# US 2016/0262117 A1 · Ul control channel consideration for heterogeneous networks > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2016/0262117 A1 - Document ID: US20160262117A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/028,664 - Filed: 2015-02-09 - Published: 2016-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2014-02-10 - Assignees: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (publ) - Applicants: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (Publ) - Inventors: Yi-Pin Eric Wang; Erik Larsson; Michael Samuel Bebawy - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160262117A1 ## CPC - H04W 72/21: in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network - H04W 52/325: {Power control of control or pilot channels} - H04W 52/40: during macro-diversity or soft handoff - H04W 72/0473: {the resource being transmission power} - H04W 72/20: Control channels or signalling for resource management - H04W 72/23: in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal - H04W 52/143: {Downlink power control} - H04W 52/146: {Uplink power control} - H04W 52/241: {taking into account channel quality metrics, e.g. SIR, SNR, CIR or Eb/lo} - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A method in a network node comprises providing to a user equipment a dedicated physical control channel (DPCCH), the DPCCH having an associated first fractional dedicated physical channel (F-DPCH) for conveying transmit power control commands to the user equipment for power controlling the DPCCH, and providing to the user equipment a secondary dedicated physical control channel (S-DPCCH), the S-DPCCH comprising an uplink control channel for communicating transmit power control commands, the S-DPCCH having an associated second F-DPCH for conveying transmit power control commands to the user equipment for power controlling the S-DPCCH. The method comprises receiving, from the user equipment, a downlink transmit power control command, the downlink transmit power control command carried on the S-DPCCH; and controlling a transmit power of the second F-DPCH associated with the S-DPCCH based on the downlink transmit power control command carried on the S-DPCCH. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method in a network node, comprising: providing to a user equipment a dedicated physical control channel (DPCCH), the DPCCH having an associated first fractional dedicated physical channel (F-DPCH) for conveying transmit power control commands to the user equipment for power controlling the DPCCH; providing to the user equipment a secondary dedicated physical control channel (S-DPCCH), the S-DPCCH comprising an uplink control channel for communicating transmit power control commands, the S-DPCCH having an associated second F-DPCH for conveying transmit power control commands to the user equipment for power controlling the S-DPCCH; receiving, from the user equipment, a downlink transmit power control command, the downlink transmit power control command carried on the S-DPCCH and determined based at least in part on a quality of the second F-DPCH independent of a quality of a third F-DPCH associated with a second network node; and controlling a transmit power of the first F-DPCH associated with the DPCCH and the second F-DPCH associated with the S-DPCCH based on the downlink transmit power control command carried on the S-DPCCH. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the network node is a serving cell and the second network node is a non-serving cell. ### Claim 3 (canceled) ### Claim 4 The method of claim, further comprising: communicating to the user equipment an uplink transmit power control command on a downlink connection with the user equipment, the uplink transmit power control command for power controlling the S-DPCCH. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the S-DPCCH is power controlled only by the network node. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising using the S-DPCCH as a phase reference for one or more channels. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising using the S-DPCCH as a basis for setting the transmit power or amplitude level for one or more channels. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving additional control signaling on the S-DPCCH. ### Claim 9 A network node, comprising: one or more processors configured to: provide to a user equipment a dedicated physical control channel (DPCCH), the DPCCH having an associated first fractional dedicated physical channel (F-DPCH) for conveying transmit power control commands to the user equipment for power controlling the DPCCH; provide to the user equipment a secondary dedicated physical control channel (S-DPCCH) (502), the S-DPCCH comprising an uplink control channel for communicating transmit power control commands, the S-DPCCH having an associated second F-DPCH for conveying transmit power control commands to the user equipment for power controlling the S-DPCCH; receive, from the user equipment, a downlink transmit power control command, the downlink transmit power control command carried on the S-DPCCH and determined based at least in part on a quality of the second F-DPCH independent of a quality of a third F-DPCH associated with a second network node; and control a transmit power of the first F-DPCH associated with the DPCCH and the second F-DPCH associated with the S-DPCCH based on the downlink transmit power control command carried on the S-DPCCH. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The network node of claim 9, wherein the network node is a serving cell and the second network node is a non-serving cell. ### Claim 11 (canceled) ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The network node of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to communicate to the user equipment an uplink transmit power control command on a downlink connection with the user equipment, the uplink transmit power control command for power controlling the S-DPCCH. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The network node of claim 9, wherein the S-DPCCH is power controlled only by the network node. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The network node of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to use the S-DPCCH as a phase reference for one or more channels. