IP Library Granted Patent US 11,297,647
Granted Patent B2
US 11,297,647 · App. 16/922,815 · Granted Apr 5, 2022

Multi-carrier detection in a wireless network

Inventors: Alireza Babaei (Fairfax, VA); Esmael Hejazi Dinan (McLean, VA)
Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC
H04W74/0808H04W72/1289H04W72/14H04W74/006H04W74/0891H04W88/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,297,647
App. No.
16/922,815
Granted
Apr 5, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, apparatuses, and systems are described for wireless communications. A wireless device may perform listen before talk (LBT) procedures for licensed assisted access (LAA) cells. The LBT procedures may use different monitoring periods. The wireless device may transmit transport blocks (TBs) via the LAA cells.

Claims (130)

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a wireless device, a plurality of uplink grants for a plurality of uplink transmissions via a plurality of cells, wherein each uplink transmission of the plurality of uplink transmissions has a same starting position;

determining, by the wireless device, that a first type of listen-before-talk (LBT) procedure indicates that a first cell of the plurality of cells is clear;

determining that a second type of LBT procedure, performed before transmission via the first cell, indicates that a second cell of the plurality of cells is clear, wherein the second type of LBT procedure is shorter than the first type of LBT procedure; and

transmitting one or more transport blocks via the second cell, based on:

the first type of LBT procedure indicating that the first cell is clear; and

the second type of LBT procedure indicating that the second cell is clear.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cells operate according to frame structure Type 3.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving the plurality of uplink grants comprises at least one of:

receiving, via a licensed cell, an uplink grant of the plurality of uplink grants; or

receiving, via a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) or via an enhanced physical downlink control channel (ePDCCH), an uplink grant of the plurality of uplink grants.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the receiving the plurality of the uplink grants comprises receiving, in a first subframe, an uplink grant of the plurality of the uplink grants; and

the uplink grant is for k subframes after the first subframe.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmission of the one or more transport blocks starts at a pre-configured starting position of a plurality of pre-configured starting positions.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising performing the first type of LBT procedure by:

sensing a cell; and

comparing a detected power with an energy detection threshold.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving an indication of at least one of:

an energy detection threshold offset value; or

an energy detection threshold value.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising selecting the first cell uniformly randomly from the plurality of cells.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining an energy detection threshold for one or more cells of the plurality of cells.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the determining the energy detection threshold for the one or more cells of the plurality of cells comprises determining an individual energy detection threshold for an individual cell of the plurality of cells.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transmitting the one or more transport blocks via the second cell is after transmitting a second transport block via the first cell.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cells comprises at least one of:

an unlicensed cell; or

a license assisted access (LAA) cell.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, based on the first type of LBT procedure indicating a clear channel for the first cell of the plurality of cells, transmitting a second transport block via the first cell.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising performing the second type of LBT procedure immediately before the transmission via the first cell.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

performing, based on a first uplink grant of the plurality of uplink grants, the first type of LBT procedure; and

performing, based on a second uplink grant of the plurality of uplink grants, the second type of LBT procedure.

16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

starting, based on the plurality of uplink grants, a plurality of LBT procedures comprising the first type of LBT procedure and the second type of LBT procedure; and

terminating, before terminating the first type of LBT procedure, the second type of LBT procedure.

17. A wireless device comprising:

one or more processors;

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wireless device to:

receive a plurality of uplink grants for a plurality of uplink transmissions via a plurality of cells, wherein each uplink transmission of the plurality of uplink transmissions has a same starting position;

determine that a first type of listen-before-talk (LBT) procedure indicates that a first cell of the plurality of cells is clear;

determine that a second type of LBT procedure, performed before transmission via the first cell, indicates that a second cell of the plurality of cells is clear, wherein the second type of LBT procedure is shorter than the first type of LBT procedure; and

transmit one or more transport blocks via the second cell, based on:

the first type of LBT procedure indicating that the first cell is clear; and

the second type of LBT procedure indicating that the second cell is clear.

18. The wireless device of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of cells operate according to frame structure Type 3.

19. The wireless device of claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wireless device to receive the plurality of uplink grants by receiving one or more uplink grants of the plurality of uplink grants via at least one of:

a licensed cell;

a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH); or

an enhanced physical downlink control channel (ePDCCH).

20. The wireless device of claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wireless device to receive the plurality of uplink grants by receiving, in a first subframe, an uplink grant of the plurality of uplink grants, wherein the uplink grant is for k subframes after the first subframe.

21. The wireless device of claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the wireless device to transmit the one or more transport blocks starting at a pre-configured starting position of a plurality of pre-configured starting positions.

22. The wireless device of claim 17 , wherein the first type of LBT procedures comprises:

sensing a cell; and

comparing a detected power with an energy detection threshold.

23. The wireless device of claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the wireless device to receive an indication of at least one of:

an energy detection threshold offset value; or

an energy detection threshold value.

24. The wireless device of claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the wireless device to select the first cell uniformly randomly from the plurality of cells.

25. The wireless device of claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wireless device to determine an energy detection threshold for one or more cells of the plurality of cells.

26. The wireless device of claim 25 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wireless device to determine the energy detection threshold for the one or more cells of the plurality of cells at least by determining an individual energy detection threshold for an individual cell of the plurality of cells.

27. The wireless device of claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wireless device to transmit the one or more transport blocks via the second cell after transmitting a second transport block via the first cell.

28. The wireless device of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of cells comprises at least one of:

an unlicensed cell; or

a license assisted access (LAA) cell.

29. The wireless device of claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the wireless device to, based on the first type of LBT procedure indicating a clear channel for the first cell of the plurality of cells, transmit a second transport block via the first cell.

