Method and device for data transmission based on carrier aggregation (CA) technology

• US 9,326,271 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2011
• Issued: 04/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Datang Mobile Communications Equipment Company Limited (China Information Communication Technology Group Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Datang Mobile Communications Equipment Company Limited (China Information Communication Technology Group Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Zhao, Yali, Xu, Fangli, Liang, Jing
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Agureyev, Vladislav
• Application Number:
  US13/996,607
• Publication Number:
  US 20130279377A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,594 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/001 the frequencies being arranged in component carriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0037 Inter-user or inter-terminal allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/1469 using time-sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/002 Transmission of channel access control information

Abstract

The present invention discloses a method and device for data transmission based on carrier aggregation (CA) technology. The method and device are used for ensuring that user equipments can work normally, when the multiple cells aggregated from the user equipments supporting CA technology have different time division duplex (TDD) uplink/downlink (UL/DL) configurations. The method includes: a base station configures at least two time division duplex uplink/downlink carrier TDD UL/DL configuration collections for the user equipments, wherein each TDD UL/DL configuration collection includes at least one cell; the base station respectively configures one cell in each TDD UL/DL configuration collection to be an especial cell (Ecell).

Claims

1. A Carrier Aggregation, CA, based data transmission method, comprising:

an evolved NodeB, eNB, configuring a user equipment with at least two Time Division Duplex Uplink and Downlink, TDD UL/DL, configuration sets, wherein each TDD UL/DL configuration set comprises at least one cell; and

the eNB configuring a cell respectively in each of the at least two TDD UL/DL configuration sets as an Especial Cell, Ecell;

wherein the eNB configuring a cell in each TDD UL/DL configuration set as an Ecell comprises;

when the TDD UL/DL configuration set comprises only one cell, then configuring the cell as an Ecell; and

when the TDD UL/DL configuration set comprises at least two cells, then configuring a cell with a highest channel quality as an Ecell or configuring a cell subject to a lowest interference as an Ecell or configuring a cell with the highest channel quality and subject to the lowest interference as an Ecell or configuring a cell with a highest or lowest cell index as an Ecell.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

the eNB notifying the user equipment of a TDD UL/DL configuration in each TDD UL/DL configuration set and/or the Ecell in each TDD UL/DL configuration set.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the eNB notifying the user equipment of the Ecell in each TDD UL/DL configuration set comprises:

the eNB notifying the user equipment of an identity, ID, of the Ecell in the TDD UL/DL configuration set by Radio Resource Control, RRC, signaling or Media Access Control, MAC, signaling or a broadcast;

or

the eNB notifying the user equipment of Ecell-specific configuration information for the Ecell in the TDD UL/DL configuration set by RRC signaling or MAC signaling.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the eNB notifying the user equipment of the ID of the Ecell in the TDD UL/DL configuration set by RRC signaling or MAC signaling or a broadcast comprises:

the eNB sending an ID of a TDD UL/DL configuration of the TDD UL/DL configuration set, the ID of the Ecell in the TDD UL/DL configuration set and IDs of the other cells in the TDD UL/DL configuration set to the user equipment by the RRC signaling or the MAC signaling or the broadcast;

or

the eNB sending an ID of a TDD UL/DL configuration corresponding to each cell and the ID of the Ecell in the TDD UL/DL configuration set corresponding to the cell to the user equipment by the RRC signaling or the MAC signaling or the broadcast.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the Ecell-specific configuration information comprises one or more of:

TDD UL/DL configuration information, Channel State Information, CSI, feedback resource configuration information, Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request, HARQ, ACK/NACK feedback resource configuration information, pathloss reference configuration information, timing reference configuration information and random access resource configuration information.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein the eNB configures each TDD UL/DL configuration set and its corresponding Ecell by one or any combination of following configuration schemes:

one or any combination of HARQ ACK/NACK feedback resource of each cell in the TDD UL/DL configuration set, CSI feedback resource of each cell in the TDD UL/DL configuration set, and Dedicated Scheduling Request, DSR, resource are configured on the Ecell of the TDD UL/DL configuration set;

the Ecell of the TDD UL/DL configuration set is configured as a pathloss reference for uplink transmission of each cell in the TDD UL/DL configuration set;

the Ecell of the TDD UL/DL configuration set is configured as a timing reference for uplink transmission of each cell in the TDD UL/DL configuration set;

a TDD UL/DL configuration of the TDD UL/DL configuration set is only broadcasted on the Ecell of the TDD UL/DL configuration set;

cross-carrier scheduling is only allowed between cells in the same TDD UL/DL configuration set;

