Method and UE for performing random access to base station, and method and base station for establishing connection with UE

• US 9,807,656 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2013
• Issued: 10/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Fan, Rui, Li, Shaohua, Lu, Qianxi, Song, Xinghua, Zhang, Haochuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Brian D
• Application Number:
  US14/783,508
• Publication Number:
  US 20160066228A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,657 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/002 Transmission of channel access control information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0833 Random access procedures, e.g. with 4-step access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method used in a UE for performing a random access to a second base station and an associated UE. The UE has been in communications with a first base station. The method includes: obtaining from the first base station a subframe configuration for the UE, which indicates a first set of subframes assigned to communications between the UE and the first base station and a second set of subframes assigned to communications between the UE and the second base station; and performing the random access to the second base station based on the subframe configuration. The present disclosure also relates to a method used in a second base station for establishing a connection with a UE and an associated second base station.

Claims

1. A method used in a User Equipment, UE, for performing a random access to a second base station, the UE having been in communications with a first base station, the method comprising:

obtaining from the first base station a subframe configuration for the UE, which indicates a first set of subframes assigned to communications between the UE and the first base station and a second set of subframes assigned to communications between the UE and the second base station; and

performing the random access to the second base station based on the subframe configuration;

wherein the UE performs random access to the second base station in the second set of subframes on the same frequencies used for communications between the UE and the first base station in the first set of subframes.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein performing the random access to the second base station comprises:

receiving from the second base station a Physical Downlink Control Channel, PDCCH, order for initiating the random access.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein if the PDCCH order is received in subframe m, m being a positive integer, performing the random access to the second base station further comprises:

transmitting a random access preamble to the second base station in a first available uplink subframe in the second set of subframes following a subframe m+k₁, k₁≧

6, if the subframe m+k₁ is not in the second set of subframes.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein performing the random access to the second base station further comprises:

transmitting the random access preamble to the second base station in the subframe m+k₁, if the subframe m+k₁ is in the second set of subframes.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein, before receiving the PDCCH order, the method further comprising:

informing the second base station via the first base station that the UE is going to establish a connection with the second base station.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein performing the random access to the second base station comprises:

receiving an associated Random Access-Radio Network Temporary Identity, RA-RNTI, from the second base station in subframe n, n being a positive integer; and

transmitting an Uplink-Sharing Channel, UL-SCH, transport block to the second base station in a first available uplink subframe in the second set of subframes following a subframe n+k₂, k₂≧

6, if the subframe n+k₂ is in not the second set of subframes.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein performing the random access to the second base station further comprises:

transmitting the UL-SCH transport block to the second base station in the subframe n+k₂, if the subframe n+k₂ is in the second set of subframes.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

informing the second base station of the subframe configuration by using one or more designated preamble indices or in one or more designated Physical Radom Access Channel, PRACH, subframes.

9. A User Equipment, UE, for establishing a connection with a second base station, the UE having been in a connection with a first base station, the UE comprising a processing circuit configured to perform the method according to claim 1.

10. A method used in a second base station for establishing a connection with a User Equipment, UE, the UE having been in a connection with a first base station, the method comprising:

obtaining from the first base station a subframe configuration for the UE, which indicates a first set of subframes assigned to communications between the UE and the first base station and a second set of subframes assigned to communications between the UE and the second base station;

transmitting to the UE a Physical Downlink Control Channel, PDCCH, order for initiating random access to the second base station;

wherein the second base station transmits the PDCCH order for initiating random access to the second base station to the UE in the second set of subframes on the same frequencies used for communications between the UE and the first base station in the first set of subframes.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein if the PDCCH order is transmitted to the UE in subframe m, m being a positive integer, the method further comprising:

receiving a random access preamble from the UE in a first available uplink subframe that is allowed to transmit PRACH in the second set of subframes following a subframe m+k₁, k₁≧

6, if the subframe m+k₁ is not in the second set of subframes.

12. The method according to claim 11, the method further comprising:

receiving the random access preamble from the UE in the subframe m+k₁, if the subframe m+k₁ is in the second set of subframes.

13. The method according to claim 10, the method further comprising:

transmitting an associated Random Access-Radio Network Temporary Identity, RA-RNTI, to the UE in subframe n, n being a positive integer; and

receiving from the UE an Uplink-Sharing Channel, UL-SCH, transport block in a first available uplink subframe in the second set of subframes following a subframe n+k₂, k₂≧

6, if the subframe n+k₂ is not in the second set of subframes.

