System and scheme of scalable OFDM numerology

• US 10,038,581 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2016
• Issued: 07/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Zhang, Liqing, Au, Kelvin Kar Kin, Ma, Jianglei, Tong, Wen, Islam, Toufiqul
• Primary Examiner(s): Neff, Michael
• Application Number:
  US15/169,553
• Publication Number:
  US 20160352551A1
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 375260
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/26025 Numerology, i.e. varying one or more of symbol duration, subcarrier spacing, Fourier transform size, sampling rate or down-clocking allocating sub-channels of the transmission path H04L5/003
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2646 using feedback from receiver for adjusting OFDM transmission parameters, e.g. transmission timing or guard interval length
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0007 the frequencies being orthogonal, e.g. OFDM(A), DMT

Abstract

For a wireless communications system, scalable orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) numerology is incorporated in a manner that can apply to radio link transmissions in future wireless network for frequency division duplex (FDD) and time division duplex (TDD) communications.

Claims

1. A method for configuring communications, with a communication device, using orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM), the method comprising:

receiving an indication of a first parameter for a value of a first subcarrier spacing and a value of a first sub-frame duration for a first type of numerology signal to be applied to a first sub-frame of OFDM symbols; and

transmitting a signal configured according to the first type of numerology signal on a first frequency sub-band;

wherein the value of the first subcarrier spacing has scaled relationship to a value of a second subcarrier spacing and the value of the first sub-frame duration has a scaled relationship to a value of a second sub-frame duration, the second subcarrier spacing and the second sub-frame duration for a second type of numerology signal to be applied to a second sub-frame of OFDM symbols, wherein the scaled relationship of the value of the first subcarrier spacing to the second subcarrier spacing involves multiplication by a first scaling factor, and the scaled relationship of the value of the first sub-frame duration to the second sub-frame duration involves multiplication by a second scaling factor, and wherein the first scaling factor is a reciprocal of the second scaling factor, and wherein the first subcarrier spacing or the second subcarrier spacing is one of 15 kHz, 30 kHz, 60 kHz, 120 kHz, or 240 kHz.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving an indication of a second parameter for the value of the second subcarrier spacing and the value of the second sub-frame duration, and transmitting a signal configured according to the second type of numerology signal on a second frequency sub-band concurrently with the transmitting of the signal configured according to the first type of numerology signal on the first frequency sub-band.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the first sub-frame duration comprises a sum of the duration of an OFDM symbol useful part and a cyclic prefix part for all of the OFDM symbols in the first sub-frame, and the second sub-frame duration comprises a sum of the duration of an OFDM symbol useful part and a cyclic prefix part for all of the OFDM symbols in the second sub-frame, and the method comprises receiving the indication of the first parameter for a value of a first cyclic prefix duration for the first type of numerology signal and receiving the indication of the second parameter for a value of a second cyclic prefix duration to be applied to the second for the first type of numerology signal, wherein the first cyclic prefix duration has a scaled relationship to the value of the second cyclic prefix duration.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the first sub-frame and second sub-frame are each transmitted in a first frequency sub-band, the method further comprising:

receiving an indication of a third parameter for a value of a third subcarrier spacing, and a value of a third sub-frame duration for a third type of numerology signal to be applied to a third sub-frame of OFDM symbols, wherein the third sub-frame duration is an integer multiple of one or both of the first and second sub-frame durations, and the third sub-frame is transmitted in a second frequency sub-band concurrently with the first or second sub-frames.

5. A user equipment configured for orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM), the user equipment comprising:

a memory storing instructions; and

a processor configured, by the instructions, to;

receive an indication of a first parameter for a value of a first subcarrier spacing and a value of a first sub-frame duration for a first type of numerology signal; and

transmit a signal configured according to the first type of numerology signal on a first frequency sub-band;

wherein the value of the first subcarrier spacing has scaled relationship to a value of a second subcarrier spacing and the value of the first sub-frame duration has a scaled relationship to a value of a second sub-frame duration, the second subcarrier spacing and the second sub-frame duration for a second type of numerology signal to be applied to a second sub-frame of OFDM symbols, wherein the scaled relationship of the value of the first subcarrier spacing to the second subcarrier spacing involves multiplication by a first scaling factor and the scaled relationship of the value of the first sub-frame duration to the second sub-frame duration involves multiplication by a second scaling factor, and wherein the first scaling factor is a reciprocal of the second scaling factor, and wherein the first subcarrier spacing or the second subcarrier spacing is one of 15 kHz, 30 kHz, 60 kHz, 120 kHz, or 240 kHz.

