Methods and apparatuses for provision of a downlink synchronization group during discontinuous transmission in an unlicensed band
View Patent ↗A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for generating a downlink synchronization group utilized during a discontinuous transmission in an unlicensed band. A method and apparatus may determine a carrier(s) providing a signal(s) enabling timing and frequency tracking a downlink carrier(s) within a downlink synchronization group to devices responsive to discontinuous transmission via a medium(s) of an unlicensed band on a secondary component carrier. The medium(s) previously utilized to provide content to a device(s). The method and apparatus may also provide an indication of the carrier(s) to the device notifying the device that information of the signal is receivable via the carrier on the unlicensed band. The method and apparatus may also send the signal(s) to the device via the carrier enabling the device to obtain timing and frequency information.
1. A method comprising:
determining at least one carrier to provide at least one signal which enables timing and frequency tracking of one or more downlink carriers within a downlink synchronization group to one or more devices in response to discontinuous transmission via at least one medium of an unlicensed band on a secondary component carrier previously utilized to provide content to at least one of the devices;
providing of an indication of the determined carrier to the device to notify the device that information associated with the signal is receivable via the carrier on the unlicensed band; and
controlling sending of the signal to the device via the carrier to enable the device to obtain timing and frequency information of the downlink carriers.
2. An apparatus comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one memory including computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least perform:
determining at least one carrier to provide at least one signal which enables timing and frequency tracking of one or more downlink carriers within a downlink synchronization group to one or more devices in response to discontinuous transmission via at least one medium of an unlicensed band on a secondary component carrier previously utilized to provide content to at least one of the devices;
providing an indication of the determined carrier to the device to notify the device that information associated with the signal is receivable via the carrier on the unlicensed band; and
controlling sending of the signal to the device via the carrier to enable the device to obtain timing and frequency information of the downlink carriers.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:
control sending of the signal to the device via the carrier to enable the device to obtain timing and frequency information of the downlink carriers to facilitate receipt of data via the medium in response to transmissions via the medium being resumed by the apparatus.
4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the timing and frequency information comprises timing and frequency information of the downlink carriers configured to facilitate swift receipt of the data.
5. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein prior to determining at least one carrier, the memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:
define a group of unlicensed band carriers to form the downlink synchronization group in which the downlink synchronization group comprises one or more properties indicating that downlink timing or frequency tracking for the device is configured to be performed in a tracking component carrier of the unlicensed band carriers and indicating to the device to directly apply timing or frequency compensation to other carriers of the unlicensed band carriers based on information from the tracking component carrier.
6. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the signal comprises a common reference signal comprising a density, a bandwidth, a power periodicity, or a hopping pattern.
7. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:
provide the indication to the device via a licensed band of a primary component carrier.
8. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:
analyze spectrum of the unlicensed band to identify at least one available channel that is not currently being utilized; and
assign the identified channel as the determined carrier to provide the signal to the device.
9. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:
determine one or more on durations and one or more off durations of one or more channels of the unlicensed band; and
enable transmission of portions of the signal to the device during respective on durations of the channels over time.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:
identify at least one non-overlapping time period, during the time, of the channels in which the channels are initially assigned to turn off; and
extend an on duration of a respective channel for the duration of the non-overlapping time period to enable provision of the portions of the signal via the respective channel to the device during the non-overlapping time period.
11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:
identify at least one non-overlapping time period, during the time, of the channels in which the channels are assigned to turn off; and
direct transmission of one or more low density common reference signals via a respective channel, of the channels, during the non-overlapping time period to enable provision of the timing and frequency information to the device.
12. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the apparatus comprises a base station.
13. An apparatus comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one memory including computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least perform:
receiving an indication of at least one determined carrier to provide at least one synchronization signal enabling timing and frequency tracking of one or more downlink carriers within a downlink synchronization group in response to a discontinuous transmission via at least one medium of an unlicensed band on a secondary component carrier that was previously utilized to receive content provided by a device; and
receiving the synchronization signal via the determined carrier on the unlicensed band to continue tracking of timing and frequency of the downlink carriers information to enable receipt of data via the medium in response to transmissions via the medium being resumed by the device.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the continuing of the tracking the timing and frequency information is configured to facilitate swift receipt of the data.
15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:
receive the indication by receiving a defined group of unlicensed band carriers forming the downlink synchronization group in which the downlink synchronization group comprises one or more properties indicating that downlink timing or frequency tracking for the apparatus is configured to be performed in a tracking component carrier of the unlicensed band carriers and indicating to the apparatus to directly apply timing or frequency compensation to other carriers of the unlicensed band carriers based on information from the tracking component carrier.
16. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:
receive portions of the signal from the device during respective on durations of a plurality of channels of the unlicensed band over time.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:
receive at least a subset of the portions of the signal via a respective channel, of the channels, from the device during at least one identified non-overlapping time period of the channels in which the channels are initially assigned to turn off.
18. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:
receive one or more low density common reference signals via a respective channel, of the channels, during at least one identified non-overlapping time period to facilitate receipt of the timing and frequency information, the non-overlapping time period corresponding to a time in which the channels are assigned to turn off.
19. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the apparatus comprises a mobile terminal and wherein the processor is configured for use in a Long Term Evolution system.