US 2021/0243705 A1 · Methods for Adapting Over-the-Air Synchronization to Radio Conditions

Abstract

Methods for enabling and disabling of muting patterns in Radio Access Network, RAN, nodes for the purpose of allowing better detection and use of reference symbols used for synchronization. An example method for facilitating over-the-air synchronization with a neighboring base station is implemented in a base station operating in a wireless communications network. The method comprises determining that a first neighbor cell of a plurality of neighbor cells is interfering with or is likely to interfere with a signal, from the second neighbor cell, that is used for synchronization. The method further comprises sending, towards the first neighbor cell and in response to said determining, a request for activation of a reference signal muting pattern by the first neighbor cell.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A method, in a base station operating in a wireless communications network, for facilitating over-the-air synchronization with a neighboring base station, the method comprising:

identifying a first neighbor cell as a desired over-the-air synchronization source, based on at least one of a stratum level or synchronization status of the first neighbor cell;
determining that a signal being transmitted by a second neighbor cell is interfering with or is likely to interfere with a reference signal transmitted by the first neighbor cell and needed by the base station for synchronization;
and
sending towards the second neighbor cell, in response to said determining, a request for activation of a reference signal muting pattern by the second neighbor cell.

1 more element

A base station apparatus comprising:

a communications interface circuit configured to communicate with one or more other base stations or with one or more control nodes, or one or more of each;
and
a processing circuit configured to control the communications interface circuit and further configured to
identify a first neighbor cell as a desired over-the-air synchronization source, based on at least one of a stratum level or synchronization status of the first neighbor cell;
determine that a signal being transmitted by a second neighbor cell is interfering with or is likely to interfere with a reference signal transmitted by the first neighbor cell and needed by the base station for synchronization;
and
send towards the second neighbor cell, in response to said determining, a request for activation of a reference signal muting pattern by the second neighbor cell.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

17/151,368Filed 18 Jan 2021

Priority

29 Jul 2014

Published

5 Aug 2021

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

H04W 56/001
Synchronisation arrangements: synchronization between nodes
H04L 5/0048
Arrangements for allocating sub-channels of the transmission path: allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
H04L 5/0073
Allocation criteria: allocation arrangements that take into account other cell interferences
H04W 56/0015
Synchronization between nodes: one node acting as a reference for the others

Family

Application62/030,376Us provisional application · filed 29 Jul 2014

Application14/890,340Continuation · filed 10 Nov 2015

Application17/151,368Continuation

US 10,925,013 B2Related patent

US 2016/0183206 A1Published application

US 2021/0243705 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Methods for Adapting Over-the-Air Synchronization to Radio Conditions

Life of this patent

Methods for Adapting Over-the-Air Synchronization to Radio Conditions

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18