Method and apparatus for hybrid automatic repeat request operation in a heterogeneous network architecture
AssigneeBlackBerry Limited
InventorsZhijun Cai, Yi Song, Chandra Sekhar Bontu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods, systems and apparatus are provided for camping, assisted serving cell addition or removal, and discontinuous reception (DRX) in networks having a macro cell and at least one assisted serving cell. In other aspects, enhancements to Layer 1 channels and uplink timing alignments are provided in networks having a macro cell and at least one assisted serving cell. In further aspects, assisted serving cell Layer 2 architecture and transport channels are provided in networks having a macro cell and at least one assisted serving cell. In further aspects, collaborated HARQ solutions are provided in networks having a macro cell and at least one assisted serving cell.
Claims30
A method at a user equipment operating in a network having a macro cell and at least one assisted serving cell, the method comprising:
- receiving downlink data from the macro cell on a predetermined number of hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) downlink processes;
- sending uplink data to the macro cell on HARQ uplink processes associated with the downlink macro cell HARQ processes;
- receiving downlink data from the assisted serving cell on a second predetermined number of hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) downlink processes;
- and
- sending uplink data to the assisted serving cell on HARQ uplink processes associated with the downlink assisted serving cell HARQ processes,
- wherein the user equipment is served by both the macro cell and the at least one assisted serving cell.
A user equipment operating in a network having a macro cell and at least one assisted serving cell, the user equipment comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- a communications subsystem, wherein the user equipment is configured to:
- receive downlink data from the macro cell on a predetermined number of hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) downlink processes;
- send uplink data to the macro cell on HARQ uplink processes associated with the downlink macro cell HARQ processes;
- receive downlink data from the assisted serving cell on a second predetermined number of hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) downlink processes;
- and
- send uplink data to the assisted serving cell on HARQ uplink processes associated with the downlink assisted serving cell HARQ processes,
- wherein the user equipment is served by both the macro cell and the at least one assisted serving cell.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.