Method of enhanced interference measurements for channel state information (CSI) feedback

At least one non-transitory machine readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by the machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

• receiving CSI-IM resources from a serving cell;
• processing the received CSI-IM resources to perform interference measurements on cells including the serving cell;
• processing a zero-power (ZP) CSI-RS according to the CSI-IM resources received from the serving cell;
• performing the interference measurements associated with the cells including the serving cell based on the CSI-IM resources and ZP CSI-RS received from the serving cell;
• providing channel state information feedback to the serving cell based on the interference measurements;
• processing a CSI-IM resources hopping pattern received from the serving cell for varying a position of the CSI-IM resources in subframes;
• and
• receiving CSI-IM and the ZP CSI-RS from the serving cell in positions in subframes according to the received CSI-IM resources hopping pattern.

A method to be implemented by a User Equipment (UE), the method comprising:

• receiving CSI-IM resources from a serving cell;
• processing the received CSI-IM resources to perform interference measurements on cells including the serving cell;
• processing a zero-power (ZP) CSI-RS according to the CSI-IM resources received from the serving cell;
• performing the interference measurements associated with the cells including the serving cell based on the CSI-IM resources and ZP CSI-RS received from the serving cell;
• providing channel state information feedback to the serving cell based on the interference measurements;
• processing a CSI-IM resources hopping pattern received from the serving cell for varying a position of the CSI-IM resources in subframes;
• and
• receiving CSI-IM and the ZP CSI-RS from the serving cell in positions in subframes according to the received CSI-IM resources hopping pattern.

A serving cell, comprising:

• memory for storing data thereon;
• a processor, coupled to the memory, for processing signals associated with communications including data from the memory;
• a transceiver, coupled to the processor, arranged to transmit and receive signals associated with communications;
• and
• at least one antenna for radiating signals for transmission and intercepts signals for reception;
• wherein the processor is further arranged to:
• determine CSI-IM resources for use by a served user equipment (UE) served by the serving cell to perform interference measurements;
• provide the determined CSI-IM resources to the transceiver for transmission to the served UE;
• provide, to the transceiver for transmission to the served UE, a zero-power (ZP) CSI-RS according to the determined CSI-IM resources to remove serving cell interference;
• and
• process a received interference measurement from the served UE based on CSI-IM received by the served UE and the ZP CSI-RS provided to the served UE from the serving cell.