U.S. patent application number 13/432240 was filed with the patent office on 2013-05-09 for coordinated forward link blanking and power boosting for flexible bandwidth systems.
This patent application is currently assigned to QUALCOMM INCORPORATED. The applicant listed for this patent is Soumya DAS, Ozgur DURAL, Edwin C. PARK. Invention is credited to Soumya DAS, Ozgur DURAL, Edwin C. PARK.
Application Number | 20130114571 13/432240 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 48223601 |
Filed Date | 2013-05-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130114571 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
DAS; Soumya ; et
al. |
May 9, 2013 |
COORDINATED FORWARD LINK BLANKING AND POWER BOOSTING FOR FLEXIBLE
BANDWIDTH SYSTEMS
Abstract
Methods, systems, and devices are provided for coordinating
forward link blanking and/or power boosting in wireless
communications systems. Some embodiments include two or more
bandwidth systems. The bandwidth of one bandwidth system may
overlap with the bandwidth of another bandwidth system. This
overlap may create interference. Coordinating forward link blanking
and/or power boosting may aid in reducing the impact of this
interference. Some embodiments utilize flexible bandwidth and/or
normal bandwidth systems. Flexible bandwidth systems may utilize
portions of spectrum that may not be big enough to fit a normal
waveform, though some embodiments may utilize flexible waveforms
that utilize more bandwidth than a normal waveform.
Inventors: |
DAS; Soumya; (San Diego,
CA) ; DURAL; Ozgur; (San Diego, CA) ; PARK;
Edwin C.; (San Diego, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
DAS; Soumya
DURAL; Ozgur
PARK; Edwin C. |
San Diego
San Diego
San Diego |
CA
CA
CA |
US
US
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
San Diego
CA
|
Family ID: |
48223601 |
Appl. No.: |
13/432240 |
Filed: |
March 28, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61556777 |
Nov 7, 2011 |
|
|
|
61568742 |
Dec 9, 2011 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
370/336 ;
370/329 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04W 52/247 20130101;
H04W 24/10 20130101; H04L 1/00 20130101; H04W 72/082 20130101; H04W
72/1273 20130101; H04W 72/1289 20130101; H04W 88/10 20130101; H04W
72/0453 20130101; H04W 16/14 20130101; H04W 72/1215 20130101; H04W
84/045 20130101; H04W 72/1268 20130101; H04W 72/04 20130101; H04L
1/0006 20130101; H04W 52/146 20130101; H04W 52/44 20130101; H04W
88/06 20130101; H04W 52/40 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
370/336 ;
370/329 |
International
Class: |
H04W 72/08 20060101
H04W072/08 |
Claims
1. A method of reducing interference within a wireless
communications system, the method comprising: identifying a first
carrier bandwidth that at least partially overlaps a second carrier
bandwidth of the wireless communications system; and coordinating a
transmission blanking on a forward link over the first carrier
bandwidth during a concurrent transmission over the second carrier
bandwidth.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: increasing a power of
transmission over the second carrier bandwidth during the
coordinated transmission blanking over the first carrier
bandwidth.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein coordinating the transmission
blanking on the forward link over the first carrier bandwidth
further comprises: determining a timing of a control transmission
over the second carrier bandwidth and coordinating the transmission
blanking based on the determined timing of the control channel
transmission over the second carrier bandwidth.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein coordinating the transmission
blanking on the forward link over the first carrier bandwidth
further comprises: determining a data transmission over the second
carrier bandwidth and wherein coordinating the transmission
blanking on the forward link over the first carrier bandwidth
occurs during the data transmission over the second carrier
bandwidth.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising: changing the
coordinated transmission blanking on the forward link over the
first carrier bandwidth during the concurrent transmission over the
second carrier bandwidths based on at least a time of day.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising: changing the
coordinated transmission blanking on the forward link over the
first carrier bandwidth during the concurrent transmission over the
second carrier bandwidths based on at least a loading of the
forward link.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least the first carrier
bandwidth or the second carrier bandwidth is a flexible carrier
bandwidth.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first carrier bandwidth and
the second carrier bandwidth are normal carrier bandwidths.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first carrier bandwidth fully
overlaps the second carrier bandwidth.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the coordinated transmission
blanking over the first carrier bandwidth and the concurrent
transmission over the second carrier bandwidth occur at a
co-location.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the coordinated transmission
blanking over the first carrier bandwidth and the concurrent
transmission over the second carrier bandwidth are not
co-located.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein the coordinated transmission
blanking over the first carrier bandwidth occurs at a pre-scheduled
time.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein the coordinated transmission
blanking over the first carrier bandwidth and the concurrent
transmission over the second carrier bandwidth are synchronized
with respect to at least an absolute time or a known time
offset.
14. The method of claim 1, wherein at least the first carrier
bandwidth or the second carrier bandwidth utilizes licensed
spectrum.
