Discovery signals and network synchronization signals design in LTE

• US 9,832,629 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2014
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Chen, Wanshi, Gaal, Peter, Damnjanovic, Aleksandar, Wang, Michael Mao
• Primary Examiner(s): Moutaouakil, Mounir
• Application Number:
  US14/585,155
• Publication Number:
  US 20150215761A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,065 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1822 involving configuration of automatic repeat request [ARQ] with parallel processes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0048 Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0073 Allocation arrangements that take into account other cell interferences for intercell interference mitigation or co-ordination in orthogonal multiplex systems H04J11/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/001 Synchronization between nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0015 one node acting as a reference for the others
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

Base stations (such as small cells) may support active and dormant states. To facilitate state transitions, these cells may transmit discovery signals. The transmission design of both discovery signals and network synchronization signals from small cells should provide for regular periodicity, while supporting the benefit of transitioning between active and dormant states. Disclosed is a method, a computer program product, and an apparatus that determine a first reference signal for at least one of discovery or measurement, and a second reference signal for synchronization, where both the first reference signal and the second reference signal are based on a same type of reference signal.

Claims

1. A method of wireless communication for a first base station (BS) comprising:

determining a first reference signal for at least one of discovery or measurement, and a second reference signal for synchronization, wherein both the first reference signal and the second reference signal are based on a same type of reference signal;

transmitting a first set of subframes including the first reference signal in one or more symbols; and

transmitting a second set of subframes including the second reference signal in one or more symbols, wherein the first set of subframes and the second set of subframes differ at least by one subframe and the first base station refrains from transmitting during at least one of a first symbol or a second symbol in at least a subset of subframes in the second set of subframes, the first symbol preceding the one or more symbols in which the second reference signal is transmitted and the second symbol being subsequent to the one or more symbols in which the second reference signal is transmitted,

wherein the same type of reference signal is based on a Cell-Specific Reference Signal (CRS) or a Positioning Reference Signal (PRS) and has a bandwidth configured by the first base station.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first symbol is a beginning symbol in a subframe and the second symbol is an ending symbol in a subframe.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one subframe in the second set of subframes is one of a special subframe or an uplink (UL) subframe, wherein at least a portion of the at least one subframe is allocated for transmission of UL signals by a user equipment (UE).

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising transmitting an instruction to a user equipment (UE) to refrain from transmitting signals in the at least one subframe in the second set of subframes.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first reference signal allows a user equipment (UE) near the first base station to discover the first base station, and wherein the second reference signal allows a second base station to synchronize with the first base station.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring a bandwidth for at least one of the first reference signal or the second reference signal, wherein at least one of the first reference signal or the second reference signal is transmitted using the configured bandwidth.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising determining a downlink system bandwidth of the first BS, wherein the configured bandwidth is less than the downlink system bandwidth.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising transmitting one or more parameters associated with at least one of the first reference signal or the second reference signal to another node, the one or more parameters comprising at least one of

the configured bandwidth,

information identifying a subframe that includes at least one of the first reference signal or the second reference signal,

a stratum level, or

an energy per resource element (EPRE) of at least one of the first reference signal or the second reference signal.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a cyclic prefix for at least one of the first reference signal or the second reference signal, wherein the determined cyclic prefix is different from a cyclic prefix of a common reference signal.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first set of subframes or the second set of subframes is based on a periodic configuration.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein at least the first reference signal or the second reference signal is transmitted in two or more consecutive subframes.

12. A first base station (BS) for wireless communication, comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to;

determine a first reference signal for at least one of discovery or measurement, and a second reference signal for synchronization, wherein both the first reference signal and the second reference signal are based on a same type of reference signal;

transmit a first set of subframes including the first reference signal in one or more symbols; and

transmit a second set of subframes including the second reference signal in one or more symbols, wherein the first set of subframes and the second set of subframes differ at least by one subframe and the first base station refrains from transmitting during at least one of a first symbol or a second symbol in at least a subset of subframes in the second set of subframes, the first symbol preceding the one or more symbols in which the second reference signal is transmitted and the second symbol being subsequent to the one or more symbols in which the second reference signal is transmitted,

wherein at least one of the first reference signal or the second reference signal is based on a Cell-Specific Reference Signal (CRS) or a Positioning Reference Signal (PRS) and has a bandwidth configured by the first base station.

13. The first BS of claim 12, wherein the first symbol is a beginning symbol in a subframe and the second symbol is an ending symbol in a subframe.

14. The first BS of claim 12, wherein at least one subframe in the second set of subframes is one of a special subframe or an uplink (UL) subframe, wherein at least a portion of the at least one subframe is allocated for transmission of UL signals by a user equipment (UE).

15. The first BS of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to transmit an instruction to a user equipment (UE) to refrain from transmitting signals in the at least one subframe in the second set of subframes.

16. The first BS of claim 12, wherein the first reference signal allows a user equipment (UE) near the first base station to discover the first base station, and wherein the second reference signal allows a second base station to synchronize with the first base station.

17. The first BS of claim 12, wherein the same type of reference signal is a positioning reference signal (PRS).

18. The first BS of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to configure a bandwidth for at least one of the first reference signal or the second reference signal, and wherein at least one of the first reference signal or the second reference signal is transmitted using the configured bandwidth.

19. The first BS of claim 18, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine a downlink system bandwidth of the first BS, wherein the configured bandwidth is less than the downlink system bandwidth.

20. The first BS of claim 18, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to transmit one or more parameters associated with at least one of the first reference signal or the second reference signal to another node, the one or more parameters comprising at least one of

the configured bandwidth,

information identifying a subframe that includes at least one of the first reference signal or the second reference signal,

a stratum level, or

an energy per resource element (EPRE) of at least one of the first reference signal or the second reference signal.

