Patent Application
20120275408
The present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for processing communication in a radio communication network and in particular to a method and apparatus for processing communication between a network management device and a user equipment in a multi-carrier radio to communication network.
Carrier Aggregation (CA) is adopted in the LTE-Advanced (LTEA) as an important technology to improve the performance of a system. The LTEA is defines three types of carrier components, i.e., a backward compatible carrier component, a non-backward compatible carrier component and a standalone carrier component. Particularly an LTE-based user equipment (hereinafter LTE user equipment) can access only a backward compatible carrier component, an LTEA-based user equipment (hereinafter LTEA user equipment can access both a backward compatible carrier component and a non-backward compatible carrier component, and a standalone carrier component can not be accessed separately. In other words, an LTEA user equipment can access a standalone carrier component only after it accesses a backward compatible carrier component and/or a non-backward compatible carrier component.
In an LTE system, an LTE user equipment can access only one carrier component, and a network management device, e.g., a base station, etc., allocates a cell temporary identifier (C-RNTI) thereto as a user equipment identifier of the user equipment over the carrier component.
Unlike the LTE system, however, an LTEA system is a multi-carrier system, and as described above, an LTEA user equipment can access a plurality of carrier components. How to ensure proper processing of information in such a multi-carrier system has become a very important issue, and evidently an existing solution with a single carrier in the LTE system can not be applied thereto.
In view of this, there is a need of a new solution to processing communication between a network management device and user equipment.
In order to address the foregoing problem in the prior art, the invention proposes that a network management device shall allocate corresponding user equipment identifiers respectively for respective independent carriers activated for a user equipment. Particularly taking two independent carriers as an example, a first user equipment identifier, allocated for the user equipment, corresponding to the first independent carrier may be the same as or different from a second user equipment identifier corresponding to the second independent carrier. However the network management device allocates for a plurality of user equipments different user equipment identifiers corresponding to the same independent carrier in order to ensure proper processing of information.
Thereafter a dependent carrier may have to be further activated for the user equipment due to an increased resource demand or another reason, and then a user equipment identifier for processing information of the user equipment over the dependent carrier can be available in two implementations, in one of which, similarly to an independent carrier, the network management device furthermore allocates for the user equipment a user equipment identifier corresponding to the newly activated dependent carrier. Particularly those skilled in the art can appreciate that the network management device also allocates for a plurality of user equipments different user equipment identifiers corresponding to the same dependent carrier in order to ensure proper processing of information.
Specifically there is provided according to an embodiment of the invention a method, for processing communication with a user equipment, in a network management device of a multi-carrier system, which includes the steps of: a. activating a first number of independent carriers for a user equipment and allocating user equipment identifiers corresponding to the respective independent carriers respectively for the user equipment; b. determining whether a second number of dependent carriers are activated for the user equipment; and c. if a second number of dependent carriers are to activated for the user equipment, performing either of: i. allocating user equipment identifiers corresponding to the respective dependent carriers respectively for the user equipment, and for each of the dependent carriers, processing information of the user equipment over the dependent carrier based upon the user equipment identifier, allocated for the user equipment, corresponding to the dependent carrier; or I. processing information of the user equipment over the respective dependent carriers based upon the user equipment identifier, allocated for the user equipment, corresponding to at least one of the first number of independent carriers; wherein any one of the allocated user equipment identifiers is unique over its corresponding carrier.
Preferably in the step I, the user equipment identifier for processing the information of the user equipment over any one of the dependent carriers corresponds to the independent carrier over which the network management device transmits control signaling corresponding to the dependent carrier to the user equipment.
More preferably in the step I, the user equipment identifier for processing the information of the user equipment over any one of the dependent carriers corresponds to the independent carrier over which the network management device transmits resource allocation information corresponding to the dependent carrier to the user equipment.
Preferably the method further includes the steps of: determining whether there is one or more independent carriers or dependent carriers deactivated for the user equipment; and if there is at least one independent carrier or dependent carrier deactivated for the user equipment, instructing the user equipment to release the previously allocated user equipment identifier or identifiers corresponding to the one or more independent carriers or dependent carriers.
