Coverage extension level for coverage limited device

• US 9,499,995 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2014
• Issued: 11/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel IP Corporation (Intel Corporation)
• Inventors: Xiong, Gang, Fwu, Jong-Kae
• Primary Examiner(s): Mills, Donald
• Assistant Examiner(s): Baron, Henry
• Application Number:
  US14/300,937
• Publication Number:
  US 20150043445A1
• Time in Patent Office: 896 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 23/0218 Increasing or restoring the load-bearing capacity of building construction elements E04G23/0203 and E04G23/0266 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 9/025 Structures with concrete columns
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0452 Multi-user MIMO systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0626 Channel coefficients, e.g. channel state information [CSI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0639 Using selective indices, e.g. of a codebook, e.g. pre-distortion matrix index [PMI] or for beam selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1812 Hybrid protocols; Hybrid automatic repeat request [HARQ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2602 Signal structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0048 Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0053 Allocation of signaling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0058 Allocation criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/006 Quality of the received signal, e.g. BER, SNR, water filling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/14 Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/1469 using time-sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/26 Cell enhancers or enhancement, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/28 involving a plurality of connections, e.g. multi-call or multi-bearer connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/32 : by location or mobility data, e.g. speed data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 : using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 : Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/12 : using downlink control channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 : Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0206 : in access points, e.g. base stations access point devices per se H04W88/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0209 : in terminal devices terminal devices per se H04W88/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0219 : where the power saving management affects multiple terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0005 : synchronizing of arrival of multiple uplinks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 : with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination
• 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 72/541 : using the level of interference
• 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 76/10 : Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 : Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 : Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 : Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 : adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Generally discussed herein are systems, apparatuses, and methods that can provide a coverage enhancement to a coverage limited device. According to an example a method can include determining a received signal strength of a reference signal transmitted from a base station, determining a coverage enhancement based on the determined signal strength, or transmitting a signature sequence of a plurality of signature sequences a first repeated number of times corresponding to the determined coverage enhancement.

Claims

1. A method performed by a Machine-Type Communication (MTC)

User Equipment (UE) comprising:

receiving a broadcast from an enhanced node B (eNodeB) indicating a plurality of gains available at the eNodeB, a number of repetitions associated with respective gains, and one or more signature sequences to be used when communicating in accord with the number of repetitions, the one or more signature sequences indicating a Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) to receive transmissions repeated in accord with the corresponding number of repetitions;

determining a received signal strength (RSS) of a reference signal transmitted from the eNodeB;

identifying a gain of the plurality of gains and the number of repetitions associated with the identified gain based on the determined RSS, wherein identifying the gain includes determining that a gain associated with the determined RSS is not supported by the eNodeB and selecting a gain that is greater than the gain that is associated with the determined RSS and is supported by the eNodeB;

selecting a signature sequence associated with the identified number of repetitions associated with the identified gain;

transmitting the selected signature sequence the identified number of repetitions associated with the identified gain; and

receiving, from the eNodeB, a repeated transmission, the repeated transmission repeated the identified number of repetitions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the signature sequence includes randomly selecting the signature sequence from a plurality of signature sequences dedicated to provide access to Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) resources.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the signature sequences are split into non-overlapping subsets of signature sequences, one subset of signature sequences for each gain.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the broadcast indicates that PRACH resources dedicated to human type communication UEs and resources dedicated to MTC UEs are orthogonal in the time domain.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the broadcast indicates that resources dedicated to human type communication UEs are arranged to communicate using a first frequency band and resources dedicated to MTC UEs are arranged to communicate using a second frequency band that does not overlap with the first frequency band.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the plurality of gains include a first gain including an associated first number of repetitions to achieve the first gain and a second gain including an associated second number of repetitions to achieve a second gain, wherein the first gain is greater than the second gain and the first number of repetitions is greater than the second number of repetitions.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the identified number of repetitions is the second number of repetitions, the method further comprising determining that the repeated transmission is not being received by the eNodeB and wherein transmitting a signature sequence of the plurality of signature sequences includes transmitting the signature sequence the first number of repeated times in response to determining the transmission is not being received.