21. The first BS of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine a cyclic prefix for at least one of the first reference signal or the second reference signal, wherein the determined cyclic prefix is different from a cyclic prefix of a common reference signal.

22. The first BS of claim 12, wherein at least one of the first set of subframes or the second set of subframes is based on a periodic configuration.

23. The first BS of claim 22, wherein at least the first reference signal or the second reference signal is transmitted in two or more consecutive subframes.

24. An apparatus for wireless communication for a first base station (BS) comprising:

means for determining a first reference signal for at least one of discovery or measurement, and a second reference signal for synchronization, wherein both the first reference signal and the second reference signal are based on a same type of reference signal; and

means for transmitting a first set of subframes including the first reference signal in one or more symbols and transmitting a second set of subframes including the second reference signal in one or more symbols, where the first set of subframes and the second set of subframes differ at least by one subframe, wherein the first base station refrains from transmitting during at least one of a first symbol or a second symbol in at least a subset of subframes in the second set of subframes, the first symbol preceding the one or more symbols in which the second reference signal is transmitted and the second symbol being subsequent to the one or more symbols in which the second reference signal is transmitted,

wherein the same type of reference signal is based on a Cell-Specific Reference Signal (CRS) or a Positioning Reference Signal (PRS) and has a bandwidth configured by the first base station.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the first symbol is a beginning symbol in a subframe and the second symbol is an ending symbol in a subframe.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein at least one subframe in the second set of subframes is one of a special subframe or an uplink (UL) subframe, wherein at least a portion of the at least one subframe is allocated for transmission of UL signals by a user equipment (UE).

27. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising means for transmitting an instruction to a user equipment (UE) to refrain from transmitting signals in the at least one subframe in the second set of subframes.

28. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the first reference signal allows a user equipment (UE) near the first base station to discover the first base station, and wherein the second reference signal allows a second base station to synchronize with the first base station.

29. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising means for configuring a bandwidth for at least one of the first reference signal or the second reference signal, wherein at least one of the first reference signal or the second reference signal is transmitted using the configured bandwidth.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the means for configuring determine a downlink system bandwidth of the first BS, wherein the configured bandwidth is less than the downlink system bandwidth.

31. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the means for transmitting transmit one or more parameters associated with at least one of the first reference signal or the second reference signal to another node, the one or more parameters comprising at least one of

the configured bandwidth,

information identifying a subframe that includes at least one of the first reference signal or the second reference signal,

a stratum level, or

an energy per resource element (EPRE) of at least one of the first reference signal or the second reference signal.

32. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the means for determining determine a cyclic prefix for at least one of the first reference signal or the second reference signal, wherein the determined cyclic prefix is different from a cyclic prefix of a common reference signal.

33. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein at least one of the first set of subframes or the second set of subframes is based on a periodic configuration.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein at least the first reference signal or the second reference signal is transmitted in two or more consecutive subframes.

35. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer executable code for wireless communication for a first base station (BS), comprising code to:

determine a first reference signal for at least one of discovery or measurement, and a second reference signal for synchronization, wherein both the first reference signal and the second reference signal are based on a same type of reference signal;

transmit a first set of subframes including the first reference signal in one or more symbols; and

transmit a second set of subframes including the second reference signal in one or more symbols, where the first set of subframes and the second set of subframes differ at least by one subframe, wherein the first base station refrains from transmitting during at least one of a first symbol or a second symbol in at least a subset of subframes in the second set of subframes, the first symbol preceding the one or more symbols in which the second reference signal is transmitted and the second symbol being subsequent to the one or more symbols in which the second reference signal is transmitted,

wherein the same type of reference signal is based on a Cell-Specific Reference Signal (CRS) or a Positioning Reference Signal (PRS) and has a bandwidth configured by the first base station.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein the first symbol is a beginning symbol in a subframe and the second symbol is an ending symbol in a subframe.

37. The computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein at least one subframe in the second set of subframes is one of a special subframe or an uplink (UL) subframe, wherein at least a portion of the at least one subframe is allocated for transmission of UL signals by a user equipment (UE).

38. The computer-readable medium of claim 37, further comprising code to:

transmit an instruction to a user equipment (UE) to refrain from transmitting signals in the at least one subframe in the second set of subframes.

39. The computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein the first reference signal allows a user equipment (UE) near the first base station to discover the first base station, and wherein the second reference signal allows a second base station to synchronize with the first base station.

40. The computer-readable medium of claim 35, further comprising code to:

configure a bandwidth for at least one of the first reference signal or the second reference signal, wherein at least one of the first reference signal or the second reference signal is transmitted using the configured bandwidth.

41. The computer-readable medium of claim 40, further comprising code to:

determine a downlink system bandwidth of the first BS, wherein the configured bandwidth is less than the downlink system bandwidth.

42. The computer-readable medium of claim 40, further comprising code to:

transmit one or more parameters associated with at least one of the first reference signal or the second reference signal to another node, the one or more parameters comprising at least one of

the configured bandwidth,

information identifying a subframe that includes at least one of the first reference signal or the second reference signal,

a stratum level, or

an energy per resource element (EPRE) of at least one of the first reference signal or the second reference signal.

43. The computer-readable medium of claim 35, further comprising code to:

determine a cyclic prefix for at least one of the first reference signal or the second reference signal, wherein the determined cyclic prefix is different from a cyclic prefix of a common reference signal.

44. The computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein at least one of the first set of subframes or the second set of subframes is based on a periodic configuration.

45. The computer-readable medium of claim 44, wherein at least the first reference signal or the second reference signal is transmitted in two or more consecutive subframes.