According to another embodiment of the invention, there is provided a method, for communicating with a network management device, in a user equipment of a multi-carrier system, which includes the steps of: l. receiving user equipment identifiers transmitted from the network management device, to which correspond to a first number of independent carriers activated for the user equipment; m. when the network management device activates a second number of dependent carriers for the user equipment, performing either of: x. receiving user equipment identifiers transmitted from the network management device, which correspond to the respective dependent carriers, and for each of the dependent carriers, processing information of the user equipment over the dependent carrier based upon the user equipment identifier, allocated for the user equipment, corresponding to the dependent carrier; or y. processing information of the user equipment over the respective dependent carriers based upon the received user equipment identifier corresponding to at least one of the first number of independent carriers.
Preferably in the step y, the user equipment identifier for processing the information of the user equipment over any one of the dependent carriers corresponds to the independent carrier over which the network management device transmits control signaling corresponding to the dependent carrier to the user equipment.
More preferably in the step y, the user equipment identifier for processing the information of the user equipment over any one of the dependent carriers corresponds to the independent carrier over which the network management device transmits resource allocation information corresponding to the dependent carrier to the user equipment.
According to another embodiment of the invention, there is provided a first apparatus, for processing communication with a user equipment, in a network management device of a multi-carrier system, which includes: a first unit for activating a first number of independent carriers for a user equipment and allocating user equipment identifiers corresponding to the respective independent carriers respectively for the user equipment; determining means for determining whether a second number of dependent carriers are activated for the user equipment; and a second unit for, if a second number of dependent carriers are activated for the user equipment, performing either of: —allocating user equipment identifiers corresponding to the respective dependent carriers respectively for the user equipment, and for each of the dependent carriers, processing information of the user equipment over the dependent carrier based upon the user equipment identifier, allocated for the user equipment, corresponding to the dependent carrier; or—processing information of the user equipment over the respective dependent carriers based upon the user equipment identifier, allocated for the user equipment, corresponding to at least one of the first number of independent carriers; wherein any one of the allocated user equipment identifiers is unique over its corresponding carrier.
Preferably the user equipment identifier for the second unit to process the information of the user equipment over any one of the dependent carriers corresponds to the independent carrier over which the network management device transmits control signaling corresponding to the dependent carrier to the user equipment.
More preferably the user equipment identifier for the second unit to process the information of the user equipment over any one of the dependent carriers corresponds to the independent carrier over which the network management device transmits resource allocation information corresponding to the dependent carrier to the user equipment.
Preferably the determining means is further for determining whether there is one or more independent carriers or dependent carriers deactivated for the user equipment; and instructing means is further included for, if there is at least one independent carrier or dependent carrier deactivated for the user equipment, instructing the user equipment to release the previously allocated user equipment identifier or identifiers corresponding to the one or more independent carriers or dependent carriers.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, there is provided a second apparatus, for communicating with a network management device, in a user equipment of a multi-carrier system, which includes: receiving means for receiving user equipment identifiers transmitted from the network management device, which correspond to a first number of independent carriers activated for the user equipment; a third unit for, when the network management device activates a second number of dependent carriers for the user equipment, performing either of: —receiving user equipment identifiers, transmitted from the network management device, corresponding to the respective dependent carriers, and for each of the dependent carriers, processing information of the user equipment over the dependent carrier based upon the user equipment identifier, allocated for the user equipment, corresponding to the dependent carrier; or—processing information of the user equipment over the respective dependent carriers based upon the received user equipment identifier corresponding to at least one of the first number of independent carriers.
Preferably the user equipment identifier for the third unit to process the information of the user equipment over any one of the dependent carriers corresponds to the independent carrier over which the network management device transmits resource allocation information corresponding to the dependent carrier to the user equipment.
According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a network management device including the foregoing first apparatus.
According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a user equipment including the foregoing second apparatus.
In order to facilitate understanding of the invention, some concepts appearing in this context will be explained below:
Activated: A carrier being activated for a user equipment means that a radio resource over the carrier is allocated to the user equipment, and correspondingly a carrier being deactivated for a user equipment means that a network management device withdraws a radio resource, over the carrier, previously allocated to the user equipment, and thereafter the carrier is deactivated with respect to the user equipment.
