Methods, systems and antenna reference points of a wireless communication network for synchronizing transmission of signals

A method performed by a first antenna reference point, ARP, of a wireless communication network for synchronizing transmission of signals from the first ARP and transmission of signals from a second ARP of the wireless communication network, the method comprising:

• transmitting a first synchronization reference signal at a first time point in a first wireless communication resource;
• receiving a second synchronization reference signal from the second ARP a second wireless communication resource, in response to the transmission of the first synchronization reference signal;
• determining a fourth time point for the reception of the second synchronization signal,
• wherein either the first and the second wireless communication resources are uplink communication resources available to wireless devices for sending uplink data, or the first and the second wireless communication resources are downlink communication resources available to the first or second ARPs for sending downlink data to the wireless devices, and
• transmitting signals from the first ARP to the wireless devices at a time point determined based on the first and the fourth time point, and based on information of time points for, at the second ARP receiving the first synchronization reference signal and sending the second synchronization reference signal.

A method performed by a second antenna reference point, ARP, of a wireless communication network for synchronizing transmission of signals from the second ARP and transmission of signals from a first ARP of the wireless communication network, the method comprising:

• receiving a first synchronization reference signal from the first ARP in a first wireless communication resource;
• determining a second time point for the reception of the first synchronization signal, and
• transmitting, to the first ARP, a second synchronization reference signal in a second wireless communication resource at a third time point, in response to the reception of the first synchronization reference signal,
• wherein either the first and the second wireless communication resources are uplink communication resources available to wireless devices for sending uplink data, or the first and the second wireless communication resources are downlink communication resources available to the first or the second ARPs for sending downlink data to the wireless devices, and
• transmitting signals from the second ARP to the wireless devices at a time point determined based on the second and the third time point, and based on information of time points for, at the first ARP, sending the first synchronization reference signal and receiving the second synchronization reference signal.

A system operable in a wireless communication network for synchronizing transmission of signals from antenna reference points, ARP, the wireless communication network, the system comprising a processing circuitry and a memory, said memory containing instructions executable by said processing circuitry, whereby the system is operative for:

• initiating transmission of a first synchronization reference signal from a first ARP at a first time point in a first wireless communication resource,
• instructing a second ARP to determine a second time point for reception of the first synchronization reference signal,
• initiating transmission of a second synchronization reference signal from the second ARP at a third time point in a second wireless communication resource, after the second ARP has received the first synchronization reference signal,
• instructing the first ARP to determine a fourth time point for reception of the second synchronization reference signal,
• wherein either the first and the second wireless communication resources are uplink communication resources available to wireless devices for sending uplink data, or the first and the second wireless communication resources are downlink communication resources available to the first or second ARPs for sending downlink data to the wireless devices,
• obtaining information of the second and fourth time points, and
• initiating transmission of data from the first ARP to the wireless devices at a time point determined based on the first, second, third and fourth time points.

A first antenna reference point, ARP, operable in a wireless communication network for synchronizing transmission of signals from the first ARP and transmission of signals from a second ARP of the wireless communication network, the first ARP comprising a processing circuitry and a memory, said memory containing instructions executable by said processing circuitry, whereby the first ARP is operative for:

• transmitting a first synchronization reference signal at a first time point in a first wireless communication resource;
• receiving a second synchronization reference signal from the second ARP in a second wireless communication resource, in response to the transmission of the first synchronization reference signal;
• determining a fourth time point for the reception of the second synchronization signal,
• wherein either the first and the second wireless communication resources are uplink communication resources available to wireless devices for sending uplink data, or the first and the second wireless communication resources are downlink communication resources available to the first or second ARPs for sending downlink data to the wireless devices, and
• transmitting signals from the first ARP to the wireless devices at a time point determined based on the first and the fourth time point, and based on information of time points for, at the second ARP, receiving the first synchronization reference signal and sending the second synchronization reference signal.

A Second ARP operative in a wireless communication network for synchronizing transmission of signals from the second ARP and transmission of signals from a first ARP of the wireless communication network, the second ARP comprising a processing circuitry and a memory, said memory containing instructions executable by said processing circuitry, whereby the second ARP is operative for:

• receiving a first synchronization reference signal from the first ARP in a first wireless communication resource;
• determining a second time point for the reception of the first synchronization signal;
• transmitting, to the first ARP, a second synchronization reference signal in a second wireless communication resource at a third time point, in response to the reception of the first synchronization reference signal, wherein either the first and the second wireless communication resources are uplink communication resources available to wireless devices for sending uplink data, or the first and the second wireless communication resources are downlink communication resources available to the first or the second ARPs for sending downlink data to the wireless devices, and transmitting signals from the second ARP to the wireless devices at a time point determined based on the second and the third time point, and based on information of time points for, at the first ARP, sending the first synchronization reference signal and receiving the second synchronization reference signal.

A computer program comprising instructions, which, when executed by at least one processing circuitry of a system of a wireless communication network, configured for synchronizing transmission of signals from ARPs of the wireless communication network, causes the system to perform the following steps:

• initiating transmission of a first synchronization reference signal from a first ARP at a first time point in a first wireless communication resource,
• instructing a second ARP to determine a second time point for reception of the first synchronization reference signal,
• initiating transmission of a second synchronization reference signal from the second ARP at a third time point in a second wireless communication resource, after the second ARP has received the first synchronization reference signal,
• instructing the first ARP to determine a fourth time point for reception of the second synchronization reference signal,
• wherein either the first and the second wireless communication resources are uplink communication resources available to wireless devices for sending uplink data, or the first and the second wireless communication resources are downlink communication resources available to the first or second ARPs for sending downlink data to the wireless devices,
• obtaining information of the second and fourth time points, and
• initiating transmission of data from the first ARP to the wireless devices at a time point determined based on the first, second, third and fourth time points.

A computer program comprising instructions, which, when executed by at least one processing circuitry of a first ARP of a wireless communication network, configured for synchronizing transmission of signals from the first ARP and transmission of signals from a second ARP of the wireless communication network, causes the first ARP to perform the following steps:

• transmitting a first synchronization reference signal at a first time point in a first wireless communication resource;
• receiving a second synchronization reference signal from the second ARP in a second wireless communication resource, in response to the transmission of the first synchronization reference signal;
• determining a fourth time point for the reception of the second synchronization signal, wherein either the first and the second wireless communication resources are uplink communication resources available to wireless devices for sending uplink data, or the first and the second wireless communication resources are downlink communication resources available to the first or second ARPs for sending downlink data to the wireless devices, and
• transmitting signals from the first ARP to the wireless devices at a time point determined based on the first and the fourth time point, and based on information of time points for, at the second ARP, receiving the first synchronization reference signal and sending the second synchronization reference signal.

A computer program comprising instructions, which,

• when executed by at least one processing circuitry of a second ARP of a wireless communication network, configured for synchronizing transmission of signals from the second ARP and transmission of signals from a first ARP of the wireless communication network, causes the second ARP to perform the following steps:
• receiving a first synchronization reference signal from the first ARP in a first wireless communication resource;
• determining a second time point for the reception of the first synchronization signal;
• transmitting, to the first ARP, a second synchronization reference signal in a second wireless communication resource at a third time point, in response to the reception of the first synchronization reference signal, wherein either the first and the second wireless communication resources are uplink communication resources available to wireless devices for sending uplink data, or the first and the second wireless communication resources are downlink communication resources available to the first or the second ARPs for sending downlink data to the wireless devices, and
• transmitting signals from the second ARP to the wireless devices at a time point determined based on the second and the third time point, an based on information of time points for, at the first ARP, sending the first synchronization reference signal and receiving the second synchronization reference signal.