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The network node of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to use the S-DPCCH as a basis for setting the transmit power or amplitude level for one or more channels. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The network node of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to receive additional control signaling on the S-DPCCH. ### Claim 17 A method in a user equipment, comprising: receiving provisioning by a network node of a dedicated physical control channel (DPCCH), the DPCCH having an associated first fractional dedicated physical channel (F-DPCH) for conveying transmit power control commands to the user equipment for power controlling the DPCCH; receiving provisioning by the network node of a secondary dedicated physical control channel (S-DPCCH), the S-DPCCH comprising an uplink control channel for communicating transmit power control commands, the S-DPCCH having an associated second F-DPCH for conveying transmit power control commands to the user equipment for power controlling the S-DPCCH; determining a first downlink transmit power control command for power controlling the first F-DPCH and the second F-DPCH based at least in part on the second F-DPCH associated with S-DPCCH; determining a second downlink transmit power control command for power controlling a third F-DPCH associated with the DPCCH and transmitted by a second network node; communicating, to the network node, the first downlink transmit power control command, the first downlink transmit power control command carried on the S-DPCCH; and communicating, to the second network node, the second downlink transmit power control command, the second downlink transmit power control command carried on the DPCCH. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the first downlink transmit power control command carried on the S-DPCCH is determined based at least in part on one or more of a power, a signal-to-interference ratio, and a signal-to-interference-and-noise ratio of the second F-DPCH. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the second downlink transmit power control command is determined based at least in part on one or more of a power, a signal-to-interference ratio, and a signal-to-interference-and-noise ratio of the third F-DPCH. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the network node is a serving cell and the second network node is a non-serving cell. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising receiving an uplink transmit power control command on a downlink connection with the network node, the uplink transmit power control command for power controlling the S-DPCCH. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the S-DPCCH is power controlled only by the network node. ### Claim 23 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the S-DPCCH is a phase reference for one or more channels. ### Claim 24 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the S-DPCCH is a basis for setting the transmit power or amplitude level for one or more channels. ### Claim 25 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the S-DPCCH is used to carry additional control signaling. ### Claim 26 A user equipment, comprising: one or more processors configured to: receive provisioning by a network node of a dedicated physical control channel (DPCCH), the DPCCH having an associated first fractional dedicated physical channel (F-DPCH) for conveying transmit power control commands to the user equipment for power controlling the DPCCH; receive provisioning by the network node of a secondary dedicated physical control channel (S-DPCCH), the S-DPCCH comprising an uplink control channel for communicating transmit power control commands, the S-DPCCH having an associated second F-DPCH for conveying transmit power control commands to the user equipment for power controlling the S-DPCCH; determine a first downlink transmit power control command for power controlling the first F-DPCH and the second F-DPCH based at least in part on the second F-DPCH associated with S-DPCCH; determine a second downlink transmit power control command for power controlling a third F-DPCH associated with the DPCCH and transmitted by a second network node; communicate, to the network node, the first downlink transmit power control command, the first downlink transmit power control command carried on the S-DPCCH; and communicate, to the second network node, the second downlink transmit power control command, the second downlink transmit power control command carried on the DPCCH. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The user equipment of claim 26, wherein the first downlink transmit power control command carried on the S-DPCCH is determined based at least in part on one or more of a power, a signal-to-interference ratio, and a signal-to-interference-and-noise ratio of the second F-DPCH. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The user equipment of claim 26, wherein the second downlink transmit power control command is determined based at least in part on one or more of a power, a signal-to-interference ratio, and a signal-to-interference-and-noise ratio of the third F-DPCH. ### Claim 29 (depends on 26) The user equipment of claim 26, wherein the network node is a serving cell and the second network node is a non-serving cell. ### Claim 30 (depends on 26) The user equipment of claim 26, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to receive an uplink transmit power control command on a downlink connection with the network node, the uplink transmit power control command for power controlling the S-DPCCH. ### Claim 31 (depends on 26) The user equipment of claim 26, wherein the S-DPCCH is power controlled only by the network node. ### Claim 32 (depends on 26) The user equipment of claim 26, wherein the S-DPCCH is a phase reference for one or more channels. ### Claim 33 (depends on 26) The user equipment of claim 26, wherein the S-DPCCH is a basis for setting the transmit power or amplitude level for one or more channels. ### Claim 34 (depends on 26) The user equipment of claim 26, wherein the S-DPCCH is used to carry additional control signaling.