Control of channel reference signal transmission in a cellular network

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10455602-B2
Application number	US-201415507974-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 1, 2014
Priority date	Sep 1, 2014
Publication date	Oct 22, 2019
Grant date	Oct 22, 2019

Abstract

A communication device checks whether data is available in an uplink data buffer of the communication device for uplink transmission employing uplink radio resources, the uplink radio resources being previously allocated to the communication device in reoccurring time intervals. Depending on said checking, the UE controls the transmission of a channel reference signal.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method, by a communication device, of controlling a transmission of a channel reference signal on an uplink channel from the communication device to a cellular network, the channel reference signal enabling assessment of a quality of the uplink channel, the method comprising:
checking whether data is available in an uplink data buffer of the communication device for uplink transmission employing uplink radio resources on the uplink channel, the uplink radio resources being previously allocated to the communication device in reoccurring time intervals; and
depending on said checking, controlling the transmission of the channel reference signal, wherein controlling the transmission of the channel reference signal comprises
autonomously selecting a frequency of occurrence for the transmission of the channel reference signal, said selecting comprising selecting a first frequency of occurrence or a second frequency of occurrence in dependence on the presence or amount of data available in the uplink buffer,

determining a threshold amount of data in dependence on the uplink radio resources previously allocated to the communication device,
wherein said selecting the first frequency of occurrence or the second frequency of occurrence comprises selecting the first frequency of occurrence in response to determining that there is more than the threshold amount of data in the uplink buffer and otherwise selecting the second frequency of occurrence,
wherein the first frequency of occurrence corresponds to the transmission of the channel reference signal occurring more frequently than the second frequency of occurrence,
wherein:
the second frequency of occurrence corresponds to the transmission of the channel reference signal occurring on average every 50-320 ms; and
the first frequency of occurrence corresponds to the transmission of the channel reference signal occurring on average every 2-160 ms, and

wherein the threshold amount of data is greater than zero.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to data becoming available in the uplink data buffer, sending the channel reference signal in a next time slot of a pre-determined transmission pattern for the transmission of the channel reference signal.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
wherein controlling the transmission of the channel reference signal comprises selecting a parameter for the transmission of the channel reference signal, the parameter indicating at least one of a timing of the transmission of the channel reference signal and a property of the channel reference signal.

4. A communication device configured to control a transmission of a channel reference signal on an uplink channel from the communication device to a cellular network, the channel reference signal enabling assessment of a quality of the uplink channel, the communication device comprising:
an interface circuit configured to transmit the channel reference signal; and
at least one processor operatively associated with the interface circuit and configured to:
check whether data is available in an uplink data buffer of the communication device for uplink transmission employing uplink radio resources on the uplink channel, the uplink radio resources being previously allocated to the communication device in reoccurring time intervals; and
control the transmission of the channel reference signal via the interface circuit in dependence on said checking, said control comprising autonomously selecting a frequency of occurrence for the transmission of the channel reference signal, and said selecting comprising selecting a first frequency of occurrence or a second frequency of occurrence in dependence on the presence or amount of data available in the uplink data buffer; and

determine a threshold amount of data in dependence on the uplink radio resources previously allocated to the communication device,
wherein said selecting the first frequency of occurrence or the second frequency of occurrence comprises selecting the first frequency of occurrence in response to determining that there is more than the threshold amount of data in the uplink buffer and otherwise selecting the second frequency of occurrence,
wherein the first frequency of occurrence corresponds to the transmission of the channel reference signal occurring more frequently than the second frequency of occurrence, and
wherein:
the second frequency of occurrence corresponds to the transmission of the channel reference signal occurring on average every 50-320 ms; and
the first frequency of occurrence corresponds to the transmission of the channel reference signal occurring on average every 2-160 ms, and

wherein the threshold amount of data is greater than zero.

5. The communication device according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
in response to data becoming available in the uplink data buffer, send the channel reference signal in a next time slot of a pre-determined transmission pattern for the transmission of the channel reference signal.

6. The communication device according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
control the transmission of the channel reference signal by selecting a parameter for the transmission of the channel reference signal, the parameter indicating at least one of a timing of the transmission of the channel reference signal and a property of the channel reference signal.

7. A method, by a network node of a cellular network, of controlling a transmission of a channel reference signal on an uplink channel between a communication device and the cellular network, the channel reference signal enabling assessment of a quality of the uplink channel, the method comprising:
checking whether the communication device performs an uplink transmission employing uplink radio resources on the uplink channel, the uplink radio resources being previously allocated to the communication device in reoccurring time intervals; and
depending on said checking, controlling the transmission of the channel reference signal,
wherein controlling the transmission of the channel reference signal comprises autonomously selecting a frequency of occurrence for the transmission of the channel reference signal, said selecting comprising selecting a first frequency of occurrence or a second frequency of occurrence in dependence on the presence or amount of data available in the uplink buffer,
wherein the method further comprises determining a threshold amount of data in dependence on the uplink radio resources previously allocated to the communication device,
wherein said selecting the first frequency of occurrence or the second frequency of occurrence comprises selecting the first frequency of occurrence in response to determining that there is more than the threshold amount of data in the uplink buffer and otherwise selecting the second frequency of occurrence,
wherein the first frequency of occurrence corresponds to the transmission of the channel reference signal occurring more frequently than the second frequency of occurrence,
wherein:

the second frequency of occurrence corresponds to the transmission of the channel reference signal occurring on average every 50-320 ms; and
the first frequency of occurrence corresponds to the transmission of the channel reference signal occurring on average every 2-160 ms, and

wherein the threshold amount of data is greater than zero.

8. The method according to claim 7 , further comprising:
in response to the communication device starting to perform the uplink transmission, receiving the channel reference signal in a next time slot of a pre-determined transmis

Assignees

• Ericsson Telefon Ab L M

Inventors

• Zhang Hanzhi
• Dudda Torsten
• Synnergren Per
• Wager Stefan

Classifications

• H04W72/23

  in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal · CPC title

• H04W72/1268

  of uplink data flows · CPC title

• H04L5/0048 Primary

  Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver (allocation of control signalling H04L5/0053; use of control signalling H04L5/0091) · CPC title

• H04W72/1221 Primary

  based on age of data to be sent · CPC title

• H04W72/042

  Electricity · mapped topic