Wireless device for multicarrier communications

• US 9,210,676 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2013
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• 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): HSU, ALPUS
• Application Number:
  US13/750,893
• Publication Number:
  US 20130188620A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 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 wireless device establishes a first signaling bearer with a base station on a primary cell. The establishment of the signaling bearer comprises the wireless device receiving a control message from the base station on the primary cell in a plurality of cells comprising the primary cell and at least one secondary cell. The wireless device transmits radio capability parameters to the base station on the first signaling bearer on the primary cell. The radio capability parameters comprise at least one parameter indicating whether the wireless device supports a timing advance groups.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

a) establishing a first signaling bearer between a wireless device and a base station on a primary cell, said establishing comprising said wireless device receiving a first control message from said base station on said primary cell in a plurality of cells, said plurality of cells comprising said primary cell and at least one secondary cell; and

b) transmitting, by said wireless device, a plurality of radio capability parameters to said base station on said first signaling bearer on said primary cell, said plurality of radio capability parameters comprising at least one timing advance group capability parameter indicating whether said wireless device supports a plurality of timing advance groups in one or more band combinations; and

wherein, if said at least one timing advance group capability parameter indicates said wireless device supports said plurality of timing advance groups, said wireless device performs all of the following functions;

i) transmitting a random access preamble on at least one of said at least one secondary cell in a secondary cell group;

ii) transmitting in parallel;

(1) a random access preamble on an uplink carrier on one of said at least one secondary cell in said secondary cell group; and

(2) uplink data on at least one other uplink carrier of at least one other cell in said plurality of cells;

iii) transmitting in parallel;

(1) a random access preamble on an uplink carrier on one of said at least one secondary cell in said secondary cell group; and

(2) control data on an uplink physical control channel on at least one other uplink carrier of at least one other cell in said plurality of cells;

iv) applying each of a plurality of media access control (MAC) timing advance commands comprising a timing advance group index to uplink transmission timing of a cell group identified by said timing advance group index;

v) maintaining a plurality of timing advance timers; and

vi) configuring said plurality of timing advance groups, each of said plurality of timing advance groups comprising a distinct subset of said plurality of cells, uplink transmissions on each timing advance group employing a synchronization signal on a downlink carrier of one cell in said distinct subset as a timing reference.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said plurality of timing advance groups are for at least one band combination.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising said wireless device transmitting in parallel:

a) a random access preamble on an uplink carrier on one of said at least one secondary cell in said secondary cell group; and

b) an uplink sounding reference signal on at least one other uplink carrier of at least one other cell in said plurality of cells.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising said wireless device initiating said establishing by transmitting a random access preamble to said base station.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said establishing further comprises said wireless device transmitting a radio resource connection request message to said base station.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said wireless device transmitting said radio resource connection request in uplink radio resources identified in an uplink grant of a random access response message is received from said base station.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said first control message is a radio resource control connection establishment message.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said plurality of timing advance groups are for one or more band combinations.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one other cell in said plurality of cells does not comprise said one of said at least one secondary cell in said secondary cell group.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein each of a plurality of MAC timing advance commands comprise a timing advance value.

11. 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) establish a first signaling bearer between a wireless device and a base station on a primary cell in a plurality of cells, said plurality of cells comprising said primary cell and at least one secondary cell; and

ii) transmit a plurality of radio capability parameters to said base station on said first signaling bearer on said primary cell, said plurality of radio capability parameters comprising at least one timing advance group capability parameter indicating whether said wireless device supports a plurality of timing advance groups in one or more band combinations; and

wherein, if said at least one timing advance group capability parameter indicates said wireless device supports said plurality of timing advance groups, said instructions, when executed, further cause said wireless device to;

i) transmit a random access preamble on at least one of said at least one secondary cell in a secondary cell group;

ii) transmit in parallel;

(1) a random access preamble on an uplink carrier on one of said at least one secondary cell in said secondary cell group; and

(2) uplink data on at least one other uplink carrier of at least one other cell in said plurality of cells;

iii) transmit in parallel;

(1) a random access preamble on an uplink carrier on one of said at least one secondary cell in said secondary cell group; and

(2) control data on an uplink physical control channel on at least one other uplink carrier of at least one other cell in said plurality of cells;

iv) apply each of a plurality of media access control (MAC) timing advance commands comprising a timing advance group index to uplink transmission timing of a cell group identified by said timing advance group index;

v) maintain a plurality of timing advance timers; and

vi) configure said plurality of timing advance groups, each of said plurality of timing advance groups comprising a distinct subset of said plurality of cells, uplink transmissions on each timing advance group employing a synchronization signal on a downlink carrier of one cell in said distinct subset as a timing reference.

12. The wireless device of claim 11, wherein each of said plurality of timing advance timers corresponds to a timing advance group in said plurality of timing advance groups.

13. The wireless device of claim 11, wherein said random access preamble is transmitted in response to receiving a control command from said base station, said control command comprising an identifier of said random access preamble.

14. The wireless device of claim 11, wherein said configuring said plurality of timing advance groups comprises assigning each cell in said plurality of cells to a timing advance group in said plurality of timing advance groups.

15. The wireless device of claim 11, wherein each of a plurality of MAC timing advance commands comprises a timing advance value.

16. A method comprising:

a) establishing a first signaling bearer between a base station and a wireless device on a primary cell, said establishing comprising said base station transmitting a first control message to said wireless device on said primary cell in a plurality of cells, said plurality of cells comprising said primary cell and at least one secondary cell;

b) receiving, by said base station, a plurality of radio capability parameters from said wireless device on said first signaling bearer on said primary cell, said plurality of radio capability parameters comprising at least one timing advance group capability parameter indicating whether said wireless device supports a plurality of timing advance groups in one or more band combinations; and

c) selectively transmitting at least one second control message to said wireless device by said base station if said at least one second timing advance group capability parameter indicates that said wireless device supports said plurality of timing advance groups, said at least one second control message comprising;

i) configuration parameters of at least one secondary cell in said plurality of cells; and

ii) a cell group index for assignment of a secondary cell in said at least one secondary cell to a timing advance group in said plurality of timing advance groups, said plurality of timing advance groups comprising;

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

(2) a secondary timing advance group comprising a second subset of said plurality of cells, said second subset comprising a reference secondary cell, uplink transmissions in said secondary timing advance group employing a second synchronization signal on said reference secondary cell as a secondary timing reference.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said at least one second control message comprises configuration parameter of a timing advance timer for each of said plurality of timing advance groups, said timing advance timer starting or restarting in response to said wireless device receiving a timing advance command to adjust uplink transmission timing of a commanded timing advance group in said plurality of timing advance groups.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said plurality of timing advance groups are for one or more band combinations.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein said first control message is a radio resource control connection establishment message.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein said at least one second control message comprises configuration parameters of random access resources on a secondary cell in said secondary timing advance group.