Communication device and method for communicating in a communication mode using a frequency range according to a frame structure

1. A communication device, comprising:

a communication circuit configured to communicate in a first communication mode;

a receiver configured to receive a switching delay information message indicating a pre-defined time interval by which start of communication in a second communication mode for carrying user and control data using a second frequency range according to a frame structure, wherein the frame structure comprises a plurality of radio frames each having a plurality of sub-frames, each sub-frame including a plurality of symbols, should be delayed after a switch from the first communication mode to the second communication mode, wherein the pre-defined time interval is shorter than one sub-frame, the pre-defined time interval is stored in the communication device, the pre-defined time interval is a multiple of an Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbol duration and the pre-defined time interval is at least one symbol long,

a detector circuit configured to detect whether the pre-defined time interval has elapsed since the start of the switching from the first communication mode to the second communication mode if the communication circuit has started switching from the first communication mode to the second communication mode,

wherein the communication circuit is configured to communicate in the second communication mode when the pre-defined time interval has elapsed since the start of the switching from the first communication mode to the second communication mode.

2. The communication device according to claim 1 , wherein the communication device is a mobile terminal of a mobile communication system.

3. The communication device according to claim 2 , wherein the switching delay information message is received from a base station of the mobile communication system.

4. The communication device according to claim 1 , wherein in the first communication mode, the communication circuit communicates using a plurality of sub-carriers having frequencies in the first frequency range and wherein in the second communication mode, the communication circuit communicates using a plurality of sub-carriers having frequencies in the second frequency range.

5. The communication device according to claim 1 , wherein in the first communication mode, the communication circuit communicates according to OFDM using the first frequency range and wherein in the second communication mode, the communication circuit communicates according to OFDM using the second frequency range.

6. The communication device according to claim 1 , wherein the switching delay information message is received in the first communication mode.

7. The communication device according to claim 1 , further comprising a sending circuit configured to send a required switching time information message specifying a required switching time interval required by the communication circuit to switch from the first communication mode to the second communication mode.

8. The communication device according to claim 1 , wherein the receiver is configured to receive a switching request message indication that the second communication mode is to be used for communicating and wherein the communication circuit is configured to start switching from the first communication mode to the second communication mode in reaction to receiving the switching request message.

9. The communication device according to claim 1 , wherein the communication circuit is configured to receive data in the first communication mode using the first frequency range and in the second communication mode using the second frequency range.

10. A method for switching a communication mode comprising:

a communication circuit communicating in a first communication mode using a first frequency range;

receiving a switching delay information message indicating a pre-defined time interval by which start of communication in a second communication mode for carrying user and control data using a second frequency range according to a frame structure, wherein the frame structure comprises a plurality of radio frames each having a plurality of sub-frames, each sub-frame including a plurality of symbols, should be delayed after a switch from the first communication mode to the second communication mode, wherein the pre-defined time interval is shorter than one sub-frame, the pre-defined time interval is stored in a communication device that includes the communication circuit, the pre-defined time interval is a multiple of an Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbol duration and at least one symbol long;

detecting whether the pre-defined time interval has elapsed since the start of the switching from the first communication mode to the second communication mode if the communication circuit has started switching from the first communication mode to the second communication mode;

communicating in the second communication mode when the pre-defined time interval has elapsed since the start of the switching from the first communication mode to the second communication mode.

11. A communication device comprising:

a communication circuit configured to communicate in a first communication mode using a first frequency range;

a sending circuit configured to send a switching delay information message to another communication device indicating a pre-defined time interval by which start of communication in a second communication mode for carrying user and control data using a second frequency range according to a frame structure, wherein the frame structure comprises a plurality of radio frames each having a plurality of sub-frames, each sub-frame including a plurality of symbols, should be delayed after a switch from the first communication mode to the second communication mode, wherein the pre-defined time interval is shorter than one sub-frame, the pre-defined time interval is stored in the communication device, the pre-defined time interval is a multiple of an Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbol duration and at least one symbol long,

a detector circuit configured to detect whether the pre-defined time interval has elapsed since the start of the switching from the first communication mode to the second communication mode if the communication circuit has started switching from the first communication mode to the second communication mode,

wherein the communication circuit is configured to communicate in the second communication mode when the pre-defined time interval has elapsed since the start of the switching from the first communication mode to the second communication mode.

12. The communication device according to claim 11 , wherein the communication device is a base station of a mobile communication system.

13. The communication device according to claim 12 , wherein the other communication device is a mobile terminal of the mobile communication system.

14. The communication device according to claim 11 , further comprising a receiver configured to receive a required switching time message from the other communication device specifying a required switching time interval required by the communication circuit to switch from the first communication mode to the second communication mode.

15. The communication device according to claim 11 , wherein the sending circuit is configured to send a switching request message indicating that the second communication mode is to be used for communicating and wherein the communication circuit is configured to start switching from the first communication mode to the second communication mode after sending the switching request message.

16. The communication device according to claim 11 , wherein the switching request message is sent in the first communication mode.

17. The communication device according to claim 11 , wherein the communication circuit is configured to send data to the other communication device in the first communication mode using the first frequency range and in the second communication mode using the second frequency range.

18. A mobile terminal comprising:

a communication circuit configured to communicate in a first communication mode using a first frequency range;

a receiver configured to receive a switching request message indicating that a second communication mode for carrying user and control data using a second frequency range according to a frame structure, wherein the frame structure comprises a plurality of radio frames each having a plurality of sub-frames, each sub-frame including a plurality of symbols, is to be used for communicating,

wherein the communication circuit is configured to start switching from the first communication mode to the second communication mode in reaction to receiving the switching request message;

a detector circuit configured to detect whether a pre-defined time interval has elapsed since the start of the switching from the first communication mode to the second communication mode, wherein the pre-defined time interval is shorter than one sub-frame, the pre-defined time interval is stored in the mobile terminal, the pre-defined time interval is a multiple of an Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbol duration and at least one symbol long,

wherein the communication circuit is configured to communicate in the second communication mode when the pre-defined time interval has elapsed since the start of the switching from the first communication mode to the second communication mode.

19. The mobile terminal according to claim 18 , wherein the switching request message is received from a base station of the mobile communication system.

20. The mobile terminal according to claim 18 , wherein the communication circuit is configured to receive data in the first communication mode using the first frequency range and in the second communication mode using the second frequency range.

21. A base station comprising:

a communication circuit configured to communicate in a first communication mode using a first frequency range;

a sending circuit configured to send a switching request message to a communication device indicating that a second communication mode for carrying user and control data using a second frequency range according to a frame structure, wherein the frame structure comprises a plurality of radio frames each having a plurality of sub-frames, each sub-frame including a plurality of symbols, is to be used for communicating by the communication device,

a detector circuit configured to detect whether a pre-defined time interval has elapsed since the sending of the switching request message, wherein the pre-defined time interval is shorter than one sub-frame, the pre-defined time interval is stored in the base station, the pre-defined time interval is a multiple of an Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbol duration and at least one symbol long,

wherein the communication circuit is configured to communicate in the second communication mode when the pre-defined time interval has elapsed since the sending of the switching request message.

22. The base station according to claim 21 , wherein the communication device is a mobile terminal of the mobile communication system.

23. The base station according to claim 21 , wherein the communication circuit is configured to send data in the first communication mode to the communication device using the first frequency range and in the second communication mode using the second frequency range.