TDD operation in wireless communication systems

• US 8,780,790 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2009
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Sarkar, Sandip
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Jay P
• Application Number:
  US12/349,251
• Publication Number:
  US 20090180435A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,016 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/14 Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0035 detecting errors in frequency or phase
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation

Abstract

A method provides a wireless frame protocol. The method includes communicating a transmission interval that facilitates switching between a downlink portion and an uplink portion of a wireless communications channel. The method employs one or more guard periods during the transmission interval to mitigate overlap of transmitting frequencies between the downlink and uplink portions of the wireless communications channel.

Claims

1. A method to provide a wireless protocol, comprising:

communicating a transmission interval that facilitates switching between a downlink portion and an uplink portion of a wireless communications channel; and

employing one or more guard periods during the transmission interval to mitigate overlap of transmitting frequencies between the downlink and uplink portions of the wireless communications channel, wherein the one or more guard periods include at least one downlink pilot transmission structure (DwPTS), wherein the at least one DwPTS includes a control portion, and wherein the control portion is followed by a first synchronization signal and preceded by a second synchronization signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the guard periods include time reservations that are configurable.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the guard periods include at least one uplink pilot transmission structure (UpPTS).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the guard periods are configured for a total period of one millisecond.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the guard periods are configured to repeat at five or ten millisecond periodicity.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the guard periods are configured as two special slots that are associated with eight traffic slots during a ten millisecond interval.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising a downlink (d) to uplink (u) ratio (d:

u) that includes 4;

4, 5;

3, 6;

2, or 3;

5.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising generating at least one of a packet data control channel (PDCCH) or a Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) for a portion of the eight traffic slots.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising generating one or more resource blocks for a portion of the eight traffic slots.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the guard periods are configured as one special slot that is associated with nine traffic slots during a ten millisecond interval.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising a downlink (d) to uplink (u) ratio (d:

u) that includes 5;

4, 6;

3, 7;

2, or 4;

5.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmission interval is five milliseconds.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmission interval includes at least five subframes.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmission interval includes at least eight traffic slots.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the first synchronization signal is a Primary Synchronization Signal (PSS) and the second synchronization signal is a Secondary Synchronization Signal (SSS), and the method further comprises:

generating at least one of the PSS or the SSS for a portion of the eight traffic slots.

16. A communications apparatus, comprising:

a memory that retains instructions for reserving one or more time periods in a wireless frame protocol, the time periods employed to mitigate frequency overlap between downlink and uplink channels, the time periods include at least a downlink portion, an uplink portion, and a guard portion, wherein the downlink portion includes a control portion, wherein the one or more special periods includes a downlink pilot transmission structure (DwPTS), wherein the DwPTS includes a control portion, and wherein the control portion is followed by a first synchronization signal and preceded by a second synchronization signal; and

a processor that executes the instructions.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising instructions for configuring the time periods.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising instructions for processing traffic slots and special slots that define the time periods.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising instructions to configure a ratio between the traffic slots and the special slots.

20. A communications apparatus, comprising:

means for generating a transmission interval that includes one or more special periods adapted to mitigate frequency overlap between downlink and uplink portions of a wireless communication;

means for configuring the special periods; and

means for configuring a ratio between the downlink and uplink portions of the wireless communication, wherein the one or more special periods include a downlink pilot transmission structure (DwPTS), wherein the DwPTS includes a control portion, and wherein the control portion is followed by a first synchronization signal and preceded by a second synchronization signal.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a computer program product comprising:

code for reserving a downlink buffer period of a transmission interval;

code for assigning a guard period to the downlink period of the transmission interval; and

code for reserving an uplink buffer period in addition to the guard period, wherein;

the downlink buffer period, the guard period, and the uplink buffer period are employed to facilitate switching between a downlink and uplink wireless communications period,

the downlink buffer period includes a control portion, and

wherein the one or more special periods includes a downlink pilot transmission structure (DwPTS), wherein the DwPTS includes a control portion, and wherein

the control portion is followed by a first synchronization signal and preceded by a second synchronization signal.

