Wireless communication device capable of scanning for available base stations using reduced bandwidth
First Claim
1. A wireless communication device, comprising:
- a plurality of transceiver modules configured to communicate with a current base station wherein at least one of the transceiver modules receives a signal from the current base station that includes a data sub-frame having a control channel portion and a payload portion, and wherein the control channel portion indicates to the wireless communication device that the payload portion includes at least one unallocated data symbol that has not been allocated to the wireless communication device; and
a scanning module configured to;
select one of the plurality of transceiver modules as a scanning transceiver module;
control the scanning transceiver module to scan for an available base station on different respective frequencies; and
control the scanning transceiver module to scan for the available base station during times corresponding to the at least one unallocated data symbol of the payload portion based on the indication of the control channel portion.
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Abstract
A wireless communication device is disclosed that includes multiple antennas capable of being used for carrier aggregation, and that uses its additional antennas to scan for available base stations without interfering with connectivity to a current base station and/or while maximizing useable bandwidth. The wireless communication device may scan using multiple of the antennas to maximize scanning results and reduce scan time, and may scan for available base stations using some of its antennas while maintaining its connection to the current base station with its other antennas. The device can also analyze control channel portions of received signals to utilize periods of signal inactivity to scan for available base stations, such as DRX or SPS modes of operation. In addition, the device can measure various parameters to optimize its scanning capabilities.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A wireless communication device, comprising:
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a plurality of transceiver modules configured to communicate with a current base station wherein at least one of the transceiver modules receives a signal from the current base station that includes a data sub-frame having a control channel portion and a payload portion, and wherein the control channel portion indicates to the wireless communication device that the payload portion includes at least one unallocated data symbol that has not been allocated to the wireless communication device; and a scanning module configured to; select one of the plurality of transceiver modules as a scanning transceiver module; control the scanning transceiver module to scan for an available base station on different respective frequencies; and control the scanning transceiver module to scan for the available base station during times corresponding to the at least one unallocated data symbol of the payload portion based on the indication of the control channel portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 14, 15)
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3. A wireless communication device, comprising:
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a plurality of transceiver modules configured to communicate with a current base station; a measurement module configured to measure a signal characteristic of signals received from the current base station by each of the plurality of transceiver modules; a controller module configured to; compare the measured signal characteristic of each of the plurality of transceiver modules to a predetermined threshold, and identify a scanning transceiver module from among the plurality of transceiver modules whose measured signal characteristic value is below the predetermined threshold and a communication transceiver module from among the plurality of transceiver modules whose measured signal characteristic value exceeds the predetermined threshold; and a scanning module configured to control the scanning transceiver module to scan for an available base station and to control the communication transceiver module to simultaneously communicate with the current base station. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17)
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9. A wireless communication device, comprising:
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a plurality of transceiver modules configured to communicate with a current base station, wherein at least one of the transceiver modules receives a signal from the current base station that includes a data sub-frame having a control channel portion and a payload portion, and wherein the control channel portion indicates to the wireless communication device that it is not necessary to monitor control channel portions of future data sub-frames, and a scanning module configured to select a transceiver module as a scanning transceiver module and to control the scanning transceiver module to scan for an available base station, wherein the scanning module controls the scanning transceiver module to scan for the available base station during the time that otherwise would have been allocated to decoding control channel portions of the future data sub-frames while maintaining connection with the current base station, wherein each of the future data sub-frames include a corresponding data allocation to be used by the wireless communication device.
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Specification