15. The method of claim 1, wherein the first carrier bandwidth and
the second carrier bandwidth utilize different radio access
technologies (RAT).
16. The method of claim 1, wherein coordinating the transmission
blanking on the forward link over the first carrier bandwidth
during the concurrent transmission over the second carrier
bandwidth comprises: coordinating a hard transmission blanking on
the forward link over the first carrier bandwidth during the
concurrent transmission over the second carrier bandwidth.
17. The method of claim 1, wherein the coordinated hard
transmission blanking comprises no flow being scheduled for
transmission during a period of the coordinated hard transmission
blanking.
18. The method of claim 1, wherein coordinating the transmission
blanking on the forward link over the first carrier bandwidth
during the concurrent transmission over the second carrier
bandwidth comprises: coordinating a soft transmission blanking on
the forward link over the first carrier bandwidth during the
concurrent transmission over the second carrier bandwidth.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the coordinated soft
transmission blanking comprises a transmission of at least a
priority flow or a delay sensitive flow during a period of the
coordinated soft transmission blanking.
20. The method of claim 18, wherein the coordinated soft
transmission blanking comprises reducing a power of transmission
during a period of the coordinated soft transmission blanking.
21. The method of claim 18, wherein the coordinated soft
transmission blanking comprises a transmission during a portion of
the coordinated soft transmission blanking less than an entire
period of the coordinated soft transmission blanking.
22. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving a request
from the second carrier bandwidth to coordinate the transmission
blanking at a specific time; and agreeing to accommodate the
request from the second carrier bandwidth.
23. The method of claim 1, wherein the coordinated transmission
blanking occurs at a base station.
24. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communications
system comprises a time division multiplexing system.
25. The method of claim 2, wherein the power increase over the
second carrier bandwidth and the coordinated transmission blanking
over the first carrier bandwidth are applied independently.
26. The method of claim 2, wherein the power increase over the
second carrier bandwidth and the coordinated transmission blanking
over the first carrier bandwidth are applied together.
27. The method of claim 2, wherein the power increase over the
second carrier bandwidth and the coordinated transmission blanking
over the first carrier bandwidth are activated in co-located
systems.
28. The method of claim 27, wherein the power increase over the
second carrier bandwidth and the coordinated transmission blanking
over the first carrier bandwidth are activated in co-located
systems based on a load of the co-located systems.
29. The method of claim 27, wherein the coordinated transmission
blanking over the first carrier bandwidth occurs at a slot
level.
30. The method of claim 2, further comprising: increasing at least
a data rate of at least a control channel or data channel utilizing
the power increase over the second carrier bandwidth.
31. The method of claim 1, further comprising: increasing a power
of transmission over the first carrier bandwidth during a period of
time different than the coordinated transmission blanking over the
first carrier bandwidth.
32. The method of claim 1, further comprising, coordinating the
concurrent transmission over the second carrier bandwidth during
one or more slots when the first carrier bandwidth is not
transmitting.
33. The method of claim 1, further comprising: coordinating a
transmission blanking on a forward link over the second carrier
bandwidth during a concurrent transmission over the first carrier
bandwidth or increasing a power of transmission over the first
carrier bandwidth during a coordinated transmission blanking on a
forward link over the second carrier bandwidth.
34. The method of claim 33, wherein coordinating the transmission
blanking on the forward link over the second carrier bandwidth
during the concurrent transmission over the first carrier bandwidth
depends at least upon a relative loading of the first carrier
bandwidth with respect to the second carrier bandwidth or a time of
day.
35. The method of claim 1, further comprising: coordinating a power
transmission increase over the first carrier bandwidth during a
coordinated transmission blanking on a forward link over the second
carrier bandwidth.
36. The method of claim 1, further comprising: identifying a third
carrier bandwidth different from the second carrier bandwidth that
at least partially overlaps the first carrier bandwidth of the
wireless communications system; and coordinating a transmission
blanking on the forward link over the first carrier bandwidth
during a concurrent transmission over the third carrier
bandwidth.
37. A wireless communications system configured for reducing
interference, the system comprising a means for identifying a first
carrier bandwidth that at least partially overlaps a second carrier
bandwidth of the wireless communications system; and a means for
coordinating a transmission blanking on a forward link over the
first carrier bandwidth during a concurrent transmission over the
second carrier bandwidth.
38. The system of claim 37, further comprising: a means for
coordinating the transmission blanking on the forward link over the
first carrier bandwidth during a control channel transmission over
the second carrier bandwidth.
39. The system of claim 37, further comprising: a means for
changing the coordinated transmission blanking on the forward link
over the first carrier bandwidth during the concurrent transmission
over the second carrier bandwidth based on at least a time of day
or a loading of the forward link.
40. The system of claim 37, wherein at least the first carrier
bandwidth or the second carrier bandwidth is a flexible carrier
bandwidth.
