Method and apparatus for mitigating data loss during autonomous system information reading

• US 9,775,078 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2015
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Ji, Tingfang, Gaal, Peter, Fong, Gene, Bhattad, Kapil, Wei, Yongbin
• Primary Examiner(s): Scheibel, Robert C
• Assistant Examiner(s): JONES, PRENELL P
• Application Number:
  US14/886,719
• Publication Number:
  US 20160044549A1
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1845 Combining techniques, e.g. code combining
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1867 Arrangements specially adapted for the transmitter end
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0016 Hand-off preparation specially adapted for end-to-end data sessions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0061 of neighbour cell information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/001 Synchronization between nodes

Abstract

Techniques for mitigating data loss during autonomous system information (SI) reading by a user equipment (UE) are described. For autonomous SI reading, the UE may autonomously determine when to read system information from neighbor cells and may not inform a serving cell. In one design, the UE may autonomously select a SI reading gap for reading system information from a neighbor cell. During the SI reading gap, the UE may suspend reception of downlink transmission from the serving cell, receive system information from the neighbor cell, and maintain capability to transmit on the uplink to the serving cell. In one design, the serving cell may determine SI reading gaps autonomously selected by the UE for reading system information from neighbor cells. The serving cell may communicate with the UE by accounting for the SI reading gaps of the UE, e.g., may suspend communication with the UE during the SI reading gaps.

Claims

1. A method for wireless communication, comprising:

suspending, by a user equipment (UE), reception of downlink transmissions from a serving cell during a system information (SI) reading gap for performing inter-frequency SI reading;

maintaining, by the UE, a first frequency at an uplink oscillator during the SI reading gap;

receiving, at the UE, system information from a neighbor cell on a second frequency during the SI reading gap, the second frequency being different from the first frequency and corresponding to a downlink oscillator; and

maintaining, by the UE, a capability to transmit on an uplink to the serving cell during the SI reading gap such that the UE has the capability to transmit on the uplink to the serving cell and receive the system information on a downlink from the neighbor cell during the SI reading gap.

2. The method of claim 1, in which a duration for transmitting on the uplink is a function of a duration of the SI reading gap.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising terminating the uplink after the duration for transmitting on the uplink.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating at least one tracking loop for the downlink based at least in part on the neighbor cell during the SI reading gap.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating at least one tracking loop for the downlink based at least in part on the serving cell when the UE is receiving a downlink transmission from the serving cell.

6. A method for wireless communication, comprising:

transmitting, to a serving cell, timing information for a neighbor cell from which a user equipment (UE) is to receive system information (SI);

suspending, by the UE, reception of downlink transmissions on a first frequency from the serving cell during a SI reading gap;

receiving, at the UE, system information on a second frequency from the neighbor cell during the SI reading gap, the second frequency being different from the first frequency and corresponding to a downlink oscillator; and

maintaining, by the UE, a capability to transmit on an uplink to the serving cell during the SI reading gap such that the UE has the capability to transmit on the uplink to the serving cell and receive the system information on a downlink from the neighbor cell during the SI reading gap.

7. The method of claim 6, in which the timing information comprises a time offset between a timing of the neighbor cell and a timing of the serving cell.

8. The method of claim 6, in which the timing information is used to determine a start of a first subframe of the neighbor cell.

9. The method of claim 8, in which the UE reads the SI during the first subframe and a second subframe of the neighbor cell.

10. The method of claim 9, in which the reception of the downlink transmissions are suspended during at least the first subframe and the second subframe.

11. The method of claim 6, in which the timing information is transmitted before or during the SI reading gap.

12. The method of claim 6, in which the UE performs inter-frequency SI reading during the SI reading gap.

13. A method for wireless communication, comprising:

transmitting, to a serving cell, tune-away information indicating a system information (SI) reading gap during which a user equipment (UE) is to receive SI from a neighbor cell;

suspending, by the UE, reception of downlink transmissions on a first frequency from the serving cell during the SI reading gap;

receiving, at the UE, system information on a second frequency from the neighbor cell during the SI reading gap, the second frequency being different from the first frequency and corresponding to a downlink oscillator; and

maintaining, by the UE, a capability to transmit on an uplink to the serving cell during the SI reading gap such that the UE has the capability to transmit on the uplink to the serving cell and receive the system information on a downlink from the neighbor cell during the SI reading gap.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining a timing of the neighbor cell relative to a timing of the serving cell.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising determining the SI reading gap for the neighbor cell based at least in part on the timing of the neighbor cell.

16. The method of claim 15, in which the tune-away information comprises the timing and the SI reading gap for the neighbor cell.

17. The method of claim 15, in which the tune-away information comprises a list of subframes of the serving cell to be used for the SI reading gap.

18. The method of claim 13, in which the UE performs inter-frequency SI reading during the SI reading gap.

19. A user equipment (UE) for wireless communication, comprising:

a memory unit; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory unit, the at least one processor being configured;

to transmit, to a serving cell, timing information for a neighbor cell from which the UE is to receive system information (SI);

to suspend reception of downlink transmissions on a first frequency from the serving cell during a SI reading gap;

to receive system information on a second frequency from the neighbor cell during the SI reading gap, the second frequency being different from the first frequency and corresponding to a downlink oscillator; and

to maintain a capability to transmit on an uplink to the serving cell during the SI reading gap such that the UE has the capability to transmit on the uplink to the serving cell and receive the system information on a downlink from the neighbor cell during the SI reading gap.

20. The UE of claim 19, in which the timing information comprises a time offset between a timing of the neighbor cell and a timing of the serving cell.

21. The UE of claim 19, in which the timing information is used to determine a start of a first subframe of the neighbor cell.

22. The UE of claim 21, in which the UE reads the SI of the neighbor cell during the first subframe and a second subframe of the neighbor cell.

23. The UE of claim 22, in which the reception of the downlink transmissions are suspended during at least the first subframe and the second subframe.

24. The UE of claim 19, in which the timing information is transmitted before or during the SI reading gap.

25. The UE of claim 19, in which the UE performs inter-frequency SI reading during the SI reading gap.