Interference management for dynamic uplink and downlink configuration

• US 9,775,149 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2015
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Fwu, Jong-Kae, Khoryaev, Alexey, Chatterjee, Debdeep, Shilov, Mikhail, Chervyakov, Andrey, Panteleev, Sergey, He, Hong
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Jae Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): Voltaire, Jean F
• Application Number:
  US14/926,418
• Publication Number:
  US 20160157216A1
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 370280
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/69 Spread spectrum techniques
• 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 7/0413 MIMO systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0456 Selection of precoding matrices or codebooks, e.g. using matrices antenna weighting
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0623 Auxiliary parameters, e.g. power control [PCB] or not acknowledged commands [NACK], used as feedback information
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0626 Channel coefficients, e.g. channel state information [CSI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0639 Using selective indices, e.g. of a codebook, e.g. pre-distortion matrix index [PMI] or for beam selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0026 Transmission of channel quality indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0027 Scheduling of signalling, e.g. occurrence thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0031 Multiple signaling transmission H04L1/1664, F15 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1864 ARQ related signaling H04L1/1607 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1887 Scheduling and prioritising arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1896 ARQ related signaling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2607 Cyclic extensions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0035 Resource allocation in a cooperative multipoint environment
• 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 5/0053 Allocation of signaling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/1469 : using time-sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 : for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 : Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0094 : Definition of hand-off measurement parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/04 : Reselecting a cell layer in multi-layered cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 : User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 : Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 : Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 : using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 : Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/044 : based on the type of the allocated resource
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 : Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 : in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/53 : based on regulatory allocation policies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 : using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 : using measured or perceived quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 : Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/28 : Discontinuous transmission [DTX]; Discontinuous reception [DRX]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An apparatus and method for managing interference to facilitate allocation of a dynamic uplink and downlink configuration are disclosed herein. Determining whether a first cell causes interference less than a pre-determined threshold level to one or more neighboring cells or whether flexible subframes of radio frames associated with the one or more neighboring cells operate as downlink subframes. In response to the determining condition being met, allocating a first flexible subframe of a first radio frame associated with the first cell to operate as a downlink subframe at normal transmit power level. In response to the determining condition not being met, allocating the first flexible subframe of the first radio frame associated with the first cell as one of a downlink subframe operating in a reduced transmit power level or as an uplink subframe.

Claims

1. A method for managing interference to facilitate allocation of a dynamic uplink and downlink ratio configuration, the method comprising:

determining, for a first cell associated with an enhanced node B (eNodeB) or a low power node (LPN), whether the first cell causes interference less than a pre-determined threshold level to one or more neighboring cells or whether flexible subframes of radio frames associated with the one or more neighboring cells operate as downlink subframes; and

in response to the determining condition being met, allocating a first flexible subframe of a first radio frame associated with the first cell to operate as a downlink subframe at normal transmit power level, wherein the first flexible subframe comprises a pre-defined subframe of the first radio frame corresponding to the dynamic uplink and downlink ratio configuration;

determining, by the eNB or LPN for the first cell, whether second flexible subframes of radio frames associated with the one or more neighboring cells operate as downlink subframes; and

in response to the determining condition not being met, allocating, by processing circuitry of the eNB or LPN, a second flexible subframe of a second radio frame associated with the first cell to operate as an uplink subframe, wherein the second flexible subframe comprises the pre-defined subframe of the second radio frame corresponding to the dynamic uplink and downlink ratio configuration.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first cell comprises a macro cell and is associated with a macro eNodeB, and the first flexible subframe operates as a downlink subframe during the interference and further comprising determining the dynamic uplink and downlink ratio configuration at least in accordance with the allocation of the first flexible subframe and a uplink and downlink ratio configuration associated with each of the one or more neighboring cells.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising, in response to the determining condition not being met based on a determination that 1) the downlink interference caused by the cell to one or more neighboring cells exceeds the pre-determined threshold level, and 2) less than a majority of flexible subframes in neighboring cells are defined as DL subframes:

allocating the first flexible subframe of a first radio frame associated with the first cell to operate as a downlink subframe at reduced power level that is less than the normal power level.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether flexible subframes of radio frames associated with the one or more neighboring cells operate as downlink subframes by communicating with the one or more neighboring cells via an X2 interface.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting an uplink-downlink configuration for time division duplex (TDD) to user equipment (UEs) within a cell of the eNB via System Information Block Type 1 (SIB1); and

communicating allocation of the first flexible subframe to the cell of the eNB via RRC signaling.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to the determining condition not being met, allocating the first flexible subframe of the first radio frame associated with the first cell to operate as a downlink subframe at reduced transmit power level.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to the determining condition not being met, allocating the first flexible subframe of the first radio frame associated with the first cell to operate as an uplink subframe.

