IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,750,375
Granted Patent B2
US 10,750,375 · App. 16/202,013 · Granted Aug 18, 2020

Time-division multiplexing for 5G network coverage extension

Inventors: Yasmin Karimli (Kirkland, WA); Ming Shan Kwok (Seattle, WA); Wei-Ming Lan (Morrisville, NC); Thomas P. Lucht (Seattle, WA); Wafik Abdel Shahid (Kenmore, WA)
Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc.
H04W16/26H04B7/2606H04J3/0647H04J3/1694H04W72/1231H04W72/1284
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,750,375
App. No.
16/202,013
Granted
Aug 18, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

Techniques for time-division multiplexing for extending 5 th Generation (5G) network coverage are described herein. In an example, a device operating in a dual transmission mode for transmitting data via a first network node associated with a 5G network and a second network node associated with a 4 th Generation (4G) network at or near a same time, can determine a measurement associated with a transmission and/or receiving characteristic. The device can determine that the measurement meets or exceeds a threshold and, based at least in part on determining that the measurement meets or exceeds the threshold, the device can transition to an alternating transmission mode for transmitting data via the first network node and the second network node in an alternating pattern thereby extending 5G network coverage.

Claims (55)

1. A device comprising:

one or more transceivers for transmitting and receiving data via a first network node associated with a 4th generation (4G) network and a second network node associated with a 5th generation (5G) network;

one or more processors;

a memory; and

one or more components stored in the memory and executable by the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

determining, in a dual transmission mode for transmitting data via the one or more transceivers to the first network node and the second network node at or near a same time, a measurement of a characteristic associated with transmitting or receiving data;

determining that the measurement meets or exceeds a threshold;

based at least in part on determining that the measurement meets or exceeds the threshold, transitioning to an alternating transmission mode;

sending, in the alternating transmission mode and at a first time, a first scheduling request to the first network node;

sending, in the alternating transmission mode and at a second time, a second scheduling request to the second network node; and

transmitting, in the alternating transmission mode, one or more data items to the first network node and the second network node based at least in part on instructions received responsive to the first scheduling request and the second scheduling request, wherein the one or more data items are transmitted to the first network node and the second network node in an alternating pattern,

wherein an order associated with sending the first scheduling request and the second scheduling request is based at least in part on traffic associated with one or more downlink transmissions sent from at least one of the 5G network or the 4G network.

2. The device as claim 1 recites, wherein the characteristic comprises a signal-to-noise ratio.

3. The device as claim 1 recites, wherein the characteristic comprises a transmit power.

4. The device as claim 1 recites, wherein the characteristic comprises radio frequency (RF) headroom.

5. The device as claim 1 recites, wherein the threshold is a configurable threshold that is less than a standards-set maximum measurement.

6. The device as claim 1 recites, wherein a delay between the first time and the second time is based at least in part on a length of a subframe duration of at least one of a first communication associated with the 5G network or a second communication associated with the 4G network.

7. The device as claim 1 recites, wherein the order associated with sending the first scheduling request and the second scheduling request is based at least in part on an amount of data in a data buffer associated with the device.

8. The device as claim 1 recites, the operations further comprising:

determining, in the alternating transmission mode, an updated measurement of the characteristic;

determining that the updated measurement meets or falls below another threshold; and

based at least in part on determining that the updated measurement meets or falls below the other threshold, transitioning back to the dual transmission mode.

9. The device as claim 8 recites, wherein the other threshold is less than the threshold.

10. A computer-implemented method comprising:

determining, in a dual transmission mode for transmitting data to a first network node associated with a 4th generation (4G) network and a second network node associated with a 5th generation (5G) network at or near a same time, a first measurement of a characteristic associated with transmitting or receiving data;

determining that the first measurement meets or exceeds a first threshold;

based at least in part on determining that the first measurement meets or exceeds the first threshold, transitioning to an alternating transmission mode for transmitting data via the first network node and the second network node in an alternating pattern,

sending, in the alternating transmission mode and at a first time, a first scheduling request to the first network node;

sending, in the alternating transmission mode and at a second time, a second scheduling request to the second network node; and

transmitting one or more data items to the first network node and the second network node based at least in part on instructions received responsive to the first scheduling request and the second scheduling request,

wherein an order associated with sending the first scheduling request and the second scheduling request is based at least in part on an amount of data in a data buffer.