8. A Machine Type Communication (MTC) User Equipment (UE) comprising:

a transceiver arranged to receive a broadcast from an enhanced node B (eNodeB), the broadcast indicating a plurality of gains available at the eNodeB, a number of repetitions associated with respective gains, and one or more signature sequences to be used when communicating in accord with the number of repetitions,

the one or more signature sequences indicating a Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) to receive transmissions repeated a corresponding number of repetitions

a processor arranged to determine a received signal strength (RSS) of a reference signal transmitted from the eNodeB and identify a gain of the plurality of gains and the number of repetitions associated with the identified gain based on the determined RSS, wherein identification of the gain includes determining that a gain associated with the determined RSS is not supported by the eNodeB and the processor is further arranged to select a gain that is greater than the gain that is associated with the determined RSS and is supported by the eNodeB;

the transceiver further arranged to transmit the selected signature sequence the identified number of repetitions associated with the identified gain, and receive, from the eNodeB, a repeated transmission, the repeated transmission repeated the identified number of repetitions associated with the identified gain.

9. The UE of claim 8, wherein the processor is arranged to randomly select the signature sequence from a plurality of signature sequences dedicated to provide access to PRACH resources to MTC UEs.

10. The UE of claim 9, wherein the signature sequences are split into non-overlapping subsets of signature sequences, one subset of signature sequences for each gain.

11. The UE of claim 10, wherein the broadcast indicates that resources dedicated to human type communication UEs and resources dedicated to MTC UEs are orthogonal in the time domain.

12. The UE of claim 10, wherein the broadcast indicates that resources dedicated to human type communication UEs are arranged to communicate using a first frequency band and resources dedicated to MTC UEs are arranged to communicate using a second frequency band that does not overlap with the first frequency band.

13. The UE of claim 10, wherein the plurality of gains include a first gain including an associated first number of repetitions to achieve the first gain and a second gain including an associated second number of repetitions to achieve a second gain, wherein the first gain is greater than the second gain and the first number of repetitions is greater than the second number of repetitions.

14. The UE of claim 10, wherein the identified number of repetitions is the second number of repetitions, wherein the processor is arranged to determine that the repeated transmission is not being received by the eNodeB and wherein the transceiver is arranged to transmit a signature sequence of the plurality of signature sequences the first number of repeated time in response to determining the transmission is not being received.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage device including instructions stored thereon, which when executed by a Machine-Type Communication (MTC) user equipment (UE), cause the MTC UE to perform operations comprising:

receiving a broadcast from an enhanced node B (eNodeB) indicating a plurality of gains available at the eNodeB, a number of repetitions associated with respective gains, and one or more signature sequences to be used when communicating in accord with the number of repetitions, the signature sequences indicating a Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) to receive transmissions repeated a corresponding number of repetitions;

determining a received signal strength (RSS) of a reference signal transmitted from the eNodeB;

identifying a gain of the plurality of gains and the number of repetitions associated with the identified gain based on the determined RSS, wherein identifying the gain includes determining that a gain associated with the determined RSS is not supported by the eNodeB and selecting a gain that is greater than the gain that is associated with the determined RSS and is supported by the eNodeB;

selecting a signature sequence associated with the identified number of repetitions associated with the identified gain;

transmitting the selected signature sequence identified number of times associated with the identified gain; and

receiving, from the eNodeB, a repeated transmission, the repeated transmission repeated the identified number of repetitions associated with the identified gain.

16. The storage device of claim 15, wherein the instructions for selecting the signature sequence include instructions, which when executed by the MTC UE cause the MTC UE to perform operations comprising:

randomly selecting the signature sequence from a plurality of signature sequences dedicated to provide access to PRACH resources.

17. The storage device of claim 15, wherein the signature sequences are split into non-overlapping subsets of signature sequences, one subset of signature sequences for each gain.

18. The storage device of claim 17, wherein the broadcast indicates that PRACH resources dedicated to human type communication UEs and PRACH resources dedicated to MTC UEs are orthogonal in the time domain.

19. The storage device of claim 17, wherein the broadcast indicates that PRACH resources dedicated to human type communication UEs are arranged to communicate using a first frequency band and PRACH resources dedicated to MTC UEs are arranged to communicate using a second frequency band that does not overlap with the first frequency band.

20. The storage device of claim 17, wherein the plurality of gains include a first gain including an associated first number of repetitions to achieve the first gain and a second gain including an associated second number of repetitions to achieve a second gain, wherein the first gain is greater than the second gain and the first number of repetitions is greater than the second number of repetitions.