Methods of subframe pairing for measurement gap length configuration in dual connectivity

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016295583-A1
Application number	US-201514894490-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 19, 2015
Priority date	Nov 10, 2014
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method by a UE configured in DC includes receiving from a network node, configuration information of a measurement gap length for performing one or more radio measurements. Subframe pairs are determined between a MCG and a SCG with respect to measurement gap length in the MCG on which measurement gap length in the SCG can be configured. The measurement gap length is determined in at least the SCG using the determined subframe pairs. One or more radio measurements are performed in the SCG within the configured measurement gap length. Related UEs, methods by network nodes, and network nodes are disclosed.

First claim

1 . A method by a user equipment, UE, configured in dual connectivity, DC, the method comprising:
receiving from, a network node, configuration information of a measurement gap length for performing one or more radio measurements; determining subframe pairs between a master cell group, MCG, and a secondary cell group, SCG, with respect to measurement gap length in the MCG on which measurement gap length in the SCG can be configured; configuring the measurement gap length in at least the SCG using the determined subframe pairs; and performing one or more radio measurements in the SCG within the configured measurement gap length.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
preventing transmission and reception on a defined subframe in the SCG during the configured measurement gap length in the SCG.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein:
the defined subframe in the SCG is a 7th subframe, wherein the measurement gap in the SCG starts from the first subframe.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a synchronization level of signals received at the UE from subframe boundaries of the MCG and the SCG; determining based on the synchronization level whether or not to perform the determining subframe pairs between the MCG and the SCG; determining the measurement gap length in the MCG and the SCG based on a subframe pair between the MCG and the SCG determined from performing the determining subframe pairs between the MCG and the SCG; and performing radio measurements in measurent gaps identified using the determined measurement gap length.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein determining synchronization level of signals received at the UE from subframe boundaries of the MCG and the SCG, comprises;
determining the synchronization level based on a received time difference of signals received at the UE from the MCG and the SCG.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining subframe pairs between a MCG and a SCG with respect to measurement gap length in the MCG on which measurement gap length in the SCG can be configured, comprises:
identifying one of the subframe pairs as a subframe in the MCG and a subframe in the SCG that overlap with each other in a defined time slot.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the defined time slot is a first time slot in the subframe in the MCG subframe and a first time slot iii the subframe in the SCG subframe.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein:
responsive to the defined time slot of the MCG leading the defined time slot of the SCG, using a first subframe through a sixth subframe as the measurement gap length for the MCG and SCG, and preventing the UE from receiving and transmitting during a subframe immediately before the first subframe; and responsive to the defined time slot of the SCG leading the defined time slot of the MCG, using the first subframe through the sixth subframe as the measurement gap length for the MCG and SCG, and preventing the UE from receiving and transmitting during the subframe immediately after the sixth subframe.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
determining subframe pairs between a MCG and a SCG with respect to measurement gap length in the MCG on which measurement gap length in the SCG can be configured, comprises identifying a subframe in the SCG that starts after a defined subframe in a MCG; and configuring the measurement gap length in at least the SCG using the determined subframe pairs, comprises configuring the measurement gap length in the SCG using the subframe in the SCG that is identified as starting after the defined subframe in the MCG gap.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the defined subframe in the MCG gap is the first subframe in a measurement gap of the MCG.

11 . A user equipment, UE, configured in, dual connectivity, DC, and configured to:
receive from a network node, configuration information of a measurement gap length for performing one or more radio measurements; determine subframe pairs between a master cell group, MCG, and a secondary cell group, SCG, with respect to measurement gap length in the MCG on which measurement gap length in the SCG can be configured; configure the measurement gap length in at least the SCG using the determined subframe pairs; and perform one or more radio measurements in the SCG within the configured measurement gap length.

12 . The UE of claim 11 , where the UE is further configured to:
prevent transmission and reception by the UE on a defined subframe in the SCG during the configured measurement gap length in the SCG.

13 . The UE of claim 12 , wherein:
the defined subframe in the SCG is a 7th subframe, wherein the measurement gap in the SCG starts from the first subframe.

14 . The UE of claim 11 , where the UE is further configured to:
determine a synchronization level of signals received at the UE from subframe boundaries of the MCG and the SCG, determine based on the synchronization level whether or not to perform the determining subframe pairs between the MCG and the SCG; determine the measurement gap length in the MCG and the SCG based on a subframe pair between the MCG and the SCG determined from performing the determining subframe pairs between the MCG and the SCG; and perform radio measurements in measurement gaps identified using the determined measurement gap length.

15 . The UE of claim 14 , wherein determining a synchronization level of signals received at the UE from subframe boundaries of the MCG and the SCG, comprises;
determining the synchronization level based on a received time difference of signals received at the UE from the MCG and the SCG.

16 . The UE of claim 11 , wherein determining subframe pairs between a MCG and a SCG with respect to measurement gap length in the MCG on which measurement gap length in the SCG can be configured, comprises:
identifying one of the subframe pairs as a subframe in the MCG and a subframe in the SCG that overlap with each other in a defined time slot.

17 . The UE of claim 16 , wherein the defined time slot is a first time slot in the subframe in the MCG subframe and a first time slot in the subframe in the SCG subframe.

18 . The UE ( 1100 ) of claim 17 , wherein, the UE is further configured to:
responsive to the defined time slot of the MCG leading the defined time slot of the SCG, use a first subframe through a sixth subframe as the measurement gap length for the MCG and SCG, and preventing the UE from receiving and transmitting during a subframe immediately before the first subframe; and responsive to the defined time slot of the SCG leading the defined time slot of the MCG, use the first subframe through the sixth subframe as the measurement gap length for the MCG and SCG, and preventing the UE from receiving and transmitting during the subframe immediately after the sixth subframe.

19 . The UE of claim 11 , wherein the UE is further configured to:
determine subframe pairs between a MCG and a SCG with respect to measurement gap length in the MCG on which measurement gap length in the SCG can be configured, comprises identifying a subframe in the SCG that starts after a defined subframe in a MCG gap; and configure the measurement gap length in at least the SCG using the determined subframe pairs, comprises configuring the measurement gap length in the SCG using the subframe in the SCG that is identified as starting after the defined subframe in the MCG gap.

20 . A method by a network node serving a user equipment, UE, configured in dual connectivity, DC, the

Assignees

• Ericsson Telefon Ab L M

Inventors

• Kazmi Muhammad
• Rahman Imadur

Classifications

• H04W24/08 Primary

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

• H04W72/0446 Primary

  Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames · CPC title

• H04W36/0088

  Scheduling hand-off measurements · CPC title

• H04W76/025

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04W36/0058 Primary

  Transmission of hand-off measurement information, e.g. measurement reports · CPC title