Dynamic uplink and downlink configuration using flexible subframes

• US 9,877,317 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2017
• Issued: 01/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: He, Hong, Fwu, Jong-Kae
• Primary Examiner(s): Onamuti, Gbemileke J
• Application Number:
  US15/400,106
• Publication Number:
  US 20170223671A1
• Time in Patent Office: 382 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/382 for resource allocation, admission control or handover
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0007 the frequencies being orthogonal, e.g. OFDM(A), DMT
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0035 Resource allocation in a cooperative multipoint environment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0096 Indication of changes in allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/14 Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/16 Central resource management; Negotiation of resources or communication parameters, e.g. negotiating bandwidth or QoS [Quality of Service]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0061 of neighbour cell information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0066 of control information between different types of networks in order to establish a new radio link in the target network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/08 Closed loop power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/146 Uplink power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/241 taking into account channel quality metrics, e.g. SIR, SNR, CIR, Eb/lo
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/54 based on quality criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An apparatus and method for dynamically changing an uplink and downlink ratio configuration is disclosed herein. An evolved Node B (eNodeB) operating in a wireless communications network transmits a System Information Block Type 1 (SIB1) including first uplink and downlink ratio configuration information. The eNodeB also transmits in at least one downlink subframe of a radio frame configured in the first uplink and downlink ratio configuration second uplink and downlink ratio configuration information. The second uplink and downlink ratio configuration information is included in a downlink control information (DCI) message. The DCI message is included in the at least one downlink subframe of the radio frame.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of an evolved Node B (eNodeB), configure the eNodeB to:

transmit, by the evolved Node B (eNodeB) to a user equipment (UE), a System information Block Type 1 (SIB1) including first uplink and downlink subframe configuration information; and

transmit, by the eNodeB to the UE, in at least one downlink subframe of a radio frame configured in the first uplink and downlink subframe configuration, second uplink and downlink subframe configuration information, the second uplink and downlink subframe configuration information included in a downlink control information (DCI) message and the DCI message being included in the at least one downlink subframe of the radio frame,

wherein the DCI message is configured to dynamically change the uplink and downlink frame structure configuration from the first uplink and downlink subframe configuration information of the SIB 1 to the second uplink and downlink subframe configuration of the DCI message.

2. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the DCI message is included in each downlink subframe of the radio frame configured in the first uplink and downlink subframe configuration or a pre-defined subset of the downlink subframes of the radio frame configured in the first uplink and downlink subframe configuration.

3. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the DCI message includes one or more uplink/downlink configuration indication values specifying the second uplink and downlink subframe configuration for each of respective one or more component carriers associated with the eNodeB.

4. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 3, wherein a configuration indication field (CIF) value comprises a 2-bit value to specify up to four different uplink and downlink subframe configurations.

5. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 4, wherein the CIF value comprises a 1-bit value to specify up to two different uplink and downlink subframe configurations.

6. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the DCI message includes cyclic redundancy check (CRC) parity bits that are scrambled in accordance with a radio network temporary identifier (RNTI) identifying DCI messages configured to allocate the second uplink and downlink subframe configuration, and wherein the RNTI is configured to fix identify for broadcast of the second uplink and downlink subframe configuration, the RNTI known a priori to user equipment (UEs).

7. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the DCI message is included in a common search space (CSS) of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) included in the at least one downlink subframe of the radio frame configured in the first uplink and downlink subframe configuration, and wherein a size of the DCI message is extended by padding bits to be a same size as one of DCI formats of a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) long term evolution (LTE) Release 8/9/10 network.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the DCI message is included in a user equipment (UE)-specific search space (USS) of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) included in the at least one downlink subframe of the radio frame configured in the first uplink and downlink subframe configuration.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the eNodeB is configured to operate in accordance with a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) long term evolution (LTE) network, and the radio frame comprises an orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) frame configured for time division duplex (TDD) operation.

10. An apparatus of an evolved node B (eNodeB) comprising:

memory; and

processing circuitry coupled to the memory, the processing circuitry configured to;

transmit, by the eNodeB to a user equipment (UE), a System Information Block Type 1 (SIB1) including first uplink and downlink subframe configuration information; and

transmit, by the eNodeB to the UE, in at least one downlink subframe of a radio frame configured in the first uplink and downlink subframe configuration, second uplink and downlink subframe configuration information, the second uplink and downlink subframe configuration information included in a downlink control information (DCI) message and the DCI message being included in the at least one downlink subframe of the radio frame,

wherein the DCI message is configured to dynamically change the uplink and downlink frame structure configuration from the first uplink and downlink subframe configuration information of the SIB 1 to the second uplink and downlink subframe configuration of the DCI message.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the DCI message is included in each downlink subframe of the radio frame configured in the first uplink and downlink subframe configuration or a pre-defined subset of the downlink subframes of the radio frame configured in the first uplink and downlink subframe configuration.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the DCI message includes one or more uplink/downlink configuration indication values specifying the second uplink and downlink subframe configuration for each of respective one or more component carriers associated with the eNodeB;

wherein a configuration indication field (CIF) value comprises a 2-bit value to specify up to four different uplink and downlink subframe configurations; and

wherein the CIF value comprises a 1-bit value to specify up to two different uplink and downlink subframe configurations.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the DCI message includes cyclic redundancy check (CRC) parity bits that are scrambled in accordance with a radio network temporary identifier (RNTI) identifying DCI messages configured to allocate the second uplink and downlink subframe configuration, and wherein the RNTI is configured to fix identify for broadcast of the second uplink and downlink subframe configuration, the RNTI known a priori to user equipment (UEs).

14. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the DCI message is included in a user equipment (UE)-specific search space (USS) of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) included in the at least one downlink subframe of the radio frame configured in the first uplink and downlink subframe configuration.

15. An apparatus of a user equipment (UE) operating in a wireless communications network comprising:

memory; and

one or more processors coupled to the memory and configured to;

receive a system information data block comprising a System Information Block Type 1 including a first uplink and downlink configuration from a base station and to subsequently receive in at least one downlink subframe of a radio frame configured in the first uplink and downlink configuration, second uplink and downlink configuration information provided in a downlink control information (DCI) format; and

blind decode each received downlink subframe, including the at least one downlink subframe, to detect the second uplink and downlink configuration information and to initiate a dynamic changing of the uplink and downlink frame structure configuration from the first uplink and downlink subframe configuration of the SIB 1 to the second uplink and downlink subframe configuration of the DCI message.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the DCI format is included in a common search space (CSS) of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) included in the at least one downlink subframe of the radio frame configured in the first uplink and downlink configuration.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the DCI message is included in a user equipment (UE)-specific search space (USS) of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) included in the at least one downlink subframe of the radio frame configured in the first uplink and downlink configuration.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processing circuitry maintains operating the UE in the first uplink and downlink configuration in response to an inability to recognize the DCI format indicating the second uplink and downlink configuration.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein each of the first and second uplink and downlink configurations has a radio frame structure comprising ten subframes, each of the ten subframes designated as a special subframe (S), an uplink subframe (U), a downlink subframe (D), or a flexible subframe (F);

and

wherein the radio frame structure of the first uplink and downlink configuration comprises DSUUUDSUUD and the radio frame structure of the second uplink and downlink configuration comprises DSUUDDSUUD, DSUDDDSUDD, or DSUDDDDDDD, each of the radio frame structures being associated with a different configuration indication field (CIF) value from each other.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to receive, from the eNodeB, a radio frame time period of transmission of the at least one downlink subframe, a second subframe configured in the second uplink and downlink subframe configuration.