Methods and Devices for Allocating a Radio Resource for an LTE-U Data Transmission

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016007322-A1
Application number	US-201414323137-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 3, 2014
Priority date	Jul 3, 2014
Publication date	Jan 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for allocating a radio resource for a Long Term Evolution-unlicensed, LTE-U, data transmission of a communication device in an unlicensed frequency band is disclosed. The method includes the communication device determining a time gap duration until a start time of a subframe. The communication device selects a resource allocation transmission from a plurality of resource allocation transmissions as a function of the determined time gap duration. Related communication devices, methods by devices, and systems are disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of allocating a radio resource for an LTE-unlicensed, LTE-U, data transmission of a communication device in an unlicensed frequency band, the method comprising:
determining, by the communication device, a time gap duration until a start time of a subframe; and selecting, by the communication device, a resource allocation transmission from a plurality of resource allocation transmissions as a function of the determined time gap duration.

2 . The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the plurality of supported resource allocation transmissions comprises:
a first resource allocation transmission, and
a second resource allocation transmission different from the first resource allocation transmission.

3 . The method of claim 2 ,
wherein the first resource allocation transmission causes a further communication device to transmit a response to the communication device and wherein the second resource allocation transmission does not cause the further communication device to transmit the response.

4 . The method of claim 2 ,
wherein selecting the resource allocation transmission comprises:
selecting either the first resource allocation transmission or the second resource allocation transmission in dependence on a threshold comparison of the time gap duration.

5 . The method of claim 2 ,
wherein selecting the resource allocation transmission comprises:
selecting the first resource allocation transmission if the time gap duration exceeds a threshold.

6 . The method of claim 2 ,
wherein the communication device generates the selected resource allocation transmission such that it includes a time information which depends on the time gap duration.

7 . The method of claim 6 ,
wherein the time information depends on both the time gap duration and a subframe duration.

8 . The method of claim 7 ,
wherein the time information is a sum of the time gap duration and the subframe duration.

9 . The method of claim 2 ,
wherein the first resource allocation transmission is a signal indicating that the communication device intends to perform the LTE-U data transmission in the subframe.

10 . The method of claim 9 ,
wherein the first resource allocation transmission is a Wi-Fi Request to Send signal.

11 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
receiving, by the communication device, a response to the selected resource allocation transmission from a further communication device, the response being received before the start time of the subframe.

12 . The method of claim 2 ,
wherein the second resource allocation transmission consists of dummy data.

13 . The method of claim 2 ,
wherein the second resource allocation transmission is a Wi-Fi Clear to Send signal which is transmitted by the communication device and which is addressed to the communication device.

14 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting, by the communication device, the selected resource allocation transmission in the radio resource allocated for the LTE-U data transmission and before the start time of the subframe.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
starting, by the communication device, the LTE-U data transmission in the radio resource allocated for the LTE-U data transmission at the start time of the subframe.

16 . The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the LTE-U data transmission is controlled by signalling on a LTE licensed carrier.

17 . A communication device, comprising:
a transmitter configured to transmit LTE-unlicensed, LTE-U, radio signals in an unlicensed frequency band, the communication device being configured to
determine a time gap duration until a start time of a subframe; and
select a resource allocation transmission from a plurality of resource allocation transmissions as a function of the determined duration of the time gap duration, the resource allocation transmission allocating a radio resource for an LTE-U data transmission of the communication device.

18 . The communication device of claim 17 , further comprising:
a processing device configured to select as the resource allocation transmission
a Wi-Fi Request to Send signal if the time gap duration exceeds a threshold, and
one of a Wi-Fi Clear to Send signal or dummy data if the time gap duration is less than the threshold.

19 . A communication system, comprising:
a communication device comprising a transmitter configured to transmit LTE-unlicensed, LTE-U, radio signals in an unlicensed frequency band, the communication device being configured determine a time gap duration until a start time of a subframe and to select a resource allocation transmission from a plurality of resource al-location transmissions as a function of the determined duration of the time gap duration, the resource allocation transmission allocating a radio resource for an LTE-U data transmission of the communication device; and a further communication device configured to receive the resource allocation transmission, the resource allocation transmission preventing the further communication device from transmitting in the allocated radio resource at the start time of the subframe.

20 . The communication system of claim 19 ,
wherein the communication device is an eNodeB, and wherein the further communication device is one of a Wi-Fi transmitting device, a user equipment of a cellular network, or a WLAN access point.

Assignees

• Sony Corp

Inventors

• Agardh Kåre
• Ljung Rickard
• Morioko Yuichi

Classifications

• H04W72/23 Primary

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

• H04W72/04 Primary

  Wireless resource allocation · CPC title

• H04W16/14

  Spectrum sharing arrangements {between different networks} · CPC title