Discovery reference signal design for coordinated multipoint operations in heterogeneous networks

• US 9,635,624 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2012
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Xu, Hao, Luo, Xiliang, Gaal, Peter, Ji, Tingfang, Bhattad, Kapil
• Primary Examiner(s): Kassim, Khaled
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALI, SYED
• Application Number:
  US13/401,660
• Publication Number:
  US 20120213109A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,890 Days
• Field of Search: 370252
• 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: H04L 5/0048 Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/242 taking into account path loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/244 Interferences in heterogeneous networks, e.g. among macro and femto or pico cells or other sector / system interference [OSI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/40 during macro-diversity or soft handoff
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/50 at the moment of starting communication in a multiple access environment

Abstract

Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to techniques that may be used to discover transmission points in heterogeneous networks (HetNet) that involves coordinated multi-point (CoMP) transmission and reception. Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide a method for wireless communications by a user equipment (UE). The method generally includes receiving a configuration indicating distinct resources used by each of a plurality of different transmission points involved in coordinated multipoint (CoMP) operations with the UE for transmitting discovery reference signals (RSs), receiving distinct discovery RSs transmitted from the plurality of different transmission points, and calculating at least one of path loss or reference signal received power (RSRP) estimations for each of the transmission points based on the distinct discovery RSs.

Claims

1. A method for wireless communications by a user equipment (UE), comprising:

receiving a configuration indicating distinct resources used by each of a plurality of different transmission points involved in coordinated multipoint (CoMP) operations with the UE for transmitting distinct discovery reference signals (RSs), wherein;

the distinct discovery RS for each transmission point is transmitted on resources also used for channel state information reference signals (CSI-RS),

CSI-RS resources used for transmitting distinct discovery RS from transmission points of different power classes are mapped to different frequency and time positions, and

resources used for discovery RS have at least one of denser frequency tone allocation or denser time allocation than resources used for CSI-RS;

receiving the distinct discovery RSs transmitted from the plurality of different transmission points on the distinct resources; and

calculating at least one of path loss or reference signal received power (RSRP) estimations for each of the transmission points based on the distinct discovery RSs.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration is received via a broadcast message.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein a random access channel (RACH) procedure is performed with a RACH configuration linked to the configuration received via the broadcast message.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an indication of transmit power corresponding to each discovery RS.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the calculating comprises calculating path loss estimations based on received power of each discovery RS and the corresponding transmit power.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining a discovery RS with a smallest estimated path loss; and

setting transmission power level for transmission based on that smallest estimated path loss.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying one or more transmission points based on the distinct discovery RSs.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of transmission points comprise transmission points of different power classes.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein antenna ports of transmission points of a same power class are mapped to a common resource.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the transmission points of different power classes have a same physical cell identifier (PCI).

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a random access channel (RACH) configuration for each transmission point; and

using the RACH configuration corresponding to the transmission point with which the RACH procedure is performed.

12. A method for wireless communication by a transmission point, comprising:

determining resources for transmitting a discovery reference signal (RS) for discovery by a user equipment (UE), the determined resources being distinct from resources used for transmitting discovery RS by one or more other transmission points involved in coordinated multipoint (CoMP) operations with the UE, wherein;

the distinct discovery RS for each transmission point is transmitted on resources also used for channel state information reference signals (CSI-RS),

CSI-RS resources used for transmitting distinct discovery RS from transmission points of different power classes are mapped to different frequency and time positions, and

resources used for discovery RS have at least one of denser frequency tone allocation or denser time allocation than resources used for CSI-RS;

transmitting a configuration indicating the determined resources used by each transmission point; and

transmitting the discovery RS using the determined resources.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the configuration is transmitted in a broadcast message.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising transmitting an indication of transmit power corresponding to the transmitted discovery RS, allowing the UE to estimate path loss based on the discovery RS.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the transmission points involved in CoMP operations comprise transmission points of different power classes.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein antenna ports of transmission points of a same power class are mapped to a common resource.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the transmission points of different power classes have a same physical cell identifier (PCI).

18. An apparatus for wireless communications by a user equipment (UE), comprising:

means for receiving a configuration indicating distinct resources used by each of a plurality of different transmission points involved in coordinated multipoint (CoMP) operations with the UE for transmitting distinct discovery reference signals (RSs), wherein;

the distinct discovery RS for each transmission point is transmitted on resources also used for channel state information reference signals (CSI-RS),

CSI-RS resources used for transmitting distinct discovery RS from transmission points of different power classes are mapped to different frequency and time positions, and

resources used for discovery RS have at least one of denser frequency tone allocation or denser time allocation than resources used for CSI-RS;

means for receiving the distinct discovery RSs transmitted from the plurality of different transmission points on the distinct resources; and

means for calculating at least one of path loss or reference signal received power (RSRP) estimations for each of the transmission points based on the distinct discovery RSs.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the configuration is received via a broadcast message.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein a random access channel (RACH) procedure is performed with a RACH configuration linked to the configuration received via the broadcast message.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising means for receiving an indication of transmit power corresponding to each discovery RS.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the means for calculating comprises means for calculating path loss estimations based on received power of each discovery RS and the corresponding transmit power.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising:

means for determining a discovery RS with a smallest estimated path loss; and

means for setting transmission power level for transmission based on that smallest estimated path loss.

24. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising means for identifying one or more transmission points based on the distinct discovery RSs.

25. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the plurality of transmission points comprise transmission points of different power classes.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein antenna ports of transmission points of a same power class are mapped to a common resource.

27. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

means for receiving a random access channel (RACH) configuration for each transmission point; and

means for using the RACH configuration corresponding to the transmission point with which the RACH procedure is performed.

28. An apparatus for wireless communication by a transmission point, comprising:

means for determining resources for transmitting a discovery reference signal (RS) for discovery by a user equipment (UE), the determined resources being distinct from resources used for transmitting discovery RS by one or more other transmission points involved in coordinated multipoint (CoMP) operations with the UE, wherein;

the distinct discovery RS for each transmission point is transmitted on resources also used for channel state information reference signals (CSI-RS),

CSI-RS resources used for transmitting distinct discovery RS from transmission points of different power classes are mapped to different frequency and time positions, and

resources used for discovery RS have at least one of denser frequency tone allocation or denser time allocation than resources used for CSI-RS;

means for transmitting a configuration indicating the determined resources used by each transmission point; and

means for transmitting the discovery RS using the determined resources.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the configuration is transmitted in a broadcast message.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising means for transmitting an indication of transmit power corresponding to the transmitted discovery RS, allowing the UE to estimate path loss based on the discovery RS.

31. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the transmission points involved in CoMP operations comprise transmission points of different power classes.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein antenna ports of transmission points of a same power class are mapped to a common resource.

33. An apparatus for wireless communications by a user equipment (UE), comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

receive a configuration indicating distinct resources used by each of a plurality of different transmission points involved in coordinated multipoint (CoMP) operations with the UE for transmitting distinct discovery reference signals (RSs), wherein;

the distinct discovery RS for each transmission point is transmitted on resources also used for channel state information reference signals (CSI-RS),

CSI-RS resources used for transmitting distinct discovery RS from transmission points of different power classes are mapped to different frequency and time positions, and

resources used for discovery RS have at least one of denser frequency tone allocation or denser time allocation than resources used for CSI-RS;

receive the distinct RSs transmitted from the plurality of different transmission points on the distinct resources; and

calculate at least one of path loss or reference signal received power (RSRP) estimations for each of the transmission points based on the distinct discovery RSs; and

a memory coupled with the at least one processor.

34. An apparatus for wireless communication by a transmission point, comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

determine resources for transmitting a discovery reference signal (RS) for discovery by a user equipment (UE), the determined resources being distinct from resources used for transmitting discovery RS by one or more other transmission points involved in coordinated multipoint (CoMP) operations with the UE, wherein;

the distinct discovery RS for each transmission point is transmitted on resources also used for channel state information reference signals (CSI-RS),

CSI-RS resources used for transmitting distinct discovery RS from transmission points of different power classes are mapped to different frequency and time positions, and

resources used for discovery RS have at least one of denser frequency tone allocation or denser time allocation than resources used for CSI-RS;

transmit a configuration indicating the determined resources used by each transmission point; and

transmit the discovery RS using the determined resources; and

a memory coupled with the at least one processor.

35. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions executable by one or more processors for:

receiving a configuration indicating distinct resources used by each of a plurality of different transmission points involved in coordinated multipoint (CoMP) operations with the UE for transmitting distinct discovery reference signals (RSs), wherein;

the distinct discovery RS for each transmission point is transmitted on resources also used for channel state information reference signals (CSI-RS),

CSI-RS resources used for transmitting distinct discovery RS from transmission points of different power classes are mapped to different frequency and time positions, and

resources used for discovery RS have at least one of denser frequency tone allocation or denser time allocation than resources used for CSI-RS;

receiving the distinct discovery RSs transmitted from the plurality of different transmission points on the distinct resources; and

calculating at least one of path loss or reference signal received power (RSRP) estimations for each of the transmission points based on the distinct discovery RSs.

36. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions executable by one or more processors for:

determining resources for transmitting a discovery reference signal (RS) for discovery by a user equipment (UE), the determined resources being distinct from resources used for transmitting discovery RS by one or more other transmission points involved in coordinated multipoint (CoMP) operations with the UE, wherein;

the distinct discovery RS for each transmission point is transmitted on resources also used for channel state information reference signals (CSI-RS),

CSI-RS resources used for transmitting distinct discovery RS from transmission points of different power classes are mapped to different frequency and time positions, and

resources used for discovery RS have at least one of denser frequency tone allocation or denser time allocation than resources used for CSI-RS;

transmitting a configuration indicating the determined resources used by each transmission point; and

transmitting the discovery RS using the determined resources.