Sharing channels in a licensed-assisted access in long term evolution operation

• US 9,992,787 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2017
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Suzuki, Takashi, Vutukuri, Eswar, Anderson, Nicholas William, Smadi, Mohammed Nawaf, Hole, David Philip, Barrett, Stephen John
• Primary Examiner(s): Lam, Yee
• Application Number:
  US15/425,592
• Publication Number:
  US 20170150515A1
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/1215 for collaboration of different radio technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0808 using carrier sensing, e.g. carrier sense multiple access [CSMA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A channel sharing method includes determining a starting time for transmission on an LAA-LTE channel. A length of a hybrid preamble is determined based on the starting time and a predetermined transmission time boundary. Subsequent to determining the length of the hybrid preamble, the hybrid preamble having the determined length is transmitted. Subsequent to the hybrid preamble, a Long Term Evolution (LTE) signal is transmitted.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting on a Licensed-Assisted Access in Long Term Evolution (LAA-LTE) channel, comprising:

determining a starting time for transmission on the LAA-LTE channel, wherein the LAA-LTE channel is an unlicensed carrier that is configured for a Licensed-Assisted operation;

determining a length of a preamble based on the starting time and based on a predetermined transmission time boundary;

transmitting, by an evolved Node B (eNB) and subsequent to determining the length of the preamble, the preamble having the determined length, wherein the preamble is transmitted in a first subframe that is prior to the predetermined transmission time boundary, and the preamble is transmitted during a time period corresponding to a subset of fewer than all orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols within the first subframe;

transmitting, subsequent to transmitting the preamble, a Long Term Evolution (LTE) signal, wherein the LTE signal is transmitted in a second subframe different than the first subframe, the second subframe being after the predetermined transmission time boundary;

transmitting, to a user equipment (UE), a transmission grant including an indication that grants a transmission of a second LTE signal without a preceding preamble, wherein the second LTE signal is transmitted on the unlicensed carrier of the LAA-LTE channel; and

in response to transmitting the transmission grant, receiving, from the UE and on the unlicensed carrier of the LAA-LTE channel, the second LTE signal without the preceding preamble.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined transmission time boundary is a Transmission Time Interval (TTI) boundary.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the preamble comprises a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) Compatible Section (WCS) that indicates a length of the LTE signal.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the length of the preamble is equal to a duration of the WCS.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the preamble comprises a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) Compatible Section (WCS) and a Variable Length Section (VLS), and wherein the WCS indicates a length of the LTE signal and the VLS has a length that is determined based on a difference between the length of the preamble and a length of the WCS.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the length of the preamble is larger than the length of the WCS.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the preamble comprises a Variable Length Section (VLS) having a length that is determined based on the length of the preamble.

8. A base station, comprising:

a memory; and

at least one hardware processor communicatively coupled with the memory and configured to;

determine a starting time for transmission on a Licensed-Assisted Access in Long Term Evolution (LAA-LTE) channel, wherein the LAA-LTE channel is an unlicensed carrier that is configured for a Licensed-Assisted operation;

determine a length of a preamble based on the starting time and based on a predetermined transmission time boundary;

transmit, subsequent to determination of the length of the preamble, the preamble having the determined length, wherein the preamble is transmitted in a first subframe that is prior to the predetermined transmission time boundary, and the preamble is transmitted during a time period corresponding to a subset of fewer than all orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols within the first subframe;

transmit, subsequent to transmission of the preamble, a Long Term Evolution (LTE) signal, wherein the LTE signal is transmitted in a second subframe different than the first subframe, the second subframe being after the predetermined transmission time boundary;

transmit, to a user equipment (UE), a transmission grant including an indication that grants a transmission of a second LTE signal without a preceding preamble, wherein the second LTE signal is transmitted on the unlicensed carrier of the LAA-LTE channel; and

in response to transmission of the transmission grant, receive, from the UE and on the unlicensed carrier of the LAA-LTE channel, the second LTE signal without the preceding preamble.

9. The base station of claim 8, wherein the predetermined transmission time boundary is a Transmission Time Interval (TTI) boundary.

10. The base station of claim 8, wherein the preamble comprises a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) Compatible Section (WCS) that indicates a length of the LTE signal, and wherein the length of the preamble is equal to a duration of the WCS.

11. The base station of claim 8, wherein the preamble comprises a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) Compatible Section (WCS) and a Variable Length Section (VLS), and wherein the WCS indicates a length of the LTE signal and the VLS has a length that is determined based on a difference between the length of the preamble and a length of the WCS, and wherein the length of the preamble is larger than the length of the WCS.

12. The base station of claim 8, wherein the preamble comprises a Variable Length Section (VLS) having a length that is determined based on the length of the preamble.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions which, when executed, cause a computing device to perform operations comprising:

determining a starting time for transmission on a Licensed-Assisted Access in Long Term Evolution (LAA-LTE) channel, wherein the LAA-LTE channel is an unlicensed carrier that is configured for a Licensed-Assisted operation;

determining a length of a preamble based on the starting time and based on a predetermined transmission time boundary;

transmitting, by an evolved Node B (eNB) and subsequent to determining the length of the preamble, the preamble having the determined length, wherein the preamble is transmitted in a first subframe that is prior to the predetermined transmission time boundary, and the preamble is transmitted during a time period corresponding to a subset of fewer than all orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols within the first subframe;

transmitting, subsequent to transmitting the preamble, a Long Term Evolution (LTE) signal, wherein the LTE signal is transmitted in a second subframe different than the first subframe, the second subframe being after the predetermined transmission time boundary;

transmitting, to a user equipment (UE), a transmission grant including an indication that grants a transmission of a second LTE signal without a preceding preamble, wherein the second LTE signal is transmitted on the unlicensed carrier of the LAA-LTE channel; and

in response to transmitting the transmission grant, receiving, from the UE and on the unlicensed carrier of the LAA-LTE channel, the second LTE signal without the preceding preamble.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the predetermined transmission time boundary is a Transmission Time Interval (TTI) boundary.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the preamble comprises a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) Compatible Section (WCS) that indicates a length of the LTE signal, and wherein the length of the preamble is equal to a duration of the WCS.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the preamble comprises a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) Compatible Section (WCS) and a Variable Length Section (VLS), and wherein the WCS indicates a length of the LTE signal and the VLS has a length that is determined based on a difference between the length of the preamble and a length of the WCS, and wherein the length of the preamble is larger than the length of the WCS.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the preamble comprises a Variable Length Section (VLS) having a length that is determined based on the length of the preamble.