Method, apparatus, and system for handling in-device coexistence interference in a wireless network

An apparatus to be employed by a user equipment (UE) for handling in-device coexistence interference in wireless communication, the apparatus comprising:

• an in-device coexistence (IDC) interference detection module including circuitry to detect an IDC interference between a first communication module of the UE operating according to a first communication protocol and a second communication module of the UE operating according to a second communication protocol;
• and an IDC management module including circuitry to generate an IDC indication comprising a bit string consisting of four bits, wherein each bit of the four bits of the bit string relates to a respective subframe n and subsequent subframes n+4k of a subframe pattern, wherein k is an integer number greater than 0, wherein the subsequent subframes n+4k satisfy a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARO) timing relationship with the respective subframe n, and
• wherein a value of each bit of the bit string indicates whether an evolved node B (eNB) is requested to abstain from using the respective subframe n and subsequent subframes n+4k of the subframe pattern in a wireless transmission from the eNB to the UE, wherein the IDC management module is operable to generate the IDC indication comprising the bit string consisting of four bits by setting a starting subframe of the subframe pattern to guarantee a-the hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) timing relationship between the UE and the eNB, and
• wherein the UE is to transmit the IDC indication to the eNB via a wireless communication network.

An apparatus, comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and one or more non-transitory computer-readable media having instructions stored there on that, when being executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:
• detect, with an in-device coexistence (IDC) interference detection module of a user equipment (UE), an IDC interference between a first communication module of the UE operating according to a first communication protocol and a second communication module of the UE operating according to a second communication protocol;
• in response to the detection of the IDC interference, generate with an IDC management module of the UE an IDC indication having a bit string consisting of four bits, wherein each bit of the four bits of the bit string relates to a respective subframe n and subsequent subframes n+4k of a subframe pattern, wherein k is an integer number greater than 0, wherein the subsequent subframes n+4k satisfy a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARO) timing relationship with the respective subframe n, and wherein a value of each bit of the bit string indicates whether an evolved node B (eNB) is requested to abstain from using the respective subframe and subsequent subframes n+4k of the subframe pattern in a wireless transmission from the eNB to the UE, wherein the IDC indication is generated, in part, by setting a starting subframe of the subframe pattern to guarantee the hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) timing relationship between the UE and the eNB;
• and
• transmitting by the UE the IDC indication to the eNB via a wireless communication network.

A method, comprising:

• receiving at an evolved node B (eNB) an in-device coexistence (IDC) indication from a user equipment (UE), the IDC indication being generated in response to detection of IDC interference between a first communication module of the UE operating according to a first communication protocol and a second communication module of the UE operating according to a second communication protocol, wherein the IDC indication comprising a bit string consisting of four bits, wherein each bit of the four bits of the bit string relates to a respective subframe n and subsequent subframes n+4k of a subframe pattern, wherein k is an integer number greater than 0, wherein the subsequent subframes n+4k satisfy a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARO) timing relationship with the respective subframe n, and wherein a value of each bit of the bit string indicates whether the eNB is requested to abstain from using the respective subframe n and subsequent subframes n+4k of the subframe pattern in a wireless transmission from the eNB to the UE, wherein the IDC indication is generated by setting a starting subframe of the subframe pattern to guarantee the hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) timing relationship between the UE and the eNB;
• generating a discontinuous reception (DRX) configuration information based on the IDC indication, in response to a determination that the subframe pattern is acceptable;
• and
• transmitting the DRX configuration information to the UE over the wireless communication network.

An apparatus, comprising:

• an evolved node B (eNB) including:
• a communication module to receive an in-device coexistence (IDC) indication from a user equipment (UE), the IDC indication being generated in response to detection of IDC interference between a first communication module of the UE operating according to a first communication protocol and a second communication module of the UE operating according to a second communication protocol, wherein the IDC indication comprising a bit string consisting of four bits, wherein each bit of the four bits of the bit string relates to a respective subframe n and subsequent subframes n+4k of a subframe pattern, wherein k is an integer number greater than 0, wherein the subsequent subframes n+4k satisfy a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARO) timing relationship with the respective subframe n, and wherein a value of each bit of the bit string indicates whether the eNB is requested to abstain from using the respective subframe n and subsequent subframes n+4k of the subframe pattern in a wireless transmission from the eNB to the UE, wherein the IDC indication is generated by setting a starting subframe of the subframe pattern to guarantee the hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) timing relationship between the UE and the eNB, and
• an IDC management module including circuitry to generate a discontinuous reception (DRX) configuration information based on the IDC indication, in response to a determination that the subframe pattern is acceptable;
• wherein the communication module is further to transmit the DRX configuration information to the UE over the wireless communication network.