IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,565,711
Granted Patent B2
US 9,565,711 · App. 14/731,043 · Granted Feb 7, 2017

Method and apparatus of configuring downlink timing and transmitting random access response in mobile communication system using carrier aggregation

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,565,711
App. No.
14/731,043
Granted
Feb 7, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of configuring downlink timings and transmitting a random access response message is provided for a random access procedure in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) system supporting carrier aggregation. The method for adjusting timing of a terminal in a wireless communication system supporting carrier aggregation of at least one carrier includes transmitting a Random Access Preamble to a base station, and receiving a Random Access Response with a Timing Advance Command (TAC) for commanding uplink timing adjustment from the base station, wherein the Random Access Response comprises information indicating a Timing Advance Group (TAG) to which the TAC is applied.

Claims (56)

1. A method for uplink timing adjustment by a terminal, the method comprising:

receiving, from a base station, a respective identifier of at least one timing advance group (TAG) and information on a time alignment timer associated with each TAG;

receiving, from the base station, an identifier of TAG for a secondary cell to be configured;

receiving, from the base station, a MAC control element including the identity of the TAG for the secondary cell and a timing advance command (TAC);

applying the timing advance command for the TAG of the secondary cell based on the received MAC control element; and

starting a time alignment timer for the TAG of the secondary cell based on the received information on a time alignment timer associated with the TAG of the secondary cell if the MAC control element is received,

wherein the TAG is a group of at least one secondary cell having same uplink timing.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, from the base station, a MAC control element indicating activation of the at least one secondary cell; and

activating the at least one secondary cell based on the received MAC control element.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identity of the TAG is set to 0, if the TAG is a primary TAG including a primary cell.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein a length of a field of the identity is 2 bits and a length of a field of the TAC is 6 bits.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identity of the TAG is set to a value other than 0 if the TAG is not a primary TAG.

6. A terminal for uplink timing adjustment, the terminal comprising:

a transceiver configured to transmit and receive a signal; and

at least one processor configured to:

receive, from a base station, a respective identifier of at least one timing advance group (TAG) and information on a time alignment timer associated with each TAG,

receive, from the base station, an identifier of TAG for a secondary cell to be configured,

receive, from the base station, a MAC control element including the identity of the TAG for the secondary cell and a timing advance command (TAC),

apply the timing advance command for the TAG of the secondary cell based on the received MAC control element, and

start a time alignment timer for the TAG of the secondary cell based on the received information on a time alignment timer associated with the TAG of the secondary cell if the MAC control element is received,

wherein the TAG is a group of at least one secondary cell having same uplink timing.

7. The terminal of claim 6 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive, from the base station, a MAC control element indicating activation of the at least one secondary cell, and

activate the at least one secondary cell based on the received MAC control element.

8. The terminal of claim 6 , wherein the identity of the TAG is set to 0, if the TAG is a primary TAG including a primary cell.

9. The terminal of claim 6 , wherein a length of a field of the identity is 2 bits and a length of a field of the TAC is 6 bits.

10. The terminal of claim 6 , wherein the identity of the TAG is set to a value other than 0 if the TAG is not a primary TAG.

11. A base station for uplink timing adjustment, the base station comprising:

a transceiver configured to transmit and receive a signal; and

at least one processor configured to:

transmit, to a terminal, a respective identifier of at least one timing advance group (TAG) and information on a time alignment timer associated with each TAG,

transmit, to the terminal, an identifier of TAG for a secondary cell to be configured, and

transmit, to the terminal, a MAC control element including the identity of the TAG for the secondary cell and a timing advance command (TAC),

wherein the timing advance command for the TAG of the secondary cell is applied based on the received MAC control element by the terminal,

wherein a time alignment timer for the TAG of the secondary cell is started based on the information on a time alignment timer associated with the TAG of the secondary cell if the MAC control element is received by the terminal, and

wherein the TAG is a group of at least one secondary cell having same uplink timing.

12. The base station of claim 11 ,

wherein the at least one processor is further configured to transmit, to the terminal, a MAC control element indicating activation of the at least one secondary cell, and

wherein the at least one secondary cell is activated based on the received MAC control element.

13. The base station of claim 11 , wherein the identity of the TAG is set to 0, if the TAG is a primary TAG including a primary cell.

14. The base station of claim 11 , wherein a length of a field of the identity is 2 bits and a length of a field of the TAC is 6 bits.

15. The base station of claim 11 , wherein the identity of the TAG is set to a value other than 0 if the TAG is not a primary TAG.

16. A method by a base station, the method comprising:

transmitting, to a terminal, a respective identifier of at least one timing advance group (TAG) and information on a time alignment timer associated with each TAG,

transmitting, to the terminal, an identifier of TAG for a secondary cell to be configured, and

transmitting, to the terminal, a MAC control element including the identity of the TAG for the secondary cell and a timing advance command (TAC),

wherein the timing advance command for the TAG of the secondary cell is applied based on the received MAC control element by the terminal,

wherein a time alignment timer for the TAG of the secondary cell is started based on the information on a time alignment timer associated with the TAG of the secondary cell if the MAC control element is received by the terminal, and

wherein the TAG is a group of at least one secondary cell having same uplink timing.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

transmitting, to the terminal, a MAC control element indicating activation of the at least one secondary cell, and

wherein the at least one secondary cell is activated based on the received MAC control element.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the identity of the TAG is set to 0, if the TAG is a primary TAG including a primary cell.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein a length of a field of the identity is 2 bits and a length of a field of the TAC is 6 bits.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the identity of the TAG is set to a value other than 0 if the TAG is not a primary TAG.