Apparatus and method for cell information indication in a wireless network

• US 9,232,503 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2012
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: He, Hong, Heo, Youn Hyoung, Etemad, Kamran, Fwu, Jong-Kae, Han, Seunghee
• Primary Examiner(s): Arevalo, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US13/728,740
• Publication Number:
  US 20130288672A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,104 Days
• Field of Search: 370/331, 370/225, 370/252, 370/315, 370/329, 370/280, 370/241, 370/254, 455/63.1, 455/522, 455/452.1, 455/434, 455/436, 455/507
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0058 Transmission of hand-off measurement information, e.g. measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/00 Synchronisation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management

Abstract

Generally, this disclosure provides apparatus and methods for improved indication of cell information in a wireless network. The cell information may include an evolved Node B (eNB) carrier type. The UE device may include a receiver circuit configured to receive a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message from an evolved Node B (eNB) of a serving cell, the RRC message comprising carrier information associated with the serving cell eNB; a processing circuit configured to extract, from the serving cell eNB carrier information: a carrier type, synchronization information and Radio Resource Management (RRM) measurement information; a synchronization circuit configured to synchronize the UE to the serving cell eNB based on the synchronization information associated with the serving cell eNB carrier information; and a signal measurement circuit configured to perform RRM signal measurements on the serving cell eNB based on the RRM measurement information associated with the serving cell eNB carrier information.

Claims

1. User Equipment (UE) comprising:

a receiver circuit configured to receive a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message from an evolved Node B (eNB) of a serving cell for said UE, said RRC message comprising carrier information associated with said serving cell eNB;

a processing circuit configured to extract, from said serving cell eNB carrier information;

a carrier type, synchronization information and Radio Resource Management (RRM) measurement information, wherein said synchronization information comprises a status indicator for a Primary Synchronization Signal (PSS) / Secondary Synchronization Signal (SSS) and a reference cell index associated with said PSS/SSS;

a synchronization circuit configured to synchronize said UE to said serving cell eNB based on said synchronization information associated with said serving cell eNB carrier information; and

a signal measurement circuit configured to perform RRM signal measurements on said serving cell eNB based on said RRM measurement information associated with said serving cell eNB carrier information.

2. The UE of claim 1, wherein said RRC message from said serving cell eNB further comprises carrier information associated with a neighbor cell eNB and said processing circuit is further configured to extract a carrier type, synchronization information and RRM measurement information from said neighbor cell eNB carrier information.

3. The UE of claim 2, wherein said RRM measurement information comprises a slot number offset between a radio frame of said serving cell eNB and a radio frame of said neighbor cell eNB and a slot timing offset between said radio frame of said serving cell eNB and said radio frame of said neighbor cell eNB.

4. The UE of claim 2, wherein said synchronization circuit is further configured to synchronize said UE to said neighbor cell eNB based on said synchronization information associated with said neighbor cell eNB carrier information and said signal measurement circuit is further configured to perform RRM signal measurements on said neighbor cell eNB based on said RRM measurement information associated with said neighbor cell eNB carrier information.

5. The UE of claim 1, wherein said carrier type is selected from the group consisting of a backward compatible carrier type, a non-synchronized new carrier type, a synchronized new carrier type and a stand-alone carrier type.

6. The UE of claim 1, wherein said RRM measurement information comprises a Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) usage indicator and a Cell Specific Reference Signal (CRS) usage indicator.

7. The UE of claim 1, wherein said RRM measurement information comprises a sub-frame identifier for a CRS transmission and a sub-frame identifier for an enhanced Physical Downlink Control Channel (ePDCCH).

8. User Equipment (UE) comprising:

a receiver circuit configured to receive a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message from an evolved Node B (eNB) of a serving cell for said UE, said RRC message comprising a list of neighbor cells relative to said UE;

a processing circuit configured to extract, from said list of neighbor cells, carrier information associated with a neighbor cell eNB, said carrier information comprising;

a carrier type, synchronization information and Radio Resource Management (RRM) measurement information, wherein said RRM measurement information comprises a slot number offset between a radio frame of said serving cell eNB and a radio frame of said neighbor cell eNB and a slot timing offset between said radio frame of said serving cell eNB and said radio frame of said neighbor cell eNB; and

a synchronization circuit configured to synchronize said UE to said neighbor cell eNB based on said synchronization information.

9. The UE of claim 8, wherein said carrier type is selected from the group consisting of a backward compatible carrier type, a non-synchronized new carrier type, a synchronized new carrier type and a stand-alone carrier type.

10. The UE of claim 8, further comprising a signal measurement circuit configured to perform RRM signal measurements on said neighbor cell eNB based on said RRM measurement information, wherein said synchronization information comprises a status indicator for a Primary Synchronization Signal (PSS) / Secondary Synchronization Signal (SSS) and a reference cell index associated with said PSS/SSS.

11. The UE of claim 8, wherein said RRM measurement information comprises a Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) usage indicator and a Cell Specific Reference Signal (CRS) usage indicator.

12. The UE of claim 8, wherein said RRM measurement information comprises a sub-frame identifier for a CRS transmission and a sub-frame identifier for an enhanced Physical Downlink Control Channel (ePDCCH).

13. The UE of claim 8, further comprising memory coupled to said processing circuit, an input/output (I/O) system coupled to said processing circuit, and a touchscreen display coupled to said I/O system.

14. User Equipment (UE) comprising:

a receiver circuit configured to receive a message from an evolved Node B (eNB) of a serving cell for said UE, said message including a System Information Block (SIB), said SIB comprising a list of neighbor cells relative to said UE;

a processing circuit configured to extract, from said list of neighbor cells, carrier information associated with a neighbor cell eNB, said carrier information comprising;

a carrier type, synchronization information and Radio Resource Management (RRM) measurement information, wherein said synchronization information comprises a status indicator for a Primary Synchronization Signal (PSS) / Secondary Synchronization Signal (SSS) and a reference cell index associated with said PSS/SSS;

a synchronization circuit configured to synchronize said UE to said neighbor cell eNB based on said synchronization information; and

a signal measurement circuit configured to perform RRM signal measurements on said neighbor cell eNB based on said RRM measurement information.

15. The UE of claim 14, wherein said SIB is a System Information Block Type 4 and said neighbor cell eNB is an intra-frequency cell relative to said serving cell eNB.

16. The UE of claim 14, wherein said SIB is a System Information Block Type 5 and said neighbor cell eNB is an inter-frequency cell relative to said serving cell eNB.

17. The UE of claim 14, wherein said carrier type is selected from the group consisting of a backward compatible carrier type, a non-synchronized new carrier type, a synchronized new carrier type and a stand-alone carrier type.

18. The UE of claim 14, wherein said RRM measurement information comprises a Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) usage indicator and a Cell Specific Reference Signal (CRS) usage indicator.

19. The UE of claim 14, wherein said RRM measurement information comprises a sub-frame identifier for a CRS transmission and a sub-frame identifier for an enhanced Physical Downlink Control Channel (ePDCCH).

20. The UE of claim 14, wherein said RRM measurement information comprises a slot number offset between a radio frame of said serving cell eNB and a radio frame of said neighbor cell eNB and a slot timing offset between said radio frame of said serving cell eNB and said radio frame of said neighbor cell eNB.