8. An apparatus of an eNodeB operating in an evolved universal terrestrial radio access network (EUTRAN) for uplink downlink configuration, the apparatus comprising:

memory; and

processing circuitry, configured to;

determine whether interference caused by the cell is less than a pre-determined threshold level to one or more neighboring cells or whether flexible subframes of radio frames associated with the one or more neighboring cells operate as downlink subframes; and

configure a first flexible subframe of a first radio frame associated with the cell as one of a downlink subframe operating in a reduced transmit power level or as an uplink subframe, in response to a determination that the threshold level is met;

wherein the first flexible subframe comprises a pre-defined subframe of the first radio frame corresponding to a dynamic uplink and downlink configuration;

determine whether second flexible subframes of radio frames associated with the one or more neighboring cells operate as downlink subframes; and

in response to the determining condition not being met, configure a second flexible subframe of a second radio frame associated with the first cell to operate as an uplink subframe, wherein the second flexible subframe comprises the pre-defined subframe of the second radio frame corresponding to the dynamic uplink and downlink ratio configuration.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to determine whether flexible subframes of radio frames associated with the one or more neighboring cells operate as downlink subframes by communicating with the one or more neighboring cells via an X2 interface.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

initiate transmission of an uplink-downlink configuration for time division duplex (TDD) to user equipment (UEs) within a cell of the eNB via System Information Block Type 1 (SIB1); and

initiate transmission of an allocation of the first flexible subframe to the cell of the eNB via radio resource control (RRC) signaling.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the cell comprises a macro cell;

and

wherein the transceiver configures the first flexible subframe to operate as the downlink subframe at normal transmit power level in response to the determination by the processor being affirmative and in coordination with uplink and downlink configurations associated with neighboring macro eNodeBs.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the transceiver configures the first flexible subframe to operate as the downlink subframe at normal transmit power level in response to the determination by the processor being affirmative with or without use of other interference mitigation techniques.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the transceiver signals the dynamic uplink and downlink configuration to user equipment (UEs) associated with the cell without using system information block 1 (SIB1), the dynamic uplink and downlink configuration including information about the allocated first flexible subframe.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first radio frame comprises ten subframes that are identifiable by subframe index numbers 0 through 9 from left to right, the first flexible subframe comprising one or more subframe corresponding to the subframe index number 3, subframe index number 4, subframe index number 7, subframe index number 8, or subframe index number 9.

15. The base station of claim 8, wherein the processor performs the determination on a subframe level basis.

16. The base station of claim 8, wherein the processor performs the determination on a radio frame level basis.

17. The base station of claim 8, wherein the first flexible subframe configured as the uplink subframe includes a downlink transmission period to transmit downlink control channels, a central guard period (GP) to switch between a downlink and uplink transmission, and an uplink data transmission period.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions, when executed by one or more processors of an evolved node B (eNB), causes the eNB to:

determine, for a first cell associated with an enhanced node B (eNodeB) or a low power node (LPN), whether the first cell causes interference less than a pre-determined threshold level to one or more neighboring cells or whether flexible subframes of radio frames associated with the one or more neighboring cells operate as downlink subframes;

in response to the determining condition being met, allocate a first flexible subframe of a first radio frame associated with the first cell to operate as a downlink subframe at normal transmit power level;

determining, by the eNB whether second flexible subframes of radio frames associated with the one or more neighboring cells operate as downlink subframes; and

in response to the determining condition not being met, allocating, by processing circuitry of the eNB or LPN, a second flexible subframe of a second radio frame associated with the first cell to operate as an uplink subframe, wherein the second flexible subframe comprises the pre-defined subframe of the second radio frame corresponding to the dynamic uplink and downlink ratio configuration.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions further configure the eNB to determine whether flexible subframes of radio frames associated with the one or more neighboring cells operate as downlink subframes by communicating with the one or more neighboring cells via an X2 interface.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18 wherein the instructions further configure the eNB to:

initiate transmission of an uplink-downlink configuration for time division duplex (TDD) to user equipment (UEs) within a cell of the eNB via System Information Block Type 1 (SIB1); and

initiate transmission of an allocation of the first flexible subframe to the cell of the eNB via radio resource control (RRC) signaling.