Apparatus and method for performing uplink synchronization wireless communication system

• US 10,952,165 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2020
• Issued: 03/16/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Kwon, Ki Bum, Jung, Myung Cheul, Ahn, Jae Hyun
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao, Kwang B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bokhari, Syed M
• Application Number:
  US16/796,257
• Publication Number:
  US 20200196262A1
• Time in Patent Office: 390 Days
• Field of Search: 370350, 370329
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/06 Optimizing the usage of the radio link, e.g. header compression, information sizing , discarding information system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0005 synchronizing of arrival of multiple uplinks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/001 Synchronization between nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0015 one node acting as a reference for the others
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0045 compensating for timing error by altering transmission time
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/006 in the downlink, i.e. towards the terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0833 Random access procedures, e.g. with 4-step access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

This specification relates to an apparatus and method for performing random access in a wireless communication system. This specification discloses a mobile station, including a reception unit for receiving TAG configuration information on which at least one serving cell configured in the mobile station is classified as a Timing Alignment Group (TAG) from a base station and a transmission unit for transmitting a random access preamble to the base station on one representative serving cell within the TAG. In accordance with this specification, a procedure of obtaining a TAV for a serving cell in order to secure and maintain uplink timing synchronization becomes clear, the time taken to obtain uplink synchronization for a serving cell may be reduced, and overhead due to excessive random access attempts may be reduced by obtaining a TAV for a plurality of serving cells through one random access procedure.

Claims

1. A user equipment (UE) configured for performing an uplink synchronization on first and second serving cells in a wireless communication system, the UE comprising:

wireless communication circuitry; and

one or more processors coupled to the wireless communication circuitry, wherein the one or more processors are configured to cause the UE to;

receive resource control (RRC) configuration for carrier aggregation of the first and second serving cells;

receive resource control (RRC) configuration for an extended physical downlink control channel (EPDCCH) for the second serving cell from a base station (B S), wherein the RRC configuration configures the UE with a search space for EPDCCH reception on the second serving cell;

receive, in a first subframe containing a first control region and a first data region, an initiation indicator of a first non-contention random access procedure to obtain uplink timing on the first serving cell via the PDCCH in the first control region; and

receive, in a second subframe containing a second control region and a second data region, an initiation indicator of a second non-contention random access procedure to obtain uplink timing on the second serving cell via only the EPDCCH in the second data region, wherein the UE does not receive the PDCCH in the second control region.

2. The UE of claim 1, wherein the EPDCCH consists of a resource block pair.

3. The UE of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the UE to:

transmit a random access preamble on an uplink component carrier for the for second serving cell in response to the initiation indicator.

4. The UE of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the UE to:

receive a timing advance command for the second serving cell.

5. The UE of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the UE to:

receive a timing advance command for a timing advance group (TAG) to which the second serving cell belongs; and

control the uplink timing adjustment for at least the second serving cell, in the TAG.

6. The UE of claim 5, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the UE to:

control the uplink timing adjustment for a third serving cell, in the TAG.

7. The UE of claim 1, wherein the uplink timing on the second serving cell is different than the first serving cell.

8. A method for a user equipment (UE) performing an uplink synchronization on first and second serving cells in a wireless communication system, comprising:

by the UE;

receiving resource control (RRC) configuration for carrier aggregation of the first and second serving cells;

receiving resource control (RRC) configuration for an extended physical downlink control channel (EPDCCH) for the second serving cell from a base station (BS), wherein the RRC configuration configures the UE with a search space for EPDCCH reception on the second serving cell;

receiving, in a first subframe containing a first control region and a first data region, an initiation indicator of a first non-contention random access procedure to obtain uplink timing on the first serving cell via the PDCCH in the first control region; and

receiving, in a second subframe containing a second control region and a second data region, an initiation indicator of a second non-contention random access procedure to obtain uplink timing on the second serving cell via only the EPDCCH in the second data region, wherein the UE does not receive the PDCCH in the second control region.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the EPDCCH consists of a resource block pair.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

transmitting a random access preamble on an uplink component carrier for the for second serving cell in response to the initiation indicator.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a timing advance command for the second serving cell.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a timing advance command for a timing advance group (TAG) to which the second serving cell belongs; and

controlling the uplink timing adjustment for at least the second serving cell, in the TAG.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

controlling the uplink timing adjustment for a third serving cell, in the TAG.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the uplink timing on the second serving cell is different than the first serving cell.

15. An apparatus comprising:

one or more processors, configured to cause a user equipment (UE) to;

receive resource control (RRC) configuration for carrier aggregation of first and second serving cells;

receive resource control (RRC) configuration for an extended physical downlink control channel (EPDCCH) for the second serving cell from a base station (BS), wherein the RRC configuration configures the UE with a search space for EPDCCH reception on the second serving cell;

receive, in a first subframe containing a first control region and a first data region, an initiation indicator of a first non-contention random access procedure to obtain uplink timing on the first serving cell via the PDCCH in the first control region; and

receive, in a second subframe containing a second control region and a second data region, an initiation indicator of a second non-contention random access procedure to obtain uplink timing on the second serving cell via only the EPDCCH in the second data region, wherein the UE does not receive the PDCCH in the second control region.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the EPDCCH consists of a resource block pair.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

transmit a random access preamble on an uplink component carrier for the second serving cell in response to the initiation indicator.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

receive a timing advance command for the second serving cell.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

receive a timing advance command for a timing advance group (TAG) to which the second serving cell belongs;

control the uplink timing adjustment for at least the second serving cell, in the TAG; and

control the uplink timing adjustment for a third serving cell, in the TAG.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the uplink timing on the second serving cell is different than the first serving cell.