Random access mechanism for a wireless device and base station

• US 9,801,211 B2
• Filed: 07/04/2016
• Issued: 10/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Dinan, Esmael Hejazi
• Primary Examiner(s): KAMARA, MOHAMED A
• Application Number:
  US15/201,527
• Publication Number:
  US 20160316492A1
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/261 Details of reference signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2662 Symbol synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/146 Uplink power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/22 taking into account previous information or commands
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/242 taking into account path loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0005 synchronizing of arrival of multiple uplinks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/001 Synchronization between nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0833 Random access procedures, e.g. with 4-step access

Abstract

A wireless device receives control message(s) comprising parameters of a plurality of cell groups and a pathloss reference for each secondary cell. The wireless device transmits uplink signals in a first secondary cell in a secondary cell group. Transmission power of the uplink signals is determined employing a received power of the pathloss reference assigned to the first secondary cell. Timing of the uplink signals in the secondary cell group employs a synchronization signal on an active secondary cell in the secondary cell group as a timing reference.

Claims

1. A wireless device comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wireless device to;

receive at least one message comprising;

configuration parameters of a plurality of cells comprising a primary cell group and a secondary cell group; and

a pathloss reference configuration for each of one or more secondary cells of the plurality of cells;

transmit first uplink signals via the secondary cell group, wherein transmission timing of the first uplink signals is based on timing that is associated with a first cell and that is used for preamble transmission;

select a second cell as a timing reference cell for the secondary cell group in response to the first cell meeting a first criterion; and

transmit second uplink signals via the secondary cell group, wherein;

transmission power of the second uplink signals is based on the pathloss reference configuration; and

timing of the second uplink signals is based on the timing reference cell.

2. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein:

the primary cell group comprises a first subset of the plurality of cells, the first subset comprises a primary cell, and uplink transmission timing associated with the first cell group is based on the primary cell; and

the secondary cell group comprises a second subset of the plurality of cells.

3. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the wireless device to stop transmission of uplink transport blocks via the secondary cell group in response to the following conditions being satisfied:

the wireless device is unable to acquire timing associated with the timing reference cell; and

the secondary cell group does not comprise any active cell except the timing reference cell.

4. The wireless device of claim 3, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the wireless device to allow uplink transmission of at least one random access preamble via the secondary cell group in response to the conditions being satisfied.

5. The wireless device of claim 3, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the wireless device to continue transmission of channel state information for the timing reference cell via an uplink carrier not belonging to the secondary cell group in response to the conditions being satisfied.

6. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the timing reference cell is different from a pathloss reference.

7. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the first criterion comprises:

the first cell is deactivated;

or

the wireless device is unable to acquire a timing associated with the first cell.

8. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the wireless device to receive at least one control packet comprising one or more power control commands, and wherein transmission power of a plurality of packets transmitted by the wireless device is based, at least in part, on:

a received power of a pathloss reference; and

the one or more power control commands.

9. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the wireless device to stop transmission of uplink transport blocks via a secondary cell in response to the wireless device being unable to measure a received power of a pathloss reference for a period of time.

10. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the transmission power of the second uplink signals is further determined based, at least in part, on at least one power control parameter received in the at least one control message.

11. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the transmission power of the second uplink signals is further determined based, at least in part, on measurements of a received power of one or more pathloss references determined using the pathloss reference configuration.

24. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wireless device to select, cause the wireless device to select a second cell as a timing reference cell for the secondary cell group autonomously without instruction from a base station.

12. A method comprising:

receiving, by a wireless device, at least one message comprising;

configuration parameters of a plurality of cells comprising a primary cell group and a secondary cell group; and

a pathloss reference configuration for each of one or more secondary cells in of the plurality of cells;

transmitting first uplink signals via the secondary cell group, wherein transmission timing of the first uplink signals is based on timing that is associated with a first cell and that is used for preamble transmission;

selecting a second cell as a timing reference cell for the secondary cell group in response to the first cell meeting a first criterion; and

transmitting second uplink signals via the secondary cell group, wherein;

transmission power of the second uplink signals is based on the pathloss reference configuration; and

timing of the second uplink signals is based on the timing reference cell.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the primary cell group comprises a first subset of the plurality of cells, the first subset comprises a primary cell, and uplink transmission timing associated with the first cell group is based on the primary cell; and

the secondary cell group comprises a second subset of the plurality of cells.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising stopping transmission of uplink transport blocks via the secondary cell group in response the following conditions being satisfied:

the wireless device is unable to acquire timing associated with the timing reference cell; and

the secondary cell group does not comprise any active cell except the timing reference cell.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising allowing uplink transmission of at least one random access preamble via the secondary cell group in response to the conditions being satisfied.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising continuing transmission of channel state information for the timing reference cell via an uplink carrier not belonging to the secondary cell group in response to the conditions being satisfied.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the timing reference cell is different from a pathloss reference.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the first criterion comprises:

the first cell is deactivated;

or

the wireless device is unable to acquire a timing associated with the first cell.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving at least one control packet comprising one or more power control commands, wherein transmission power of a plurality of packets transmitted by the wireless device is based, at least in part, on:

a received power of a pathloss reference; and

the one or more power control commands.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising stopping transmission of uplink transport blocks via a secondary cell in response to the wireless device being unable to measure a received power of a pathloss reference for a period of time.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the transmission power of the second uplink signals is further determined based, at least in part, on at least one power control parameter received in the at least one control message.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein the transmission power of the second uplink signals is further determined based, at least in part, on measurements of a received power of one or more pathloss references determined using the pathloss reference configuration.

