METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COMMUNICATING ISM PRONE FREQUENCY INFORMATION TO A BASE STATION

1 . A method comprising:

detecting a likelihood of in-device coexistence interference between at least one of non-serving Long Term Evolution (LTE) frequencies and an Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) frequency when an ISM activity is ongoing on the ISM frequency; and

reporting the likelihood of in-device coexistence interference between the at least one of the non-serving LTE frequencies and the ISM frequency to a base station.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting of the likelihood of in-device coexistence interference between the at least one of the non-serving LTE frequencies and the ISM frequency when the ISM activity is ongoing on the ISM frequency comprises:

receiving a list of the non-serving LTE frequencies so as to perform a measurement on the non-serving LTE frequencies from the base station;

configuring the non-serving LTE frequencies in the received list so as to perform the measurements on the configured non-serving LTE frequencies;

detecting the likelihood of in-device coexistence interference between the at least one of the non-serving LTE frequencies and the ISM frequency when the ISM activity is ongoing on the ISM frequency.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the reporting of the likelihood of in-device coexistence interference between the at least one of the non-serving LTE frequencies and the ISM frequency to the base station comprises:

reporting the likelihood of in-device coexistence interference between the at least one of the non-serving LTE frequencies and the ISM frequency to the base station;

receiving a measurement reconfigure message from the base station in response to the reporting, wherein the measurement reconfigure message includes an indication to remove the at least one of the non-serving LTE frequencies; and

removing the at least one of the non-serving LTE frequencies from the configured non-serving LTE frequencies.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting of the likelihood of in-device coexistence interference between the at least one of the non-serving LTE frequencies and the ISM frequency when the ISM activity is ongoing on the ISM frequency comprises:

receiving a first Radio Resource Connection (RRC) reconfiguration message with a list of the non-serving LTE frequencies from the base station;

configuring the non-serving LTE frequencies in the received list so as to perform a measurement on the configured non-serving LTE frequencies; and

detecting the likelihood of in-device coexistence interference between the at least one of the non-serving LTE frequencies and the ISM frequency when the ISM activity is ongoing on the ISM frequency.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the reporting of the likelihood of in-device coexistence interference between the at least one of the non-serving LTE frequencies and the ISM frequency to the base station comprises:

transmitting an RRC reconfiguration complete message indicating the likelihood of in-device coexistence interference between the at least one of the non-serving LTE frequencies and the ISM frequency to the base station.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the transmitting of the RRC reconfiguration complete message indicating the likelihood of in-device coexistence interference between the at least one of the non-serving LTE frequencies and the ISM frequency to the base station further comprises:

receiving a second RRC reconfiguration message with an updated list of non-serving LTE frequencies from the base station in response to the RRC reconfiguration complete message; and

configuring the non-serving LTE frequencies in the updated list so as to perform the measurement on the configured non-serving LTE frequencies.

7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the transmitting of the RRC reconfiguration complete message indicating the likelihood of in-device coexistence interference between the at least one of the non-serving LTE frequencies and the ISM frequency to the base station further comprises:

removing the at least one of the non-serving LTE frequencies and corresponding measurement gaps from the configured non-serving LTE frequencies.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting of the likelihood of in-device coexistence interference between the at least one of the non-serving LTE frequencies and the ISM frequency when the ISM activity is ongoing on the ISM frequency comprises:

receiving a first Radio Resource Connection (RRC) reconfiguration message with a handover command so as to perform handover from a serving LTE frequency to the at least one of the non-serving LTE frequencies; and

detecting the likelihood of in-device coexistence interference between the at least one of the non-serving LTE frequencies and the ISM frequency when the ISM activity is ongoing on the ISM frequency, and

wherein the reporting of the likelihood of in-device coexistence interference between the at least one of the non-serving LTE frequencies and the ISM frequency to the base station comprises:

rejecting the handover command in the RRC reconfiguration message;

transmitting an RRC reconfiguration complete message indicating the likelihood of in-device coexistence interference between the at least one of the non-serving frequencies and the ISM frequency to the base station; and

receiving a second RRC reconfiguration message with a new handover command so as to perform handover from the serving LTE frequency to another non-serving LTE frequency that is neither interfered by an ISM activity nor causing in-device coexistence interference to the ISM activity.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the likelihood of in-device coexistence interference between the at least one of the non-serving frequencies and the ISM frequency is notified to the base station through a measurement report.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting of the likelihood of in-device coexistence interference between the at least one of the non-serving LTE frequencies and the ISM frequency when the ISM activity is ongoing on the ISM frequency comprises:

receiving a Radio Resource Connection (RRC) reconfiguration message with a handover command so as to perform handover from a serving LTE frequency to the at least one of the non-serving LTE frequencies; and

detecting the likelihood of in-device coexistence interference between the at least one of the non-serving LTE frequencies and the ISM frequency when the ISM activity is ongoing on the ISM frequency, and

wherein the reporting of the likelihood of in-device coexistence interference between the at least one of the non-serving LTE frequencies and the ISM frequency to the base station comprises:

