Transmission of System Information on a Downlink Shared Channel

• US 20150181600A1
• Filed: 03/05/2015
• Published: 06/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Dahlman, Erik, Kenehan, Vera Vukajlovic
• Granted Patent: US 9,532,355 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/08 by repeating transmission, e.g. Verdan system H04L1/1858 and H04L1/189 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2001/0093 Point-to-multipoint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0007 the frequencies being orthogonal, e.g. OFDM(A), DMT
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/12 using downlink control channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method of transmitting system information on a downlink shared channel structured as successive subframes includes transmitting (400-416) system information in regularly occurring time windows, each time window spanning some number of successive subframes. The method further includes indicating (406/408) to receiving user equipment (120) which subframes within a given time window carry system information. The method and variations of it are applied, for example, to the transmission of dynamic system information on the downlink shared channel or other downlink channel in a 3GPP E-UTRA wireless communication network (100).

Claims

1. A method of transmitting system information on the downlink of a wireless communication network comprising:

transmitting system information in recurring time windows overlaid on a sequence of transmit channel subframes;

dynamically selecting which subframes within a given time window are to be used for carrying the system information; and

including an indicator in each of the selected subframes to indicate to receiving user equipment that the subframe carries system information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein dynamically selecting which subframes within a given time window are to be used for carrying system information comprises selecting a contiguous set of subframes within the given time window.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein dynamically selecting which subframes within a given time window are to be used for carrying system information comprises selecting a non-contiguous set of subframes within the given time window.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein dynamically selecting which subframes within a given time window are to be used for carrying system information comprises selecting which subframes to use for transmitting system information in view of competing transmission priorities associated with other control or data signaling.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein including an indicator in each of the selected subframes to indicate to receiving user equipment that the subframe carries system information comprises using an RNTI (Radio Network Temporary Identifier) to denote that the subframe carries system information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein including an indicator in each of the selected subframes to indicate to receiving user equipment that the subframe carries system information includes using an end-of-system-information indicator in a last subframe of the given time window that carries system information.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising varying window sizes of the recurring time windows.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising dynamically configuring a window size for the recurring time windows.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein including an indicator in each of the selected subframes to indicate to receiving user equipment that the subframe carries system information includes using different indicators corresponding to different types of system information, such that the indicator used for a particular subframe indicates the type of system information carried in that subframe.

10. A network transmitter comprising a baseband processor configured to:

generate system information in recurring time windows overlaid on a sequence of transmit channel subframes;

dynamically select which subframes within a given time window are to be used for carrying system information; and

include an indicator in each of the selected subframes to indicate to receiving user equipment that the subframe carries system information.

11. The network transmitter of claim 10, wherein the network transmitter comprises a radio base station configured for operation in accordance with 3GPP E-UTRA standards.

12. A method of transmitting system information on a downlink shared channel structured as successive subframes, the method comprising:

transmitting system information in regularly occurring time windows, each time window spanning some number of successive subframes; and

indicating to receiving user equipment which subframes within a given time window carry system information.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein indicating to receiving user equipment which subframes within a given time window carry system information includes indicating the last subframe within the given time window that carries system information, thereby allowing the receiving user equipment to cease monitoring for system information within the given time window.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising dynamically selecting which subframes within a given time window are to be used for carrying system information.

15. A method for a mobile station to receive system information from a supporting wireless communication network, the method comprising:

beginning monitoring for the receipt of system information at the start of each time window in a succession of recurring time windows used for the transmission of system information, each said time window spanning a number of signal subframes;

within each time window, monitoring each signal subframe for an indication of system information and reading system information from the signal subframe if such information is present; and

terminating monitoring at least at the end of the time window.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising recognizing an end-of-system-information indicator in a signal subframe received within the time window and terminating monitoring for the time window in response.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising adapting to changing or configurable window sizes used for the time window.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising storing a default window size for monitoring for system information transmissions.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising monitoring for system information transmissions based on a specified window size indicated in received information rather than the default window size.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising recognizing different types of system information based on recognizing different system information indicators in different signal subframes.

21. A mobile station comprising a baseband processor operable to:

begin monitoring for the receipt of system information at the start of each time window in a succession of recurring time windows used for the transmission of system information, each said time window spanning a number of signal subframes;

within each time window, monitor each signal subframe for an indication of system information and reading system information from the signal subframe if such information is present; and

terminate monitoring at least at the end of the time window.

22. The mobile station of claim 21, wherein the baseband processor is operable to recognize an end-of-system-information indicator in a signal subframe received within the time window and terminate monitoring for the time window in response.

23. The mobile station of claim 21, wherein the baseband processor is operable to adapt to changing or configurable window sizes used for the time window.

24. The mobile station of claim 21, wherein the baseband processor is operable to monitor for system information transmissions based on a specified window size indicated in received information rather than a default window size.

25. The mobile station of claim 21, wherein the baseband processor is operable to recognize different types of system information based on different system information indicators detected in different signal subframes.