Carrier configuration in wireless networks

• US 9,179,457 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2013
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2012
• 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): Crompton, Christopher R
• Application Number:
  US13/920,009
• Publication Number:
  US 20130343297A1
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• Field of Search: 370/329
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0072 of resource information of target access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0077 of access information of target access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0045 compensating for timing error by altering transmission time
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal

Abstract

A wireless device receives a first RRC message configuring a plurality of cells, a primary cell group, and a secondary cell group. The wireless device receives a second RRC message to reconfigure cell group configurations. The second RRC message is configurable to cause the modification of the cell group configuration of a secondary cell without explicitly releasing the secondary cell if the second RRC message comprises mobility control information. The second RRC message is unconfigurable to cause modification of the cell group configuration of the secondary cell without explicitly releasing the secondary cell if the RRC message does not comprise mobility control information.

Claims

1. A method for use in a wireless device, the method comprising:

a) receiving, from a base station, at least one first radio resource control (RRC) message comprising configuration parameters of a plurality of cells comprising a primary cell and at least one secondary cell, said plurality of cells being grouped into a plurality of cell groups, said plurality of cell groups comprising;

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

ii) a secondary cell group comprising a second subset of said at least one secondary cell, uplink signal transmissions by said wireless device in said secondary cell group employing a second synchronization signal on a secondary cell in said secondary cell group as a secondary timing reference;

b) receiving, from said base station, a second RRC message, said second RRC message;

i) configurable to cause modification of a cell group a secondary cell without explicitly releasing said secondary cell if said second RRC message comprises mobility control information; and

ii) unconfigurable to cause modification of the cell group of said secondary cell without explicitly releasing said secondary cell if said RRC message does not comprise mobility control information;

c) modifying the cell group of said secondary cell by releasing said secondary cell and then adding said secondary cell with a different cell group index, if said second RRC message does not comprise mobility control information; and

d) initiating a handover if said second RRC message comprises mobility control information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said second RRC message is an RRC Connection Reconfiguration message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said wireless device initiates a handover from said base station to a target base station if said second RRC message comprises said mobility control information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said wireless device initiates a handover from a sector of said base station to a target sector of said base station if said second RRC message comprises said mobility control information.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising starting, by said wireless device, a random access process with a target cell if said at least one second RRC message comprises said mobility control information.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising starting, by said wireless device, a synchronization process with a target cell if said at least one second RRC message comprises said mobility control information.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, by said wireless device, a random access preamble to a target cell indicated in said at least one second RRC message if said at least one second RRC message comprises said mobility control information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one first RRC message comprises a timer value for a time alignment timer for each of said plurality of cell groups.

9. 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 from a base station at least one first radio resource control (RRC) message comprising configuration parameters of a plurality of cells comprising a primary cell and at least one secondary cell, said plurality of cells being grouped into a plurality of cell groups, said plurality of cell groups comprising;

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

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

ii) receive a second RRC message configurable to cause modification of a cell group of a secondary cell without explicitly releasing said secondary cell if said second RRC message comprises mobility control information;

iii) modify the cell group of said secondary cell by releasing said secondary cell and then adding said secondary cell with a different cell group index, if said second RRC message does not comprise mobility control information; and

iv) initiate a handover if said second RRC message comprises mobility control information.

10. The wireless device of claim 9, wherein said second RRC message is an RRC Connection Reconfiguration message.

11. The wireless device of claim 9, wherein said at least one first RRC message comprises a timer value for each of said plurality of cell groups.

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

a) transmitting, to a wireless device, at least one first radio resource control (RRC) message comprising

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

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

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

b) making a handover decision for said wireless device; and

c) transmitting, to said wireless device, a second RRC message causing in said wireless device, modification of said secondary cell to an updated secondary cell assigned to said primary cell group without explicitly releasing said secondary cell said second RRC message comprising mobility control information.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said base station initiates a wireless device handover from said base station to a target base station.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said base station initiates a wireless device handover from a sector of said base station to a target sector of said base station.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said at least one first RRC message comprises a timer value for a time alignment timer for each of said plurality of cell groups.