23. The method of claim 12, wherein the selecting is performed by the wireless device autonomously without instruction from a base station.

25. A system comprising:

a base station comprising;

one or more processors; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors of the base station, cause the base station to;

transmit at least one message comprising;

configuration parameters of a plurality of cells comprising a primary cell group and a secondary cell group; and

a pathloss reference configuration for each of one or more secondary cells of the plurality of cells; and

a wireless device comprising;

one or more processors; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors of the wireless device, cause the wireless device to;

transmit first uplink signals via the secondary cell group, wherein transmission timing of the first uplink signals is based on timing that is associated with a first cell and that is used for preamble transmission;

select a second cell as a timing reference cell for the secondary cell group in response to the first cell meeting a first criterion; and

transmit second uplink signals via the secondary cell group, wherein;

transmission power of the second uplink signals is based on the pathloss reference configuration; and

timing of the second uplink signals is based on the timing reference cell.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein:

the primary cell group comprises a first subset of the plurality of cells, the first subset comprises a primary cell, and uplink transmission timing associated with the first cell group is based on the primary cell; and

the secondary cell group comprises a second subset of the plurality of cells.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors of the wireless device, further cause the wireless device to stop transmission of uplink transport blocks via the secondary cell group in response to the following conditions being satisfied:

the wireless device is unable to acquire timing associated with the timing reference cell; and

the secondary cell group does not comprise any active cell except the timing reference cell.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors of the wireless device, further cause the wireless device to allow uplink transmission of at least one random access preamble via the secondary cell group in response to the conditions being satisfied.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors of the wireless device, further cause the wireless device to continue transmission of channel state information for the timing reference cell via an uplink carrier not belonging to the secondary cell group in response to the conditions being satisfied.

30. The system of claim 25, wherein the timing reference cell is different from a pathloss reference.

31. The system of claim 25, wherein the first criterion comprises:

the first cell is deactivated;

or

the wireless device is unable to acquire a timing associated with the first cell.

32. The system of claim 25, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors of the wireless device, further cause the wireless device to receive at least one control packet comprising one or more power control commands, and wherein transmission power of a plurality of packets transmitted by the wireless device is based, at least in part, on:

a received power of a pathloss reference; and

the one or more power control commands.

33. The system of claim 25, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors of the wireless device, further cause the wireless device to stop transmission of uplink transport blocks via a secondary cell in response to the wireless device being unable to measure a received power of a pathloss reference for a period of time.

34. The system of claim 25, wherein the transmission power of the second uplink signals is further determined based, at least in part, on at least one power control parameter received in the at least one control message.

35. The system of claim 25, wherein the transmission power of the second uplink signals is further determined based, at least in part, on measurements of a received power of one or more pathloss references determined using the pathloss reference configuration.

36. The system of claim 25, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors of the wireless device, cause the wireless device to select, cause the wireless device to select a second cell as a timing reference cell for the secondary cell group autonomously without instruction from a base station.

37. A method comprising

transmitting, by a base station and to a wireless device, at least one message comprising:

configuration parameters of a plurality of cells comprising a primary cell group and a secondary cell group; and

a pathloss reference configuration for each of one or more secondary cells of the plurality of cells;

transmitting, by the wireless device and to the base station, first uplink signals via the secondary cell group, wherein transmission timing of the first uplink signals is based on timing that is associated with a first cell and that is used for preamble transmission;

selecting, by the wireless device, a second cell as a timing reference cell for the secondary cell group in response to the first cell meeting a first criterion; and

transmitting, by the wireless device and to the base station, second uplink signals via the secondary cell group, wherein;

transmission power of the second uplink signals is based on the pathloss reference configuration; and

timing of the second uplink signals is based on the timing reference cell.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein:

the primary cell group comprises a first subset of the plurality of cells, the first subset comprises a primary cell, and uplink transmission timing associated with the first cell group is based on the primary cell; and

the secondary cell group comprises a second subset of the plurality of cells.

39. The method of claim 37, further comprising stopping transmission of uplink transport blocks via the secondary cell group in response to the following conditions being satisfied:

the wireless device is unable to acquire timing associated with the timing reference cell; and

the secondary cell group does not comprise any active cell except the timing reference cell.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising allowing uplink transmission of at least one random access preamble via the secondary cell group in response to the conditions being satisfied.

41. The method of claim 39, further comprising continuing transmission of channel state information for the timing reference cell via an uplink carrier not belonging to the secondary cell group in response to the conditions being satisfied.

42. The method of claim 37, wherein the timing reference cell is different from a pathloss reference.

43. The method of claim 37, wherein the first criterion comprises:

the first cell is deactivated;

or

the wireless device is unable to acquire a timing associated with the first cell.

44. The method of claim 37, further comprising receiving at least one control packet comprising one or more power control commands, wherein transmission power of a plurality of packets transmitted by the wireless device is based, at least in part, on:

a received power of a pathloss reference; and

the one or more power control commands.

45. The method of claim 37, further comprising stopping transmission of uplink transport blocks via a secondary cell in response to the wireless device being unable to measure a received power of a pathloss reference for a period of time.

46. The method of claim 37, wherein the transmission power of the second uplink signals is further determined based, at least in part, on at least one power control parameter received in the at least one control message.

47. The method of claim 37, wherein the transmission power of the second uplink signals is further determined based, at least in part, on measurements of a received power of one or more pathloss references determined using the pathloss reference configuration.

48. The method of claim 37, wherein the selecting is performed by the wireless device autonomously without instruction from a base station.