METHODS, DEVICES AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS FOR INTERFERENCE REDUCTION IN TDD SYSTEMS ALLOWING ALLOCATION OF FLEXIBLE SUBFRAMES FOR UPLINK OR DOWNLINK TRANSMISSION
The present invention proposes methods, devices and computer program products in relation to interference reduction, in particular for control channels in TDD systems allowing allocation of flexible subframes for uplink or downlink transmission. In relation thereto, a format of data transmission in flexible subframes in the uplink and/or downlink is modified.
1 . A device, comprising:
a transceiver module configured for time division duplex (TDD) operation in a network environment, wherein a partition of subframes of channels are configurable to be flexibly assigned for downlink or uplink transmission while other subframes are fixedly configured for either uplink or downlink transmission, and
a controller module, configured to
determine those subframes flexibly assigned for the uplink or downlink transmission, and
modify a format of data transmission in flexible subframes for at least control channels in downlink.
2 . A device according to claim 1 , wherein
the controller module is further configured to
obtain a value i related to a control format of control channels within subframes, and
modify the format of data transmission such that control channels conveyed within flexible subframes use only the first i symbols out of a number of n OFDM symbols in a subframe.
3 . A device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller module is configured to
modify the format of data transmission in all flexible subframes in downlink to be a MBSFN subframe format.
4 . A device according to claim 1 , wherein
the controller module determines the flexible subframes based on exchange of corresponding configuration information with at least one neighboring device so that those subframes assigned for different link directions at different devices are determined to be flexible subframes,
or
the controller module determines the flexible subframes based on its own configuration, by assuming that all subframes except those subframes that are fixed by TDD configuration are flexible subframes.
5 . A device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to signal, to terminals in the coverage of the device, information designating the subframes determined to be flexibly assigned.
6 . A device according to claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to signal, to terminals in the coverage of the device, the value i related to a control format of control channels within flexible subframes.
7 . A device according to claim 1 , further comprising
instructing to modify the format of data transmission in flexible subframes in uplink dependent on a location of a terminal device within its serving cell.
8 . A device according to claim 7 , wherein the instructions to modify the format of data transmission is issued if the terminal device is located in a border area of its serving cell, and no instruction to modify the format for data transmission is issued if the terminal device is located in a center area of its serving cell.
9 . A device, comprising
a transceiver module configured for time division duplex (TDD) operation in a network environment, wherein a partition of subframes of channels are configurable to be flexibly assigned for downlink or uplink transmission while other subframes are fixedly configured for either uplink or downlink transmission, and
a controller module, configured to
receive an indication of those subframes determined to be flexibly assigned for the uplink or downlink transmission, and
modify a format of data transmission in flexible subframes in uplink.
10 . A device according to claim 9 , wherein
the controller module is further configured to
receive a value j related to a control format of channels within subframes of a neighboring cell, and
modify the format of data transmission such that control or/and data channels conveyed within flexible subframes use only the last n-j symbols out of a number of n OFDM symbols in a subframe.
11 . A device according to claim 9 , wherein the controller module is configured to
receive an instruction to modify the format of data transmission in flexible subframes in uplink dependent on a location of a terminal device within its serving cell, and to modify the format of data transmission accordingly.
12 . A method, comprising
in a transceiving configuration for time division duplex (TDD) operation in a network environment, wherein a partition of subframes of channels are configurable to be flexibly assigned for downlink or uplink transmission while other subframes are fixedly configured for either uplink or downlink transmission,
determining those subframes flexibly assigned for the uplink or downlink transmission, and
modifying a format of data transmission in flexible subframes for at least control channels in downlink.
13 . A method according to claim 12 , further comprising
obtaining a value i related to a control format of control channels within subframes, and
modifying the format of data transmission such that control channels conveyed within flexible subframes use only the first i symbols out of a number of n OFDM symbols in a subframe.
14 . A method according to claim 12 , further comprising
modifying the format of data transmission in all flexible subframes in downlink to be a MBSFN subframe format.
15 . A method according to claim 12 , further comprising
determining the flexible subframes based on exchange of corresponding configuration information with at least one neighboring device so that those subframes assigned for different link directions at different devices are determined to be flexible subframes,
or
determining the flexible subframes based on its own configuration, by assuming that all subframes except those subframes that are fixed by TDD configuration are flexible subframes.
16 . A method according to claim 12 , further comprising signaling, to terminals in the coverage of the device, information designating the subframes determined to be flexibly assigned.
17 . A method according to claim 13 , further comprising
signaling, to terminals in the coverage of the device, the value i related to a control format of control channels within flexible subframes.
18 . A method according to claim 12 , further comprising
instructing to modify the format of data transmission in flexible subframes in uplink dependent on a location of a terminal device within its serving cell.
19 . A method according to claim 18 , further comprising issuing the instructions to modify the format of data transmission if the terminal device is located in a border area of its serving cell, and not issuing the instruction to modify the format for data transmission if the terminal device is located in a center area of its serving cell.
20 . A method, comprising
in a transceiving configuration for time division duplex (TDD) operation in a network environment, wherein a partition of subframes of channels are configurable to be flexibly assigned for downlink or uplink transmission while other subframes are fixedly configured for either uplink or downlink transmission,
receiving an indication of those subframes determined to be flexibly assigned for the uplink or downlink transmission, and
modifying a format of data transmission in flexible subframes in uplink.
21 . A method according to claim 20 , further comprising
receiving a value j related to a control format of channels within subframes of a neighboring cell, and
modifying the format of data transmission such that control or/and data channels conveyed within flexible subframes use only the last n-j symbols out of a number of n OFDM symbols in a subframe.
22 . A method according to claim 20 , further comprising
receiving an instruction to modify the format of data transmission in flexible subframes in uplink dependent on a location of a terminal device within its serving cell, and to modify the format of data transmission accordingly.
23 - 24 . (canceled)