Independent carrier and dependent carrier: in this context, a carrier in a carrier component which can be accessed separately is referred to as an independent carrier, and a carrier in a carrier component which can not be accessed separately is referred to as a dependent carrier. Those skilled in the art can appreciate that in this context, an independent carrier will not be limited to a carrier in a backward compatible carrier component or a non-backward compatible carrier component, and a dependent carrier will not be limited to a carrier in an independent carrier component. Taking an LTEA system as an example, a plurality of carriers can be included throughout the radio frequency band, and one or more of these carriers belong to an independent carrier while another one or more belong to a dependent carrier. The idea of the invention is not influence by the particular categorizing of Carriers. In the invention, a typical example of a dependent carrier is a carrier in an independent carrier component over which no control signaling is carried.
First number and second number: the foregoing first number can take an integer of or above 1.
User equipment identifier: for performing uplink or downlink communication, a user equipment identifier shall be allocated to a user equipment so that the user equipment can know from resource allocation information indicated by the user equipment identifier the use of a specific radio resource, e.g., a specific frequency, timeslot, pseudo code, etc., for communication with the network management device. Different user equipment identifiers shall be allocated to different user equipments over the same carrier in order to distinguish uplink and downlink information of one user equipment effectively from one another. User equipment identifiers of user equipments can be multiplexed between different carriers without any confliction.
Network management device: it refers to a variety of network devices, e.g., a base station, etc., for communication with a user equipment and performing management responsibility. Along with the development in the field of radio communications, it may be denominated and embodied differently, but a network management device in this context shall be construed to encompass various reasonable variations.
Processing of information: in this context, processing of information includes but will not be limited to encoding and decoding of signaling or data, and another process of signaling of data at the physical layer.
Multi-carrier system: a multi-carrier system as mentioned in this context refers to a system where there are a plurality of carriers even if only one of the carriers is indeed in use at present.
The foregoing and other concepts and definitions will become more apparent and readily understood upon reading the following further detailed description in this context.
In the invention, user equipment identifiers are allocated in a multi-carrier system and a solution is provided for a dependent carrier to thereby enable effectively processing of information over a plurality of carriers to be supported. Furthermore a user equipment identifier, allocated for a user equipment, corresponding to one carrier can be used as a user equipment identifier, of the user equipment or another user equipment, corresponding to another carrier, so the number of supported user equipments is increased significantly.
Other features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent and evident from the following description of at least one non-limiting embodiment of the invention with reference to the drawings in which:
a illustrates a flow chart of a systematic method for processing communication between a network management device and a user equipment in a multi-carrier system according to an embodiment of the invention;
b illustrates a flow chart of a systematic method for processing communication between a network management device and a user equipment in a multi-carrier system according to another embodiment of the invention;
Identical or similar reference numerals denote identical or similar technical features throughout the drawings.
A typical application scenario of the invention is as illustrated in
Without loss of generality, the base station 1 and the user equipments 21 to 23 belong to an LTEA system, and furthermore the carriers A and B in
With knowledge of the application scenario of the invention, a method according to the invention will be introduced in details with reference to a flow chart.
The flow illustrated in
As a result the independent carrier A is activated for the user equipment 21 in the step S11 in this example.
Then user equipment identifiers corresponding to the respective independent carriers are allocated for the user equipment 21 in the step S12 as depicted in Table 1 in which allocated user equipment identifiers of another user equipment 23 are also depicted for the convenience of their comparison.
As can be apparent from Table 1, the base station 1 allocates for different user equipments different user equipment identifiers corresponding to the same independent carrier. For the same user equipment, the base station 1 may allocate thereto the same or different user equipment identifiers corresponding to different independent carriers. Furthermore if an independent carrier is deactivated for a user equipment, then the user equipment 23 will release a corresponding user equipment identifier, which can then be allocated to another user equipment as a user equipment identifier corresponding to the independent carrier without any collision.
Although the step S11 and the step S12 are illustrated in
For an LTE user equipment, e.g., the use equipment 22 illustrated in
At the side of the user equipment 21, it receives correspondingly the respective user equipment identifiers transmitted from the base station 1, and specifically the process of allocating the user equipment identifiers illustrated in
After acquiring the user equipment identifier 0001 corresponding to the independent carrier A, the user equipment 21 can use this identifier to perform a series of processes at the physical layer including decoding and other processes on all the information transmitted over the independent carrier A from the base station 1 and can use this identifier to perform a series of processes at the physical layer including encoding and other processes on all the information to be transmitted over the independent carrier A to the base station. The information includes signaling, data, etc., over a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) and a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH).
