Prohibition of sounding reference signal transmission on newly activated secondary cells
In a wireless network supporting aggregation of uplink component carriers, sounding reference signals, SRS, are transmitted on an uplink, UL, primary component carrier. An activation command corresponding to an UL secondary component carrier, SCC, is received, in response to which the receiving transceiver determines whether it has valid timing information for the UL SCC, wherein valid timing information for the UL SCC indicates that the UL SCC is UL synchronized. In response to this determination, transmission of SRS on the UL SCC is enabled if the UL SCC is synchronized, when SRS is configured for the UL SCC. Otherwise, transmission of SRS on the UL SCC is prohibited until the UL SCC is UL synchronized.
1. A method, in a wireless transceiver of a radio access terminal in a wireless communication system that supports uplink carrier aggregation, the method comprising:
transmitting sounding reference signals (SRS) on an uplink primary component carrier to a base station; and
receiving an activation command corresponding to an uplink secondary component carrier (SCC) from the base station;
determining whether the wireless transceiver has valid timing information for the uplink SCC, wherein valid timing information for the uplink SCC indicates that the uplink SCC is uplink synchronized to the base station; and,
in response to said determining, enabling transmission of the SRS on the uplink SCC if the uplink SCC is synchronized, and otherwise prohibiting transmission of the SRS on the uplink SCC until the uplink SCC is uplink synchronized.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the wireless transceiver has valid timing information for the uplink SCC comprises:
determining that the uplink SCC belongs to a pre-determined group of component carriers; and
determining that the uplink SCC is uplink synchronized if any member of the pre-determined group of component carriers is uplink synchronized, and otherwise determining that the uplink SCC is not uplink synchronized.
3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
receiving timing information for at least one member of the pre-determined group of component carriers; and,
in response to the timing information, enabling transmission of the SRS on the uplink SCC when the SRS is configured.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the timing information comprises a timing advance command received in a MAC control element.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein said timing information comprises a timing advance command received in response to a random access procedure performed in response to a random access order for at least one member of the pre-determined group.
6. The method of claim 3 , wherein said timing information comprises a timing advance command received in response to a terminal-initiated random access procedure.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the wireless transceiver has valid timing information for the uplink SCC comprises receiving a flag at the wireless transceiver, the flag indicating whether the wireless transceiver has valid timing information for the uplink SCC.
8. A wireless transceiver of a radio access terminal for use in a wireless communication system that supports uplink carrier aggregation, the wireless transceiver comprising:
a radio circuit adapted to receive signals on at least one downlink carrier from a base station, and to transmit signals on a plurality of uplink carriers to the base station, the uplink carriers including an uplink-primary component carrier (PCC) and an uplink secondary component carrier (SCC); and
a processing circuit operatively connected to the radio circuit and adapted to:
transmit sounding reference signals (SRS) on the uplink PCC, using the radio circuit;
receive an activation command corresponding to the uplink SCC, via the radio circuit;
determine whether the wireless transceiver has valid timing information for the uplink SCC, wherein valid timing information for the uplink SCC indicates that the uplink SCC is uplink synchronized to the base station; and,
in response to said determining, enable transmission of the SRS on the uplink SCC if the uplink SCC is synchronized, and otherwise prohibit transmission of the SRS on the uplink SCC until the uplink SCC is uplink synchronized.
9. The wireless transceiver of claim 8 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine whether the wireless transceiver has valid timing information for the uplink SCC by:
determining that the uplink SCC belongs to a pre-determined group of component carriers; and
determining that the uplink SCC is uplink synchronized if any other member of the group is uplink synchronized, and otherwise determining that the uplink SCC is not synchronized.
10. The wireless transceiver of claim 9 , wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:
receive timing information for at least one member of the pre-determined group of component carriers; and,
in response to the timing information, enable transmission of the SRS on the uplink SCC when the SRS is configured.
11. The wireless transceiver of claim 10 , wherein the timing information comprises a timing advance command received in a MAC control element.
12. The wireless transceiver of claim 10 , wherein the timing information comprises a timing advance command received in response to a random access procedure performed in response to a random access order for at least one member of the pre-determined group.
13. The wireless transceiver of claim 10 , wherein said timing information comprises a timing advance command received in response to a terminal-initiated random access procedure.
14. The wireless transceiver of claim 8 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine whether the wireless transceiver has valid timing information for the uplink SCC by receiving a flag at the wireless transceiver, the flag indicating whether the wireless transceiver has valid timing information for the uplink SCC.