Random access process in a multicarrier base station and wireless device

• US 9,237,537 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2013
• Issued: 01/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Ofinno Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Dinan, Esmael Hejazi
• Primary Examiner(s): HSU, ALPUS
• Application Number:
  US13/748,583
• Publication Number:
  US 20130188612A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,084 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 56/0045 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 72/52 based on load
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/006 in the downlink, i.e. towards the terminal

Abstract

A Base station transmits a control command for transmission of a random access preamble on a first cell if the base station determines radio resources of the first cell are required for transmission of a portion of data and that the first cell requires a different uplink timing from all currently activated cells of the wireless device. The base station transmits at least one control packet for providing transport format information and resource allocation information for transmission of a plurality of packets of the data to be transmitted on a first data channel of the first cell.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

a) receiving, by a base station from a wireless device, a buffer status report on a first cell in a plurality of cells, said buffer status report indicating an amount of data available for transmission in at least one uplink buffer of said wireless device, said first cell being assigned by said base station to a primary cell group;

b) transmitting, by said base station to said wireless device, a control command for transmission of a random access preamble by said wireless device on a secondary cell in said plurality of cells if said base station determines;

i) based on said buffer status report, that radio resources of said secondary cell are required for transmission of a portion of said data in addition to radio resources on said primary cell group; and

ii) that said secondary cell requires a first uplink timing that is different from a second uplink timing of said primary cell group;

c) receiving, by said base station from said wireless device, said random access preamble on said secondary cell, said secondary cell being assigned to a secondary cell group, wherein transmission timing of said random access preamble is determined based, at least in part, on a first synchronization signal transmitted by said base station on said secondary cell group;

d) transmitting, by said base station to said wireless device, a random access response on a primary cell of said primary cell group, said random access response comprising a timing advance command for said secondary cell group; and

e) transmitting, by said base station to said wireless device, at least one control packet comprising transport format information and resource allocation information for transmission of a plurality of packets of said data on said secondary cell.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said plurality of cells are assigned to a plurality of cell groups comprising:

a) said primary cell group; and

b) said secondary cell group.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting by said base station to said wireless device, an activation command to activate said secondary cell.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, by said base station to said wireless device, at least one control message comprising configuration parameters of said secondary cell.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, by said base station to said wireless device, at least one control message comprising:

a) configuration parameters of said secondary cell; and

b) a first parameter for assignment of said secondary cell to said secondary cell group.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said control command comprises:

a) a mask index; and

b) an identifier of said random access preamble.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

a) said primary cell group comprises a first subset of said plurality of cells, said first subset comprising said primary cell, uplink transmissions by said wireless device in said primary cell group employing a second synchronization signal transmitted on said primary cell as a primary timing reference; and

b) said secondary cell group comprises a second subset of said plurality of cells, said second subset comprising said secondary cell, uplink transmissions in said secondary cell group employing said first synchronization signal on said secondary cell as a secondary timing reference.

8. A method comprising:

a) transmitting, by a base station to a wireless device, at least one control message on a first cell in a plurality of cells, said at least one control message establishing at least one radio bearer, said at least one radio bearer enabling uplink data transmission with a guaranteed bit rate from said wireless device, said first cell being assigned by said base station to a primary cell group;

b) transmitting, by said base station to said wireless device, a control command for transmission of a random access preamble by said wireless device on a secondary cell in said plurality of cells if said base station determines;

i) based on said guaranteed bit rate, that radio resources of said secondary cell are required for transmission of a portion of said uplink data in addition to radio resources on said primary cell group; and

ii) that said secondary cell requires a first uplink timing that is different from a second uplink timing of said primary cell group;

c) receiving, by said base station from said wireless device, said random access preamble on said secondary cell, said secondary cell being assigned to a secondary cell group, wherein transmission timing of said random access preamble is determined based, at least in part, on a first synchronization signal transmitted by said base station on said secondary cell group;

d) transmitting, by said base station to said wireless device, a random access response, said random access response comprising a first timing advance command for said secondary cell group; and

e) transmitting, by said base station to said wireless device, at least one control packet comprising transport format information and resource allocation information for transmission of a plurality of packets of said uplink data on said secondary cell.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said at least one control message is further configured to modify a radio bearer.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said random access preamble is received on uplink random access resources of said secondary cell.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising transmitting at least one control message by said base station to said wireless device, said control message comprising configuration parameters of said uplink random access resources.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said at least one control message comprises a plurality of random access resource parameters, said plurality of random access resource parameters comprising an index, a frequency offset, and a plurality of sequence parameters.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising transmitting, by said base station to said wireless device, at least one second timing advance command to said wireless device, said second timing advance command comprising:

a) a time adjustment value; and

b) an index identifying said secondary cell group; and

wherein said at least one second timing advance command causes substantial alignment of reception timing of uplink signals in frames and subframes of said secondary cell group at said base station.

14. A base station comprising:

a) one or more processors; and

b) memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause said base station to;

i) receive a buffer status report indicating an amount of data available for transmission in at least one uplink buffer of a wireless device;

ii) transmit, to said wireless device, a control command for transmission of a random access preamble on a secondary cell in a plurality of cells if said base station determines;

(1) based on said buffer status report, that radio resources of said secondary cell are required for transmission of a portion of said data in addition to radio resources on said primary cell group; and

(2) that said secondary cell requires a different uplink timing from currently activated and synchronized cells of said wireless device;

iii) receive, from said wireless device, said random access preamble on said secondary cell, said secondary cell being assigned to a secondary cell group in a plurality of cell groups, wherein transmission timing of said random access preamble is determined based, at least in part, on a first synchronization signal transmitted by said base station on said secondary cell group;

iv) transmit, to said wireless device, a random access response, said random access response comprising a timing advance command for said secondary cell group; and

v) transmit at least one control packet comprising transport format information and resource allocation information for transmission of a plurality of packets of said data on said secondary cell.

15. The base station of claim 14, wherein said instructions further cause said base station to transmit an activation command to activate said secondary cell.

16. The base station of claim 14, wherein said instructions further cause said base station to transmit at least one control message comprising configuration parameters of said secondary cell.

17. The base station of claim 14, wherein said at least one control message comprises at least one radio resource control message.

18. The base station of claim 14, wherein said control command further comprises an index identifying said secondary cell if said control command is not transmitted on a downlink carrier of said secondary cell.