Discontinuous Reception, DRX, is configured in the TDD UL/DL configuration set, and an Active Time of each cell in the TDD UL/DL configuration set is same;

in the TDD UL/DL configuration set, a counting of an on duration listening timer, onDurationTimer, a discontinuous reception and inactivity timer, drx-InactivityTime, and a discontinuous reception and retransmission timer, drx-RetransmissionTimer which are counted by PDCCH-subframe follows the PDCCH-subframe of the Ecell;

in the TDD UL/DL configuration set, if a radio link failure of an Ecell is judged, then the other cells comprised in the TDD UL/DL configuration set are deactivated;

a Power Headroom Report, PHR, is maintained per TDD UL/DL configuration set; and

when a random access procedure is triggered in the TDD UL/DL configuration set, only the random access procedure on the Ecell is performed.

7. A Carrier Aggregation, CA, based data transmission method, comprising:

a user equipment determining at least two Time Division Duplex Uplink and Downlink, TDD UL/DL, configuration sets, which are configured for the user equipment by an eNB, according to a notification from the eNB, wherein each TDD UL/DL configuration set comprises at least one cell;

the user equipment configuring a cell respectively in each of the at least two TDD UL/DL configuration sets as an Especial Cell, Ecell, according to the notification from the eNB or a rule predefined by the eNB and the user equipment; and

the user equipment transmitting data with the eNB based on each of the at least TDD UL/DL configuration set and its corresponding Ecell;

wherein when the TDD UL/DL configuration set comprises only one cell, then the cell is configured as an Ecell; and

when the TDD UL/DL configuration set comprises at least two cells, then a cell with a highest channel quality is configured as an Ecell, or a cell subject to a lowest interference is configured as an Ecell, or a cell with the highest channel quality and subject to the lowest interference is configured as an Ecell, or a cell with a highest or lowest cell index is configured as an Ecell.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the user equipment configuring a cell in each TDD UL/DL configuration set as an Especial Cell, Ecell, according to the notification from the eNB or a rule predefined by the eNB and the user equipment comprises:

the user equipment configuring a cell in the TDD UL/DL configuration set as an Especial Cell, Ecell, according to an ID of the Ecell carried in Radio Resource Control, RRC, signaling or Media Access Control, MAC, signaling or a broadcast sent from the eNB;

or

the user equipment determining a corresponding Ecell according to Ecell-specific configuration information corresponding to the Ecell in the TDD UL/DL configuration set carried by RRC signaling or MAC signaling sent from the eNB;

or

the user equipment, using the rule predefined by the eNB and user equipment, regarding a cell with a highest or lowest cell index in each TDD UL/DL configuration set as an Ecell of the TDD UL/DL configuration set.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the user equipment further obtains an ID of a TDD UL/DL configuration in each TDD UL/DL configuration set and IDs of the cells other than the Ecell in each TDD UL/DL configuration set from the RRC signaling or the MAC signaling or the broadcast sent from the eNB;

or

the user equipment further obtains an ID of a TDD UL/DL configuration corresponding to each cell from the RRC signaling or the MAC signaling or the broadcast sent from the eNB.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the Ecell-specific configuration information comprises one or more of:

TDD UL/DL configuration information, Channel State Information, CSI, feedback resource configuration information, Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request, HARQ, ACK/JNACK feedback resource configuration information, pathloss reference configuration information, timing reference configuration information and random access resource configuration information.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein the user equipment transmits data with the eNB based on each TDD UL/DL configuration set and its corresponding Ecell by one or more of following operations:

one or any combination of a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request, HARQ, ACK/NACK feedback and a CSI feedback of each cell in the TDD UL/DL configuration set, and a Dedicated Scheduling Request, DSR are transmitted on the Ecell of the TDD UL/DL configuration set;

the Ecell of the TDD UL/DL configuration set is regarded as a pathloss reference for uplink transmission of each cell in the TDD UL/DL configuration set;

the Ecell of the TDD UL/DL configuration set is regarded as a timing reference for uplink transmission of each cell in the TDD UL/DL configuration set;

a TDD UL/DL configuration received on the Ecell of the TDD UL/DL configuration set is applied as a TDD UL/DL configuration of each cell in the TDD UL/DL configuration set;

cross-carrier scheduling is only performed in the same TDD UL/DL configuration set;

when applying Discontinuous Reception, DRX, in the TDD UL/DL configuration set, each cell comprised in the TDD UL/DL configuration set has a same Active Time;

in the TDD UL/DL configuration set, a counting of an on duration listening timer, onDurationTimer, a discontinuous reception and inactivity timer, drx-InactivityTime, and a discontinuous reception and retransmission timer, drx-RetransmissionTimer which are counted by PDCCH-subframe follows the PDCCH-subframe of the Ecell;

in the TDD UL/DL configuration set, if a radio link failure of an Ecell is judged, then the other cells comprised in the TDD UL/DL configuration set are deactivated;

a Power Headroom Report, PHR, is maintained per TDD UL/DL configuration set; and

when a random access procedure is triggered in the TDD UL/DL configuration set, only the random access procedure on the Ecell is performed.

12. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

the user equipment reporting capability information of the user equipment to indicate whether the user equipment can transmit data in cells with different TDD UL/DL configurations simultaneously.

13. A Carrier Aggregation, CA, based data transmission apparatus, comprising:

a first configuring unit configured to configure a user equipment with at least two Time Division Duplex Uplink and Downlink, TDD UL/DL, configuration sets, wherein each TDD UL/DL configuration set comprises at least one cell; and

a second configuring unit configured to configure a cell respectively in each of the at least two TDD UL/DL configuration sets as an Especial Cell, Ecell;

wherein the second configuring unit configures a cell in each TDD UL/DL configuration set as an Ecell by, when the TDD UL/DL configuration set comprises only one cell, configuring the cell as an Ecell; and

when the TDD UL/DL configuration set comprises at least two cells, configuring a cell with a highest channel quality as an Ecell or configuring a cell subject to a lowest interference as an Ecell or configuring a cell with the highest channel quality and subject to the lowest interference as an Ecell or configuring a cell with a highest or lowest cell index in the TDD UL/DL configuration set as an Ecell.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the apparatus further comprises:

a communicating unit configured to notify the user equipment of each TDD UL/DL configuration set and the Ecell in each TDD UL/DL configuration set.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the communicating unit notifies the user equipment of the Ecell in each TDD UL/DL configuration set by notifying the user equipment of an ID of the Ecell in the TDD UL/DL configuration set by Radio Resource Control, RRC, signaling or MAC signaling or a broadcast;

or by notifying the user equipment of Ecell-specific configuration information for the Ecell in the TDD UL/DL configuration set by RRC signaling.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the communicating unit notifies the user equipment of the ID of the Ecell in the TDD UL/DL configuration set by RRC signaling or MAC signaling or a broadcast by sending an ID of a TDD UL/DL configuration of the TDD UL/DL configuration set, the ID of the Ecell in the TDD UL/DL configuration set and IDs of the other cells in the TDD UL/DL configuration set to the user equipment by the RRC signaling or the MAC signaling or the broadcast;

or by sending the ID of the TDD UL/DL configuration of the TDD UL/DL configuration set to which the cell belongs and the ID of the Ecell in the TDD UL/DL configuration set to the user equipment by the RRC signaling or the MAC signaling or the broadcast.

17. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the first configuring unit and the second configuring unit configure each TDD UL/DL configuration set and its corresponding Ecell by one or any combination of following configuration schemes:

one or any combination of HARQ ACK/NACK feedback resource of each cell in the TDD UL/DL configuration set, CSI feedback resource of each cell in the TDD UL/DL configuration set, and Dedicated Scheduling Request, DSR, resource are configured on the Ecell of the TDD UL/DL configuration set;

the Ecell of the TDD UL/DL configuration set is configured as a pathloss reference for uplink transmission of each cell in the TDD UL/DL configuration set;

the Ecell of the TDD UL/DL configuration set is configured as a timing reference for uplink transmission of each cell in the TDD UL/DL configuration set;

a TDD UL/DL configuration of the TDD UL/DL configuration set is only broadcasted on the Ecell of the TDD UL/DL configuration set;

cross-carrier scheduling is only allowed between cells in the same TDD UL/DL configuration set;

Discontinuous Reception, DRX, is configured in the TDD UL/DL configuration set, and an Active Time of each cell in the TDD UL/DL configuration set is same;

in the TDD UL/DL configuration set, a counting of an on duration listening timer, onDurationTimer, a discontinuous reception and inactivity timer, drx-InactivityTime, and a discontinuous reception and retransmission timer, drx-RetransmissionTimer which are counted by PDCCH-subframe follows the PDCCH-subframe of the Ecell;

in the TDD UL/DL configuration set, if a radio link failure of an Ecell is judged, then the other cells comprised in the TDD UL/DL configuration set are deactivated;

a Power Headroom Report, PHR, is maintained per TDD UL/DL configuration set; and

when a random access procedure is triggered in the TDD UL/DL configuration set, only the random access procedure on the Ecell is performed.