Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ)

Idtp Holdings, Inc.

Mai-Anh Phan

Emma Wittenmark

David Sugirtharaj

Jörg Huschke

Peter Alriksson

Ghyslain Pelletier

Magnus Stattin

Henning Wiemann

Olof Liberg

Reem Karaki

Torsten Dudda

Yusheng Liu

Marco Belleschi

Chunhui Zhang

Christian Hoymann

Robert Karlsson

Alexandros Palaios

Dhruvin Patel

Hubertus Andreas Munz

Jung-Fu Cheng

Johan Rune

Min Wang

Angelo Centonza

Mattias Bergström

Thorsten Lohmar

Jan Christoffersson

Tomas Hedberg

Guido Roland Hiertz

Thomas Rusert

Gino Masini

Markus Kampmann

Oskar Drugge

Shabnam Sultana

Magnus Hurd

Xiaoling Wang

Methods and apparatus are provided. In an example aspect, a method in a network node is provided, the method comprising monitoring unlicensed spectrum access attempts for transmissions to and/or from at least one User Equipment, UE, in a first group of UEs configured to use unlicensed spectrum to send uplink transmissions and/or receive downlink transmissions and, in response to the monitoring, causing the UEs in the first group to use licensed spectrum to send uplink transmissions and/or receive downlink transmissions.

Using unlicensed and licensed spectrum

Methods and apparatus are provided. In an example aspect, a method of transmitting data is provided. The method comprises determining if a first channel on a first cell is occupied and, if the first channel on the first cell is occupied for at least a predetermined period, transmitting the data on a second channel on a second cell.

Transmitting data when a first channel on a first cell is occupied

A method performed by a wireless device. The method may be understood to be for handling a random access procedure in a wireless communications network via a network node. The wireless device operates in the wireless communications network. The wireless device refrains, after having sent a first message to the network node requesting random access and having received a first random access response message from the network node, from stopping a timer. The timer is for a time window for receiving the random access response message. The wireless device also continues monitoring both: a) a radio channel for further random access response messages from the network node addressed to a temporary identifier, and b) the radio channel, addressed to a temporary identifier specifically addressing the wireless device.

Wireless device, network node, and methods performed thereby, for handling a random access procedure

A network-based method allows a network to optimize its control of radio resource usage by directing connected and idle mode User Equipment (UEs) () to another network node, e.g. a neighbor cell, having a better duty cycle, or by configuring the UEs to use another frequency band served by the same network node or a different network node. Signaling its duty cycle budget to the UEs allows the UEs to optimize their idle mode operation by performing cell reselection to a network node which has a better duty cycle budget.

Mobility management with base station using duty cycles

New signaling is defined from wireless devices () to a wireless communication network, concerning the wireless devices' duty cycle statuses. This allows the network to optimize its control of the radio resource usage. Additionally, embodiments described herein provide new signalling from the network to wireless devices concerning the network's duty cycle status. This allows wireless devices () to optimize their idle mode operation, including decisions whether to request a connection setup or remain in idle mode. Embodiments described and claimed herein provide a set of simple methods for operating a cellular system in a duty cycle controlled radio frequency band.

Duty cycle aware scheduling for wireless networks

Methods, nodes and computer program products control radio channel deployment when using un-licensed carriers in a wireless communication network and control mobility and/or load balancing target selection when using un-licensed carriers. When performed in an access node, unlicensed carrier intrinsic cell channel load is determined in a cell served by the access node based on one or more predetermined channel load indicators and neighbor cell channel load information is obtained, from one or more neighboring access nodes. The neighbor cell channel load information includes unlicensed carrier channel load in respective cells based on the one or more predetermined channel load indicators. At least one channel deployment operation is initiated based on an outcome of one or more comparative operations including the determined unlicensed carrier intrinsic cell channel load and/or the obtained neighbor cell channel load information.

