Method and apparatus for wireless communication on multiple spectrum bands

• US 8,565,178 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2011
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Cheng, Shan, Taori, Rakesh
• Primary Examiner(s): Rinehart, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): ANWAR, MOHAMMAD S
• Application Number:
  US13/311,153
• Publication Number:
  US 20120307748A1
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• Field of Search: 370/329, 370/330, 370/332
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1812 Hybrid protocols; Hybrid automatic repeat request [HARQ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0005 Time-frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0042 intra-user or intra-terminal allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0053 Allocation of signaling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/006 Quality of the received signal, e.g. BER, SNR, water filling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/1215 for collaboration of different radio technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A method and apparatus for simultaneously communicating on at least two carrier frequencies, of which at least one carrier frequency is a licensed band and at least one carrier frequency is an unlicensed band are provided. The method includes broadcasting an operating status of the unlicensed band to a receiver device; collecting feedback data regarding channel conditions from the receiver device for both the licensed band and unlicensed band; determining, when a bandwidth request is received from the receiver device, whether to use the unlicensed band based on the channel conditions; transmitting an unlicensed band scheduling indication to the receiver device; and communicating with the receiver device using both the licensed band and the unlicensed band according to the transmitted unlicensed band scheduling indication.

Claims

1. A method, performed by a transmitter device, for simultaneously communicating on at least two carrier frequencies, of which at least one carrier frequency is a licensed band and at least one carrier frequency is an unlicensed band, the method comprising:

broadcasting an operating status of the unlicensed band to a receiver device;

collecting feedback data regarding channel conditions from the receiver device for both the licensed band and unlicensed band;

determining, when a bandwidth request is received from the receiver device, whether to use the unlicensed band based on the channel conditions;

transmitting an unlicensed band scheduling indication to the receiver device; and

communicating with the receiver device using both the licensed band and the unlicensed band according to the transmitted unlicensed band scheduling indication.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating with the receiver device comprises:

fragmenting a service data unit into at least two protocol data units;

transmitting a first protocol data unit using the licensed band; and

transmitting a second protocol data unit using the unlicensed band.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein fragmenting the service data unit is performed in a Medium Access Control (MAC) layer or another layer higher than the MAC layer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the operating status includes at least one of unlicensed operation capability parameters and a current operating status,

wherein the unlicensed operation capability parameters include a first operating carrier frequency, a first supported wireless protocol and a first supported bandwidth, and

wherein the current operating status includes a second operating carrier frequency, a second supported wireless protocol, and a second supported bandwidth at which the base transmitter device is currently operating.

5. A method, performed by a receiver device, for simultaneously communicating over at least two carrier frequencies, of which at least one carrier frequency is a licensed band and at least one carrier frequency is an unlicensed band, the method comprising of:

receiving an operating status of the unlicensed band from a transmitter device;

transmitting feedback data regarding channel conditions to the transmitter device for both the licensed band and unlicensed band;

transmitting a bandwidth request to the transmitter device;

receiving an unlicensed band scheduling indication from the transmitter device; and

communicating with the transmitter device using both the licensed band and the unlicensed band according to received the unlicensed band scheduling information.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein communicating with the transmitter device comprises:

receiving a first protocol data unit using the licensed band;

receiving a second protocol data unit using the unlicensed band; and

combining the received protocol data units into at least one service data unit.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein combining the received protocol data units is performed in a Medium Access Control (MAC) layer or another layer higher than the MAC layer.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the operating status includes at least one of unlicensed operation capability parameters and a current operating status,

wherein the unlicensed operation capability parameters include a first operating carrier frequency, a first supported wireless protocol, and a first supported bandwidth, and

wherein the current operating status includes a second operating carrier frequency, a second supported wireless protocol, and a second supported bandwidth at which the base station is currently operating.

9. A transmitter for simultaneously communicating on at least two carrier frequencies, of which at least one carrier frequency is a licensed band and at least one carrier frequency is an unlicensed band, the transmitter comprising:

a first radio frequency component for operating at the licensed band;

a second radio frequency component for operating at the unlicensed band; and

a controller for performing at least one of a first operation of broadcasting an operating status of the unlicensed band to a receiver and a second operation of collecting feedback data regarding channel conditions from the receiver for both the licensed band and unlicensed band, determining, when a bandwidth request is received from the receiver, whether to use the unlicensed band based on the channel conditions, transmitting an unlicensed band scheduling indication to the receiver, and communicating with the receiver using both the licensed band and the unlicensed band.

10. The transmitter of claim 9, wherein the controller fragments a service data unit into at least two protocol data units, transmits a first protocol data unit using the licensed band, and transmits a second protocol data unit using the unlicensed band.

11. The transmitter of claim 10, wherein fragmenting the service data unit is performed in a Medium Access Control (MAC) layer or another layer higher than the MAC layer.

12. The transmitter of claim 9, wherein the operating status includes at least one of unlicensed operation capability parameters and a current operating status,

wherein the unlicensed operation capability parameters includes a first operating carrier frequency, a first supported wireless protocol, and a first supported bandwidth, and

wherein the current operating status includes a second operating carrier frequency, a second supported wireless protocol, and a second supported bandwidth at which the base station is currently operating.

13. A receiver for simultaneously communicating on at least two carrier frequencies, of which at least one carrier frequency is a licensed band and at least one carrier frequency is an unlicensed band, the receiver comprising:

a first radio frequency component for operating at the licensed band;

a second radio frequency component for operating at the unlicensed band; and

a controller for receiving an operating status of the unlicensed band from a transmitter, transmitting feedback data regarding on channel conditions to the transmitter for both the licensed band and unlicensed band, transmitting a bandwidth request to the transmitter, receiving an unlicensed band scheduling indication from the transmitter, and communicating with the transmitter using both the licensed band and the unlicensed band.

14. The receiver of claim 13, wherein the controller receives a first protocol data unit using the licensed band, receives a second protocol data unit using the unlicensed band, and combines the at least two received protocol data units into at least one service data unit.

15. The receiver of claim 14, wherein combining the received protocol data unit is performed in a Medium Access Control (MAC) layer or another layer higher than the MAC layer.

16. The receiver of claim 13, wherein the operating status includes at least one of unlicensed operation capability parameters and a current operating status,

wherein the unlicensed operation capability parameters include a first operating carrier frequency, a first supported wireless protocol, and a first supported bandwidth, and

wherein the current operating status including a second operating carrier frequency, a second supported wireless protocol, and a second supported bandwidth at which the base station is currently operating.