Methods For Synchronizing Macro Cell And Small Cell Systems
AssigneeAlcatel-Lucent USA Inc.
InventorsJialin Zou, Subramanian Vasudevan
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Abstract
Example embodiments are directed to a method including transmitting, by a small cell, a pilot signal to a user equipment (UE) based on a first training signal received from the UE, and receiving, by the small cell, a second training signal from the UE. The second training signal is offset by a time based on the pilot signal transmitted by the small cell. The time offset represents a difference in time between the UE receiving a reference signal transmitted by a macro cell and the UE receiving the pilot signal transmitted by the small cell. The small cell adjusts a local reference timing based on the second training signal.
Claims21
A method comprising:
- transmitting, by a small cell, a pilot signal to a user equipment (UE) based on a first training signal received from the UE;
- receiving, by the small cell, a second training signal from the UE, the second training signal being offset by a time based on the pilot signal transmitted by the small cell, the time offset representing a difference in time between the UE receiving a reference signal transmitted by a macro cell and the UE receiving the pilot signal transmitted by the small cell;
- and
- adjusting a reference timing of the small cell based on the second training signal.
The method of 1, wherein the transmitting transmits the pilot signal based on a reference timing of the small cell.
A method, comprising:
- transmitting, by a small cell, a first signal to a user equipment (UE);
- and
- receiving, by the small cell, time offset information from a macro cell configured to communicate with the UE, the time offset information representing a difference in time between the UE receiving a reference signal transmitted by the macro cell and the UE receiving the pilot signal.
A small cell comprising:
- a transceiver configured to,
- transmit a pilot signal to a user equipment (UE) based on a first training signal received from the UE,
- receive a second training signal from the UE, the second training signal being offset by a time offset based on the pilot signal transmitted by the small cell, the time offset representing a difference in time between the UE receiving a signal transmitted by a macro cell and the UE receiving the pilot signal transmitted by the small cell;
- and
- adjust a local reference timing of the small cell based on the second training signal.
A user equipment (UE) configured to receive a reference signal from a macro cell, receive a pilot signal from a small and determine time offset information based on the reference signal and the pilot signal, the time offset information representing a difference in time between the receiving the reference signal and receiving the pilot signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.