Hearability improvements for reference signals

• US 9,774,431 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2015
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Agrawal, Avneesh, Sampath, Ashwin, Palanki, Ravi, Bhushan, Naga, Bachu, Raja Sekhar, Khandekar, Aamod Dinkar
• Primary Examiner(s): HOANG, THAI D
• Application Number:
  US14/658,915
• Publication Number:
  US 20150200753A1
• Time in Patent Office: 925 Days
• Field of Search: 370329-330, 370335-338, 370342-348, 375260-262
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1893 Physical mapping arrangements physical resource mapping in general H04L5/00
• 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 5/0082 at predetermined intervals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/566 of the information or information source or recipient

Abstract

Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate providing high reuse for transmitting reference signals, such as positioning reference signals (PRS) and cell-specific reference signals (CRS), to improve hearability thereof for applications such as trilateration and/or the like. In particular, PRSs can be transmitted in designated or selected positioning subframes. Resource elements within the positioning subframe can be selected for transmitting the PRSs and can avoid conflict with designated control regions, resource elements used for transmitting cell-specific reference signals, and/or the like. Resource elements for transmitting PRSs can be selected according to a planned or pseudo-random reuse scheme. In addition, a transmit diversity scheme can be applied to the PRSs to minimize impact of introducing the PRSs to legacy devices. Moreover, potions of a subframe not designated for PRS transmission can be utilized for user plane data transmission.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

selecting one or more subframes as one or more positioning subframes for blanking data transmissions; and

indicating one or more of the one or more positioning subframes as one or more multicast/broadcast single frequency network (MBSFN) subframes to additionally blank cell-specific reference signal (CRS) transmission over the one or more MBSFN subframes.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the one or more positioning subframes as the one or more MBSFN subframes according to a planned pattern or a pseudo-random pattern.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the planned pattern or the pseudo-random pattern is received from a network specification, configuration, or hardcoding.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a CRS-like waveform in at least one of the one or more MBSFN subframes.

5. A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

determine one or more subframes as one or more positioning subframes for blanking data transmissions;

discern one or more of the one or more positioning subframes as one or more multicast/broadcast single frequency network (MBSFN) subframes to additionally blank cell-specific reference signal (CRS) transmission over the one or more MBSFN subframes; and

indicate the one or more MBSFN subframes as MBSFN subframes; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor.

6. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 5, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to discern the one or more positioning subframes as the one or more MBSFN subframes according to a planned pattern or a pseudo-random pattern.

7. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 6, wherein the planned pattern or the pseudo-random pattern is received from a network specification, configuration, or hardcoding.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to transmit a CRS-like waveform in at least one of the one or more MBSFN subframes.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

means for selecting one or more subframes as one or more positioning subframes for blanking data transmissions;

means for determining the one or more positioning subframes as one or more multicast/broadcast single frequency network (MBSFN) subframes; and

means for indicating the one or more MBSFN subframes as MBSFN subframes.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising means for determining the one or more positioning subframes as the one or more MBSFN subframes according to a planned pattern or a pseudo-random pattern.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the planned pattern or the pseudo-random pattern is received from a network specification, configuration, or hardcoding.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising means for transmitting a CRS-like waveform in at least one of the one or more MBSFN subframes.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising:

code for causing at least one computer to select one or more subframes as one or more positioning subframes for blanking data transmissions; and

code for causing the at least one computer to indicate the one or more positioning subframes as one or more multicast/broadcast single frequency network (MBSFN) subframes to additionally blank cell-specific reference signal (CRS) transmission over the one or more MBSFN subframes.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising code for causing the at least one computer to indicate the one or more positioning subframes as the one or more MBSFN subframes according to a planned pattern or a pseudo-random pattern.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the planned pattern or the pseudo-random pattern is received from a network specification, configuration, or hardcoding.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising code for causing the at least one computer to transmit a CRS-like waveform in at least one of the one or more MBSFN subframes.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

a positioning subframe selecting component that determines one or more subframes as one or more positioning subframes for blanking data transmissions;

a multicast/broadcast single frequency network (MBSFN) subframe determining component that selects the one or more positioning subframes as one or more MBSFN subframes; and

an MBSFN subframe specifying component that indicates the one or more MBSFN subframes as MBSFN subframes.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the MBSFN subframe determining component selects the one or more positioning subframes as the one or more MBSFN subframes according to a planned pattern or a pseudo-random pattern.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the planned pattern or the pseudo-random pattern is received from a network specification, configuration, or hardcoding.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a transmitting component that transmits a CRS-like waveform in at least one of the one or more MBSFN subframes.