Techniques for decoupling downlink and uplink operations

• US 9,609,663 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2013
• Issued: 03/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Xu, Hao, Ji, Tingfang, Gaal, Peter, Chen, Wanshi, Wei, Yongbin, Somasundaram, Kiran Kumar, Griot, Miguel
• Primary Examiner(s): Crompton, Christopher R
• Application Number:
  US14/068,578
• Publication Number:
  US 20140126497A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,244 Days
• Field of Search: 370/329
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/002 Transmission of channel access control information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0833 Random access procedures, e.g. with 4-step access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Techniques are provided for decoupling uplink and downlink operations. According to certain aspects, a wireless node (e.g., a low power node) may receive, from a base station of a first cell, signaling indicating a random access channel (RACH) configuration for a wireless device. The wireless node may then detect the wireless node performing a RACH detection (based on the RACH configuration) and report the RACH detection and desired UL configuration to the base station of the first cell. The base station of the first cell may then select the wireless node for serving the wireless device for UL operations (e.g., based on the reported RACH detection-and similar reports from other wireless nodes detecting the same RACH procedure).

Claims

1. A method for wireless communications by a wireless node, comprising:

receiving, from a base station of a first cell, information about a random access channel (RACH) configuration for a wireless device;

detecting, based on the RACH configuration, a RACH transmission from the wireless device;

reporting the detected RACH transmission to the base station of the first cell; and

receiving, from the base station of the first cell, first signaling indicating one or more parameters for use in performing at least one of uplink or downlink communications with the wireless device based on the reported RACH transmission, wherein the one or more parameters include at least one of timing advance parameters for uplink transmissions, power adjustment parameters, a virtual cell identification, or a modulation and coding scheme.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the information about the RACH configuration of the wireless device is received via at least one of:

an over the air (OTA) interface, an X2 interface, or a fiber interface.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising reporting uplink configuration parameters for receiving uplink transmission from the wireless device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, from the base station of the first cell, second signaling indicating the wireless node has been selected for serving at least one of uplink and downlink communications for the wireless device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the second signaling indicates the wireless node has been selected for both uplink and downlink communications with the wireless device.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the second signaling indicates at least one additional wireless node has also been selected for serving uplink communications of the wireless device.

7. A method for wireless communications by a base station, comprising:

transmitting, to a wireless device, a random access channel (RACH) configuration;

transmitting, to a wireless node, information about the RACH configuration for the wireless device;

receiving, from the wireless node, first signaling indicating a RACH transmission detected by the wireless node based on the information about the RACH configuration; and

transmitting, to the wireless node, second signaling indicating one or more parameters for use in performing at least one of uplink or downlink communications with the wireless device based on the first signaling, wherein the one or more parameters include at least one of timing advance parameters for uplink transmissions, power adjustment parameters, a virtual cell identification, or a modulation and coding scheme.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the information about the RACH configuration of the wireless device is transmitted via at least one of:

an over the air (OTA) interface, an X2 interface, or a fiber interface.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising receiving uplink configuration parameters for uplink transmission from the wireless node.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising transmitting, to the wireless node, third signaling indicating the wireless node has been selected for serving at least one of uplink and downlink communications of the wireless device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the third signaling indicates the wireless node has been selected for serving both uplink and downlink communications of the wireless device.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the third signaling indicates at least one additional wireless node has also been selected for serving at least one uplink and downlink communications of the wireless device.

13. The method of claim 7, further comprising transmitting, to the wireless device, parameters for use in at least one of uplink and downlink communications with the wireless node.

14. An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

receive, from a base station of a first cell, information about a random access channel (RACH) configuration for a wireless device;

detect, based on the RACH configuration, a RACH transmission from the wireless device;

report the detected RACH transmission to the base station of the first cell; and

a memory coupled with the at least one processor; and

receive, from the base station of the first cell, first signaling indicating one or more parameters for use in performing at least one of uplink or downlink communications with the wireless device based on the reported RACH configuration, wherein the one or more parameters include at least one of timing advance parameters for uplink transmissions, power adjustment parameters, a virtual cell identification, or a modulation and coding scheme.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the information about the RACH configuration of the wireless device is received via at least one of:

an over the air (OTA) interface, an X2 interface, or a fiber interface.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is configured to report uplink configuration parameters for receiving uplink transmission from the wireless device.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is configured to receive, from the base station of the first cell, second signaling indicating the wireless node has been selected for serving at least one of uplink and downlink communications for the wireless device.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the second signaling indicates the wireless node has been selected for both uplink and downlink communications with the wireless device.

19. An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

transmit, to a wireless device, a random access channel (RACH) configuration;

transmit, to a wireless node, information about the RACH configuration for the wireless device;

receive, from the wireless node, first signaling indicating a RACH transmission detected by the wireless node based on the information about the RACH configuration; and

transmit, to the wireless node, second signaling indicating one or more parameters for use in performing at least one of uplink or downlink communications with the wireless device based on the first signaling; and

a memory coupled with the at least one processor, wherein the one or more parameters include at least one of timing advance parameters for uplink transmissions, power adjustment parameters, a virtual cell identification, or a modulation and coding scheme.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the information about the RACH configuration of the wireless device is transmitted via at least one of:

an over the air (OTA) interface, an X2 interface, or a fiber interface.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the at least one processor is configured to receive uplink configuration parameters for uplink transmission from the wireless node.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the at least one processor is configured to transmit, to the wireless node, third signaling indicating the wireless node has been selected for serving at least one of uplink and downlink communications of the wireless device.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the third signaling indicates the wireless node has been selected for serving both uplink and downlink communications of the wireless device.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the at least one processor is configured to transmit, to the wireless device, parameters for use in at least one of uplink and downlink communications with the wireless node.