Measurement gap repetition patterns for inter-frequency offloading in heterogeneous wireless networks

1. A communication apparatus for communicating over a wireless channel, the communication apparatus comprising:

a network interface device configured to communicate over the wireless channel with a plurality of user equipment; and

a controller coupled to the network interface to control operation of the communication apparatus, the controller configured to:

assign a plurality of measurement gap repetition patterns to each user equipment, the plurality of measurement gap repetition patterns comprising measurement gap skipping patterns; and

receive measurements from the plurality of user equipment according to the plurality of measurement gap repetition patterns and measurement gap skipping patterns.

2. The communication apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to assign a measurement gap repetition pattern for normal performance group cells and a second measurement gap repetition pattern for reduced performance group cells as part of the plurality of measurement gap repetition patterns.

3. The communication apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to assign a measurement gap pattern based on proximity to a base station as part of the plurality of measurement gap repetition patterns.

4. The communication apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to control transmission of a repetition period in a measurement object to each user equipment of the plurality of use equipment.

5. The communication apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to assign multiple measurement gap repetition patterns to each user equipment such that the measurement gaps of each repetition pattern assigned to a user equipment are non-colliding with measurement gaps of other repetition patterns assigned to the user equipment.

6. The communication apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each measurement gap repetition pattern has different measurements per frequency or group of frequencies.

7. The communication apparatus of claim 1 , wherein communication apparatus is an eNodeB base station and the network interface device comprises a radio and memory.

8. The communication apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the radio is configured to operate over a Long Term Evolution (LTE) standard network.

9. The communication apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the base station is configured to generate a macro-cell, a pico-cell, and/or a femto-cell, wherein the pico-cell and femto-cell are offloading cells.

10. The communication apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to assign a different measurement gap repetition pattern for each frequency over which the network interface device communicates.

11. A method for assigning measurement gaps repetition patterns to user equipment and receiving measurements from the user equipment, the method comprising:

assigning a plurality of measurement gap repetition patterns to each respective user equipment registered with a network;

transmitting each measurement gap repetition pattern of the plurality of measurement gap repetition patterns with a measurement object frame, from each radio access technology radio of the network, to each respective user equipment; and

receiving measurements from each user equipment according to the measurement gap repetition pattern assigned to the respective user equipment.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein assigning the plurality of measurement gap repetition patterns comprises assigning a different measurement gap repetition pattern to each frequency used by the network.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein assigning the plurality of measurement gap repetition patterns comprises assigning a measurement gap skipping pattern to each user equipment.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein assigning the plurality of measurement gap repetition patterns comprises assigning a measurement gap repetition pattern for normal performance group cells and a second measurement gap repetition pattern for reduced performance group cells of the network.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein assigning the plurality of measurement gap repetition patterns comprises assigning a measurement gap pattern based on proximity to a base station of the network.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein assigning the plurality of measurement gap repetition patterns comprises assigning a repetition period to each frequency of the network, further comprising transmitting the repetition period to each user equipment in a measurement object frame.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein assigning the plurality of measurement gap repetition patterns comprises assigning non-colliding measurement gaps to each user equipment.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions for execution by one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

determine user equipment registered with a wireless network;

assign a plurality of measurement gap repetition patterns to each respective user equipment registered with the network, wherein the plurality of measurement gap repetition patterns comprising measurement gap skipping patterns;

transmit the plurality of measurement gap repetition patterns to each respective user equipment; and

receive measurements from the respective user equipment according to the plurality of measurement gap repetition patterns and the measurement gap skipping patterns.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the operations further assign a measurement gap repetition pattern for macro-cells and a second measurement gap repetition pattern for pico-cells or femto-cells as part of the plurality of measurement gap repetition patterns.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the operations further assign the plurality of measurement gap repetition patterns to each user equipment such that the measurement gaps of each repetition pattern assigned to a user equipment are non-colliding with measurement gaps of other repetition patterns assigned to the user equipment.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the operations further assign a different measurement gap repetition pattern to each frequency used by the network.

22. A user equipment comprising:

a network interface device, including a radio and an antenna, to communicate with a network; and

a processor coupled to the network interface device and configured to control operation of the system, the operation including:

receiving a plurality of measurement gap repetition patterns from the network, each measurement gap repetition pattern assigned to a different frequency of the network, wherein the plurality of measurement gap repetition patterns comprise measurement gap skipping patterns; and

transmitting measurements according to the measurement gap repetition patterns and the measurement gap skipping patterns.

23. The user equipment of claim 22 , wherein processor is further configured to:

control the network interface device to switch from a first frequency, assigned to a macro-cell of the network, to a second frequency, assigned to an offloading cell of the network, as the user equipment moves from the macro-cell to the offloading cell; and

switch the user equipment from a first measurement gap repetition pattern of the plurality of measurement gap repetition patterns, assigned to the first frequency, to a second measurement gap repetition pattern of the plurality of measurement gap repetition patterns, assigned to the second frequency.

24. The user equipment of claim 22 , wherein the network interface device comprises a plurality of radios, each configured to operate on a different frequency.