Mobility and load balancing target selection for unlicensed carriers

A network-based method allows a network to optimize its control of radio resource usage by directing connected and idle mode User Equipment (UEs) () to another network node, e.g. a neighbor cell, having a better duty cycle, or by configuring the UEs to use another frequency band served by the same network node or a different network node. Signaling its duty cycle budget to the UEs allows the UEs to optimize their idle mode operation by performing cell re-selection to a network node which has a better duty cycle budget.

A method performed by a wireless communication device for reducing handover delay, wherein the wireless communication device is arranged to operate in a cellular communication system and to operate in a cell using unlicensed spectrum. The method includes receiving a downlink, DL, signal from network node operating a neighbouring cell operating in the unlicensed spectrum, wherein the DL signal includes a discovery reference signal, DRS, subframe, storing data associated with the DRS subframe, receiving a handover command from a network node operating a serving cell where the neighbouring cell is a target cell, and performing a random access procedure for handover to the target cell. A device performing the method and a computer program for implementing the method are also disclosed.

Handover delay reduction operating in a cell using unlicensed spectrum

A method and a terminal for acquiring paging information during a set of one or more paging occasions, one paging occasion corresponding to a subframe. In an embodiment, the method determines a first subframe of the set of one or more paging occasions and determines a last subframe of the set of one or more paging occasions. The terminal is required to attempt to acquire the paging information in any subframe between the first subframe and the last subframe of the set of one or more paging occasions.

Paging in unlicensed spectrum

Handover delay reduction using unlicensed spectrum

There is provided a method, in a wireless device, for communicating with a network node using autonomous Uplink (UL) access. The method comprises: after sending a data transmission to a network node, starting a retransmission window associated with a feedback process of the data transmission, the retransmission window including a first timer; and in response to detecting an absence of a feedback signal during a time period given by the first timer, retransmitting the data after expiry of the first timer.

Methods for autonomous uplink transmissions and retransmissions

According to an aspect, a wireless device identifies system frame numbers (SFNs) that are used for wireless transmissions that use a broadcast channel (BCH) transmission time interval (TTI), where frequency hopping cycles (FHCs) are not aligned with a cycle of the SFNs. The wireless device receives FH information indicating how the FHC used for wireless transmissions relates to the SFN cycle and identifies an SFN timing for the wireless transmissions based on the FH information.

SFN timing for frequency hopping systems

A base station of a mobile communication network supports continuity of a Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service, MBMS, for a terminal. The base station receives, from the terminal, an information element informing the base station of a combination of bands, which the terminal supports for carrier aggregation. The terminal supports MBMS reception on any carrier configurable as a serving cell for the terminal according to the information element. The base station derives, from the received information element, MBMS reception capabilities of the terminal. The base station determines a number of carriers, which are configurable by the base station as serving cell of the terminal, such that the terminal is enabled to receive at least one MBMS.

Capability extensions for multimedia broadcast multicast services

Systems and methods relating to Discovery Signal Measurement Timing Configuration (DMTC) are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method of operating a radio access node in a cellular communications network having a primary cell and a secondary cell, comprises sending, to a wireless device, a DMTC for one of a group consisting of: (a) the secondary cell configured for the wireless device such that the DMTC is a specific DMTC for the secondary cell; and (b) the primary cell and additional cells that are configurable as secondary cells such that the DMTC applies to both the primary cell and the additional cells when configured as secondary cells. Related radio access nodes and wireless devices are also disclosed.

Discovery signal measurement timing configuration for SCells in asynchronous networks

A network node for wireless access is operating in a cellular network for an unlicensed frequency band and arranged for serving wireless devices in the unlicensed frequency band. The serving of the wireless devices in the unlicensed band relies on making a clear channel assessment in the unlicensed band for ascertaining that the unlicensed band is currently not occupied by other transmissions and when not occupied commencing transmission. Upon commencing the transmission, the network node is arranged to attempt scheduling a paging message together with a message providing a discovery signal and determine whether the transmission of the discovery signal and the paging message use the same subframe scrambling code, and if they do, transmit the paging message and the discovery signal in the same subframe. A method and computer program for the network node are also disclosed.

Growing community of inventors

Herzogenrath, Germany

Mai-Anh Phan