System and method for activating and deactivating multiple secondary cells

A wireless device using carrier aggregation to receive signals from a plurality of carriers in a primary cell (PCell) and a plurality of secondary cells (SCells), the wireless device comprising:

• memory containing executable instructions;
• and
• one or more processors in communication with the memory, the one or more processors operable to execute the instructions to cause the wireless device to:
• receive a first message requesting activation or deactivation of a first secondary cell (first SCell) for a first carrier;
• in response to the first message, initiate a first procedure to activate or deactivate the first SCell, the wireless device having a first delay period (Tactivate_basic) within which to complete the first procedure;
• while performing the first procedure to activate or deactivate the first SCell, receive a second message to activate, deactivate, configure, or deconfigure a second SCell for a second carrier;
• in response to receiving the second message to activate, deactivate, configure, or deconfigure the second SCell, modify the first procedure by replacing the first delay period with a second delay period (Tactivate_total) within which to complete the first procedure to activate or deactivate the first SCell, the second delay period (Tactivate_total) being greater than the first delay period (Tactivate_basic), and
• wherein the second delay period (Tactivate_total) is expressed as:
• (Tactivate_total)=Tactivate_basic+K*5
• where K is an integer number representing a number of times the wireless device is requested to perform activation, deactivation, configuration, or deconfiguration of the second SCell while the first procedure is being performed to activate or deactivate the first SCell.

A method in a first network node serving a wireless device that is using carrier aggregation to receive signals from a plurality of carriers in a primary cell (PCell) and a plurality of secondary cells (SCells), the method comprising:

• determining, by the first network node, that the wireless device has received a first message requesting the wireless device to activate or deactivate a first SCell for a first carrier;
• determining, by the first network node, a delay period (Tactivate_basic) within which the wireless device is to activate or deactivate the first SCell;
• delaying, by the first network node, sending a second message requesting the activation, deactivation, configuration, or deconfiguration of a second SCell, the second message delayed an amount of time that is a function of the delay period;
• determining, by the first network node, that the wireless device has received a third message requesting the wireless device to activate, deactivate, configure, or deconfigure a third SCell;
• and
• determining, by the first network node, a total delay period (Tactivate_total) within which the wireless device is to complete the activation or deactivation of the first SCell, wherein the total delay period (Tactivate_total) for activating or deactivating the first SCell is greater than the delay period (Tactivate_basic) if the wireless device receives the third message to activate, deactivate, configure or deconfigure the third SCell while activating or deactivating the first SCell.

A first network node serving a wireless device that uses carrier aggregation to receive signals from a plurality of carriers in a primary cell (PCell) and a plurality of secondary cells (SCells), the network node comprising:

• memory containing executable instructions;
• and
• one or more processors in communication with the memory, the one or more processors operable to execute the instructions to cause the first network node to:
• determine that the wireless device has received a first message requesting the wireless device to activate or deactivate a first SCell for a first carrier;
• determine a delay period (Tactivate_basic) within which the wireless device is to activate or deactivate the first SCell;
• delay sending of a second message requesting the activation, deactivation, configuration, or deconfiguration of a second SCell, the second message delayed an amount of time that is a function of the delay period;
• determine that the wireless device has received a third message requesting the wireless device to activate, deactivate, configure, or deconfigure a third SCell;
• and
• determine a total delay period (Tactivate_total) within which the wireless device is to complete the activation or deactivation of the first SCell, wherein the total delay period (Tactivate_total) for activating or deactivating the first SCell is greater than the delay period (Tactivate_basic) if the wireless device receives the third message to activate, deactivate, configure, or deconfigure the third SCell while for activating or deactivating the first SCell.