6. The user equipment of claim 5 wherein the processor is further configured, by the instructions, to receive an indication of a second parameter for the value of the second subcarrier spacing and the value of the second sub-frame duration, and to transmit a signal configured according to the second type of numerology signal on a second frequency sub-band concurrently with the transmitting the signal configured according to the first type of numerology signal on the first frequency sub-band.

7. The user equipment of claim 6 wherein the first numerology signal and second numerology signal each have a defined number of OFDM symbols in a sub-frame, the first sub-frame duration comprises a sum of the duration of an OFDM symbol useful part and a cyclic prefix part for all of the OFDM symbols in the first sub-frame.

8. The user equipment of claim 7 wherein the processor is configured to receive the indication of the first parameter for a value of a first cyclic prefix duration for the first type of numerology signal and to receive the indication of the second parameter for a value of a second cyclic prefix duration to be applied to the second for the first type of numerology signal, wherein the first cyclic prefix duration has a scaled relationship to the value of the second cyclic prefix duration.

9. The user equipment of claim 6 wherein the first sub-frame and second sub-frame are each transmitted in a first frequency sub-band, the processor being further configured to:

receive an indication of a third parameter for a value of a third subcarrier spacing, and a value of a third sub-frame duration for a third type of numerology signal to be applied to a third sub-frame of OFDM symbols, wherein the third sub-frame duration is an integer multiple of one or both of the first and second sub-frame durations, and the third sub-frame is transmitted in a second frequency sub-band concurrently with the first or second sub-frames.

10. A method for configuring communications, with a communication device, using orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM), the method comprising:

transmitting an indication of a first parameter for a value of a first subcarrier spacing and a value of a first sub-frame duration for a first type of numerology signal; and

receiving a signal configured according to the first type of numerology signal on a first frequency sub-band;

wherein the value of the first subcarrier spacing has scaled relationship to a value of a second subcarrier spacing and the value of the first sub-frame duration has a scaled relationship to a value of a second sub-frame duration, the second subcarrier spacing and the second sub-frame duration for a second type of numerology signal to be applied to a second sub-frame of OFDM symbols, wherein the scaled relationship of the value of the first subcarrier spacing to the second subcarrier spacing involves multiplication by a first scaling factor and the scaled relationship of the value of the first sub-frame duration to the second sub-frame duration involves multiplication by a second scaling factor, and wherein the first scaling factor is a reciprocal of the second scaling factor, and wherein the first subcarrier spacing or the second subcarrier spacing is one of 15 kHz, 30 kHz, 60 kHz, 120 kHz, or 240 kHz.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising transmitting an indication of a second parameter for the value of the second subcarrier spacing and the value of the second sub-frame duration, and receiving a signal configured according to the second type of numerology signal on a second frequency sub-band concurrently with the receiving of the signal configured according to the first type of numerology signal on the first frequency sub-band.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the first sub-frame duration comprises a sum of the duration of an OFDM symbol useful part and a cyclic prefix part for a defined number of OFDM symbols, the method further comprises transmitting the indication of the first parameter for a value of a first cyclic prefix duration for the first type of numerology signal and transmitting the indication of the second parameter for a value of a second cyclic prefix duration to be applied to the second for the first type of numerology signal, wherein the first cyclic prefix duration has a scaled relationship to the value of the second cyclic prefix duration.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the first sub-frame and second sub-frame are each transmitted in a first frequency sub-band, the method comprising:

transmitting an indication of a third parameter for a value of a third subcarrier spacing, and a value of a third sub-frame duration for a third type of numerology signal to be applied to a third sub-frame of OFDM symbols, wherein the third sub-frame duration is an integer multiple of one or both of the first and second sub-frame durations, and the third sub-frame is transmitted in a second frequency sub-band concurrently with the first or second sub-frames.

