Apparatus and method for Cross-Carrier Quasi Co-Location Signaling in a new carrier type (NCT) wireless network

• US 9,763,154 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2013
• Issued: 09/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Davydov, Alexei, Han, Seunghee, Morozov, Gregory V., Bolotin, Ilya, Fwu, Jong-Kae
• Primary Examiner(s): Huq, Obaidul
• Application Number:
  US14/759,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20150341882A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,355 Days
• Field of Search: 370310, 370328, 370329, 370336
• 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 7/0486 taking channel rank into account
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0626 Channel coefficients, e.g. channel state information [CSI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0632 Channel quality parameters, e.g. channel quality indicator [CQI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 11/0053 using co-ordinated multipoint transmission/reception co-ordinated antenna or beam-forming aspects H04B7/022
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0026 Transmission of channel quality indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0053 Allocation of signaling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0057 Physical resource allocation for CQI
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/304 intercepting circuit switched data communications lawful interception of wireless network communications H04W12/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/306 intercepting packet switched data communications, e.g. Web, Internet or IMS communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0268 using specific QoS parameters for wireless networks, e.g. QoS class identifier [QCI] or guaranteed bit rate [GBR] negotiating SLA or negotiating QoS H04W28/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0005 Control or signalling for completing the hand-off
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0011 for data sessions of end-to-end connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0058 Transmission of hand-off measurement information, e.g. measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/22 for handling the traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 : Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 : Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0222 : in packet switched networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0015 : one node acting as a reference for the others
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/005 : compensating for timing error by adjustment in the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0095 : estimated based on signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 : User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• 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 72/30 : Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 : Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 : Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 : Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/082 : for traffic bypassing of mobility servers, e.g. location registers, home PLMNs or home agents
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 : Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Generally, this disclosure provides devices, systems and methods for Cross-Carrier Quasi Co-Location Signaling in an NCT Wireless Network. A UE device may include a receiver circuit to receive a QCL signaling message from a primary cell, the QCL signaling message for a configured secondary cell to identify a primary or one or more secondary cells that are Quasi Co-located with the secondary cell for which the message is provided. The UE device may also include a QCL signal decoding module to decode the QCL signaling message and to determine QCL synchronization parameters. The UE device may further include a synchronization module to synchronize the UE with the primary or one or more secondary cells based on the QCL synchronization parameters obtained from the QCL message received from the primary cell.

Claims

1. User Equipment (UE) comprising:

a receiver circuit to receive a Quasi Co-location (QCL) signaling message from a primary carrier of a serving evolved Node B (eNB), said QCL signaling message to identify one or more secondary carriers, said secondary carriers Quasi Co-located with said primary carrier of said serving eNB;

a QCL signal decoding module to decode said QCL signaling message and to determine QCL synchronization parameters; and

a synchronization module to synchronize said UE with one of said secondary carriers based on said QCL synchronization parameters obtained from a Cell Specific Reference Signal (CRS) message received from said primary carrier;

wherein;

said primary carrier is a legacy carrier type;

said primary carrier provides signals to said UE to identify which secondary carriers are QCL; and

said one or more secondary carriers are a non-standalone New Carrier Type.

2. The UE of claim 1, wherein said QCL signaling message is further to identify one or more neighbor eNB secondary carriers, one of said neighbor eNB secondary carriers QCL with one other of said neighbor eNB secondary carriers.

3. The UE of claim 1, wherein said QCL synchronization parameters include Doppler shift and Doppler spread.

4. The UE of claim 1, wherein said QCL synchronization parameters include delay spread and average delay.

5. The UE of claim 1, wherein said QCL synchronization parameters include average gain.

6. The UE of claim 1, wherein a Reference Signal Receive Power (RSRP) measurement of said CRS message received from said primary carrier is employed as the RSRP of said secondary carrier.

7. The UE of claim 1, wherein said QCL signaling message is a Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) configuration message (CSI-RS-ConfigNZP-r12) comprising one or more cell indices, each of said cell indices identifying one of said secondary carriers.

8. The UE of claim 1, wherein said primary carrier operates in a legacy carrier mode and said secondary carriers operate in a non-standalone New Carrier Type (NCT) mode.

9. The UE of claim 1, wherein said UE is configured to operate in transmission mode 10 employing QCL type B.

10. An article of manufacture comprising at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium, a processor, and instructions encoded in said non-transitory computer readable storage medium, said instructions being used with said processor to effect:

providing a primary carrier;

providing a secondary carrier Quasi Co-located (QCL) with said primary carrier;

wherein;

said primary carrier is a legacy carrier type;

said primary carrier provides cell-specific reference signals to said user equipment;

said primary carrier provides a QCL signal to a user equipment;

said QCL signal identifies said secondary carrier as QCL with said primary carrier;

said QCL signal further provides QCL synchronization parameters

said primary carrier provides signals to said user equipment to identify which secondary carriers are QCL; and

said one or more secondary carriers are a non-standalone New Carrier Type.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 10, wherein said QCL signaling message is further to identify one or more neighbor eNB secondary carriers, one of said neighbor eNB secondary carriers QCL with one other of said neighbor eNB secondary carriers.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 10, wherein said QCL synchronization parameters include Doppler shift and Doppler spread.

13. The article of manufacture of claim 10, wherein said QCL synchronization parameters include delay spread and average delay.

14. The article of manufacture of claim 10, wherein said QCL synchronization parameters include average gain.

15. The article of manufacture of claim 10, said instructions further being used with said processor to effect:

receiving a Reference Signal Receive Power (RSRP) measurement of said CRS message transmitted to said user equipment; and

utilizing said RSRP measurement as a RSRP for a secondary carrier;

wherein a Reference Signal Receive Power (RSRP) measurement of said CRS message transmitted to said UE from said primary carrier is provided as the RSRP of said secondary carrier.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 10, wherein said QCL signaling message is a Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) configuration message (CSI-RS-ConfigNZP-r12) comprising one or more cell indices, each of said cell indices identifying one of said secondary carriers.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 10, wherein said primary carrier configures said UE to operate in transmission mode 10 employing QCL type B.

18. A method comprising:

receiving a primary carrier by user equipment, said primary carrier being provided by an eNB, said primary carrier comprising Quasi Co-location (QCL) signaling message, said QCL signaling message identifying one or more secondary carriers, said secondary carriers QCL with said primary carrier of said serving eNB;

decoding said QCL signaling message;

determining QCL synchronization parameters from said decoded QCL signaling message;

receiving a Cell Specific Reference Signal (CRS) message from said primary carrier; and

synchronizing said UE with one of said secondary carriers based on said QCL synchronization parameters obtained from said CRS message

wherein;

said primary carrier is a legacy carrier type;

said one or more secondary carriers are a non-standalone New Carrier Type.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said QCL signaling message is further to identify one or more neighbor eNB secondary carriers, one of said neighbor eNB secondary carriers QCL with one other of said neighbor eNB secondary carriers.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said QCL synchronization parameters include Doppler shift and Doppler spread.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein said QCL synchronization parameters include delay spread and average delay.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein said QCL synchronization parameters include average gain.

23. The method of claim 18, further comprising measuring a Reference Signal Receive Power (RSRP) of said CRS message received from said primary carrier and employing said measured RSRP as an RSRP of said secondary carrier.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein said QCL signaling message is a Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) configuration message (CSI-RS-ConfigNZP-r12) comprising one or more cell indices, each of said cell indices identifying one of said secondary carriers.