Carrier grouping in multicarrier wireless networks

• US 9,894,640 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2015
• Issued: 02/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2012
• 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): Yao, Kwang B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Castaneyra, Ricardo
• Application Number:
  US14/822,628
• Publication Number:
  US 20150373686A1
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/001 the frequencies being arranged in component carriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0053 Allocation of signaling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0098 Signalling of the activation or deactivation of component carriers, subcarriers or frequency bands
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/001 Synchronization between nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/00 Local resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A base station transmits an RRC message to modify a first cell group of a first cell. If the first cell is a primary cell, the RRC message reconfigures the primary cell with an updated first cell group and the RRC message comprises mobility control information. If the first cell is a secondary cell, the RRC message releases the secondary cell and adds the secondary cell with an updated first cell group without employing mobility control information.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

transmitting, by a base station and to a wireless device, at least one first control message comprising configuration parameters of a plurality of cells comprising;

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

a second cell group comprising a second subset of the plurality of cells, wherein uplink transmission timing associated with the second cell group is based on a second cell of the second cell group; and

transmitting at least one second control message for modifying a cell group of at least one cell, of the plurality of cells and associated with the wireless device, wherein;

if the at least one cell is a primary cell;

the at least one second control message is configured to cause the wireless device to reconfigure the primary cell with an updated cell group different from the cell group of the at least one cell, wherein the at least one second control message comprises mobility control information; and

if the at least one cell is a secondary cell;

the at least one second control message is configured to cause the wireless device to release the secondary cell and add the secondary cell to an updated cell group different from the cell group of the at least one cell, wherein the at least one second control message does not comprise mobility control information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each cell of the plurality of cells comprises a downlink carrier.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, via a cell, a synchronization signal comprising a physical cell identifier of the cell.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the synchronization signal comprises a primary synchronization signal and a secondary synchronization signal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein, if the at least one second control message comprises mobility control information, the at least one second control message is configured to cause, for the wireless device, a cell category, of the at least one cell, to change from the primary cell to the secondary cell.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising initiating a random access process for the wireless device if the at least one second control message comprises mobility control information.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one first control message comprises a configuration parameter of a time alignment timer for each of a plurality of cell groups.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a random access preamble if the at least one second control message comprises mobility control information.

9. A base station comprising:

one or more processors; and

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

transmit, to a wireless device, at least one first control message comprising configuration parameters of a plurality of cells comprising;

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

a second cell group comprising a second subset of the plurality of cells, wherein uplink transmission timing associated with the second cell group is based on a second cell of the second cell group; and

transmit at least one second control message for modifying a cell group of at least one cell, of the plurality of cells and associated with the wireless device, wherein;

if the at least one cell is a primary cell;

the at least one second control message is configured to cause the wireless device to reconfigure the primary cell with an updated cell group different from the cell group of the at least one cell, wherein the at least one second control message comprises mobility control information; and

if the at least one cell is a secondary cell;

the at least one second control message is configured to cause the wireless device to release the secondary cell and add the secondary cell to an updated cell group different from the cell group of the at least one cell, wherein the at least one second control message does not comprise mobility control information.

10. The base station of claim 9, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the base station to transmit, via a cell, a synchronization signal comprising a physical cell identifier of the cell.

11. The base station of claim 10, wherein the synchronization signal comprises a primary synchronization signal and a secondary synchronization signal.

12. The base station of claim 9, wherein, if the at least one second control message comprises mobility control information, the at least one second control message is configured to cause, for the wireless device, a cell category, of the at least one cell, to change from the primary cell to the secondary cell.

13. The base station of claim 9, wherein the at least one first control message comprises a configuration parameter of a time alignment timer for each of a plurality of cell groups.

14. The base station of claim 9, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the base station to receive a random access preamble if the at least one second control message comprises mobility control information.

15. The base station of claim 9, wherein each cell of the plurality of cells comprises a downlink carrier.

16. The base station of claim 9, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the base station to initiate a random access process for the wireless device if the at least one second control message comprises mobility control information.

17. 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, from a base station, at least one first control message comprising configuration parameters of a plurality of cells comprising;

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

a second cell group comprising a second subset of the plurality of cells, wherein uplink transmission timing associated with the second cell group is based on a second cell of the second cell group; and

receive at least one second control message for modifying a cell group of at least one cell, of the plurality of cells and associated with the wireless device, wherein;

if the at least one cell is a primary cell;

the at least one second control message is configured to cause the wireless device to reconfigure the primary cell with an updated cell group different from the cell group of the at least one cell, wherein the at least one second control message comprises mobility control information; and

if the at least one cell is a secondary cell;

the at least one second control message is configured to cause the wireless device to release the secondary cell and add the secondary cell to an updated cell group different from the cell group of the at least one cell, wherein the at least one second control message does not comprise mobility control information.

18. The wireless device of claim 17, wherein the at least one first control message comprises a configuration parameter of a time alignment timer for each of a plurality of cell groups.

19. The wireless device of claim 17, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the wireless device to start a random access process with the base station if the at least one second control message comprises mobility control information.

20. The wireless device of claim 17, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the wireless device to transmit a random access preamble if the at least one second control message comprises mobility control information.

21. The wireless device of claim 17, wherein, if the at least one second control message comprises mobility control information, the at least one second control message is configured to cause, for the wireless device, a cell category, of the at least one cell, to change from the primary cell to the secondary cell.

22. The wireless device of claim 17, wherein each cell of the plurality of cells comprises a downlink carrier.

23. The wireless device of claim 17, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wireless device to receive, via a cell, a synchronization signal comprising a physical cell identifier of the cell.