22. An apparatus comprising:

a transmitter;

a processor that executes the following instructions;

configuring, by the processor at least one special period that is employed to control a time period between a downlink and an uplink portion of a wireless broadcast;

transmitting, by the transmitter, a plurality of traffic periods in conjunction with the at least one special period; and

utilizing, by the processor, the at least one special period and the traffic periods to control a switchover between a downlink portion and an uplink portion of a wireless broadcast, wherein;

the at least one special period includes a downlink pilot transmission structure (DwPTS), wherein the DwPTS includes a control portion, and

the control portion is followed by a first synchronization signal and preceded by a second synchronization signal.

23. A method to provide a wireless protocol, comprising:

receiving a transmission interval that facilitates switching between a downlink portion and an uplink portion of a wireless communications protocol; and

processing one or more guard periods during the transmission interval to mitigate overlap of frequencies between the downlink and uplink portions of the wireless communications protocol, wherein the one or more guard periods include a downlink pilot transmission structure (DwPTS), wherein the DwPTS includes a control portion, and wherein the control portion is followed by a first synchronization signal and preceded by a second synchronization signal.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the guard periods include time portions that are configurable.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the guard periods include at least one uplink pilot transmission structure (UpPTS).

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the guard periods are configured as two special slots that are associated with eight traffic slots during a 10 millisecond interval.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising a downlink (d) to uplink (u) ratio (d:

u) that includes 4;

4, 5;

3, 6;

2, or 3;

5.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the guard periods are configured as one special slot that is associated with nine traffic slots during a ten millisecond interval.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising a downlink (d) to uplink (u) ratio (d:

u) that includes 5;

4, 6;

3, 7;

2, or 4;

5.

30. A communications apparatus, comprising:

a memory that retains instructions for receiving one or more time periods in a wireless frame protocol, the time periods employed to facilitate switching between downlink and uplink channels, the time periods include at least a downlink portion, an uplink portion, and a guard portion, wherein the downlink portion includes a control portion, wherein the one or more special periods includes a downlink pilot transmission structure (DwPTS), wherein the DwPTS includes a control portion, and wherein the control portion is followed by a first synchronization signal and preceded by a second synchronization signal; and

a processor that executes the instructions.

31. A communications apparatus, comprising:

means for receiving a transmission interval that includes one or more special periods adapted to facilitate switching between downlink and uplink portions of a wireless communication;

means for configuring the special periods; and

means for configuring a ratio between the downlink and uplink portions of the wireless communication, wherein the one or more special periods includes a downlink pilot transmission structure (DwPTS), wherein the DwPTS includes a control portion, and wherein the control portion is followed by a first synchronization signal and preceded by a second synchronization signal.

32. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a computer program product comprising:

code for receiving a downlink buffer period of a transmission interval;

code for processing a guard period in accordance with the downlink period of the transmission interval; and

code for processing an uplink buffer period in addition to the guard period, wherein;

the downlink buffer period, the guard period, and the uplink buffer period are employed to facilitate switching between a downlink and uplink wireless communications period,

the downlink buffer period includes a control portion, and

wherein the one or more special periods includes a downlink pilot transmission structure (DwPTS), wherein the DwPTS includes a control portion, and wherein the control portion is followed by a first synchronization signal and preceded by a second synchronization signal.

33. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver;

a processor that executes the following instructions;

configuring, by the processor, at least one special period that is employed to control a time period between a downlink and an uplink portion of a wireless broadcast;

receiving, by the receiver a plurality of traffic periods in conjunction with the at least one special period; and

processing, by the processor, the at least one special period and the traffic periods to control a switchover between a downlink portion and an uplink portion of a wireless broadcast, wherein the at least one special period includes a downlink pilot transmission structure (DwPTS), wherein the DwPTS includes a control portion, and wherein the control portion is followed by a first synchronization signal and preceded by a second synchronization signal.