IP Library Granted Patent US 11,696,300
Granted Patent B2
US 11,696,300 · App. 17/231,726 · Granted Jul 4, 2023

Configuration of reduced transmission power time intervals based on traffic load

Inventor: Esmael Dinan (McLean, VA)
Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC
H04W72/23H04H20/33H04L5/0048H04W16/06H04W16/32H04W52/143H04W52/346H04W52/60H04W72/0446H04W72/21H04W72/54H04L5/0007H04W48/12H04W52/244H04W88/02H04W88/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,696,300
App. No.
17/231,726
Granted
Jul 4, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Reduced transmission power time intervals for wireless communications are described. A node may transmit a time interval allocation bitmap indicating a configuration of reduced transmission power time intervals. The configuration of reduced transmission power time intervals may change based on traffic load at the node.

Claims (176)

1. A method comprising:

transmitting, by a node, a first message comprising:

a time interval allocation repetition period;

a time interval allocation offset; and

a first time interval allocation bitmap indicating a first configuration of reduced transmission power time intervals; and

transmitting, based on a traffic load of the node satisfying a traffic load threshold, a second message comprising:

the time interval allocation repetition period;

the time interval allocation offset; and

a second time interval allocation bitmap different from the first time interval allocation bitmap, wherein the second time interval allocation bitmap indicates a second configuration of reduced transmission power time intervals; and

wherein a transmission power associated with a reduced transmission power time interval is lower than a transmission power associated with a non-reduced transmission power time interval.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second message further comprises a time interval bitmap indicating one or more reduced transmission power time intervals of the second configuration of reduced transmission power time intervals, and wherein the time interval bitmap is for configuration of measurement parameters for a wireless device.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining an increase in traffic load based on an increase of a quantity of wireless devices connected to the node.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining an increase in traffic load based on an increase of at least one of:

downlink radio resource utilization; or

uplink radio resource utilization.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting only in a control region of a reduced transmission power time interval, a common reference signal.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising broadcasting, via a physical downlink shared channel, the first message and the second message.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting, to a second node and based on the traffic load of the node satisfying the traffic load threshold, a third message comprising a time interval allocation bitmap indicating the second configuration of reduced transmission power time intervals.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second message further comprises:

a first measurement time interval allocation bitmap indicating a first plurality of measurement time intervals, wherein the first plurality of measurement time intervals excludes one or more reduced transmission power time intervals indicated in the second configuration of reduced transmission power time intervals; and

a second measurement time interval allocation bitmap indicating a second plurality of measurement time intervals, wherein the second plurality of measurement time intervals excludes one or more time intervals indicated in the first plurality of measurement time intervals.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting, during one or more reduced transmission power time intervals and based on the first configuration of reduced transmission power time intervals, at least one downlink signal; and

wherein the downlink signal comprises at least one of:

a downlink signal that consists of no data;

a downlink signal that consists essentially of a reference signal;

a downlink signal that does not schedule data for transmission;

a downlink signal that does not schedule unicast traffic;

a downlink signal that schedules data for transmission at the transmission power that is lower than the transmission power associated with the non-reduced transmission power time interval;

a downlink signal that is not transmitted during a majority of symbols of the reduced transmission power time interval; or

a downlink signal that is transmitted during a majority of symbols of the reduced transmission power time interval and at the transmission power that is lower than the transmission power associated with the non-reduced transmission power time interval.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the node comprises a base station.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting, to a second node and based on determining that a coverage area of the second node has changed, a third message comprising a time interval allocation bitmap indicating a configuration of reduced transmission power time intervals that is different from the first configuration of reduced transmission power time intervals.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the node is of a node type; and

the node type is one of:

a femto node type;

a pico node type;

a micro node type; or

a macro node type.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising reconfiguring, based on the traffic load of the node satisfying the traffic load threshold, a quantity of reduced transmission power time intervals indicated in the first configuration of reduced transmission power time intervals.

