Method and apparatus for configuring sounding signals in a wireless communication network

• US 10,264,569 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2017
• Issued: 04/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Dahlman, Erik, Jading, Ylva, Parkvall, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Lafontant, Gary
• Application Number:
  US15/483,171
• Publication Number:
  US 20170223679A1
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0051 of dedicated pilots, i.e. pilots destined for a single user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/1268 of uplink data flows
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

The teachings presented herein propose a separation between the configuration of a sounding signal, and the initialization of the sounding signal. In other words, in at least one example embodiment proposed herein, a base station or other controlling entity sends, to a mobile station, an explicit or implicit indication that causes the mobile station to transmit a sounding signal according to sounding signal configuration parameters that at least a portion of which were previously and separately sent to the mobile station.

Claims

1. A method performed by a base station of controlling the transmission of sounding signals by a mobile station operating in a wireless communication network, comprising:

sending, to the mobile station, an explicit or implicit indication that causes the mobile station to transmit a sounding signal according to sounding signal configuration parameters that at least a portion of which were previously and separately sent to the mobile station.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said sending the indication is responsive to determining to initiate a sounding signal transmission by the mobile station.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said determining is based on a change in a configuration of a radio link between the base station and mobile station.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said determining is based on a change in channel conditions on a radio link between the base station and the mobile station.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein said determining is based on an expiration of a certain time period.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said sending the implicit indication includes sending an uplink scheduling grant.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said sending the explicit indication includes sending a sounding signal initiation command via downlink signaling.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said sending the indication is via medium access control (MAC) signaling.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said sending the indication includes sending a remaining portion or an updated portion of the configuration parameters.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein a rate in which the base station sends at least the portion of the configuration parameters is less than a rate in which the base station sends the indication.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending, to the mobile station, at least the portion of the configuration parameters prior to said sending the indication.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said sending at least the portion of the configuration parameters is via radio resource control (RRC) signaling.

13. A base station configured to control the transmission of sounding signals by a mobile station, comprising:

send, to the mobile station, an explicit or implicit indication that causes the mobile station to transmit a sounding signal according to sounding signal configuration parameters that at least a portion of which were previously and separately sent to the mobile station.

14. A method performed by a mobile station configured for operation in a wireless communication network, said method comprising:

receiving, from a base station in the wireless communication network, an explicit or implicit indication that causes the mobile station to transmit a sounding signal according to sounding signal configuration parameters that at least a portion of which were previously and separately received by the mobile station.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said receiving the implicit indication includes receiving an uplink scheduling grant.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said receiving the explicit indication includes receiving a sounding signal initiation command via downlink signaling.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said receiving the indication is via medium access control (MAC) signaling.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein said receiving the indication includes receiving a remaining portion or an updated portion of the configuration parameters.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein a rate in which the mobile station receives at least the portion of the configuration parameters is less than a rate in which the mobile station receives the indication.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein said receiving at least the portion of the configuration parameters is via radio resource control (RRC) signaling.

21. A mobile station configured for operation in a wireless communication network, comprising:

receiving, from a base station in the wireless communication network, an explicit or implicit indication that causes the mobile station to transmit a sounding signal according to sounding signal configuration parameters that at least a portion of which were previously and separately received by the mobile station.