Reference signal interference management in heterogeneous network deployments

• US 9,571,246 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2013
• Issued: 02/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Siomina, Iana, Lindbom, Lars
• Primary Examiner(s): Safaipour, Bobbak
• Application Number:
  US13/942,256
• Publication Number:
  US 20130301456A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,310 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/024 Co-operative use of antennas of several sites, e.g. in co-ordinated multipoint or co-operative multiple-input multiple-output [MIMO] systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0613 using simultaneous transmission H04B7/0686 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0619 using feedback from receiving side feedback signaling for adaptive modulation/coding H04L1/0001
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0684 using different training sequences per antenna
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0691 using subgroups of transmit antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0697 using spatial multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0032 Distributed allocation, i.e. involving a plurality of allocating devices, each making partial allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0048 Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/00 Reducing energy consumption in communication networks

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for enabling interference coordination in a communication network. A base station includes a plurality of antenna ports. Each antenna port is configured to transmit a reference signal, and each antenna port is associated with a respective cell. The base station determines a set of cells where transmissions of reference signals is to be performed from a reduced set of the plurality of antenna ports. The base station determines a subset of antenna ports in at least one cell of the determined set of cells to enable interference coordination in the network, and transmits the reference signal from the subset of antenna ports.

Claims

1. A method in a user equipment capable of wireless communication with a communication network, the method comprising:

acquiring assistance data from a communication network, wherein the assistance data comprises information about a set of interfering cells among a plurality of cells in the communication network, wherein the assistance data comprises information indicating a number of antenna ports to be used for transmissions by a network node in one or more of the interfering cells;

identifying, based at least in part on the assistance data, a first group of time-frequency resources affected by the set of interfering cells; and

performing measurements based on the first group of time-frequency resources affected by the set of interfering cells, wherein performing measurements based on the first group of time frequency resources comprises puncturing of the first group of time-frequency resources.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the assistance data comprises information indicating a physical layer cell identity associated with one or more of the interfering cells.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the assistance data comprises information indicating a transmission frequency associated with one or more of the interfering cells.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the assistance data is configured to assist the user equipment in the puncturing of the first group of time-frequency resources.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the assistance data is acquired from a serving cell or a network node in the communication network.

2. A user equipment capable of communication with a communication network, the user equipment comprising:

a processor configured to

acquire assistance data from a communication network, wherein the assistance data comprises information about a set of interfering cells among a plurality of cells in the communication network, wherein the assistance data comprises information indicating a number of antenna ports to be used for transmissions by a network node in one or more of the interfering cells

identify, based at least in part on the assistance data, a first group of time-frequency resources, wherein the first group comprises time-frequency resources affected by the set of interfering cells; and

perform measurements based on the first group of time-frequency resources, wherein performing measurements based on the first group of time frequency resources comprises puncturing of the first group of time-frequency resources.

6. The user equipment of claim 2, wherein the assistance data comprises information indicating a physical layer cell identity associated with one or more of the interfering cells.

7. The user equipment of claim 2, wherein the assistance data comprises information indicating a transmission frequency associated with one or more of the interfering cells.

15. The user equipment of claim 2, wherein the assistance data is configured to assist the user equipment in the puncturing of the first group of time-frequency resources.

16. The user equipment of claim 2, wherein the assistance data is acquired from a serving cell or a network node in the communication network.

3. A method in a user equipment capable of wireless communication with a communication network, the method comprising:

acquiring assistance data from a communication network, wherein the assistance data comprises information about a set of interfering cells among a plurality of cells in the communication network;

identifying, based at least in part on the assistance data, a first group of time-frequency resources affected by the set of interfering cells; and

performing measurements based on the first group of time-frequency resources affected by the set of interfering cells, wherein performing measurements based on the first group of time frequency resources comprises puncturing of the first group of time-frequency resources.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the assistance data comprises information indicating a number of antenna ports to be used for transmissions by a network node in one or more of the interfering cells.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein the assistance data comprises information indicating a physical layer cell identity associated with one or more of the interfering cells.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein the assistance data comprises information indicating a transmission frequency associated with one or more of the interfering cells.

11. The method of claim 3, wherein the assistance data is configured to assist the user equipment in the puncturing of the first group of time-frequency resources.

12. The method of claim 3, wherein the assistance data is acquired from a serving cell or a network node in the communication network.