Control of channel reference signal transmission in a cellular network

A communication device configured to control a transmission of a channel reference signal on an uplink channel from the communication device to a cellular network, the channel reference signal enabling assessment of a quality of the uplink channel, the communication device comprising:

• an interface circuit configured to transmit the channel reference signal;
• and
• at least one processor operatively associated with the interface circuit and configured to:
• check whether data is available in an uplink data buffer of the communication device for uplink transmission employing uplink radio resources on the uplink channel, the uplink radio resources being previously allocated to the communication device in reoccurring time intervals;
• and
• control the transmission of the channel reference signal via the interface circuit in dependence on said checking, said control comprising autonomously selecting a frequency of occurrence for the transmission of the channel reference signal, and said selecting comprising selecting a first frequency of occurrence or a second frequency of occurrence in dependence on the presence or amount of data available in the uplink data buffer;
• and
• determine a threshold amount of data in dependence on the uplink radio resources previously allocated to the communication device,
• wherein said selecting the first frequency of occurrence or the second frequency of occurrence comprises selecting the first frequency of occurrence in response to determining that there is more than the threshold amount of data in the uplink buffer and otherwise selecting the second frequency of occurrence,
• wherein the first frequency of occurrence corresponds to the transmission of the channel reference signal occurring more frequently than the second frequency of occurrence, and
• wherein:
• the second frequency of occurrence corresponds to the transmission of the channel reference signal occurring on average every 50-320 ms;
• and
• the first frequency of occurrence corresponds to the transmission of the channel reference signal occurring on average every 2-160 ms, and
• wherein the threshold amount of data is greater than zero.

A method, by a network node of a cellular network, of controlling a transmission of a channel reference signal on an uplink channel between a communication device and the cellular network, the channel reference signal enabling assessment of a quality of the uplink channel, the method comprising:

• checking whether the communication device performs an uplink transmission employing uplink radio resources on the uplink channel, the uplink radio resources being previously allocated to the communication device in reoccurring time intervals;
• and
• depending on said checking, controlling the transmission of the channel reference signal,
• wherein controlling the transmission of the channel reference signal comprises autonomously selecting a frequency of occurrence for the transmission of the channel reference signal, said selecting comprising selecting a first frequency of occurrence or a second frequency of occurrence in dependence on the presence or amount of data available in the uplink buffer,
• wherein the method further comprises determining a threshold amount of data in dependence on the uplink radio resources previously allocated to the communication device,
• wherein said selecting the first frequency of occurrence or the second frequency of occurrence comprises selecting the first frequency of occurrence in response to determining that there is more than the threshold amount of data in the uplink buffer and otherwise selecting the second frequency of occurrence,
• wherein the first frequency of occurrence corresponds to the transmission of the channel reference signal occurring more frequently than the second frequency of occurrence,
• wherein:
• the second frequency of occurrence corresponds to the transmission of the channel reference signal occurring on average every 50-320 ms;
• and
• the first frequency of occurrence corresponds to the transmission of the channel reference signal occurring on average every 2-160 ms, and
• wherein the threshold amount of data is greater than zero.

A network node of a cellular network configured to control a transmission of a channel reference signal on an uplink channel between a communication device and the cellular network, the channel reference signal enabling assessment of a quality of the uplink channel, the network node comprising:

• an interface circuit configured to receive an uplink transmission from the communication device;
• and
• at least one processor configured to:
• check whether the communication device performs the uplink transmission employing uplink radio resources on the uplink channel, the uplink radio resources being previously allocated to the communication device in reoccurring time intervals;
• depending on said check, control the transmission of the channel reference signal via the interface circuit in dependence on said checking, said control comprising autonomously selecting a frequency of occurrence for the transmission of the channel reference signal, and said selecting comprising selecting a first frequency of occurrence or a second frequency of occurrence in dependence on the presence or amount of data available in the uplink data buffer;
• and
• determining a threshold amount of data in dependence on the uplink radio resources previously allocated to the communication device,
• wherein said selecting the first frequency of occurrence or the second frequency of occurrence comprises selecting the first frequency of occurrence in response to determining that there is more than the threshold amount of data in the uplink buffer and otherwise selecting the second frequency of occurrence,
• wherein the first frequency of occurrence corresponds to the transmission of the channel reference signal occurring more frequently than the second frequency of occurrence, and
• wherein:
• the second frequency of occurrence corresponds to the transmission of the channel reference signal occurring on average every 50-320 ms;
• and
• the first frequency of occurrence corresponds to the transmission of the channel reference signal occurring on average every 2-160 ms, and
• wherein the threshold amount of data is greater than zero.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a computer program for controlling a transmission of a channel reference signal on an uplink channel from a communication device to a cellular network, the channel reference signal enabling assessment of a quality of the uplink channel, the computer program comprising program code that when executed by at least one processor of the communication device configured to be connected to the cellular network, causes the communication device to:

• check whether data is available in an uplink data buffer of the communication device for uplink transmission employing uplink radio resources on the uplink channel, the uplink radio resources being previously allocated to the communication device in reoccurring time intervals;
• control the transmission of the channel reference signal in dependence on said checking, said control comprising autonomously selecting a frequency of occurrence for the transmission of the channel reference signal, and said selecting comprising selecting a first frequency of occurrence or a second frequency of occurrence in dependence on the presence or amount of data available in the uplink data buffer;
• and
• determine a threshold amount of data in dependence on the uplink radio resources previously allocated to the communication device,
• wherein said selecting the first frequency of occurrence or the second frequency of occurrence comprises selecting the first frequency of occurrence in response to determining that there is more than the threshold amount of data in the uplink buffer and otherwise selecting the second frequency of occurrence,
• wherein the first frequency of occurrence corresponds to the transmission of the channel reference signal occurring more frequently than the second frequency of occurrence, and
• wherein:
• the second frequency of occurrence corresponds to the transmission of the channel reference signal occurring on average every 50-320 ms;
• and
• the first frequency of occurrence corresponds to the transmission of the channel reference signal occurring on average every 2-160 ms, and
• wherein the threshold amount of data is greater than zero.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a computer program for controlling a transmission of a channel reference signal on an uplink channel between a communication device and a cellular network, the channel reference signal enabling assessment of a quality of the uplink channel, the computer program comprising program code that when executed by at least one processor of a network node for the cellular network, causes the network node to:

• check whether the communication device performs the uplink transmission employing uplink radio resources on the uplink channel, the uplink radio resources being previously allocated to the communication device in reoccurring time intervals;
• depending on said check, control the transmission of the channel reference signal in dependence on said checking, said control comprising autonomously selecting a frequency of occurrence for the transmission of the channel reference signal, and said selecting comprising selecting a first frequency of occurrence or a second frequency of occurrence in dependence on the presence or amount of data available in the uplink data buffer;
• and determining a threshold amount of data in dependence on the uplink radio resources previously allocated to the communication device,
• wherein said selecting the first frequency of occurrence or the second frequency of occurrence comprises selecting the first frequency of occurrence in response to determining that there is more than the threshold amount of data in the uplink buffer and otherwise selecting the second frequency of occurrence,
• wherein the first frequency of occurrence corresponds to the transmission of the channel reference signal occurring more frequently than the second frequency of occurrence, and
• wherein:
• the second frequency of occurrence corresponds to the transmission of the channel reference signal occurring on average every 50-320 ms;
• and
• the first frequency of occurrence corresponds to the transmission of the channel reference signal occurring on average every 2-160 ms, and
• wherein the threshold amount of data is greater than zero.