Secondary cell synchronization for carrier aggregation

A non-transitory computer readable medium for facilitating a carrier aggregation application method in attaining time synchronization to a secondary cell for a wireless communication device usable in a cellular communication network, the non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon software instructions which, when run on a data processing circuit, causes the data processing circuit to:

• in response to a time reference of the secondary cell being unknown to the wireless communication device:
• set a preliminary time reference of the secondary cell to equal a time reference of a primary cell of the carrier aggregation application;
• perform a synchronization signal based detection of the time reference of the secondary cell based on the preliminary time reference and one or more synchronization signals transmitted in the secondary cell;
• perform preliminary time reference based channel state measurements of the secondary cell based on the preliminary time reference and one or more reference signals transmitted in the secondary cell;
• set, based on the synchronization signal based detection, a value of a channel quality indicator to either a nominal value or a value based on the preliminary time reference based channel state measurements;
• and
• transmit a channel state information report comprising the channel quality indicator to the cellular communication network.

An arrangement for a wireless communication device usable in a cellular communication network, configured to attain time synchronization to a secondary cell of a carrier aggregation application, the arrangement comprising:

• a receiver configured to receive one or more synchronization signals transmitted in the secondary cell and one or more reference signals transmitted in the secondary cell;
• a signal processor circuit configured to, when a time reference of the secondary cell is unknown to the wireless communication device:
• set a preliminary time reference of the secondary cell to equal a time reference of a primary cell of the carrier aggregation application;
• perform a synchronization signal based detection of the time reference of the secondary cell based on the preliminary time reference and one or more synchronization signals transmitted in the secondary cell;
• perform preliminary time reference based channel state measurements of the secondary cell based on the preliminary time reference and one or more reference signals transmitted in the secondary cell;
• and
• set, based on the synchronization signal based detection, a value of a channel quality indicator to either a nominal value or a value based on the preliminary time reference based channel state measurements;
• and
• a transmitter configured to transmit a channel state information report comprising the channel quality indicator to the cellular communication network.

A modem configured to attain time synchronization to a secondary cell of a carrier aggregation application in a cellular communication network, comprising:

• an arrangement comprising:
• a receiver configured to receive one or more synchronization signals transmitted in the secondary cell and one or more reference signals transmitted in the secondary cell;
• a signal processor circuit configured to, when a time reference of the secondary cell is unknown to the wireless communication device:
• set a preliminary time reference of the secondary cell to equal a time reference of a primary cell of the carrier aggregation application;
• perform a synchronization signal based detection of the time reference of the secondary cell based on the preliminary time reference and one or more synchronization signals transmitted in the secondary cell;
• perform preliminary time reference based channel state measurements of the secondary cell based on the preliminary time reference and one or more reference signals transmitted in the secondary cell;
• and
• set, based on the synchronization signal based detection, a value of a channel quality indicator to either a nominal value or a value based on the preliminary time reference based channel state measurements;
• and
• a transmitter configured to transmit a channel state information report comprising the channel quality indicator to the cellular communication network.

A wireless communications device configured to attain time synchronization to a secondary cell of a carrier aggregation application in a cellular communication network, comprising:

• an arrangement comprising:
• a receiver configured to receive one or more synchronization signals transmitted in the secondary cell and one or more reference signals transmitted in the secondary cell;
• a signal processor circuit configured to, when a time reference of the secondary cell is unknown to the wireless communication device:
• set a preliminary time reference of the secondary cell to equal a time reference of a primary cell of the carrier aggregation application;
• perform a synchronization signal based detection of the time reference of the secondary cell based on the preliminary time reference and one or more synchronization signals transmitted in the secondary cell;
• perform preliminary time reference based channel state measurements of the secondary cell based on the preliminary time reference and one or more reference signals transmitted in the secondary cell;
• and
• set, based on the synchronization signal based detection, a value of a channel quality indicator to either a nominal value or a value based on the preliminary time reference based channel state measurements;
• and
• a transmitter configured to transmit a channel state information report comprising the channel quality indicator to the cellular communication network.