Configuration of cell groups in wireless communication devices

• US 9,681,399 B2
• Filed: 07/04/2016
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Dinan, Esmael Hejazi
• Primary Examiner(s): Onamuti, Gbemileke J
• Application Number:
  US15/201,568
• Publication Number:
  US 20160316440A1
• Time in Patent Office: 344 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2618 using hybrid code-time division multiple access [CDMA-TDMA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 11/00 Orthogonal multiplex systems, e.g. using WALSH codesH04J13/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 2011/0096 Network synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/622 Layer-2 addresses, e.g. medium access control [MAC] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/18 Phase-modulated carrier systems, i.e. using phase-shift keying H04L27/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0681 Configuration of triggering conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0007 the frequencies being orthogonal, e.g. OFDM(A), DMT
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0048 Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/005 of common pilots, i.e. pilots destined for multiple users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/14 Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/06 TPC algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/146 Uplink power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/346 distributing total power among users or channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/367 Power values between minimum and maximum limits, e.g. dynamic range
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/40 during macro-diversity or soft handoff
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0005 synchronizing of arrival of multiple uplinks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0045 compensating for timing error by altering transmission time
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/005 compensating for timing error by adjustment in the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 : Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0473 : the resource being transmission power
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 : Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 : in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 : in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/56 : based on priority criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0833 : Random access procedures, e.g. with 4-step access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 : Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices

Abstract

A wireless device transmits a first sounding reference signal (SRS) in a first cell overlapping in time with transmission of a packet in a second cell. The first cell and the second cell are different cells of the same cell group. The wireless device drops a second SRS in the first cell when the second SRS is configured for transmission in parallel with a preamble in a cell group comprising the first cell. The wireless device has sufficient power to transmit uplink signals.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a wireless device, at least one message comprising configuration parameters of a plurality of cells grouped into a plurality of cell groups;

transmitting, via a first cell of the plurality of cells, a first sounding reference signal (SRS) overlapping in time with a transmission, via a second cell of the plurality of cells, of a first packet, wherein the first cell and the second cell are different cells of a same cell group of the plurality of cell groups; and

dropping a configured transmission of a second SRS via the first cell if the configured transmission of the second SRS is configured to be transmitted in parallel with a preamble via the second cell, wherein the wireless device has sufficient power to transmit the configured transmission of the second SRS in parallel with the preamble.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of cell groups comprises a first cell group and a second cell group, wherein:

uplink transmission timing associated with the first cell group is based on a first reference downlink carrier associated with the first cell group; and

uplink transmission timing associated with the second cell group is based on a second reference downlink carrier associated with the second cell group.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising dropping a configured transmission of a third SRS associated with a subframe, if the wireless device has insufficient power to transmit the configured transmission of the third SRS and uplink signals associated with the subframe.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

a first cell group of the plurality of cell groups comprises a subset of the plurality of cells; and

uplink transmissions by the wireless device and via the first cell group use, as a timing reference, a synchronization signal associated with an activated cell of the first cell group.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting the first SRS is responsive to receiving, by the wireless device, a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) packet or the at least one message.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein SRS transmission power has a lower priority than:

preamble transmission power; and

packet transmission power.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first packet is at least one of the following:

a physical uplink control channel packet;

or

a physical uplink shared channel packet.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising dropping a configured transmission of a third SRS if:

the configured transmission of the third SRS overlaps in time with a transmission of a second packet; and

the wireless device has insufficient power to transmit the configured transmission of the third SRS and the second packet in parallel.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless device has sufficient power to transmit uplink signals associated with a subframe if total transmit power of the wireless device associated with the subframe is below a maximum allowed transmission power.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting the first SRS comprises transmitting the first SRS via a last symbol of a subframe.

11. A wireless device comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wireless device to;

receive at least one message comprising configuration parameters of a plurality of cells grouped into a plurality of cell groups;

transmit, via a first cell of the plurality of cells, a first sounding reference signal (SRS) overlapping in time with a transmission, via a second cell of the plurality of cells, of a first packet, wherein the first cell and the second cell are different cells of a same cell group of the plurality of cell groups; and

drop a configured transmission of a second SRS via the first cell if the configured transmission of the second SRS is configured to be transmitted in parallel with a preamble via the second cell, wherein the wireless device has sufficient power to transmit the configured transmission of the second SRS in parallel with the preamble.

12. The wireless device of claim 11, wherein the plurality of cell groups comprises a first cell group and a second cell group, wherein:

uplink transmission timing associated with the first cell group is based on a first reference downlink carrier associated with the first cell group; and

uplink transmission timing associated with the second cell group is based on a second reference downlink carrier associated with the second cell group.

13. The wireless device of claim 11, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the wireless device to drop a configured transmission of a third SRS associated with a subframe, if the wireless device has insufficient power to transmit the configured transmission of the third SRS and uplink signals associated with the subframe.

14. The wireless device of claim 11, wherein:

a first cell group of the plurality of cell groups comprises a subset of the plurality of cells; and

uplink transmissions by the wireless device and via the first cell group use, as a timing reference, a synchronization signal associated with an activated cell of the first cell group.

15. The wireless device of claim 11, wherein the instructions that cause the wireless device to transmit the first SRS are responsive to the wireless device receiving a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) packet or the at least one message.

16. The wireless device of claim 11, wherein SRS transmission power has a lower priority than:

preamble transmission power; and

packet transmission power.

