IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,036,580
Granted Patent B2
US 9,036,580 · App. 13/744,397 · Granted May 19, 2015

Systems and methods for dynamically configuring a flexible subframe

Inventors: Zhanping Yin (Vancouver, WA); Shohei Yamada (Camas, WA)
Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
H04W72/0446
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,036,580
App. No.
13/744,397
Granted
May 19, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

A user equipment (UE) for dynamically configuring a flexible subframe is described. The UE includes a processor and instructions stored in memory that is in electronic communication with the processor. The UE determines that a subframe is a flexible subframe. The UE determines whether a downlink is indicated for the flexible subframe. The UE sets the flexible subframe as a downlink subframe if a downlink is indicated.

Claims (52)

1. A user equipment (UE) for dynamically configuring a flexible subframe, comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor, wherein instructions stored in the memory are executable to:

determine that a subframe is a flexible subframe, wherein determining whether a subframe is a flexible subframe comprises determining whether a subframe type is different in a first reference uplink-downlink (UL-DL) configuration and a second reference UL-DL configuration;

determine whether a downlink is indicated for the flexible subframe by a physical layer signaling, wherein determining whether a downlink is indicated for the flexible subframe comprises monitoring for an indication subframe that is previous to the flexible subframe;

avoid monitoring the flexible subframe when a downlink is not indicated for the flexible subframe; and

set the flexible subframe as a downlink subframe if a downlink is indicated by the physical layer signaling.

2. The UE of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are further executable to monitor for one or more of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) and an enhanced PDCCH (EPDCCH) for a downlink for the flexible subframe in the flexible subframe if a downlink is indicated.

3. The UE of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are further executable to avoid monitoring for one or more of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) and an enhanced PDCCH (EPDCCH) for a downlink in the flexible subframe if a downlink is not indicated.

4. The UE of claim 1 , wherein the indication subframe is a closest downlink subframe before the flexible subframe.

5. A user equipment (UE) for dynamically configuring a flexible subframe, comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor, wherein instructions stored in the memory are executable to:

determine that a subframe is a flexible subframe, wherein determining whether a subframe is a flexible subframe comprises determining whether a subframe type is different in a first reference uplink-downlink (UL-DL) configuration and a second reference UL-DL configuration;

monitor for one or more of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) and an enhanced PDCCH (EPDCCH) for a downlink for the flexible subframe, wherein monitoring for one or more of a PDCCH and an EPDCCH comprises monitoring for one or more of a PDCCH and an EPDCCH in a scheduling subframe that is previous to the flexible subframe;

avoid monitoring for one or more of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) and an enhanced PDCCH (EPDCCH) for a downlink in the flexible subframe if a downlink is not indicated; and

determine whether a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) is scheduled for the flexible subframe.

6. The UE of claim 5 , wherein the scheduling subframe is a closest downlink subframe before the flexible subframe.

7. An evolved Node B (eNB) for dynamically configuring a flexible subframe as a downlink subframe, comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor, wherein instructions stored in the memory are executable to:

determine that a subframe is a flexible subframe by a physical layer signaling, wherein determining whether a subframe is a flexible subframe comprises determining whether a subframe type is different in a first reference up-link-downlink (UL-DL) configuration and a second reference UL-DL configuration; and

indicate by a physical layer signaling a downlink for the flexible subframe via an indication subframe that is previous to the flexible subframe.

8. The eNB of claim 7 , wherein the indication subframe is a closest downlink subframe before the flexible subframe.

9. The eNB of claim 7 , wherein the instructions are further executable to schedule a downlink for the flexible subframe via a scheduling subframe that is previous to the flexible subframe.

10. The eNB of claim 9 , wherein indicating the downlink and scheduling the downlink are performed by a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) or an enhanced PDCCH (EPDCCH) in the scheduling subframe.

11. The eNB of claim 9 , wherein indicating the downlink comprises sending a downlink indication in the indication subframe, and wherein scheduling the downlink is performed by a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) or an enhanced PDCCH (EPDCCH) in the flexible subframe.