30. The wireless device of claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the wireless device to perform the second type of LBT procedure immediately before the transmission via the first cell.

31. The wireless device of claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wireless device to:

perform, based on a first uplink grant of the plurality of uplink grants, the first type of LBT procedure; and

perform, based on a second uplink grant of the plurality of uplink grants, the second type of LBT procedure.

32. The wireless device of claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wireless device to:

start, based on the plurality of uplink grants, a plurality of LBT procedures comprising the first type of LBT procedure and the second type of LBT procedure; and

terminate, before terminating the first type of LBT procedure, the second type of LBT procedure.

33. A system comprising:

a base station configured to transmit a plurality of uplink grants for a plurality of uplink transmissions via a plurality of cells, wherein each uplink transmission of the plurality of uplink transmissions has a same starting position; and

a wireless device configured to:

determine that a first type of listen-before-talk (LBT) procedure indicates that a first cell of the plurality of cells is clear;

determine that a second type of LBT procedure, performed before transmission via the first cell, indicates that a second cell of the plurality of cells is clear, wherein the second type of LBT procedure is shorter than the first type of LBT procedure; and

transmit one or more transport blocks via the second cell, based on:

the first type of LBT procedure indicating that the first cell is clear; and

the second type of LBT procedure indicating that the second cell is clear.

34. The system of claim 33 , wherein:

the base station is configured to transmit, in a first subframe, an uplink grant of the plurality of uplink grants; and

the uplink grant is for k subframes after the first subframe.

35. The system of claim 33 , wherein the wireless device is configured to transmit the one or more transport blocks starting at a pre-configured starting position of a plurality of pre-configured starting positions.

36. The system of claim 33 , wherein the base station is configured to transmit an indication of at least one of:

an energy detection threshold offset value; or

an energy detection threshold value.

37. The system of claim 33 , wherein the wireless device is configured to transmit the one or more transport blocks via the second cell after transmitting a second transport block via the first cell.

38. The system of claim 33 , wherein the wireless device is configured to:

perform, based on a first uplink grant of the plurality of uplink grants, the first type of LBT procedure; and

perform, based on a second uplink grant of the plurality of uplink grants, the second type of LBT procedure.

39. The system of claim 33 , wherein the wireless device is configured to:

start, based on the plurality of uplink grants, a plurality of LBT procedures comprising the first type of LBT procedure and the second type of LBT procedure; and

terminate, before terminating the first type of LBT procedure, the second type of LBT procedure.

40. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause:

receiving a plurality of uplink grants for a plurality of uplink transmissions via a plurality of cells, wherein each uplink transmission of the plurality of uplink transmissions has a same starting position;

determining that a first type of listen-before-talk (LBT) procedure indicates that a first cell of the plurality of cells is clear;

determining that a second type of LBT procedure, performed before transmission via the first cell, indicates that a second cell of the plurality of cells is clear, wherein the second type of LBT procedure is shorter than the first type of LBT procedure; and

transmitting one or more transport blocks via the second cell, based on:

the first type of LBT procedure indicating that the first cell is clear; and

the second type of LBT procedure indicating that the second cell is clear.

41. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 40 , wherein the plurality of cells operate according to frame structure Type 3.

42. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 40 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the receiving the plurality of uplink grants by receiving one or more uplink grants of the plurality of uplink grants via at least one of:

a licensed cell; or

a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH); or

an enhanced physical downlink control channel (ePDCCH).

43. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 40 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the receiving the plurality of the uplink grants by receiving, in a first subframe, an uplink grant of the plurality of the uplink grants, wherein the uplink grant is for k subframes after the first subframe.

44. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 40 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause transmitting the one or more transport blocks starting at a pre-configured starting position of a plurality of pre-configured starting positions.

45. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 40 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause performing the first type of LBT procedure by:

sensing a cell; and

comparing a detected power with an energy detection threshold.

46. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 40 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause receiving an indication of at least one of:

an energy detection threshold offset value; or

an energy detection threshold value.

47. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 40 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause selecting the first cell uniformly randomly from the plurality of cells.

48. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 40 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause determining an energy detection threshold for one or more cells of the plurality of cells.

49. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 48 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the determining the energy detection threshold for the one or more cells of the plurality of cells at least by determining an individual energy detection threshold for an individual cell of the plurality of cells.

50. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 40 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the transmitting the one or more transport blocks via the second cell after transmitting a second transport block via the first cell.

51. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 40 , wherein the plurality of cells comprises at least one of:

an unlicensed cell; or

a license assisted access (LAA) cell.

52. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 40 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause, based on the first type of LBT procedure indicating a clear channel for the first cell of the plurality of cells, transmitting a second transport block via the first cell.

53. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 40 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause performing the second type of LBT procedure immediately before the transmission via the first cell.

54. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 40 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause:

performing, based on a first uplink grant of the plurality of uplink grants, the first type of LBT procedure; and

performing, based on a second uplink grant of the plurality of uplink grants, the second type of LBT procedure.

55. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 40 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause:

starting, based on the plurality of uplink grants, a plurality of LBT procedures comprising the first type of LBT procedure and the second type of LBT procedure; and

terminating, before terminating the first type of LBT procedure, the second type of LBT procedure.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 8, 2021
From: BABAEI, ALIREZA; DINAN, ESMAEL HEJAZI
To: OFINNO TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 055180/0415 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 8, 2021
From: OFINNO TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
To: COMCAST CABLE COMMUNICATIONS, LLC
Reel/Frame 055180/0421 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation 16378165 · Apr 8, 2019
Continuation 15425992 · Feb 6, 2017
Provisional Application 62291399 · Feb 4, 2016
Provisional Application 62291387 · Feb 4, 2016
Related Publication 20200337088A1 · Oct 22, 2020