Communication device and a method thereby, a base station and a method thereby, and a system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10075863-B2
Application number	US-201314421552-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 29, 2013
Priority date	Oct 31, 2012
Publication date	Sep 11, 2018
Grant date	Sep 11, 2018

Abstract

A system is disclosed in which a communication device provides measurement reports to a communication network. The communication device connects to a cell of the network and receives configuration data for at least one relay specific trigger event for triggering measurement reporting for at least one relay cell operated by a relay device for the base station. The communication device performs measurements and sends a measurement report to the communication network when the trigger event has occurred.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A communication device for providing measurement reports to a communication network comprising a plurality of cells, the communication device comprising:
a processor configured to identify an occurrence of any of a plurality of possible trigger events including a plurality of type A trigger events, a plurality of type B trigger events, and at least one further type of trigger event that is different from said type A and type B trigger events; and
a transceiver circuit configured to connect to a cell, of said plurality of cells, for sending and receiving user data, wherein
the transceiver circuit is further configured to receive configuration data for configuring measurements in at least one of said plurality of cells wherein said configuration data defines the at least one further type of trigger event, that is different from said type A and type B trigger events, for triggering measurement reporting for measurements of channel state reference signals (CSI-RS) broadcast in at least one cell, wherein
the at least one further type of trigger event for triggering measurement reporting that is different from said type A and type B trigger events is characterised by an entering condition and a leaving condition, wherein
the entering condition is met when a measurement result for the CSI-RS, plus an offset value, and minus a hysteresis value exceeds a predetermined value, and
the leaving condition is met when a measurement result for the CSI-RS, plus an offset value, and plus a hysteresis value is less than the predetermined value; wherein

the processor is further configured to perform measurements, based on said received configuration data, in said at least one cell, wherein the processor is further configured to
determine whether or not said at least one further type of trigger event that is different from said type A and type B trigger events has occurred based on results of said measurements, and

the transceiver circuit is further configured to send a measurement report, to the communication network, when said at least one further type of trigger event that is different from said type A and type B trigger events has been determined to have occurred.

2. The communication device according to claim 1 wherein said at least one cell comprises a candidate cell for potential handover to said cell.

3. The communication device according to claim 1 wherein said configuration data defines said entering condition for a trigger event which occurs when said measurement result for the CSI-RS, plus an offset value, and minus a hysteresis value exceeds a threshold value.

4. The communication device according to claim 1 , wherein said configuration data defines said leaving condition for a trigger event which occurs when said measurement result plus the offset value, and plus the hysteresis value falls below a threshold value.

5. The communication device according to claim 3 , wherein the threshold value comprises a value provided in said configuration data.

6. The communication device according to claim 1 wherein said configuration data defines a condition for a trigger event which occurs when said measurement result for the CSI-RS, plus an offset value, and minus a hysteresis value exceeds a result of a corresponding measurement for a further of said plurality of cells.

7. The communication device according to claim 1 , wherein said configuration data defines a condition for a trigger event which occurs when said measurement result plus the offset value, and plus the hysteresis value falls below a result of a corresponding measurement for a further of said plurality of cells.

8. The communication device according to claim 3 , wherein said configuration data defines said hysteresis value.

9. The communication device according to claim 1 wherein said results of said measurements comprise a measure of signal conditions of a source cell.

10. The communication device according to claim 9 wherein said configuration data defines an entry condition for a trigger event which occurs when signal conditions in at least one relay cell are better than signal conditions in a cell in which said communications device is currently connected.

11. The communication device according to claim 9 wherein said configuration data further defines an entry condition for a trigger event which occurs when: (a) signal conditions in at least one relay cell are better than signal conditions in a cell in which said communications device is currently connected; and (b) signal conditions in said at least one relay cell are better than signal conditions in a non-relay neighbour cell.

12. The communication device according to claim 9 wherein said configuration data further defines an entry condition for a trigger event which occurs when: (a) signal conditions in at least one relay cell are better than signal conditions in a cell in which said communications device is currently connected; (b) signal conditions in said at least one relay cell are better than signal conditions in a non-relay neighbour cell; and (c) signal conditions in the current cell fall below a threshold value.

13. The communication device according to claim 9 wherein said configuration data defines an entry condition for a trigger event which occurs when: (a) signal conditions in at least one relay cell are better than a first threshold value; and (b) signal conditions in a cell in which said communications device is currently connected fall below a second threshold.

14. The communication device according to claim 13 wherein said configuration data defines an entry condition for a trigger event which occurs when: (c) signal conditions in a neighbouring cell also fall below said second threshold.

15. A method performed by a communication device for providing measurement reports to a communication network comprising a plurality of cells wherein the communication device is configured to identify an occurrence of any of a plurality of possible trigger events including a plurality of type A trigger events, a plurality of type B trigger events, and at least one further type of trigger event that is different from said type A and type B trigger events, the method comprising:
connecting to a cell, of said plurality of cells, for sending and receiving user data;
receiving configuration data for configuring measurements in at least one of said plurality of cells, wherein said configuration data defines the at least one further type of trigger event, that is different from said type A and type B trigger events, for triggering measurement reporting for measurements of channel state reference signals (CSI-RS) broadcast in at least one cell;
the at least one type of further trigger event for triggering measurement reporting that is different from said type A and type B trigger events is characterised by an entering condition and a leaving condition, wherein
the entering condition is met when a measurement result for the CSI-RS, plus an offset value, and minus a hysteresis value exceeds a predetermined value, and
the leaving condition is met when a measurement result for the CSI-RS, plus an offset value, and plus a hysteresis value is less than the predetermined value;

performing measurements, based on said received configuration data, in said at least one cell;
determining whether or not said at least one further type of trigger event that is different from said type A and type B trigger events has occurred based on results of said measurements; and
sending a measurement report, to the communication network, when said at least one further trigger event that is different f

Assignees

• Nec Corp

Inventors

• Delsol Thomas
• Panaitopol Dorin

Classifications

• H04W88/04

  adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user · CPC title

• H04W36/0094 Primary

  Definition of hand-off measurement parameters · CPC title

• H04W16/26

  Cell enhancers {or enhancement}, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow · CPC title

• H04W24/10 Primary

  Scheduling measurement reports {; Arrangements for measurement reports} · CPC title

• H04W36/30

  by measured or perceived connection quality data · CPC title