12. The eNB of claim 9 , wherein scheduling a downlink is based on a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) scheduling timing.

13. The eNB of claim 9 , wherein scheduling a downlink comprises sending a subframe offset value that indicates a number of subframes between the indication subframe and the flexible subframe.

14. A method for dynamically configuring a flexible subframe by a user equipment (UE), comprising:

determining, by the UE, that a subframe is a flexible subframe, wherein determining whether a subframe is a flexible subframe comprises determining whether a subframe type is different in a first reference uplink-downlink (UL-DL) configuration and a second reference UL-DL configuration;

determining, by the UE, whether a downlink is indicated for the flexible subframe by a physical layer signaling, wherein determining whether a downlink is indicated for the flexible subframe comprises monitoring for an indication subframe that is previous to the flexible subframe;

avoiding monitoring the flexible subframe when a downlink is not indicated for the flexible subframe; and

setting, by the UE, the flexible subframe as a downlink subframe if a downlink is indicated by the physical layer signaling.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising monitoring for one or more of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) and an enhanced PDCCH (EPDCCH) for a downlink for the flexible subframe in the flexible subframe if a downlink is indicated.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising avoiding monitoring for one or more of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) and an enhanced PDCCH (EPDCCH) for a downlink in the flexible subframe if a downlink is not indicated.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the indication subframe is a closest downlink subframe before the flexible subframe.

18. A method for dynamically configuring a flexible subframe by a user equipment (UE), comprising:

determining that a subframe is a flexible subframe, wherein determining whether a subframe is a flexible subframe comprises determining whether a subframe type is different in a first reference uplink-downlink (UL-DL) configuration and a second reference UL-DL configuration;

monitoring for one or more of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) and an enhanced PDCCH (EPDCCH) for a downlink for the flexible subframe, wherein monitoring for one or more of a PDCCH and an EPDCCH comprises monitoring for one or more of a PDCCH and an EPDCCH in a scheduling subframe that is previous to the flexible subframe;

avoiding monitoring for one or more of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) and an enhanced PDCCH (EPDCCH) for a downlink in the flexible subframe if a downlink is not indicated; and

determining whether a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) is scheduled for the flexible subframe.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the scheduling subframe is a closest downlink subframe before the flexible subframe.

20. A method for dynamically configuring a flexible subframe as a downlink subframe by an evolved Node B (eNB), comprising:

determining, by the eNB, that a subframe is a flexible subframe by a physical layer signaling, wherein determining whether a subframe is a flexible subframe comprises determining whether a subframe type is different in a first reference uplink-downlink (UL-DL) configuration and a second reference UL-DL configuration;

indicating by a physical layer signaling, by the eNB, a downlink for the flexible subframe via an indication subframe that is previous to the flexible subframe.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the indication subframe is a closest downlink subframe before the flexible subframe.

22. The method of claim 20 , further comprising scheduling a downlink for the flexible subframe via a scheduling subframe that is previous to the flexible subframe.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein indicating the downlink and scheduling the downlink are performed by a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) or an enhanced PDCCH (EPDCCH) in the scheduling subframe.

24. The method of claim 22 , wherein indicating the downlink comprises sending a downlink indication in the indication subframe, and wherein scheduling the downlink is performed by a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) or an enhanced PDCCH (EPDCCH) in the flexible subframe.

25. The method of claim 20 , wherein scheduling a downlink is based on a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) scheduling timing.

26. The method of claim 20 , wherein scheduling a downlink comprises sending a subframe offset value that indicates a number of subframes between the indication subframe and the flexible subframe.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 2, 2015
From: SHARP LABORATORIES OF AMERICA, INC.
To: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 036476/0374 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 22, 2013
From: YIN, ZHANPING; YAMADA, SHOHEI
To: SHARP LABORATORIES OF AMERICA, INC.
Reel/Frame 029668/0700 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20140198733A1 · Jul 17, 2014