Flexible subframes
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A radio terminal for use in a radio communications network, comprising:
- electronic circuitry configured to process data for or from a frame structure that includes one or more downlink subframes preconfigured as a downlink subframe, one or more uplink subframes preconfigured as an uplink subframe, and one or more flexible subframes, where a flexible subframe is dynamically allocated to be an uplink subframe in one instance of a frame and a downlink subframe in another frame instance, wherein the radio terminal is configured to interpret all flexible subframes as downlink subframes unless specific information is communicated to the radio terminal indicating that a particular flexible subframe should be interpreted or used as an uplink subframe;
receive circuitry configured to;
receive and process information sent by a base station in a flexible subframe; and
receive, in a subframe prior to the particular flexible subframe, information indicating when the particular flexible subframe should be interpreted or used as an uplink subframe; and
transmit circuitry configured to;
transmit information to the base station in an uplink direction using the particular flexible subframe as a uplink subframe; and
transmit information directly to another radio terminal thereby bypassing the base station using a second flexible subframe.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The technology disclosed provides the ability for a subframe to be configured as a “flexible” subframe. As a result, at least three different types of subframes in a TDD system may be configured: a downlink (“DL”) subframe, an uplink (“UL”) subframe, and a “flexible” subframe. While the DL and UL subframes are preconfigured for each frame instance, the flexible subframes are dynamically allocated to be an uplink subframe in one instance of a frame and a downlink subframe in another instance of the frame.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. A radio terminal for use in a radio communications network, comprising:
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electronic circuitry configured to process data for or from a frame structure that includes one or more downlink subframes preconfigured as a downlink subframe, one or more uplink subframes preconfigured as an uplink subframe, and one or more flexible subframes, where a flexible subframe is dynamically allocated to be an uplink subframe in one instance of a frame and a downlink subframe in another frame instance, wherein the radio terminal is configured to interpret all flexible subframes as downlink subframes unless specific information is communicated to the radio terminal indicating that a particular flexible subframe should be interpreted or used as an uplink subframe; receive circuitry configured to; receive and process information sent by a base station in a flexible subframe; and receive, in a subframe prior to the particular flexible subframe, information indicating when the particular flexible subframe should be interpreted or used as an uplink subframe; and transmit circuitry configured to; transmit information to the base station in an uplink direction using the particular flexible subframe as a uplink subframe; and transmit information directly to another radio terminal thereby bypassing the base station using a second flexible subframe. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method for a radio terminal in a radio communications network, comprising:
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processing data, in electronic circuitry, for or from a frame structure that includes one or more downlink subframes preconfigured as a downlink subframe, one or more uplink subframes preconfigured as an uplink subframe, and one or more flexible subframes, where a flexible subframe is dynamically allocated to be an uplink subframe in one instance of a frame and a downlink subframe in another frame instance; interpreting all flexible subframes as downlink frames unless specific information is communicated to the radio terminal indicating that a particular flexible subframe should be interpreted or used as an uplink subframe; receiving and processing with a receiver information sent by a base station in a flexible subframe; receiving, in a subframe prior to the particular flexible subframe, information indicating when a particular subframe should be interpreted or used as an uplink subframe; transmitting with a transmitter information to the base station in an uplink direction using the particular flexible subframe as a uplink subframe; and transmitting information directly to another radio terminal thereby bypassing the base station using a second flexible subframe. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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Specification