14. The method according to claim 13, the method further comprising:

receiving from the UE the UL-SCH transport block in the subframe n+k₂, if the subframe n+k₂ is in the second set of subframes.

15. A second base station for establishing a connection with a User Equipment, UE, the UE having been in a connection with a first base station, the second base station comprising a processing circuit configured to perform the method according to claim 10.

16. A User Equipment, UE having been in communications with a first base station, for performing a random access to a second base station, the UE comprising:

a control circuit configured to;

obtain from the first base station a subframe configuration for the UE, which indicates a first set of subframes assigned to communications between the UE and the first base station and a second set of subframes assigned to communications between the UE and the second base station; and

perform the random access to the second base station based on the subframe configuration;

wherein the UE is configured to perform random access to the second base station in the second set of subframes on the same frequencies used for communications between the UE and the first base station in the first set of subframes.

17. The UE according to claim 16, wherein the UE further comprises a first receiver configured to receive from the second base station a Physical Downlink Control Channel, PDCCH, order for initiating the random access.

18. The UE according to claim 17, wherein if the PDCCH order is received in subframe m, m being a positive integer, the UE further comprises a first transmitter configured to:

transmit a random access preamble to the second base station in the first available uplink subframe that is allowed to transmit PRACH in the second set of subframes following a subframe m+k₁, k₁>

6, if the subframe m+k₁ is not in the first set of subframes.

19. The UE according to claim 18, wherein the first transmitter is further configured to:

transmit the random access preamble to the second base station in the subframe m+k₁, if the subframe m+k₁ is in the second set of subframes.

20. The UE according to claim 17, wherein the control circuit is further configured to inform the second base station via the first base station that the UE is going to establish the connection with the second base station.

21. The UE according to claim 16, wherein the UE further comprises:

a second receiver configured to receive an associated Random Access-Radio Network Temporary Identity, RA-RNTI, from the second base station in subframe n, n being a positive integer; and

a second transmitter configured to transmit an Uplink-Sharing Channel, UL-SCH, transport block to the second base station in a first available uplink subframe in the second set of subframes following a subframe n+k₂, k₂>

6, if the subframe n+k₂ is in not the second set of subframes.

22. The UE according to claim 21, wherein the second transmitter is further configured to transmit the UL-SCH transport block to the second base station in the subframe n+k₂, if the subframe n+k₂ is in the second set of subframes.

23. The UE according to claim 17, wherein the control circuit is further configured to inform the second base station of the subframe configuration by using one or more designated preamble indices or in one or more Physical Radom Access Channel, PRACH, subframes.

24. A second base station for establishing a connection with a User Equipment, UE, the UE having been in a connection with a first base station, the second base station comprising:

a control circuit configured to obtain from the first base station a subframe configuration for the UE, which indicates a first set of subframes assigned to communications between the UE and the first base station and a second set of subframes assigned to communications between the UE and the second base station;

a first transmitter configured to transmit to the UE a Physical Downlink Control Channel, PDCCH, order for initiating the random access;

wherein the first transmitter is configured to transmit the PDCCH order for initiating random access to the second base station to the UE on the second set of subframes on the same frequencies used for communications between the UE and the first base station in the first set of subframes.

25. The second base station according to claim 24, wherein if the first transmitter transmits the PDCCH order to the UE in subframe m, m being a positive integer, the second base station further comprises:

a first receiver configured to receive a random access preamble from the UE in the first available uplink subframe that is allowed to transmit PRACH in the second set of subframes following a subframe m+k₁, k₁>

6, if the subframe m+k₁ is not in the second set of subframes.

26. The second base station according to claim 25, wherein the first receiver is further configured to receive the random access preamble from the UE in the subframe m+k₁, if the subframe m+k₁ is in the second set of subframes.

27. The second base station according to claim 24, further comprising:

a second transmitter configured to transmit an associated Random Access-Radio Network Temporary Identity, RA-RNTI, to the UE in subframe n, n being a positive integer, and

a second receiver configured to receive from the UE an Uplink-Sharing Channel, UL-SCH, transport block in the first available uplink subframe in the second set of subframes following a subframe n+k₂, k₂>

6, if the subframe n+k₂ is not in the second set of subframes.

28. The second base station according to claim 27, wherein the second receiver is further configured to receive from the UE the UL-SCH transport block in the subframe n+k₂, if the subframe n+k₂ is in the second set of subframes.