Abstract:
Methods and apparatus that facilitate handover related measurements and decision making in a communications system including user equipment (UE) devices, a macro base station and femto base stations (femtocells) are described. In some embodiments a UE device transmits pilots along with identification information using UE device selected transmission resources from a set of recurring UE pilot transmission resources dedicated by a macro base station for UE pilot signal and related device information transmission purposes. Femto base stations measure the UE transmitted pilot signals and report the signal strength measurement results and corresponding device identifiers to a handoff decision control entity, e.g., an eNodeB or control node, which makes handover decisions. By relying on UE transmitted pilots measured by multiple base stations, e.g., femto base stations, the need for femto cells to transmit pilots can be reduced while well informed UE handoff decisions still being possible.
Abstract:
Methods, systems, and devices are described for synchronizing a user equipment (UE) in a device-to-device communications network. The UE may scan for a synchronization signal transmitted from another UE in the network. A synchronization frame including a plurality of slots to use may be identified based at least in part on a result of the scanning. The identified synchronization frame may be analyzed to select a slot to use from the plurality of slots of the synchronization frame. A synchronization signal may be transmitted using the identified synchronization frame and the selected slot.
Abstract:
A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for wireless communication are provided in connection with improving resource allocation for distributed D2D synchronization in densely populated communications systems. In an example, a communications device is equipped to transmit a synchronization signal during a beacon period of a synchronization channel. In an aspect, the synchronization channel may include the beacon period, a paging period, and a TIB period. The communications device may further be equipped to monitor at least one of the beacon period, the paging period, or the TIB period of the synchronization channel for one or more signals from one or more UEs in a D2D network, and determine whether to transmit information during at least one of the beacon period, the paging period, or the TIB period based at least in part on the monitoring.
Abstract:
A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for wireless communication are provided. The apparatus allocates K blocks of subframes for WAN and peer-to-peer communications in a discovery period T and remaining subframes in the discovery period T for WAN communications and allocates a first set of subframes for peer discovery and a second set of subframes for the WAN communications in each block of the K blocks.
Abstract:
A communications system includes a plurality of different types of small coverage area base stations, e.g., femto cell base stations, WiFi access points and Bluetooth access points within a macro cell. Different user equipment (UE) devices, e.g., different smartphones, include different capabilities. In order for UE devices and small coverage area base stations with compatible capabilities to efficiently discover one another, the various small coverage area base stations and various UE devices utilize the macro cell communications band and macro cell communication protocol to coordinate device discovery and exchange discovery information and control information which allows a UE device to access a compatible small coverage area base station and subsequently communicate user data, e.g., traffic data, with the UE device.
Abstract:
A communications system includes a plurality of different types of small coverage area base stations, e.g., femto cell base stations, WiFi access points and Bluetooth access points within a macro cell. Different user equipment (UE) devices, e.g., different smartphones, include different capabilities. In order for UE devices and small coverage area base stations with compatible capabilities to efficiently discover one another, the various small coverage area base stations and various UE devices utilize the macro cell communications band and macro cell communication protocol to coordinate device discovery and exchange discovery information and control information which allows a UE device to access a compatible small coverage area base station and subsequently communicate user data, e.g., traffic data, with the UE device.
Abstract:
Methods, systems, and devices are described for synchronizing a user equipment (UE) in a device-to-device communications network. The UE may scan for a synchronization signal transmitted from another UE in the network. A synchronization frame including a plurality of slots to use may be identified based at least in part on a result of the scanning. The identified synchronization frame may be analyzed to select a slot to use from the plurality of slots of the synchronization frame. A synchronization signal may be transmitted using the identified synchronization frame and the selected slot.
Abstract:
Methods, systems, and devices are described that provide for D2D synchronization. The methods, systems, and/or devices may include tools and techniques that provide for synchronizing a mobile device based on detection of a reliability alarm. A reliability alarm may be used between mobile devices, which is transmitted and/or received on specific D2D resources. Since the resources are reserved for the reliability alarm, a mobile device which was previously isolated from network synchronization will be able to receive the reliability alarm that a reliable synchronization signal is close when it moves within range of a reliable device. Once a reliability alarm is received the mobile device may free other resources to allow it to receive synchronization signals from the reliable devices. The mobile device may then synchronize with the network based on the received synchronization signals and transmit its own reliability alarm for subsequent isolated devices to use.
Abstract:
Methods and apparatus for controlling interference with regard to important control signals, e.g., synchronization signals and broadcast channel signals, are described. A configurable base station monitors for and receives signals from other base stations in its local vicinity and determines the implemented frame timings corresponding to the other deployed base stations. If possible, the configurable base station selects to use a frame timing offset which is different from the frame timing offsets being used by the other base stations. In some embodiments, symbol level and subframe level synchronization are maintained between the base stations; however, frame level synchronization may, and sometimes does vary. Different adjacent base stations may, and sometimes do, intentionally offset their frame boundaries by multiples of a subframe.
Abstract:
A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for wireless communication are provided. The apparatus allocates K blocks of subframes for WAN and peer-to-peer communications in a discovery period T and remaining subframes in the discovery period T for WAN communications and allocates a first set of subframes for peer discovery and a second set of subframes for the WAN communications in each block of the K blocks.