Paging in Heterogeneous Networks Using Restricted Subframe Patterns

• US 20130114483A1
• Filed: 07/10/2012
• Published: 05/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Suzuki, Takashi
• Granted Patent: US 8,885,509 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/311
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/02 Arrangements for increasing efficiency of notification or paging channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/025 Indirect paging
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/28 Discontinuous transmission [DTX]; Discontinuous reception [DRX]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B

Abstract

A method for operating a UE in a wireless communications network is provided. The method comprises using, by the UE, a frequency parameter of paging frames and a restricted subframe pattern to determine one or more paging frames and occasions to monitor.

Claims

1. A method for operating a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communications network, the method comprising:

using, by the UE, a frequency parameter of paging frames and a restricted subframe pattern to determine one or more paging frames and occasions to monitor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the frequency parameter is the nB parameter in a paging control channel (PCCH) configuration.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, when the one or more paging occasions are not aligned with a restricted subframe, attempting, by the UE, to read paging more than once per every default paging cycle.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the UE, a configuration of the frequency parameter of paging frames for a cell, wherein the frequency parameter is configured based on the restricted subframe pattern received by the UE in a signal transmitted from outside the cell.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the frequency parameter of paging frames is a factor of two or a factor of four times greater than a DRX cycle of the UE.

6. A user equipment (UE) comprising:

a processor configured such that the UE uses a frequency parameter of paging frames and a restricted subframe pattern to determine one or more paging frames and occasions to monitor.

7. The UE of claim 6, wherein the frequency parameter is the nB parameter in a paging control channel (PCCH) configuration.

8. The UE of claim 6, wherein, when the one or more paging occasions are not aligned with a restricted subframe, the UE attempts to read paging more than once per every default paging cycle.

9. The UE of claim 6, wherein the UE receives a configuration of the frequency parameter of paging frames for a cell, wherein the frequency parameter is configured based on the restricted subframe pattern received by the UE in a signal transmitted from outside the cell.

10. The UE of claim 9, wherein the frequency parameter of paging frames is a factor of two or a factor of four times greater than a DRX cycle of the UE.

11. A method for operating a network element in a wireless communications network, the method comprising:

configuring, by the network element, a frequency parameter of paging frames for a cell in which the network element is present, such that the frequency parameter is configured based on a restricted subframe pattern in a signal transmitted in a victim cell.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the network element ensures that at least one paging occasion in a default paging cycle coincides with at least one restricted subframe.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the frequency parameter is a factor of two or a factor of four times greater than a DRX cycle of a user equipment to which the network element transmits the frequency parameter.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the network element is a victim node in a heterogeneous network.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the victim node is at least one of:

a pico cell;

a femto cell;

a relay;

or

a macro cell.

16. A network element in a wireless communications network, the network element comprising:

a processor configured such that the network element configures a frequency parameter of paging frames for a cell in which the network element is present, such that the frequency parameter is configured based on a restricted subframe pattern in a signal transmitted in a victim cell.

17. The network element of claim 16, wherein the network element ensures that at least one paging occasion in a default paging cycle coincides with at least one restricted subframe.

18. The network element of claim 16, wherein the frequency parameter is a factor of two or a factor of four times greater than a DRX cycle of a user equipment to which the network element transmits the frequency parameter.

19. The network element of claim 16, wherein the network element is a victim node in a heterogeneous network.

20. The network element of claim 19, wherein the victim node is at least one of:

a pico cell;

a femto cell;

a relay;

or

a macro cell.

21. A method for operating a user equipment (UE) in a wireless heterogeneous network including a first network element and a second network element, the method comprising:

receiving, by the UE, from the second network element, a pattern of network subframes associated with the first network element; and

reading, by the UE, a paging message in one of a plurality of selected subframes, wherein the interval of the selected subframes is based on a paging frequency parameter, and wherein selected transmissions of the second network element correspond with selected subframes of the pattern of network subframes associated with the first network element.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first network element is an overlay network element and the second network element is an underlay network element.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the first network element is an underlay network element and the second network element is an overlay network element.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the selected subframes of the pattern associated with the first network element have been selected by the first network to promote intercell interference coordination by one of backhaul signaling or almost blank subframes.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising attempting to read, by the UE, a paging message more than once per a default paging cycle, wherein paging occasions do not correspond substantially in time with restricted subframes.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the selected subframes have been aligned by the second network.