24. The wireless device of claim 23, wherein the synchronization signal comprises a primary synchronization signal and a secondary synchronization signal.

25. A method comprising:

receiving, by a wireless device, at least one first control message comprising configuration parameters of a plurality of cells comprising;

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

a second cell group comprising a second subset of the plurality of cells, wherein uplink transmission timing associated with the second cell group is based on a second cell of the second cell group; and

receiving at least one second control message for modifying a cell group of at least one cell, of the plurality of cells and associated with the wireless device, wherein;

if the at least one cell is a primary cell;

the at least one second control message is configured to cause the wireless device to reconfigure the primary cell with an updated cell group different from the cell group of the at least one cell, wherein the at least one second control message comprises mobility control information; and

if the at least one cell is a secondary cell;

the at least one second control message is configured to cause the wireless device to release the secondary cell and add the secondary cell to an updated cell group different from the cell group of the at least one cell, wherein the at least one second control message does not comprise mobility control information.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein each cell of the plurality of cells comprises a downlink carrier.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising receiving, via a cell, a synchronization signal comprising a physical cell identifier of the cell.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the synchronization signal comprises a primary synchronization signal and a secondary synchronization signal.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein, if the at least one second control message comprises mobility control information, the at least one second control message is configured to cause, for the wireless device, a cell category, of the at least one cell, to change from the primary cell to the secondary cell.

30. The method of claim 25, further comprising starting a random access process with a base station if the at least one second control message comprises mobility control information.

31. The method of claim 25, further comprising transmitting a random access preamble if the at least one second control message comprises mobility control information.

32. The method of claim 25, wherein the at least one first control message comprises a configuration parameter of a time alignment timer for each of a plurality of cell groups.

33. 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, to a wireless device, at least one first control message comprising configuration parameters of a plurality of cells comprising;

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

a second cell group comprising a second subset of the plurality of cells, wherein uplink transmission timing associated with the second cell group is based on a second cell of the second cell group; and

transmit at least one second control message for modifying a cell group of at least one cell, of the plurality of cells and associated with the wireless device; and

the wireless device, wherein the wireless device comprises;

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;

receive the at least one second control message, wherein;

if the at least one cell is a primary cell;

 

the at least one second control message is configured to cause the wireless device to reconfigure the primary cell with an updated cell group different from the cell group of the at least one cell, wherein the at least one second control message comprises mobility control information; and

if the at least one cell is a secondary cell;

 

the at least one second control message is configured to cause the wireless device to release the secondary cell and add the secondary cell to an updated cell group different from the cell group of the at least one cell, wherein the at least one second control message does not comprise mobility control information.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the instructions stored in the memory of the base station, when executed by the one or more processors of the base station, cause the base station to transmit, via a cell, a synchronization signal comprising a physical cell identifier of the cell.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the synchronization signal comprises a primary synchronization signal and a secondary synchronization signal.

36. The system of claim 33, wherein, if the at least one second control message comprises mobility control information, the at least one second control message is configured to cause, for the wireless device, a cell category, of the at least one cell, to change from the primary cell to the secondary cell.

37. The system of claim 33, wherein the at least one first control message comprises a configuration parameter of a time alignment timer for each of a plurality of cell groups.

38. The system of claim 33, wherein the instructions stored in the memory of the wireless device, when executed by the one or more processors of the wireless device, further cause the wireless device to transmit a random access preamble if the at least one second control message comprises mobility control information.

39. The system of claim 33, wherein each cell of the plurality of cells comprises a downlink carrier.

40. The system of claim 33, wherein the instructions stored in the memory of the base station, when executed by the one or more processors of the base station, further cause the base station to initiate a random access process for the wireless device if the at least one second control message comprises mobility control information.

41. A method comprising:

transmitting, by a base station and to a wireless device, at least one first control message comprising configuration parameters of a plurality of cells comprising;

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

a second cell group comprising a second subset of the plurality of cells, wherein uplink transmission timing associated with the second cell group is based on a second cell of the second cell group; and

transmitting at least one second control message for modifying a cell group of at least one cell, of the plurality of cells and associated with the wireless device;

receiving, by the wireless device, the at least one second control message, wherein;

if the at least one cell is a primary cell;

the at least one second control message is configured to cause the wireless device to reconfigure the primary cell with an updated cell group different from the cell group of the at least one cell, wherein the at least one second control message comprises mobility control information; and

if the at least one cell is a secondary cell;

the at least one second control message is configured to cause the wireless device to release the secondary cell and add the secondary cell to an updated cell group different from the cell group of the at least one cell, wherein the at least one second control message does not comprise mobility control information.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein each cell of the plurality of cells comprises a downlink carrier.

43. The method of claim 41, further comprising transmitting, via a cell, a synchronization signal comprising a physical cell identifier of the cell.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the synchronization signal comprises a primary synchronization signal and a secondary synchronization signal.

45. The method of claim 41, wherein, if the at least one second control message comprises mobility control information, the at least one second control message is configured to cause, for the wireless device, a cell category, of the at least one cell, to change from the primary cell to the secondary cell.

46. The method of claim 41, further comprising initiating a random access process for the wireless device if the at least one second control message comprises mobility control information.

47. The method of claim 41, wherein the at least one first control message comprises a configuration parameter of a time alignment timer for each of a plurality of cell groups.

48. The method of claim 41, further comprising transmitting, by the wireless device, a random access preamble if the at least one second control message comprises mobility control information.