Method and apparatus for signal quality determination in a communication network

A wireless communication device configured for operation in a communication comprising:

• a transceiver configured to receive a downlink carrier of a cell in the communication network;
• and
• one or more processing circuits operatively associated with the transceiver and configured to:
• determine a signal quality of a downlink carrier of a cell in the communication network according to a first type of signal quality determination, wherein the one or more processing circuits are configured to obtain multiple signal quality measurements from first and second frequency regions of the downlink carrier, and determine the signal quality of the downlink carrier as a function of the multiple signal quality measurements;
• and
• perform at least one radio operation task using the determined signal quality.

A network node configured for operation in a communication network, said network node comprising:

• one or more communication interfaces for sending an indicator to a wireless communication device, to control whether a wireless communication device determines a signal quality for a downlink carrier of a cell in the communication network using a first type of signal quality determination, or a second type of signal quality determination;
• and
• a control circuit configured to control said indicator to indicate that the first type of signal quality determination is to be used when:
• two or more cells in the network that are of interest with respect to signal quality determination by the wireless communication device have overlapping downlink carrier frequencies but have different bandwidths and/or different center frequencies;
• or
• more accurate signal quality determinations are required, as is indicated by measurement requirements information.

A method of controlling the type of signal quality determination used by a wireless communication device, said method implemented in a network node of a communication network and comprising:

• sending an indicator to a wireless communication device, to control whether the wireless communication device determines a signal quality of a downlink carrier of a cell of the network using a first type or a second type of signal quality determination;
• and
• controlling said indicator to indicate that the first type of signal quality determination is to be used, when:
• two or more cells in the network that are of interest with respect to signal quality determination by the wireless communication device have overlapping downlink carrier frequencies but have different bandwidths and/or different center frequencies;
• or
• more accurate signal quality determinations are required, as is indicated by measurement requirements information.