11. The computer-implemented method as claim 10 recites, wherein the characteristic comprises a signal-to-noise ratio, a transmit power, a radio frequency (RF) headroom, reference signal received power (RSRP), reference signal received quality (RSRQ), or received signal strength indicator (RSSI).

12. The computer-implemented method as claim 10 recites, wherein a delay between the first time and the second time is based at least in part on a length of a subframe duration of least one of a first communication associated with the 5G network or a second communication associated with the 4G network.

13. The computer-implemented method as claim 10 recites, further comprising:

determining, in the alternating transmission mode, a second measurement of the characteristic;

determining that the second measurement meets or falls below a second threshold; and

based at least in part on determining that the second measurement meets or falls below the second threshold, transitioning back to the dual transmission mode.

14. A device comprising:

one or more transceivers for transmitting and receiving data via a first network node associated with a 4th generation (4G) network and a second network node associated with a 5th generation (5G) network;

one or more processors;

a memory; and

one or more components stored in the memory and executable by the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

monitoring, in a dual transmission mode for transmitting data via the one or more transceivers to the first network node and the second network node at or near a same time, measurements of at least one characteristic associated with at least one of transmitting or receiving data;

determining that a measurement of the measurements meets or exceeds a threshold; and

based at least in part on determining that the measurement meets or exceeds the threshold, transitioning to an alternating transmission mode for transmitting data, via the one or more transceivers, to the first network node and the second network node in an alternating pattern;

sending, in the alternating transmission mode and at a first time, a first scheduling request to the first network node;

sending, in the alternating transmission mode and at a second time, a second scheduling request to the second network node; and

transmitting one or more data items to the first network node and the second network node based at least in part on instructions received responsive to the first scheduling request and the second scheduling request,

wherein an order associated with sending the first scheduling request and the second scheduling request is based at least in part on an amount of data in a data buffer.

15. The device as claim 14 recites, wherein a delay between the first time and the second time is based at least in part on a length of a subframe duration of least one of a first communication associated with the 5G network or a second communication associated with the 4G network.

16. The device as claim 14 recites, further comprising:

monitoring, in the alternating transmission mode, additional measurements of the at least one characteristic;

determining that an additional measurement of the additional measurements meets or falls below a second threshold; and

based at least in part on determining that the additional measurement meets or falls below the second threshold, transitioning back to the dual transmission mode.

17. The device as claim 14 recites, wherein the at least one characteristic comprises one or more of a signal-to-noise ratio, a transmit power, radio frequency (RF) headroom, reference signal received power (RSRP), reference signal received quality (RSRQ), or received signal strength indicator (RSSI).

Assignments (3)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 23, 2022
From: DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS
To: IBSV LLC; LAYER3 TV, LLC; PUSHSPRING, LLC; T-MOBILE CENTRAL LLC; T-MOBILE USA, INC.; ASSURANCE WIRELESS USA, L.P.; BOOST WORLDWIDE, LLC; CLEARWIRE COMMUNICATIONS LLC; CLEARWIRE IP HOLDINGS LLC; SPRINTCOM LLC; SPRINT COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY L.P.; SPRINT INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED; SPRINT SPECTRUM LLC
Reel/Frame 062595/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 2, 2020
From: T-MOBILE USA, INC.; ISBV LLC; T-MOBILE CENTRAL LLC; LAYER3 TV, INC.; PUSHSPRING, INC.; BOOST WORLDWIDE, LLC; CLEARWIRE COMMUNICATIONS LLC; CLEARWIRE IP HOLDINGS LLC; CLEARWIRE LEGACY LLC; SPRINT COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY L.P.; SPRINT INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED; SPRINT SPECTRUM L.P.; ASSURANCE WIRELESS USA, L.P.
To: DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS
Reel/Frame 053182/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 27, 2018
From: KARIMLI, YASMIN; KWOK, MING SHAN; LAN, WEI-MING; LUCHT, THOMAS P.; ABDEL SHAHID, WAFIK
To: T-MOBILE USA, INC.
Reel/Frame 047651/0261 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62723395 · Aug 27, 2018
Related Publication 20200068414A1 · Feb 27, 2020