Device, network, and method of cell discovery

A method in a network component for communicating with user equipment (UEs), the method comprising:

• receiving, at the network component, a discovery signal (DS) transmission parameter wherein the DS transmission parameter specifies a time period between successive transmission of the DS and a duration of each DS transmission;
• generating, by the network component, a DS according to the DS transmission parameter;
• and
• periodically transmitting, by the network component, the DS to the UE at a period and a duration determined according to the DS transmission parameter, wherein the DS enables the UE to make radio resource management (RRM) measurements according to the DS.

A mobile device for communicating with a network node in a wireless cellular network, comprising:

• a transmitter;
• a receiver;
• a processor;
• and
• a computer readable storage medium storing programming for execution by the processor, the programming including instructions for:
• receiving, at the mobile device, a parameter from a first network component on a first carrier radio resource, wherein the parameter is associated with a discovery signal (DS) burst from a second network component on a second carrier radio resource, wherein the parameter specifies at least one of a time period between successive transmissions of the DS burst, an offset within the time period, and a duration of each transmission of the DS burst;
• and
• receiving, at the mobile device, the DS from the second network component on the second carrier radio resource during a gap in successive transmissions on the first network carrier radio resource, wherein the gap is determined according to the parameter.

A network component configured communicating with user equipment (UEs), comprising:

• a transmitter;
• a receiver;
• a processor;
• and
• a computer readable storage medium storing programming for execution by the processor, the programming including instructions for:
• receiving, at the network component, a discovery signal (DS) transmission parameter wherein the DS transmission parameter specifies a time period between successive transmission of the DS and a duration of each DS transmission;
• generating, by the network component, a DS according to the DS transmission parameter;
• and
• periodically transmitting, by the network component, the DS to the UE at a period and a duration determined according to the DS transmission parameter, wherein the DS enables the UE to make radio resource management (RRM) measurements according to the DS.