Efficient femto discovery protocol using macro synchronization

A method of operating a femto cell, comprising:

• receiving timing information from a macro cell;
• transmitting a peer discovery signal based on the received timing information, the peer discovery signal identifying the femto cell;
• receiving a signal from a user equipment (UE) based on the same timing information received from the macro cell, wherein the signal from the UE is a request for the broadcast signal in response to the transmitted peer discovery signal;
• and
• transmitting a broadcast signal based on the received signal, wherein the broadcast signal comprises synchronization information, timing information, and system information of the femto cell.

A method of a user equipment (UE), comprising:

• receiving timing information from a macro cell;
• receiving a peer discovery signal from a femto cell that identifies the femto cell;
• determining whether to receive a broadcast signal from the femto cell based on the identity of the femto cell;
• transmitting a signal to the femto cell based on the determination and based on the same timing information received from the macro cell;
• and
• receiving the broadcast signal from the femto cell in response to the signal transmitted to the femto cell, wherein the broadcast signal comprises synchronization information, timing information, and system information of the femto cell.

A method of a user equipment (UE), comprising:

• receiving timing information from a macro cell;
• transmitting a signal to a femto cell based on the same timing information received from the macro cell, wherein the transmitted signal is a peer discovery signal that identifies the UE;
• and
• receiving a broadcast signal from the femto cell in response to the signal transmitted to the femto cell, wherein the broadcast signal comprises synchronization information, timing information, and system information of the femto cell.

An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

• means for receiving timing information from a macro cell;
• means for receiving a signal from a user equipment (UE) based on the same timing information received from the macro cell, the signal being a peer discovery signal that identifies the UE;
• means for determining whether to transmit a broadcast signal based on the identity of the UE obtained from the peer discovery signal;
• and
• means for transmitting the broadcast signal based on the determination, wherein the apparatus is a femto cell and the broadcast signal comprises synchronization information, timing information, and system information of the femto cell.

An apparatus for wireless communication of a femto cell, comprising:

• means for receiving timing information from a macro cell;
• means for transmitting a peer discovery signal based on the received timing information, the peer discovery signal identifying the femto cell;
• means for receiving a signal from a user equipment (UE) based on the same timing information received from the macro cell, wherein the signal from the UE is a request for the broadcast signal in response to the transmitted peer discovery signal;
• and
• means for transmitting a broadcast signal based on the received signal, wherein the broadcast signal comprises synchronization information, timing information, and system information of the femto cell.

An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

• means for receiving timing information from a macro cell;
• means for receiving a peer discovery signal from a femto cell that identifies the femto cell;
• means for determining whether to receive a broadcast signal from the femto cell based on the identity of the femto cell;
• means for transmitting a signal to the femto cell based on the determination and based on the same timing information received from the macro cell;
• and
• means for receiving the broadcast signal from the femto cell in response to the signal transmitted to the femto cell,
• wherein the apparatus is a user equipment (UE) and the broadcast signal comprises synchronization information, timing information, and system information of the femto cell.

An apparatus for wireless communication of a user equipment (UE), comprising:

• means for receiving timing information from a macro cell;
• means for transmitting a signal to a femto cell based on the same timing information received from the macro cell, wherein the transmitted signal is a peer discovery signal that identifies the UE;
• and
• means for receiving a broadcast signal from the femto cell in response to the signal transmitted to the femto cell, wherein the broadcast signal comprises synchronization information, timing information, and system information of the femto cell.

An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

• a processing system configured to:
• receive timing information from a macro cell;
• receive a signal from a user equipment (UE) based on the same timing information received from the macro cell, the signal being a peer discovery signal that identifies the UE;
• determine whether to transmit a broadcast signal based on the identity of the UE obtained from the peer discovery signal;
• and
• transmit the broadcast signal based on the determination, wherein the apparatus is a femto cell and the broadcast signal comprises synchronization information, timing information, and system information of the femto cell.

An apparatus for wireless communication of a femto cell, comprising:

• a processing system configured to:
• receive timing information from a macro cell;
• transmit a peer discovery signal based on the received timing information, the peer discovery signal identifying the femto cell;
• receive a signal from a user equipment (UE) based on the same timing information received from the macro cell, wherein the signal from the UE is a request for the broadcast signal in response to the transmitted peer discovery signal;
• and
• transmit a broadcast signal based on the received signal, wherein the broadcast signal comprises synchronization information, timing information, and system information of the femto cell.

An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

• a processing system configured to:
• receive timing information from a macro cell;
• receive a peer discovery signal from a femto cell that identifies the femto cell;
• determine whether to receive a broadcast signal from the femto cell based on the identity of the femto cell;
• transmit a signal to the femto cell based on the determination and based on the same timing information received from the macro cell;
• and
• receive the broadcast signal from the femto cell in response to the signal transmitted to the femto cell,
• wherein the apparatus is a user equipment (UE) and the broadcast signal comprises synchronization information, timing information, and system information of the femto cell.

An apparatus for wireless communication of a user equipment (UE), comprising:

• a processing system configured to:
• receive timing information from a macro cell;
• transmit a signal to a femto cell based on the same timing information received from the macro cell, wherein the transmitted signal is a peer discovery signal that identifies the UE;
• and
• receive a broadcast signal from the femto cell in response to the signal transmitted to the femto cell, wherein the broadcast signal comprises synchronization information, timing information, and system information of the femto cell.

A computer program product in a femto cell, comprising:

• a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code for:
• receiving timing information from a macro cell;
• receiving a signal from a user equipment (UE) based on the same timing information received from the macro cell, the signal being a peer discovery signal that identifies the UE;
• determining whether to transmit a broadcast signal based on the identity of the UE obtained from the peer discovery signal;
• and
• transmitting the broadcast signal based on the determination, wherein the broadcast signal comprises synchronization information, timing information, and system information of the femto cell.

A computer program product in a femto cell, comprising:

• a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code for:
• receiving timing information from a macro cell;
• transmitting a peer discovery signal based on the received timing information, the peer discovery signal identifying the femto cell;
• receiving a signal from a user equipment (UE) based on the same timing information received from the macro cell, wherein the signal from the UE is a request for the broadcast signal in response to the transmitted peer discovery signal;
• and
• transmitting the broadcast signal based on the received signal, wherein the broadcast signal comprises synchronization information, timing information, and system information of the femto cell.

A computer program product in a user equipment (UE), comprising:

• a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code for:
• receiving timing information from a macro cell;
• receiving a peer discovery signal from a femto cell that identifies the femto cell;
• determining whether to receive a broadcast signal from the femto cell based on the identity of the femto cell;
• transmitting a signal to the femto cell based on the determination and based on the same timing information received from the macro cell;
• and
• receiving the broadcast signal from the femto cell in response to the signal transmitted to the femto cell, wherein the broadcast signal comprises synchronization information, timing information, and system information of the femto cell.

A computer program product in a user equipment (UE), comprising:

• a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code for:
• receiving timing information from a macro cell;
• transmitting a signal to a femto cell based on the same timing information received from the macro cell, wherein the transmitted signal is a peer discovery signal that identifies the UE;
• and
• receiving a broadcast signal from the femto cell in response to the signal transmitted to the femto cell, wherein the broadcast signal comprises synchronization information, timing information, and system information of the femto cell.