14. A node comprising:

one or more processors; and

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

transmit a first message comprising:

a time interval allocation repetition period;

a time interval allocation offset; and

a first time interval allocation bitmap indicating a first configuration of reduced transmission power time intervals; and

transmit, based on a traffic load of the node satisfying a traffic load threshold, a second message comprising:

the time interval allocation repetition period;

the time interval allocation offset; and

a second time interval allocation bitmap different from the first time interval allocation bitmap, wherein the second time interval allocation bitmap indicates a second configuration of reduced transmission power time intervals; and

wherein a transmission power associated with a reduced transmission power time interval is lower than a transmission power associated with a non-reduced transmission power time interval.

15. The node of claim 14 , wherein the second message further comprises a time interval bitmap indicating one or more reduced transmission power time intervals of the second configuration of reduced transmission power time intervals, and wherein the time interval bitmap is for configuration of measurement parameters for a wireless device.

16. The node of claim 14 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the node to determine an increase in traffic load based on an increase of a quantity of wireless devices connected to the node.

17. The node of claim 14 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the node to determine an increase in traffic load based on an increase of at least one of:

downlink radio resource utilization; or

uplink radio resource utilization.

18. The node of claim 14 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the node to transmit, only in a control region of a reduced transmission power time interval, a common reference signal.

19. The node of claim 14 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the node to broadcast, via a physical downlink shared channel, the first message and the second message.

20. The node of claim 14 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the node to transmit, to a second node and based on the traffic load of the node satisfying the traffic load threshold, a third message comprising a time interval allocation bitmap indicating the second configuration of reduced transmission power time intervals.

21. The node of claim 14 , wherein the second message further comprises:

a first measurement time interval allocation bitmap indicating a first plurality of measurement time intervals, wherein the first plurality of measurement time intervals excludes one or more reduced transmission power time intervals indicated in the second configuration of reduced transmission power time intervals; and

a second measurement time interval allocation bitmap indicating a second plurality of measurement time intervals, wherein the second plurality of measurement time intervals excludes one or more time intervals indicated in the first plurality of measurement time intervals.

22. The node of claim 14 , wherein:

the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the node to transmit, during one or more reduced transmission power time intervals and based on the first configuration of reduced transmission power time intervals, at least one downlink signal; and

the downlink signal comprises at least one of:

a downlink signal that consists of no data;

a downlink signal that consists essentially of a reference signal;

a downlink signal that does not schedule data for transmission;

a downlink signal that does not schedule unicast traffic;

a downlink signal that schedules data for transmission at the transmission power that is lower than the transmission power associated with the non-reduced transmission power time interval;

a downlink signal that is not transmitted during a majority of symbols of the reduced transmission power time interval; or

a downlink signal that is transmitted during a majority of symbols of the reduced transmission power time interval and at the transmission power that is lower than the transmission power associated with the non-reduced transmission power time interval.

23. The node of claim 14 , wherein the node comprises a base station.

24. The node of claim 14 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the node to transmit to a second node and based on determining that a coverage area of the second node has changed, a third message comprising a time interval allocation bitmap indicating a configuration of reduced transmission power time intervals that is different from the first configuration of reduced transmission power time intervals.

25. The node of claim 14 , wherein:

the node is of a node type; and

the node type is one of:

a femto node type;

a pico node type;

a micro node type; or

a macro node type.

26. The node of claim 14 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the node to reconfigure, based on the traffic load of the node satisfying the traffic load threshold, a quantity of reduced transmission power time intervals indicated in the first configuration of reduced transmission power time intervals.

27. A system comprising:

a first node; and

a second node;

wherein the first node is configured to:

transmit a first message comprising:

a time interval allocation repetition period;

a time interval allocation offset; and

a first time interval allocation bitmap indicating a first configuration of reduced transmission power time intervals; and

transmit, based on a traffic load of the node satisfying a traffic load threshold, a second message comprising:

the time interval allocation repetition period;

the time interval allocation offset; and

a second time interval allocation bitmap different from the first time interval allocation bitmap, wherein the second time interval allocation bitmap indicates a second configuration of reduced transmission power time intervals; and

wherein the second node is configured to:

receive the first message; and

receive the second message; and

wherein a transmission power associated with a reduced transmission power time interval is lower than a transmission power associated with a non-reduced transmission power time interval.

