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US 9,794,794 B2Granted
Dual band LTE small cell
AssigneeNetgear, Inc.
InventorMichael Clegg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A dual band LTE small cell base station communicates on both licensed bands and unlicensed bands. The small cell base station modifies the communication protocol utilized by the licensed band to enable communication over an unlicensed band. This modification involves replacing the physical (PHY) layer of the licensed band communication protocol with the PHY layer of a to-be-used protocol in an unlicensed band.
Claims20
A wireless communication method, the method comprising:
- identifying one or more channels in an unlicensed band and one or more channels in a licensed band available for communication between a small cell base station and a user equipment;
- measuring channel information for at least one of the one or more channels in the unlicensed band;
- based on the measured channel information, transmitting from the small cell base station to the user equipment, information on the one or more channels in the unlicensed band and the one or more channels in the licensed band, where the transmitting comprises:
- transmitting data channel information to the user equipment on the one or more channels in the unlicensed band according to LTE protocol;
- and
- transmitting control channel information to the user equipment on the one or more channels in the licensed band according to LTE protocol;
- re-measuring the channel information for at least one of the one or more channels in the unlicensed band;
- comparing the re-measured channel information to a threshold;
- and
- if the re-measured channel information exceeds the threshold, transmitting control channel information and data channel information on the one or more channels in the licensed band according to LTE protocol.
7 more elements
A wireless communication method, the method comprising:
- identifying one or more channels in an unlicensed band and one or more channels in a licensed band available for communication between a small cell base station and a user equipment;
- measuring channel information for at least one of the one or more channels in the unlicensed band;
- based on the measured channel information, transmitting from the small cell base station to the user equipment, information on the one or more channels in the unlicensed band and the one or more channels in the licensed band, where the transmitting comprises:
- transmitting data channel information to the user equipment on the one or more channels in the unlicensed band according to LTE protocol;
- and
- transmitting control channel information to the user equipment on the one or more channels in the licensed band according to LTE protocol
- re-measuring the channel information for at least one of the one or more channels in the unlicensed band;
- comparing the re-measured channel information a threshold;
- and
- if the re-measured channel information does not exceed the threshold, transmitting control channel information on the one or more channels in the licensed band according to LTE protocol and data channel information on the one or more channels in the unlicensed band according to LTE protocol.
7 more elements
A small cell base station for communicating on a licensed band and an unlicensed band, the small cell base station comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the processor is configured to:
- identify one or more channels in an unlicensed band and one or more channels in a licensed band available for communication between the small cell base station and a user equipment;
- measure channel information for at least one of the one or more channels in the unlicensed band;
- transmit, based on the measured channel information, information on the one or more channels in the unlicensed band and the one or more channels in the licensed band, where the transmitting comprises:
- transmitting data channel information to the user equipment on the one or more channels in the unlicensed band according to LTE protocol;
- and
- transmitting control channel information to the user equipment on the one or more channels in the licensed band according to LTE protocol;
- re-measure the channel information for at least one of the one or more channels in the unlicensed band;
- compare the re-measured channel information to a threshold;
- and
- if the re-measured channel information exceeds the threshold, transmit control channel information and data channel information on the one or more channels in the licensed band according to LTE protocol.
10 more elements
A small cell base station for communicating on a licensed band and an unlicensed band, the small cell base station comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the processor is configured to:
- identify one or more channels in an unlicensed band and one or more channels in a licensed band available for communication between the small cell base station and a user equipment;
- measure channel information for at least one of the one or more channels in the unlicensed band;
- transmit, based on the measured channel information, information on the one or more channels in the unlicensed band and the one or more channels in the licensed band, where the transmitting comprises:
- transmitting data channel information to the user equipment on the one or more channels in the unlicensed band according to LTE protocol;
- and
- transmitting control channel information to the user equipment on the one or more channels in the licensed band according to LTE protocol;
- re-measure the channel information for at least one of the one or more channels in the unlicensed band;
- compare the re-measured channel information to a threshold;
- and
- if the re-measured channel information does not exceed the threshold, transmit control channel information on the one or more channels in the licensed band according to LTE protocol and data channel information on the one or more channels in the unlicensed band according to LTE protocol.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.