14. A base station configured for orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM), the base station comprising:

a memory storing instructions; and

a processor configured, by the instructions, to;

transmit an indication of a first parameter for a value of a first subcarrier spacing and a value of a first sub-frame duration for a first type of numerology signal; and

receive a signal configured according to the first type of numerology signal on a first frequency sub-band;

wherein the value of the first subcarrier spacing has scaled relationship to a value of a second subcarrier spacing and the value of the first sub-frame duration has a scaled relationship to a value of a second sub-frame duration, the second subcarrier spacing and the second sub-frame duration for a second type of numerology signal to be applied to a second sub-frame of OFDM symbols, wherein the scaled relationship of the value of the first subcarrier spacing to the second subcarrier spacing involves multiplication by a first scaling factor and the scaled relationship of the value of the first sub-frame duration to the second sub-frame duration involves multiplication by a second scaling factor, and wherein the first scaling factor is reciprocal of the second scaling factor, and wherein the first subcarrier spacing or the second subcarrier spacing is one of 15 kHz, 30 kHz, 60 kHz, 120 kHz, or 240 kHz.

15. The base station of claim 14 wherein the processor is further configured, by the instructions, to transmit an indication of a second parameter for the value of the second subcarrier spacing and the value of the second sub-frame duration, and to receive a signal configured according to the second type of numerology signal on a second frequency sub-band concurrently with receiving the signal configured according to the first type of numerology signal on the first frequency sub-band.

16. The base station of claim 15 wherein the first sub-frame duration comprises the duration of an OFDM symbol useful part and a cyclic prefix part, and wherein the processor is configured to transmit the indication of the first parameter for a value of a first cyclic prefix duration for the first type of numerology signal and transmit the indication of the second parameter for a value of a second cyclic prefix duration to be applied to the second for the first type of numerology signal, wherein the first cyclic prefix duration has a scaled relationship to the value of the second cyclic prefix duration.

17. The base station of claim 15 wherein the first sub-frame and second sub-frame are each transmitted in a first frequency sub-band, the processor being further configured to:

transmit an indication of a third parameter for a value of a third subcarrier spacing, and a value of a third sub-frame duration for a third type of numerology signal to be applied to a third sub-frame of OFDM symbols, wherein the third sub-frame duration is an integer multiple of one or both of the first and second sub-frame durations, and the third sub-frame is transmitted in a second frequency sub-band concurrently with the first or second sub-frames.

18. A device for transmitting information in a wireless network, comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing executable instructions and at least a first set parameters for a first type of OFDM signal associated with a first subcarrier spacing and a first sub-frame duration and a second set of parameters for a second type of OFDM signal associated with a second subcarrier spacing and a second sub-frame duration, wherein a value of the first subcarrier spacing has scaled relationship to a value of the second subcarrier spacing and a value of the first sub-frame duration has a scaled relationship to a value of the second sub-frame duration,

the executable instructions, when executed, causing the device to;

selectively apply either the first set of parameters or the second set of parameters to OFDM symbols transmitted by the device, wherein the scaled relationship of the value of the first subcarrier spacing to the second subcarrier spacing involves multiplication by a first scaling factor and the scaled relationship of the value of the first sub-frame duration to the second sub-frame duration involves multiplication by a second scaling factor, and wherein the first scaling factor is a reciprocal of the second scaling factor, and wherein the first subcarrier spacing or the second subcarrier spacing is one of 15 kHz, 30 kHz, 60 kHz, 120 kHz, or 240 kHz.

19. The device of claim 18 wherein the first sub-frame duration that corresponds to a total transmission time duration for transmitting a specified number of OFDM symbols using the first set of parameters, and the second sub-frame duration that corresponds to a total transmission time duration for transmitting the same specified number of OFDM symbols using the second set of parameters.

20. The device of claim 19 wherein the device is configured to apply the first set of parameters to OFDM symbols transmitted in a first frequency sub-band and apply the second set of parameters to OFDM symbols transmitted in a second frequency sub-band.

21. The device of claim 20 wherein the device is configured to transmit concurrently in the first and second frequency sub-bands.

22. The device of claim 18 wherein the device is a user equipment device.

23. The device of claim 22 wherein the device is configured to apply the first set of parameters to OFDM symbols intended for a first base station and the second set of parameters to OFDM symbols intended for a second base station.

24. The device of claim 22 wherein the device is configured to selectively apply either the first set of parameters or the second set of parameters based on information received through the wireless network from one or more base stations.

25. The device of claim 18 wherein the device is a base station.

26. The device of claim 18 wherein each OFDM symbol transmitted using the first set of parameters each commence on a time boundary that aligns with an OFDM symbol transmitted using the second set of parameters.