

(2) an index identifying a cell group; and

wherein;

i) frame and subframe transmission timing for a downlink carrier in said primary cell group and a downlink carrier in said secondary cell group are time aligned with each other;

ii) frame and subframe transmission timing for downlink carriers in said plurality of cell groups of said base station are time aligned with frame and subframe transmission timing of downlink carriers of a plurality of base stations;

iii) frame and subframe transmission timing for uplink carriers in said primary cell group and in said secondary cell group of said wireless device employ;

(1) different synchronization signals as timing reference; and

(2) different TA commands; and

iv) said TA command is configured to cause said wireless device to adjust timing of uplink signals transmitted by said wireless device in one or more uplink carriers of said cell group identified by said index such that said base station receives uplink signals in alignment with each other.