17. The wireless device of claim 11, wherein the first packet is at least one of the following:

a physical uplink control channel packet;

or

a physical uplink shared channel packet.

18. The wireless device of claim 11, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the wireless device to drop a configured transmission of a third SRS if:

the configured transmission of the third SRS overlaps in time with a transmission of a second packet; and

the wireless device has insufficient power to transmit the configured transmission of the third SRS and the second packet in parallel.

19. The wireless device of claim 11, wherein the wireless device has sufficient power to transmit uplink signals associated with a subframe if total transmit power of the wireless device associated with the subframe is below a maximum allowed transmission power.

20. The wireless device of claim 11, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wireless device to transmit the first SRS, cause the wireless device to transmit the first SRS via a last symbol of a subframe.

21. A method comprising:

transmitting, by a base station, at least one message comprising configuration parameters of a plurality of cells grouped into a plurality of cell groups;

receiving, by a wireless device, the at least one message;

transmitting, by the wireless device and via a first cell of the plurality of cells, a first sounding reference signal (SRS) overlapping in time with a transmission, via a second cell of the plurality of cells, of a first packet, wherein the first cell and the second cell are different cells of a same cell group of the plurality of cell groups; and

dropping, by the wireless device, a configured transmission of a second SRS via the first cell if the configured transmission of the second SRS is configured to be transmitted in parallel with a preamble via the second cell, wherein the wireless device has sufficient power to transmit the configured transmission of the second SRS in parallel with the preamble.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the plurality of cell groups comprises a first cell group and a second cell group, wherein:

uplink transmission timing associated with the first cell group is based on a first reference downlink carrier associated with the first cell group; and

uplink transmission timing associated with the second cell group is based on a second reference downlink carrier associated with the second cell group.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising dropping a configured transmission of a third SRS associated with a subframe, if the wireless device has insufficient power to transmit the configured transmission of the third SRS and uplink signals associated with the subframe.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein:

a first cell group of the plurality of cell groups comprises a subset of the plurality of cells; and

uplink transmissions by the wireless device and via the first cell group use, as a timing reference, a synchronization signal associated with an activated cell of the first cell group.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the transmitting the first SRS is responsive to receiving, by the wireless device, a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) packet or the at least one message.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein SRS transmission power has a lower priority than:

preamble transmission power; and

packet transmission power.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the first packet is at least one of the following:

a physical uplink control channel packet;

or

a physical uplink shared channel packet.

28. The method of claim 21, further comprising dropping a configured transmission of a third SRS if:

the configured transmission of the third SRS overlaps in time with a transmission of a second packet; and

the wireless device has insufficient power to transmit the configured transmission of the third SRS and the second packet in parallel.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein the wireless device has sufficient power to transmit second uplink signals associated with a subframe, if total transmit power of the wireless device associated with the subframe is below a maximum allowed transmission power.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein the transmitting the first SRS comprises transmitting the first SRS via a last symbol of a subframe.

31. A system comprising:

a base station comprising;

one or more processors; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors of the base station, cause the base station to;

transmit at least one message comprising configuration parameters of a plurality of cells grouped into a plurality of cell groups; and

a wireless device comprising;

one or more processors; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors of the wireless device, cause the wireless device to;

receive the at least one message;

transmit, via a first cell of the plurality of cells, a first sounding reference signal (SRS) overlapping in time with a transmission, via a second cell of the plurality of cells, of a first packet, wherein the first cell and the second cell are different cells of a same cell group of the plurality of cell groups; and

drop a configured transmission of a second SRS via the first cell if the configured transmission of the second SRS is configured to be transmitted in parallel with a preamble via the second cell, wherein the wireless device has sufficient power to transmit the configured transmission of the second SRS in parallel with the preamble.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the plurality of cell groups comprises a first cell group and a second cell group, wherein:

uplink transmission timing associated with the first cell group is based on a first reference downlink carrier associated with the first cell group; and

uplink transmission timing associated with the second cell group is based on a second reference downlink carrier associated with the second cell group.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors of the wireless device, further cause the wireless device to drop a configured transmission of a third SRS associated with a subframe, if the wireless device has insufficient power to transmit the configured transmission of the third SRS and uplink signals associated with the subframe.

34. The system of claim 31, wherein:

a first cell group of the plurality of cell groups comprises a subset of the plurality of cells; and

uplink transmissions by the wireless device and via the first cell group use, as a timing reference, a synchronization signal associated with an activated cell of the first cell group.

35. The system of claim 31, wherein the instructions that cause the wireless device to transmit the first SRS are responsive to the wireless device receiving a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) packet or the at least one message.

36. The system of claim 31, wherein SRS transmission power has a lower priority than:

preamble transmission power; and

packet transmission power.

37. The system of claim 31, wherein the first packet is at least one of the following:

a physical uplink control channel packet;

or

a physical uplink shared channel packet.

38. The system of claim 31, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors of the wireless device, further cause the wireless device to drop a configured transmission of a third SRS if:

the configured transmission of the third SRS overlaps in time with a transmission of a second packet; and

the wireless device has insufficient power to transmit the configured transmission of the third SRS and the second packet in parallel.

39. The system of claim 31, wherein the wireless device has sufficient power to transmit second uplink signals associated with a subframe, if total transmit power of the wireless device associated with the subframe is below a maximum allowed transmission power.

40. The system of claim 31, wherein the instructions that, if executed by the one or more processors, cause the wireless device to transmit the first SRS, cause the wireless device to transmit the first SRS via a last symbol of a subframe.