Configuration of interference measurement resources for enhanced downlink measurements and MU-MIMO

1. A method for performing interference measurements by a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

identifying a first channel state information (CSI) interference measurement (IM) configuration for the UE to perform interference measurement as a function of the total number of frequency resources configured for CSI-IM;

determining whether or not the first CSI-IM configuration includes a subset of a total number of frequency resources configured for CSI-IM in the wireless communication system;

performing a first measurement of interference based on the identified first CSI-IM configuration;

sending a first CSI feedback based on the first measured interference,

identifying a second CSI-IM configuration for the UE to perform interference measurement based on the subset of frequency resources configured for CSI-IM;

performing a second measurement of interference based on the subset of frequency resources configured for CSI-IM; and

sending a second CSI feedback based on the second measurement of interference.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subset of a total number of frequency resources configured for CSI-IM corresponds to at least one subband of downlink system bandwidth, the method further comprising:

determining whether to perform subband based interference measurements based on a signal received from a base station.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein whether the UE is to use the subset of frequency resources or the total number of frequency resources to perform interference measurement is included as part of a CSI process definition.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining whether to perform interference measurements based on all downlink subframes or only a portion of the downlink subframes to form a subframe determination; and

performing interference measurement based on the subframe determination,

wherein whether to perform interference measurements based on all downlink subframes or only a portion of the downlink subframes is included in a CSI process definition.

5. An apparatus of a user equipment (UE) capable of performing interference measurements in a wireless communication system, the apparatus comprising:

a controller configured to identify a first channel state information (CSI) interference measurement (IM) configuration for the UE to perform interference measurement as a function of the total number of frequency resources configured for CSI-IM, determine whether or not the first CSI-IM configuration includes a subset of a total number of frequency resources configured for CSI-IM in the wireless communication system, and perform a first measurement of interference based on the identified first CSI-IM configuration;

a transmitter configured to send a first CSI feedback based on the first measured interference;

the controller further configured to identify a second CSI-IM configuration for the UE to perform interference measurement based on the subset of frequency resources configured for CSI-IM and perform a second measurement of interference based on the subset of frequency resources configured for CSI-IM; and

the transmitter further configured to send a second CSI feedback based on the second measurement of interference.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the subset of a total number of frequency resources configured for CSI-IM corresponds to at least one subband of downlink system bandwidth, and wherein the controller is configured to determine whether to perform subband based interference measurements based on a signal received from a base station.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein whether the UE is to use the subset of frequency resources or the total number of frequency resources to perform interference measurement is included as part of a CSI process definition.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to determine whether to perform interference measurements based on all downlink subframes or only a portion of the downlink subframes to form a subframe determination, and perform interference measurement based on the subframe determination, wherein whether to perform interference measurements based on all downlink subframes or only a portion of the downlink subframes is included in a CSI process definition.

9. A method for signaling interference measurements to be made by a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

sending a signal indicating a first channel state information (CSI) interference measurement (IM) configuration for the UE to perform interference measurement as a function of the total number of frequency resources configured for CSI-IM, wherein the first CSI-IM configuration includes an indication of whether the UE is to use a subset of a total number of frequency resources configured for CSI-IM in the wireless communication system;

receiving a first CSI feedback based on the measured interference associated with the first CSI-IM configuration;

indicating a second CSI-IM configuration for the UE to perform interference measurement based on the subset of frequency resources configured for CSI-IM; and

receiving second CSI feedback based measured interference associated with the second CSI-IM configuration.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the subset of a total number of frequency resources configured for CSI-IM corresponds to at least one subband of downlink system bandwidth.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein whether the UE is to use the subset of frequency resources or the total number of frequency resources to perform interference measurement is included as part of a CSI process definition.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

indicating whether to perform interference measurements based on all downlink subframes or only a portion of the downlink subframes; and

receiving feedback based on interference measurement associated with the subframe indication,

wherein whether to perform interference measurements based on all downlink subframes or only a portion of the downlink subframes is included in a CSI process definition.

13. An apparatus for signaling interference measurements to be made by a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, the apparatus comprising:

a transmitter configured to send a signal indicating a first channel state information (CSI) interference measurement (IM) configuration for the UE to perform interference measurement as a function of the total number of frequency resources configured for CSI-IM, wherein the first CSI-IM configuration includes an indication of whether the UE is to use a subset of a total number of frequency resources configured for CSI-IM in the wireless communication system;

a receiver configured to receive a first CSI feedback based on the measured interference associated with the first CSI-IM configuration;

the transmitter further configured to indicate a second CSI-IM configuration for the UE to perform interference measurement based on the subset of frequency resources configured for CSI-IM; and

the receiver is configured to receive second CSI feedback based measured interference associated with the second CSI-IM configuration.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the subset of a total number of frequency resources configured for CSI-IM corresponds to at least one subband of downlink system bandwidth.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein whether the UE is to use the subset of frequency resources or the total number of frequency resources to perform interference measurement is included as part of a CSI process definition.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein:

the transmitter is configured to indicate whether to perform interference measurements based on all downlink subframes or only a portion of the downlink subframes; and

the receiver is configured to receive feedback based on interference measurement associated with the subframe indication,

wherein whether to perform interference measurements based on all downlink subframes or only a portion of the downlink subframes is included in a CSI process definition.