Paging in heterogeneous networks using restricted subframe patterns

• US 9,226,263 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2014
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Suzuki, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAN, SAI MING
• Application Number:
  US14/537,278
• Publication Number:
  US 20150063155A1
• Time in Patent Office: 414 Days
• Field of Search: 370/311, 370/252, 370/329
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/02 Arrangements for increasing efficiency of notification or paging channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/025 Indirect paging
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/28 Discontinuous transmission [DTX]; Discontinuous reception [DRX]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B

Abstract

A method for operating a UE in a wireless communications network is provided. The method comprises using, by the UE, a frequency parameter of paging frames and a restricted subframe pattern to determine one or more paging frames and occasions to monitor.

Claims

1. A method for operating a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communications network, the method comprising:

using, by the UE, a frequency parameter of paging frames and a restricted subframe pattern to determine one or more paging frames and occasions to monitor, wherein the restricted subframe pattern is selected from a plurality of restricted subframe patterns; and

reading, by the UE while in a connected mode, a paging message in paging occasions that are protected by the restricted subframe pattern.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the frequency parameter is denoted as nB in a paging control channel (PCCH) configuration.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

reading, by the UE, a paging message in paging occasions not specific to the UE.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the UE, a configuration of the frequency parameter of paging frames for a cell, wherein the frequency parameter is configured based on the restricted subframe pattern received by the UE in a signal transmitted from the cell.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the frequency parameter of paging frames is a factor of two or a factor of four times greater than a discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle of the UE.

29. The method of claim 1, further comprising reading, by the UE, a paging message in a paging occasion protected by a restricted subframe regardless of which restricted subframe pattern is used in a cell in which the UE is located.

6. A user equipment (UE) comprising:

a processor configured such that the UE uses a frequency parameter of paging frames and a restricted subframe pattern to determine one or more paging frames and occasions to monitor, wherein the restricted subframe pattern is selected from a plurality of restricted subframe patterns, and

the processor configured such that while the UE is in a connected mode, the UE reads a paging message in paging occasions that are protected by the restricted subframe pattern.

7. The UE of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured such that while the UE is in the connected mode, the UE reads at least one paging message during a paging occasion not specific to the UE.

8. The UE of claim 6, wherein the frequency parameter is denoted as nB in a paging control channel (PCCH) configuration.

9. The UE of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to determine whether paging occasions are aligned with the restricted subframe pattern, and responsive to determining that the one or more paging occasions are not aligned with a restricted subframe, the UE attempts to read paging more than once per every default paging cycle.

10. The UE of claim 6, wherein the UE receives a configuration of the frequency parameter of paging frames for a cell, wherein the frequency parameter is configured based on the restricted subframe pattern received by the UE in a signal transmitted from the cell, wherein the restricted subframe pattern is selected by a network element in the cell.

11. The UE of claim 6, wherein the frequency parameter of paging frames is a factor of two or a factor of four times greater than a discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle of the UE.

30. The UE of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to read a paging message in a paging occasion protected by a restricted subframe regardless of which restricted subframe pattern is used in a cell in which the UE is located.

12. A method for operating a network element in a wireless communications network, the method comprising:

configuring, by the network element, a frequency parameter of paging frames for a cell in which the network element is present, such that the frequency parameter is configured with a restricted subframe pattern in a signal transmitted in a victim cell, the restricted subframe pattern being selected from a plurality of restricted subframe patterns,

wherein the frequency parameter is configured such that at least one paging occasion is protected by a restricted subframe regardless of which one of the restricted subframe patterns is selected for the cell.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the network element ensures that at least one paging occasion in a default paging cycle coincides with at least one restricted subframe.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the frequency parameter is a factor of two or a factor of four times greater than a discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle of a user equipment to which the network element transmits the frequency parameter.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the network element is a victim node in a heterogeneous network.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the victim node is at least one of:

a pico cell;

a femto cell;

a relay;

or

a macro cell.

17. A network element in a wireless communications network, the network element comprising:

a processor configured such that the network element configures a frequency parameter of paging frames for a cell in which the network element is present, such that the frequency parameter is configured with a restricted subframe pattern in a signal transmitted in a victim cell, the restricted subframe pattern being selected from a plurality of restricted subframe patterns,

wherein the frequency parameter is configured such that at least one paging occasion is protected by a restricted subframe regardless of which one of the restricted subframe patterns is selected for the cell.

18. The network element of claim 17, wherein the network element ensures that at least one paging occasion in a default paging cycle coincides with at least one restricted subframe.

19. The network element of claim 17, wherein the frequency parameter is a factor of two or a factor of four times greater than a discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle of a user equipment to which the network element transmits the frequency parameter.

20. The network element of claim 17, wherein the network element is a victim node in a heterogeneous network.

21. The network element of claim 20, wherein the victim node is at least one of:

a pico cell;

a femto cell;

a relay;

or

a macro cell.

22. A method for operating a user equipment (UE) in a wireless heterogeneous network including a first network element and a second network element, the method comprising:

receiving, by the UE, from the second network element, a pattern of network subframes associated with the first network element, wherein the pattern is selected from a plurality of patterns; and

reading, by the UE while operating in a connected mode, a paging message in a paging occasion protected by the selected subframes, wherein transmissions of the second network element correspond with the pattern of network subframes associated with the first network element.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the first network element is an overlay network element and the second network element is an underlay network element.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the first network element is an underlay network element and the second network element is an overlay network element.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the selected subframes of the pattern associated with the first network element have been selected by the first network to promote intercell interference coordination by one of backhaul signaling or almost blank subframes.

26. The method of claim 22, further comprising attempting to read, by the UE, a paging message more than once per a default paging cycle in response to determining that one or more paging occasions do not correspond substantially in time with restricted subframes.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the selected subframes have been aligned by the second network.

28. The method of claim 22, further comprising, reading, by the UE, a paging message during a paging occasion that is not specific to the UE.