rejecting the handover command in the RRC reconfiguration message;

triggering an RRC re-establishment procedure for re-establishing a radio resource connection with the base station; and

transmitting an RRC re-establishment request message indicating the likelihood of in-device coexistence interference between the at least one of the non-serving frequencies and the ISM frequency to the base station.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the reporting of the likelihood of in-device coexistence interference between the at least one of the non-serving LTE frequencies and the ISM frequency to the base station further comprises:

receiving a timer value during which the at least one of the non-serving LTE frequencies is blocked so as to perform a measurement from the base station;

receiving an updated list of the non-serving LTE frequencies from the base station upon expiry of the timer value, wherein the updated list of non-serving frequencies includes the at least one of non-serving LTE frequencies; and

configuring the non-serving LTE frequencies in the updated list of non-serving LTE frequencies so as to perform the performing measurement.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the reporting of the likelihood of in-device coexistence interference between the at least one of the non-serving LTE frequencies and the ISM frequency to the base station comprises:

reporting the likelihood of in-device coexistence interference between the at least one of the non-serving LTE frequencies and the ISM frequency to the base station and a timer value during which the at least one of the non-serving LTE frequencies is to be blocked for so as to perform a measurement;

receiving an updated list of the non-serving LTE frequencies from the base station upon expiry of the timer value, wherein the updated list of the non-serving frequencies includes the at least one of the non-serving LTE frequencies; and

configuring the non-serving LTE frequencies in the updated list of the non-serving LTE frequencies so as to perform the measurement.

13 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

setting a timer value during which the at least one of the non-serving LTE frequencies is to be blocked so as to perform the measurement; and

adding the removed at least one of the non-serving LTE frequencies in the configured non-serving LTE frequencies upon expiry of the timer value, wherein the expiry of the timer value indicates that the ISM activity is completed.

14 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

indicating to the base station that the ISM activity has completed.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

determining whether a signal quality of a serving LTE frequency is below a threshold;

triggering a request for configuring the at least one of the non-serving LTE frequency so as to perform a measurements;

receiving an updated list of the non-serving LTE frequencies from the base station, wherein the updated list of the non-serving frequencies includes the at least one of the non-serving LTE frequencies; and

configuring the non-serving LTE frequencies in the updated list of the non-serving LTE frequencies so as to perform the measurement.

16 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the removing of the at least one of the non-serving LTE frequencies from the configured non-serving LTE frequencies further comprises:

sending a Radio Resource Connection (RRC) reconfiguration complete message including a request to re-configure the at least one of the non-serving LTE frequencies to the base station.

17 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the removing of the at least one of the non-serving LTE frequencies from the configured non-serving LTE of frequencies further comprises:

sending an indication to the base station that the removed at least one of the non-serving LTE frequencies are re-configured by a user equipment when the ISM activity is complete and the signal quality of a serving frequency has fallen below a threshold value.

18 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

performing a re-selection procedure on one of the non-serving LTE frequencies that is not affected by the ISM activity,

wherein the one of the non-serving LTE frequencies is having a lower priority than the at least one of the non-serving LTE frequencies which is affected by the ISM activity.

19 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

performing a re-selection procedure on a previously serving LTE frequency that is not affected by the ISM activity,

wherein the previously serving LTE frequency is having a lower priority than the at least one of the non-serving LTE frequencies which is affected by the ISM activity.

20 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the reporting of the likelihood of in-device coexistence interference between the at least one of the non-serving LTE frequencies and the ISM frequency to the base station comprises:

reporting the likelihood of in-device coexistence interference between the at least one of the non-serving LTE frequencies and the ISM frequency to the base station during establishment of a radio resource connection so that a user equipment is moved to a non-serving LTE frequency which is not affected by the ISM activity,

wherein the non-serving LTE frequency which is not affected by the ISM activity is an LTE frequency on which the user equipment is camped for establishing the radio resource connection.

21 . An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor,

wherein the memory includes an interference handler configured to detect a likelihood of in-device coexistence interference between at least one of non-serving Long Term Evolution (LTE) frequencies and an Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) frequency when an ISM activity is ongoing on the ISM frequency, and configured to report the likelihood of in-device coexistence interference between the at least one of non-serving LTE frequencies and the ISM frequency to a base station.

22 . The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the interference handler is further configured to receiving to receive a list of the non-serving LTE frequencies so as to perform a measurements on the non-serving LTE frequencies from the base station, and to configure the non-serving LTE frequencies in the received list so as to perform the measurement on the configured non-serving LTE frequencies.

23 . The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the interference handler is further configured to receive a measurement reconfigure message from the base station in response to reporting the likelihood of in-device coexistence interference, wherein the measurement reconfigure message includes an indication to remove the at least one of the non-serving LTE frequencies, and to remove the at least one of the non-serving LTE frequencies from the configured non-serving LTE frequencies.

24 . The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the interference handler is further configured to indicate to the base station that the ISM activity has completed.