Thereafter the user equipment 21 has an increased amount of traffic which may not be accommodated only over the independent carrier A, thus is resulting in a loss of packages or another adverse condition due to blockage of information, and then the base station 1 preferably further activates another carrier besides the independent carrier A for the user equipment 21, where there may be different criteria for selecting another carrier differently, for example, possibly by activating a carrier in an order of ascending frequencies or randomly, and furthermore a dependent carrier can be used in the event that independent carriers have been exhausted, but the invention will not be limited thereto.
In this example a carrier is activated in an order of ascending frequencies without loss of generality, and with an increasing traffic demand of the user equipment 21, the independent carriers B and C at a higher frequency than the independent carrier A are also activated sequentially for the user equipment 21, and thus the base station 1 allocates corresponding user equipment identifiers thereto. Assumed there is no change in the allocated user equipment identifiers of the user equipment 23, a new condition of allocated user equipment identifiers is as depicted in Table 2:
Table 2 further demonstrates that the same or different user equipment identifiers corresponding to different carriers can be allocated for the same user equipment.
In this example the base station 1 transmits the user equipment identifiers 0001 and 0010 corresponding to the independent carriers B and C in RRC signaling, and the user equipment 21 uses these two identifiers to process information of the user equipment over the corresponding independent carriers upon reception thereof, where the information includes signaling, data, etc., over a PDCCH and a PDCSH.
The step S13 is a determination step triggered under a condition varying from one implementation to another. For example, when a carrier is activated in an order of ascending frequencies, the dependent carrier D in
Regardless of whatever order in which a carrier is triggered, the base station 1 will allocate for the user equipment 21 user equipment identifiers corresponding to a second number of dependent carriers in the step S14 after the base station triggers these dependent carriers for the user equipment 21. In this example, the second number takes a value of 1, and those skilled in the art can appreciate that if the number of dependent carriers is 3, for example, which is different from that illustrated in
Then the allocated user equipments after the step S14 are as depicted in Table 3, where assumed there is also an increased traffic demand of the user equipment 23, the base station 1 also activates the dependent carrier D for the user equipment:
As can be seen from Table 3, the user equipment identifiers, allocated for the different user equipments, corresponding to the same dependent carrier are preferably different from each other, the same as the independent carriers. For the same user equipment, the base station 1 allocates thereto the same user equipment identifier corresponding to the independent carriers A and B and the dependent carrier D to thereby save such a resource of user equipment identifiers. Of course those skilled in the art can appreciate that the user equipment identifiers, allocated to the user equipment 21, corresponding to the different carriers may alternatively be different from each other if such a resource of user equipment identifiers is not insufficient.
The user equipment 21 can use the user equipment identifier 0001 corresponding to the dependent carrier D to process information over the dependent carrier D, e.g., encoding, decoding and other operations at the physical layer, upon reception of the identifier 0001 corresponding to the dependent carrier D. Taking the LTEA system as an example, the user equipment 21 firstly uses a user equipment identifier corresponding to an independent carrier for transmission PDCCH, e.g., the independent carrier A, etc., to decode the PDCCH and thereby locate a radio resource for transmission PDSCH, and thereafter the user equipment 21 uses a user equipment identifier corresponding to a carrier where the radio resource for transmission PDSCH is located to decode the PDSCH.
The step S15 is another determination process where the base station 1 determines whether at least one of the respective independent carriers or dependent carriers activated for the user equipment 21 is deactivated for the user equipment 21. This situation arises typically due to a decreased amount of traffic of the user equipment 21, or a power-off mode of the user equipment 21, etc. Particularly an activated carrier can be deactivated for a decreased amount of traffic of the user equipment 21 in an order of descending frequencies, randomly or otherwise, and the invention will not be limited in this respect. Those skilled in the art shall appreciate that in view of the presence of a dependent carrier, it will be deactivated in priority preferentially because it can not be accessed separately; or in view of its presence, there will be at least one independent carrier activated all the time.
In this example, the dependent carrier 21 will be deactivated for the user equipment 21 without loss of generality, and then the base station 1 instructs the user equipment, possibly in RRC signaling, to release the allocated user equipment identifier 0001 corresponding to the dependent carrier D in the step S16. Thereafter the user equipment identifier 0001 can be allocated to another user equipment for the dependent carrier D without any interference/confusion. Of course, if it is not used by any other user equipment for the dependent carrier D and the user equipment 21 has a significantly increased amount of traffic again at a later time, then 0001 can be allocated thereto again, or if 0001 has been used by another user equipment for the dependent carrier D at that time, then another user equipment identifier can be allocated for the user equipment 21, and a repeated description thereof will be omitted here.
