Method and Apparatus for Device-to-Device Synchronization Sequence Processing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016278031-A1
Application number	US-201514435236-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 28, 2015
Priority date	Jan 31, 2014
Publication date	Sep 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

In one aspect of the teachings herein, a transmitter transmits synchronization signals according to one or more defined transmission characteristics that enable a receiver to distinguish the type of transmitter and/or the type of carrier used to convey the synchronization signals. Different types of transmitters reuse at least some of the same synchronization signal sequences and generation algorithms, but use different transmission parameters to impart one or more recognizable characteristics to the transmitted synchronization signals. In turn, an appropriately configured receiver “knows” which characteristics are associated with which transmitter and/or carrier types. For example, wireless devices operating in a wireless communication network transmit device-generated synchronization signals that reuse at least some of the same sequences used by network base stations for the transmission of network synchronization signals. However, device-generated synchronization signals are transmitted using a relative positioning or mapping that characteristically differs from that used for network synchronization signals.

First claim

1 - 22 . (canceled)

23 - 44 . (canceled)

45 . A method of transmitting device-generated synchronization signals from a wireless device configured for operation in a wireless communication network, said method comprising:
generating the device-generated synchronization signals using at least a subset of the same sequences used by base stations in the network for generating network synchronization signals; and transmitting the device-generated synchronization signals according to a relative positioning or mapping that characteristically differs from a relative positioning or mapping used for transmitting the network synchronization signals originating from any of the base stations in the wireless communication network.

46 . The method of claim 45 , wherein transmitting the device-generated synchronization signals includes transmitting primary and secondary device-generated synchronization signals according to an ordering that characteristically differs from an ordering used by the network for the transmission of the primary and secondary network synchronization signals.

47 . The method of claim 46 , wherein transmitting the primary and secondary device-generated synchronization signals comprises transmitting the primary device-generated synchronization signal, followed by transmission of the secondary device-generated synchronization signal, whereas, with respect to the transmission of the primary and secondary network synchronization signals from any given base station, transmission of the primary network synchronization signal follows transmission of the secondary network synchronization signal.

48 . The method of claim 45 , wherein transmitting the device-generated synchronization signals include transmitting primary and secondary device-generated synchronization signals according to a spacing or distance that characteristically differs from a spacing or distance used by the network for the transmission of primary and secondary network synchronization signals.

49 . The method of claim 45 , wherein the network synchronization signals comprise primary and secondary network synchronization signals, with transmission of the secondary network synchronization signal characteristically mapped to a downlink carrier, and wherein transmitting the device-generated synchronization signals comprises transmitting primary and secondary device-generated synchronization signals, including mapping transmissions of the secondary device-generated synchronization signal to an uplink carrier.

50 . The method of claim 45 , further comprising including or omitting one or more control fields in a Device-to-Device (D2D) broadcast control channel transmitted by the wireless device in association with transmission of the device-generated synchronization signals, wherein the control field omissions or inclusions characteristically distinguish the D2D broadcast control channel from network broadcast control channel transmissions by any of the base stations in association with their respective transmissions of the network synchronization signals.

51 . The method of claim 45 , wherein the device-generated synchronization signals are transmitted in accordance with a relative positioning that characteristically differs from the relative positioning used for transmitting the network synchronization signals.

52 . The method of claim 51 , wherein the device-generated synchronization signals are transmitted in accordance with additionally a relative mapping that characteristically differs from the relative mapping used for transmitting the network synchronization signals.

53 . The method of claim 45 , wherein transmitting the device-generated synchronization signals includes transmitting secondary device-generated synchronization signals in accordance with a relative positioning or mapping that characteristically differs from the relative positioning or mapping used for transmitting the secondary network synchronization signals.

54 . A wireless device configured for operation in a wireless communication network and comprising:
a communication interface configured for transmitting signals to base stations of the network and for transmitting signals to other wireless devices; and a processing circuit that is operatively associated with the communication interface and configured to: generate device-generated synchronization signals using at least a subset of the same sequences used by the base stations in the network for generating network synchronization signals; and transmit the device-generated synchronization signals according to a relative positioning or mapping that characteristically differs from a relative positioning or mapping used for transmitting the network synchronization signals originating from any of the base stations in the wireless communication network.

55 . The wireless device of claim 54 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to transmit the device-generated synchronization signals by transmitting primary and secondary device-generated synchronization signals according to an ordering that characteristically differs from an ordering used by the network for the transmission of primary and secondary network synchronization signals.

56 . The wireless device of claim 55 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to transmit the primary and secondary device-generated synchronization signals by transmitting the primary device-generated synchronization signal, followed by transmission of the secondary device-generated synchronization signal, whereas, with respect to the transmission of the primary and secondary network synchronization signals from any given base station, transmission of the primary network synchronization signal follows transmission of the secondary network synchronization signal.

57 . The wireless device of claim 54 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to transmit the device-generated synchronization signals by transmitting primary and secondary device-generated synchronization signals according to a spacing or distance that characteristically differs from a spacing or distance used by the network for the transmission of primary and secondary network synchronization signals.

58 . The wireless device of claim 54 , wherein the network synchronization signals comprise primary and secondary network synchronization signals, with transmission of the secondary network synchronization signal characteristically mapped to a downlink carrier, and wherein the processing circuit is configured to transmit the device-generated synchronization signals by transmitting primary and secondary device-generated synchronization signals, including mapping transmissions of the secondary device-generated synchronization signal to an uplink carrier.

59 . The wireless device of claim 54 , wherein the processing circuit is further configured to include or omit one or more control fields in a Device-to-Device (D2D) broadcast control channel transmitted by the wireless device in association with transmission of the device-generated synchronization signals, wherein the control field omissions or inclusions characteristically distinguish the D2D broadcast control channel from network broadcast control channel transmissions by any base stations in association with their respective transmissions of the network synchronization signals.

60 . The wireless device of claim 54 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to transmit the device-generated synchronization signals in accordance with a relative positioning that characteristically differs from the relative positioning

Assignees

• Ericsson Telefon Ab L M

Inventors

• Sorrentino Stefano

Classifications

• H04W56/001 Primary

  Synchronization between nodes · CPC title

• H04W72/044

  based on the type of the allocated resource · CPC title

• H04W56/003 Primary

  Arrangements to increase tolerance to errors in transmission or reception timing · CPC title

• H04W76/15

  Setup of multiple wireless link connections · CPC title

• H04W72/0453

  Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA · CPC title