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US 9,179,320 B2Granted
Method for assigning and managing reference signals in a multi-cell environment, and network device and terminal for applying the method
AssigneesSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
InventorsWon Jae Shin, Young Jun Hong, Chang Yong Shin, Yong Ho Cho, Dong Jo Park, Jung Hyun Park
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Abstract
A method of assigning and managing reference signals in a multi-cell environment, and a network device and a terminal for applying the method, are provided. Reference signal patterns may be assigned to multiple femtocells through a long term coordination of a central control unit that is used to control multiple cells.
Claims13
A method of assigning reference signals, performed by a central control unit in a multi-cell environment, the method comprising:
- receiving femtocell information, from a femtocell base station located adjacent to a neighboring cell base station;
- assigning, to the femtocell base station, a first reference signal pattern, a first Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbol, and a first pilot subcarrier of the first OFDM symbol, wherein the first reference signal pattern is to be transmitted at the first pilot subcarrier of the first OFDM symbol, and
- assigning, to the neighboring cell base station, a second reference signal pattern, a second OFDM symbol, and a second pilot subcarrier of the second OFDM symbol, based on the femtocell information and a predetermined reference, wherein the second reference signal pattern is to be transmitted at the second pilot subcarrier of the second OFDM symbol;
- and
- transmitting, to the femtocell base station, information about the first reference signal pattern, information about the first pilot subcarrier, and information about the first OFDM symbol,
- wherein a first combination of the first reference signal pattern, the first OFDM symbol, and the first pilot subcarrier is different from a second combination of the second reference signal pattern, the second OFDM symbol, and the second pilot subcarrier.
3 more elements
A central control unit in a multi-cell environment, the central control unit comprising:
- a processor configured to:
- receive femtocell information from a femtocell base station located adjacent to a neighboring cell base station,
- assign, to the femtocell base station, a first reference signal pattern, a first Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbol, and a first pilot subcarrier of the first OFDM symbol, wherein the first reference signal pattern is to be transmitted at the first pilot subcarrier of the first OFDM symbol, and
- assign, to the neighboring cell base station, a second reference signal pattern, a second OFDM symbol, and a second pilot subcarrier of the second OFDM symbol, based on the femtocell information and a predetermined reference, wherein the second reference signal pattern is to be transmitted at the second pilot subcarrier of the second OFDM symbol;
- and
- transmit, to the femtocell base station, information about the first reference signal pattern, information about the first pilot subcarrier, and information about the first OFDM symbol,
- wherein a first combination of the first reference signal pattern, the first OFDM symbol, and the first pilot subcarrier is different from a second combination of the second reference signal pattern, the second OFDM symbol, and the second pilot subcarrier.
4 more elements
A method of implementing reference signals, performed by a femtocell base station in a multi-cell environment, the method comprising:
- receiving, by the femtocell base station, neighboring cell information from a neighboring cell base station;
- performing a cell search, by the femtocell base station, based on the neighboring cell information, to generate femtocell information;
- transmitting the femtocell information, by the femtocell base station, to a central control unit;
- requesting the central control unit to transmit a reference signal reuse indicator to be used by the femtocell base station;
- and
- transmitting the reference signals, to a terminal served by the femtocell base station, based on the reference signal reuse indicator transmitted from the central control unit;
- wherein the reference signal reuse indicator comprises information about a reference signal pattern, information about an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbol at which the reference signal pattern is to be transmitted, and information about a pilot subcarrier on which the reference signal pattern is to be transmitted.
4 more elements
A femtocell base station in a multi-cell environment, the femtocell base station comprising:
- a processor configured to
- receive, by the femtocell base station, neighboring cell information from a neighboring base station,
- perform a cell search, by the femtocell base station, based on the neighboring cell information to generate femtocell information,
- transmit the femtocell information, by the femtocell base station, to a central control unit,
- request the central control unit to transmit a reference signal reuse indicator to be used by the femtocell base station, and
- transmit the reference signals, to a terminal served by the femtocell base station, based on the reference signal reuse indicator transmitted from the central control unit;
- wherein the reference signal reuse indicator comprises information about a reference signal pattern, information about an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbol at which the reference signal pattern is to be transmitted, and information about a pilot subcarrier on which the reference signal pattern is to be transmitted.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.