Techniques for transmitting patterns of signal transmissions or reference signals over an unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band

• US 9,867,054 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2015
• Issued: 01/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Zhang, Xiaoxia, Luo, Tao, Wang, Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Khirodhar, Maharishi
• Application Number:
  US14/676,098
• Publication Number:
  US 20150296385A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,014 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/0006 Assessment of spectral gaps suitable for allocating digitally modulated signals, e.g. for carrier allocation in cognitive radio for spectrum sharing between different networks H04W16/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/001 the frequencies being arranged in component carriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0023 Time-frequency-space
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0048 Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0094 Indication of how sub-channels of the path are allocated
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/14 Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/005 Transmission of information for alerting of incoming communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/1263 Mapping of traffic onto schedule, e.g. scheduled allocation or multiplexing of flows
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/04 Scheduled access hybrid access H04W74/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0808 using carrier sensing, e.g. carrier sense multiple access [CSMA]

Abstract

Techniques are described for wireless communication. A first method may include determining a pattern of signal transmissions for transmitting instances of a signal in a time period of an unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band; determining whether the unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band is unavailable to transmit at least one instance of the signal; and changing, in response to determining the unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band is unavailable to transmit an instance of the signal, the pattern of signal transmissions for the time period. A second method may include identifying at least one reference signal pattern from a plurality of reference signal patterns based at least in part on whether a plurality of transmission time intervals are bundled; and signaling the identified at least one reference signal pattern to a device.

Claims

1. A method for wireless communication, comprising:

determining a pattern of signal transmissions for transmitting instances of a signal in a time period of an unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band, wherein the pattern of signal transmissions comprises a first scheduled signal transmission and a second scheduled signal transmission;

determining whether the unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band is unavailable to transmit at least one instance of the signal; and

changing, in response to determining the unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band is unavailable to transmit an instance of the signal, the pattern of signal transmissions for the time period, wherein the changing the pattern of signal transmissions comprises scheduling an additional signal transmission in the pattern of signal transmissions during a frame of the unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band occurring between the first scheduled signal transmission and the second scheduled signal transmission.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal comprises at least one of a multicast control channel (MCCH) change notification and a paging instance.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the changing the pattern of signal transmissions comprises identifying, in response to the determining the unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band is unavailable to transmit the instance of the signal, a next available frame in the time period to transmit the instance of the signal over the unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band is unavailable to transmit the instance of the signal during a frame in a window of a plurality of frames in the time period.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the changing the pattern of signal transmissions comprises identifying, upon the determining the unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band is unavailable to transmit the instance of the signal during the frame in the window of the plurality of frames, a second frame in the window of the plurality of frames for transmission of the instance of the signal.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the determining the pattern of signal transmissions for transmitting instances of the signal in the time period of the unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band comprises:

initially scheduling transmission of the instance of the signal, during the frame in the window of the plurality of frames, based on at least one of a processing load and/or a traffic load.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the frame in the window of the plurality of frames is other than a first frame in the window of the plurality of frames.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the window of the plurality of frames comprises scheduled paging instances for multiple groups of devices.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the changing the pattern of signal transmissions comprises at least one of:

increasing a number of scheduled signal transmissions in the pattern of signal transmissions for the time period; and

adding to the pattern of signal transmissions a signal transmission in a clear channel assessment (CCA)-exempt transmission (CET) in the time period.

10. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

means for determining a pattern of signal transmissions for transmitting instances of a signal in a time period of an unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band, wherein the pattern of signal transmissions comprises a first scheduled signal transmission and a second scheduled signal transmission;

means for determining whether the unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band is unavailable to transmit at least one instance of the signal; and

means for changing, in response to determining the unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band is unavailable to transmit an instance of the signal, the pattern of signal transmissions for the time period, wherein the changing the pattern of signal transmissions comprises scheduling an additional signal transmission in the pattern of signal transmissions during a frame of the unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band occurring between the first scheduled signal transmission and the second scheduled signal transmission.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein:

the signal comprises at least one of a multicast control channel (MCCH) change notification and a paging instance.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein:

the changing the pattern of signal transmissions comprises identifying, in response to the determining the unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band is unavailable to transmit the instance of the signal, a next available frame in the time period to transmit the instance of the signal over the unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein:

the unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band is unavailable to transmit the instance of the signal during a frame in a window of a plurality of frames in the time period.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein:

the changing the pattern of signal transmissions comprises identifying, upon the determining the unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band is unavailable to transmit the instance of the signal during the frame in the window of the plurality of frames, a second frame in the window of the plurality of frames for transmission of the instance of the signal.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein:

the determining the pattern of signal transmissions for transmitting instances of the signal in the time period of the unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band comprises;

initially scheduling transmission of the instance of the signal, during the frame in the window of the plurality of frames, based on at least one of a processing load and/or a traffic load.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein:

the frame in the window of the plurality of frames is other than a first frame in the window of the plurality of frames.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein:

the window of the plurality of frames comprises scheduled paging instances for multiple groups of devices.

18. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein:

the changing the pattern of signal transmissions comprises at least one of;

increasing a number of scheduled signal transmissions in the pattern of signal transmissions for the time period; and

the apparatus further comprising means for adding to the pattern of signal transmissions a signal transmission in a clear channel assessment (CCA)-exempt transmission (CET) in the time period.

19. An apparatus for wireless communication, in a system comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor; and

instructions stored in the memory and operable, when executed by the processor, to cause the apparatus to;

determine a pattern of signal transmissions for transmitting instances of a signal in a time period of an unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band, wherein the pattern of signal transmissions comprises a first scheduled signal transmission and a second scheduled signal transmission;

determine whether the unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band is unavailable to transmit at least one instance of the signal; and

change, in response to determining the unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band is unavailable to transmit an instance of the signal, the pattern of signal transmissions for the time period, wherein the changing the pattern of signal transmissions comprises scheduling an additional signal transmission in the pattern of signal transmissions during a frame of the unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band occurring between the first scheduled signal transmission and the second scheduled signal transmission.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein:

the signal comprises at least one of a multicast control channel (MCCH) change notification and a paging instance.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein:

the changing the pattern of signal transmissions comprises identifying, in response to the determining the unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band is unavailable to transmit the instance of the signal, a next available frame in the time period to transmit the instance of the signal over the unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein:

the unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band is unavailable to transmit the instance of the signal during a frame in a window of a plurality of frames in the time period.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein:

the changing the pattern of signal transmissions comprises identifying, upon the determining the unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band is unavailable to transmit the instance of the signal during the frame in the window of the plurality of frames, a second frame in the window of the plurality of frames for transmission of the instance of the signal.

24. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing code for wireless communication, the code comprising instructions executable by a processor to:

determine a pattern of signal transmissions for transmitting instances of a signal in a time period of an unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band, wherein the pattern of signal transmissions comprises a first scheduled signal transmission and a second scheduled signal transmission;

determine whether the unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band is unavailable to transmit at least one instance of the signal; and

change, in response to determining the unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band is unavailable to transmit an instance of the signal, the pattern of signal transmissions for the time period, wherein the changing the pattern of signal transmissions comprises scheduling an additional signal transmission in the pattern of signal transmissions during a frame of the unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band occurring between the first scheduled signal transmission and the second scheduled signal transmission.