Adaptation Of Dual Connectivity Procedures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016255671-A1
Application number	US-201514763237-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 19, 2015
Priority date	May 19, 2014
Publication date	Sep 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The embodiments disclosed herein relates to a wireless communication device, network nodes and methods therein for handling multiple connectivity. A method in a network node comprises determining the extent to which a wireless communication device requires different signals received from different non-co-located radio network points to be synchronized in order to operate with multiple connectivity. The method further comprises deciding whether to configure the WCD to operate with multiple connectivity, based on said determination.

First claim

1 - 30 . (canceled)

31 . A method in a network node, the method comprising:
determining an extent to which a wireless communication device (WCD) requires different signals received from different non-co-located radio network points to be synchronized in order to operate with multiple connectivity; deciding, based on the determination, whether to configure the WCD to operate with multiple connectivity.

32 . The method of claim 31 :
further comprising receiving information from the WCD about one or more cells whose determined receive timing difference are within a threshold; wherein the receive timing difference is between signals received at the WCD from a candidate cell and a reference cell; wherein the deciding is further bases on the received information.

33 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the determining comprises receiving, from the WCD, a WCD capability information indicating the capability of the WCD to operate in synchronized and/or in a unsynchronized multiple connectivity.

34 . The method of claim 33 , when the WCD can operate in unsynchronized multiple connectivity, the method further comprises configuring the WCD to operate with multiple connectivity.

35 . The method of claim 33 , when the WCD requires the different received signals to be synchronized, the method further comprises configuring the WCD to operate with multiple connectivity only if the amount of synchronization that the WCD requires can be provided by two or more radio network nodes.

36 . The method of claim 31 , further comprising adjusting a transmit timing of either of the different radio network points based on the determined extent to which the WCD requires different signals received from different non-co-located radio network points to be synchronized.

37 . The method of claim 31 , further comprising initiating a cell change of the WCD to a radio network point based on the determined extent to which the WCD requires different signals received from different non-co-located radio network points to be synchronized.

38 . The method of claim 31 , further adjusting a discontinuous reception parameter based on the determined extent to which the WCD requires different signals received from different non-co-located radio network points to be synchronized.

39 . The method of claim 31 , further comprising adjusting a measurement gap configuration based on the determined extent to which the WCD requires different signals received from different non-co-located radio network points to be synchronized.

40 . A method in a wireless communication device (WCD), the method comprising:
determining a receive timing difference between signals received at the WCD from a candidate cell and a reference cell; comparing the receive timing difference with a threshold; reporting information to a network node about one or more cells whose determined receive timing difference are within the threshold.

41 . The method of claim 40 , wherein the information reported to the network node comprises a cell identifier identifying the one or more cells whose determined receive timing difference are within the threshold.

42 . The method of claim 40 , wherein the reference cell is a serving cell or a strongest cell as measured by the WCD or a cell with the shortest propagation delay as measured by the WCD.

43 . The method of claim 40 , wherein the threshold is pre-defined, or configured by the network node, or based on a WCD capability, the WCD capability indicating the extent to which the WCD requires different signals received from different cells to be synchronized in order to operate with the different cells.

44 . The method of claim 43 , where the WCD capability is based on the number of transmitters and/or receivers supported by the WCD.

45 . The method of claim 40 , further comprising triggering the reporting of the information to the network node autonomously or in response to a request from the network.

46 . A network node, operable in a communication network supporting multiple connectivity, the network node comprising:
a communication interface; processing circuitry operatively connected to the communication interface and configured to:
determine an extent to which a wireless communication device (WCD) requires different signals received from different non-co-located radio network points to be synchronized in order to operate with multiple connectivity;
decide, based on the determination, whether to configure the WCD to operate with multiple connectivity.

47 . The network node of claim 46 :
wherein the network node is configured to receive information from the WCD about one or more cells whose determined receive timing difference are within a threshold, wherein the receive timing difference is between signals received at the WCD from a candidate cell and a reference cell; wherein the processing circuitry is configured to decide whether to configure the WCD to operate with multiple connectivity further based on the received information.

48 . The network node of claim 46 :
wherein the communication interface is configured to receive, from the WCD, a WCD capability information indicating the capability of the WCD to operate in synchronized and/or in a unsynchronized multiple connectivity; wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine the extent to which a wireless communication device (WCD) requires different signals received from different non-co-located radio network points to be synchronized in order to operate with multiple connectivity based on the WCD capability information.

49 . The network node of claim 48 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to configure WCD to operate with multiple connectivity when the WCD can operate in unsynchronized multiple connectivity.

50 . The network node of claim 48 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to configure the WCD, when the WCD requires the different received signals to be synchronized, to operate with multiple connectivity only if the amount of synchronization that the WCD requires can be provided by two or more radio network nodes.

51 . The network node of claim 47 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to adjust a transmit timing of either of the different radio network points based on the determined extent to which the WCD requires different signals received from different non-co-located radio network points to be synchronized.

52 . The network node of claim 47 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to initiate a cell change of the WCD to a radio network point based on the determined extent to which the WCD requires different signals received from different non-co-located radio network points to be synchronized.

53 . The network node of claim 47 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to adjust a discontinuous reception parameter based on the determined extent to which the WCD requires different signals received from different non-co-located radio network points to be synchronized.

54 . The network node of claim 47 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to adjust a measurement gap configuration based on the determined extent to which the WCD requires different signals received from different non-co-located radio network points to be synchronized.

55 . A wireless communication device (WCD) operable in a communication network supporting multiple connectivity, the wireless commun

Assignees

• Ericsson Telefon Ab L M

Inventors

• Rahman Imadur
• Axmon Joakim
• Kazmi Muhammad
• Larsson Magnus

Classifications

• H04W76/025 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04B17/364 Primary

  Delay profiles · CPC title

• H04W56/001 Primary

  Synchronization between nodes · CPC title

• H04W24/08

  Testing, {supervising or monitoring} using real traffic · CPC title

• H04W88/06

  adapted for operation in multiple networks {or having at least two operational modes}, e.g. multi-mode terminals · CPC title