28. The system of claim 27 , wherein the second message further comprises a time interval bitmap indicating one or more reduced transmission power time intervals of the second configuration of reduced transmission power time intervals, and wherein the time interval bitmap is for configuration of measurement parameters for a wireless device.

29. The system of claim 27 , wherein the first node is further configured to determine an increase in traffic load based on an increase of a quantity of wireless devices connected to the node.

30. The system of claim 27 , wherein the first node is further configured to determine an increase in traffic load based on an increase of at least one of:

downlink radio resource utilization; or

uplink radio resource utilization.

31. The system of claim 27 , wherein the first node is further configured to transmit, only in a control region of a reduced transmission power time interval, a common reference signal.

32. The system of claim 27 , wherein the first node is further configured to broadcast, via a physical downlink shared channel, the first message and the second message.

33. The system of claim 27 , wherein the first node is further configured to transmit, to a second node and based on the traffic load of the node satisfying the traffic load threshold, a third message comprising a time interval allocation bitmap indicating the second configuration of reduced transmission power time intervals.

34. The system of claim 27 , wherein the second message further comprises:

a first measurement time interval allocation bitmap indicating a first plurality of measurement time intervals, wherein the first plurality of measurement time intervals excludes one or more reduced transmission power time intervals indicated in the second configuration of reduced transmission power time intervals; and

a second measurement time interval allocation bitmap indicating a second plurality of measurement time intervals, wherein the second plurality of measurement time intervals excludes one or more time intervals indicated in the first plurality of measurement time intervals.

35. The system of claim 27 , wherein:

the first node is further configured to transmit, during one or more reduced transmission power time intervals and based on the first configuration of reduced transmission power time intervals, at least one downlink signal; and

the downlink signal comprises at least one of:

a downlink signal that consists of no data;

a downlink signal that consists essentially of a reference signal;

a downlink signal that does not schedule data for transmission;

a downlink signal that does not schedule unicast traffic;

a downlink signal that schedules data for transmission at the transmission power that is lower than the transmission power associated with the non-reduced transmission power time interval;

a downlink signal that is not transmitted during a majority of symbols of the reduced transmission power time interval; or

a downlink signal that is transmitted during a majority of symbols of the reduced transmission power time interval and at the transmission power that is lower than the transmission power associated with the non-reduced transmission power time interval.

36. The system of claim 27 , wherein:

the first node comprises a first base station; and

the second node comprises a second base station.

37. The system of claim 27 , wherein:

the first node is further configured to transmit, based on determining that a coverage area of the second node has changed, a third message comprising a time interval allocation bitmap indicating a configuration of reduced transmission power time intervals that is different from the first configuration of reduced transmission power time intervals; and

the second node is further configured to receive the third message.

38. The system of claim 27 , wherein:

at least one of the first node or the second node is of a node type; and

the node type is one of:

a femto node type;

a pico node type;

a micro node type; or

a macro node type.

39. The system of claim 27 , wherein the first node is further configured to reconfigure, based on the traffic load of the node satisfying the traffic load threshold, a quantity of reduced transmission power time intervals indicated in the first configuration of reduced transmission power time intervals.

40. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed, cause:

transmitting a first message comprising:

a time interval allocation repetition period;

a time interval allocation offset; and

a first time interval allocation bitmap indicating a first configuration of reduced transmission power time intervals; and

transmitting, based on a traffic load at a node satisfying a traffic load threshold, a second message comprising:

the time interval allocation repetition period;

the time interval allocation offset; and

a second time interval allocation bitmap different from the first time interval allocation bitmap, wherein the second time interval allocation bitmap indicates a second configuration of reduced transmission power time intervals; and

wherein a transmission power associated with a reduced transmission power time interval is lower than a transmission power associated with a non-reduced transmission power time interval.

41. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 40 , wherein the second message further comprises a time interval bitmap indicating one or more reduced transmission power time intervals of the second configuration of reduced transmission power time intervals, and wherein the time interval bitmap is for configuration of measurement parameters for a wireless device.

42. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 40 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause determining an increase in traffic load based on an increase of a quantity of wireless devices connected to the node.

43. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 40 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause determining an increase in traffic load based on an increase of at least one of:

downlink radio resource utilization; or

uplink radio resource utilization.

44. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 40 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause transmitting only in a control region of a reduced transmission power time interval, a common reference signal.

45. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 40 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause broadcasting, via a physical downlink shared channel, the first message and the second message.

46. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 40 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause transmitting, to a second node and based on the traffic load of the node satisfying the traffic load threshold, a third message comprising a time interval allocation bitmap indicating the second configuration of reduced transmission power time intervals.

47. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 40 , wherein the second message further comprises:

a first measurement time interval allocation bitmap indicating a first plurality of measurement time intervals, wherein the first plurality of measurement time intervals excludes one or more reduced transmission power time intervals indicated in the second configuration of reduced transmission power time intervals; and

a second measurement time interval allocation bitmap indicating a second plurality of measurement time intervals, wherein the second plurality of measurement time intervals excludes one or more time intervals indicated in the first plurality of measurement time intervals.

48. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 40 , wherein:

the instructions, when executed, further cause transmitting, during one or more reduced transmission power time intervals and based on the first configuration of reduced transmission power time intervals, at least one downlink signal; and

the downlink signal comprises at least one of:

a downlink signal that consists of no data;

a downlink signal that consists essentially of a reference signal;

a downlink signal that does not schedule data for transmission;

a downlink signal that does not schedule unicast traffic;

a downlink signal that schedules data for transmission at the transmission power that is lower than the transmission power associated with the non-reduced transmission power time interval;

a downlink signal that is not transmitted during a majority of symbols of the reduced transmission power time interval; or

a downlink signal that is transmitted during a majority of symbols of the reduced transmission power time interval and at the transmission power that is lower than the transmission power associated with the non-reduced transmission power time interval.

49. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 40 , wherein the node comprises a base station.

50. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 40 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause transmitting, to a second node and based on determining that a coverage area of the second node has changed, a third message comprising a time interval allocation bitmap indicating a configuration of reduced transmission power time intervals that is different from the first configuration of reduced transmission power time intervals.

51. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 40 , wherein:

the node is of a node type; and

the node type is one of:

a femto node type;

a pico node type;

a micro node type; or

a macro node type.

52. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 40 , the instructions, when executed, further cause reconfiguring, based on the traffic load of the node satisfying the traffic load threshold, a quantity of reduced transmission power time intervals indicated in the first configuration of reduced transmission power time intervals.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 16, 2022
From: DINAN, ESMAEL H
To: OFINNO TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 061790/0385 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 16, 2022
From: OFINNO TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
To: COMCAST CABLE COMMUNICATIONS, LLC
Reel/Frame 061790/0414 →
Continuity (18)
Continuation 17110897 · Dec 3, 2020
Continuation 16871685 · May 11, 2020
Continuation 16456391 · Jun 28, 2019
Continuation 16356549 · Mar 18, 2019
Continuation 15898328 · Feb 16, 2018
Continuation 15639653 · Jun 30, 2017
Continuation 15406009 · Jan 13, 2017
Continuation 15134425 · Apr 21, 2016
Continuation 15072418 · Mar 17, 2016
Continuation 14605110 · Jan 26, 2015
Continuation 14574709 · Dec 18, 2014
Continuation 13662544 · Oct 29, 2012
Continuation 13662459 · Oct 27, 2012
Provisional Application 61553184 · Oct 29, 2011
Provisional Application 61553185 · Oct 29, 2011
Provisional Application 61553183 · Oct 29, 2011
Provisional Application 61553188 · Oct 29, 2011
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