Those skilled in the art can appreciate that although the steps S15 and S16 are illustrated in
In the embodiment described above with reference to
In
In this example, the base station 1 will not allocate specifically for the user equipment 21 a user equipment identifier corresponding to the dependent carrier D activated for the user equipment 21 as in the step S14 of
For each dependent carrier activated for the user equipment 21, it is desired to address the issue of determining which specific independent carrier that a user equipment identifier, corresponding thereto, allocated for the user equipment 21 will be used. Typically the user equipment identifier for processing the information of the user equipment 21 over the dependent carrier D corresponds to the independent carrier over which the base station 1 transmits control signaling corresponding to the dependent carrier D to the user equipment 21. More typically the user equipment identifier for processing the information of the user equipment 21 over the dependent carrier D corresponds to the independent carrier over which the base station 1 transmits resource allocation information corresponding to the dependent carrier D to the user equipment 21. Specifically, the user equipment 21 operating in the scheme illustrated in
Apparatuses, according to the invention, corresponding to the foregoing methods will be described below in block diagrams but briefly, in view of a correspondence relationship between the features of modules/means and the features of steps in the foregoing methods.
A first unit 1001 for activating a first number of independent carriers for a user equipment and allocating user equipment identifiers corresponding to the respective independent carriers respectively for the user equipment in correspondence to the foregoing steps S11 and S12;
A determining means 1002 for determining whether a second number of dependent carriers are activated for the user equipment in correspondence to the foregoing step S13; and
A second unit 1003 for, if a second number of dependent carriers are activated for the user equipment, performing either of the following operations in correspondence to the steps S14 and S17:
Wherein any one of the allocated user equipment identifiers is unique over its corresponding carrier.
Preferably the user equipment identifier for the second unit 1003 to process the information of the user equipment over any one of the dependent carriers corresponds to the independent carrier over which the network management device transmits control signaling corresponding to the dependent carrier to the user equipment.
More preferably the user equipment identifier for the second unit 1003 to process the information of the user equipment over any one of the dependent carriers corresponds to the independent carrier over which the network management device transmits resource allocation information corresponding to the dependent carrier to the user equipment.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the determining means 1002 in the first apparatus 100 is further for determining whether there is one or more independent carriers or dependent carriers deactivated for the user equipment in correspondence to the foregoing step S15; and
The first apparatus 100 further includes:
Instructing means 1004 for, if there is at least one independent carrier or dependent carrier deactivated for the user equipment, instructing the user equipment to release the previously allocated user equipment identifier or identifiers corresponding to the one or more independent carriers or dependent carriers in correspondence to the foregoing step S16.
The second apparatus 200 includes:
A receiving means 2001 for receiving user equipment identifiers transmitted from the network management device, which correspond to a first is number of independent carriers activated for the user equipment in correspondence to the step S12;
A third unit 2002 for, when the network management device activates a second number of dependent carriers for the user equipment, performing either of the following operations in correspondence to the steps S14 and S17:
Preferably the user equipment identifier for the third unit 2002 to process the information of the user equipment over any one of the dependent carriers corresponds to the independent carrier over which the network management device transmits resource allocation information corresponding to the dependent carrier to the user equipment.
As can be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention will not be limited to the details of the foregoing illustrative embodiments and can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essence of the invention. Therefore the embodiments shall be construed in any respect as being illustrative but not limiting, and the scope of the invention will be defined in the appended claims instead of the foregoing description, so the invention is intended to encompass all the variations coming into the scope of the claims and their equivalents. Any reference numerals in the claims shall not be construed as limiting the claims in which they appear. It will be also apparent that the term “comprising” will not preclude another element(s) or step(s) and a singular form will not preclude a plural form. A plurality of units or means recited in a claim of a system can alternatively be embodied in software or hardware as a single unit or means. The words “first”, “second”, etc., represent names but do not mean any specific order.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/CN2009/074344 | Sep 2009 | CN | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/CN2009/075287 | 12/3/2009 | WO | 00 | 3/30/2012 |
