Inserting virtual carrier in conventional ofdm host carrier in communications system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018167176-A1
Application number	US-201815890869-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 7, 2018
Priority date	Feb 4, 2011
Publication date	Jun 14, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A mobile telecommunications system including mobile terminals of first type and second type configured to transmit uplink data to a network over a radio interface using plural sub-carriers. The mobile terminals of first type configured to transmit uplink data on a first group of the sub-carriers over a first bandwidth and the mobile terminals of second type configured to transmit uplink data on a second group of the sub-carriers within the first group of sub-carrier over a second bandwidth smaller than the first bandwidth. The mobile terminals of first type transmit random access request messages to a base station of the network requesting uplink radio resources on a first random access channel. The mobile terminals of second type transmit random access request messages to the base station of the network requesting uplink radio resources on a second random access channel on sub-carriers within the second sub-carrier group.

First claim

1 . (canceled)

2 : A mobile terminal comprising:
a transmitter configured to transmit uplink data to a network over a radio interface, the radio interface comprising a first group of sub-carriers within a first bandwidth for mobile terminals of a first type to transmit uplink data to the network and forming a host uplink carrier, to transmit a random access request message on a random access channel to a base station of the network, requesting uplink radio resources within a virtual uplink carrier comprising a second group of sub-carriers within a second bandwidth, the second bandwidth being smaller than the first bandwidth, the mobile terminal being of a second type, the random access channel being formed on one or more sub-carriers which are within the first group of sub-carriers and not within the second group of sub-carriers, a receiver configured to receive a resource allocation message from the network allocating communications resources provided within the second bandwidth, in response to the random access request message, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit uplink data on one or more of the second group of sub-carriers allocated by the resource allocation message.

3 : A mobile terminal according to claim 2 , wherein the receiver is configured to receive a signal indicating a position of the random access channel on a downlink signaling channel.

4 : A mobile terminal according to claim 2 , wherein the network is arranged to transmit downlink data over a third group of sub-carriers over a third bandwidth and the receiver is configured to receive downlink data on a fourth group of sub-carriers over a fourth bandwidth, the fourth bandwidth being smaller than the third bandwidth and the fourth group of sub-carriers being within the third group of sub-carriers.

5 : A mobile terminal according to claim 2 , wherein the mobile terminal is arranged in accordance with 3GPP Long Term Evolution specifications.

6 : A mobile terminal according to claim 2 , wherein the random access request message transmitted on the random access channel is transmitted on a same group of sub-carriers of the first group of sub-carriers and at a same time as random access request messages transmitted on the random access channel by a mobile terminal of the first type.

7 : A mobile terminal according to claim 2 , wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the random access request on the random access channel in accordance with an allocation of the random access channel, the allocation comprising a time period and being common to a plurality of mobile terminals of the second type, and differing from an allocation for a mobile terminal of the first type.

8 : A mobile terminal according to claim 2 , wherein the random access request message comprises one of a first plurality of random access preambles, the first plurality of random access preambles being commonly allocated to a plurality of mobile terminals of the second type and differing from a second plurality of preambles for use by a mobile terminal of the first type.

9 : A method of transmitting data from a mobile terminal, the method comprising
transmitting uplink data to a network over a radio interface, the radio interface comprising a first group of sub-carriers within a first bandwidth for mobile terminals of a first type to transmit uplink data to the network and forming a host uplink carrier,
transmitting a random access request message frequency on a random access channel to a base station of the network requesting the uplink radio resources within a virtual uplink carrier comprising a second group of sub-carriers within a second bandwidth, the second bandwidth being smaller than the first bandwidth, the random access channel being formed on one or more sub-carriers which are within the first group of subcarriers and not within the second group of sub-carriers,
receiving a resource allocation message in response to the random access request message from the network allocating communications resources within the second group of sub-carriers, and
transmitting the uplink data on the uplink radio resources comprising one or more of the second group of sub-carriers allocated by the resource allocation message, wherein the first group of sub-carriers comprises a plurality of the second group of subcarriers.

10 : A method according to claim 9 , comprising receiving a signal indicating a position of the random access channel on a downlink signaling channel.

11 : A method according to claim 9 , wherein the network is arranged to transmit downlink data over a third group of sub-carriers over a third bandwidth and the receiving comprises receiving downlink data on a fourth group of sub-carriers over a fourth bandwidth, the fourth bandwidth being smaller than the third bandwidth and the fourth group of sub-carriers being within the third group of sub-carriers.

12 : A method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the transmitting the random access request message on the random access channel includes transmitting the random access request message on a same group of sub-carriers and at a same time as random access request messages are transmitted by mobile terminals of the first type.

13 : A method as described in claim 9 , wherein the transmitting the random access request message on the random access channel includes transmitting the random access request message during a first allocated period of time, different from a second allocated period of time during which mobile terminals of the first type transmit random access messages.

Assignees

• Sca Ipla Holdings Inc

Inventors

• Mcnamara Darren
• Lillie Andrew
• Darwood Peter
• Beale Martin

Classifications

• H04L5/0007 Primary

  the frequencies being orthogonal, e.g. OFDM(A) or DMT · CPC title

• H04L5/0048

  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

• H04L5/0094

  Indication of how sub-channels of the path are allocated · CPC title

• H04L5/0064

  Rate requirement of the data, e.g. scalable bandwidth, data priority · CPC title

• H04L5/0053

  Allocation of signalling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals · CPC title