41. The system of claim 37, further comprising: a means for
coordinating a hard transmission blanking as the coordinated
transmission blanking on the forward link over the first carrier
bandwidth during the concurrent transmission over the second
carrier bandwidth.
42. The system of claim 37, further comprising: a means for
coordinating a soft transmission blanking as the coordinated
transmission blanking on the forward link over the first carrier
bandwidth during the concurrent transmission over the second
carrier bandwidth.
43. The system of claim 37, further comprising: a means for
increasing a transmission power over the second carrier bandwidth
during the coordinated transmission blanking over the first carrier
bandwidth.
44. A computer program product for reducing interference within a
wireless communications system comprising: a non-transitory
computer-readable medium comprising: code for identifying a first
carrier bandwidth that at least partially overlaps a second carrier
bandwidth of the wireless communications system; and code for
coordinating a transmission blanking on a forward link over the
first carrier bandwidth during a concurrent transmission over the
second carrier bandwidth.
45. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein the
non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprising: code
for coordinating the transmission blanking on the forward link over
the first carrier bandwidth during a control channel transmission
over the second carrier bandwidth.
46. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein the
non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprising: code
for changing the coordinated transmission blanking on the forward
link over the first carrier bandwidth during the concurrent
transmission over the second carrier bandwidth based on at least a
time of day or a loading of the forward link.
47. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein at least the
first carrier bandwidth or the second carrier bandwidth is a
flexible carrier bandwidth.
48. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein the
non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprising: code
for coordinating a hard transmission blanking as the coordinated
transmission blanking on the forward link over the first carrier
bandwidth during the concurrent transmission over the second
carrier bandwidth.
49. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein the
non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprising: code
for coordinating a soft transmission blanking as the coordinated
transmission blanking on the forward link over the first carrier
bandwidth during the concurrent transmission over the second
carrier bandwidth.
50. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein the
non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprising: code
for increasing a transmission power over the second carrier
bandwidth during the coordinated transmission blanking over the
first carrier bandwidth.
51. A wireless communications device configured for reducing
interference within a wireless communications system, the device
comprising: at least one processor configured to: identify a first
carrier bandwidth that at least partially overlaps a second carrier
bandwidth of the wireless communications system; and coordinate a
transmission blanking on a forward link over the first carrier
bandwidth during a concurrent transmission over the second carrier
bandwidth.
52. The device of claim 51, wherein the at least one processor is
further configured to: coordinate the transmission blanking on the
forward link over the first carrier bandwidth during a control
channel transmission over the second carrier bandwidth.
53. The device of claim 51, wherein the at least one processor is
further configured to: change the coordinated transmission blanking
on the forward link over the first carrier bandwidth during the
concurrent transmission over the second carrier bandwidth based on
at least a time of day or a loading of the forward link.
54. The device of claim 51, wherein at least the first carrier
bandwidth or the second carrier bandwidth is a flexible carrier
bandwidth.
55. The device of claim 51, wherein the at least one processor is
further configured to: coordinate a hard transmission blanking as
the coordinated transmission blanking on the forward link over the
first carrier bandwidth during the concurrent transmission over the
second carrier bandwidth.
56. The device of claim 51, wherein the at least one processor is
further configured to: coordinate a soft transmission blanking as
the coordinated transmission blanking on the forward link over the
first carrier bandwidth during the concurrent transmission over the
second carrier bandwidth.
57. A method of reducing interference within a wireless
communications system, the method comprising: identifying a first
carrier bandwidth and a second carrier bandwidth of the wireless
communications system, wherein the first carrier bandwidth at least
partially overlaps the second carrier bandwidth; and coordinating a
transmission power increase for a forward link over the first
carrier bandwidth with respect to the second carrier bandwidth.
58. The method of claim 57, further comprising: determining at
least a time of day or a loading of the forward link and
coordinating the transmission power increase for the forward link
over the first carrier bandwidth with respect to the second carrier
bandwidth changes based on at least the determined time of day or
the determined loading of the forward link.
59. The method of claim 57, further comprising: receiving a request
to coordinate the transmission power increase at a specific
time.
60. The method of claim 57, further comprising: coordinating a
transmission blanking over the second carrier bandwidth during the
coordinated transmission power increase over the first carrier
bandwidth.
61. The method of claim 57, wherein at least the first carrier
bandwidth or the second carrier bandwidth is a flexible carrier
bandwidth.
62. The method of claim 57, wherein coordinating the transmission
power increase occurs at a pre-scheduled time.
63. The method of claim 57, wherein coordinating the transmission
power increase occurs at a base station.
64. The method of claim 57, further comprising: identifying a third
carrier bandwidth and the second carrier bandwidth of the wireless
communications system, wherein the second carrier bandwidth
partially overlaps the third carrier bandwidth; and coordinating a
transmission power increase for a forward link over the third
carrier bandwidth with respect to the second carrier bandwidth.
65. A wireless communications system configured for reducing
interference, the system comprising: a means for identifying a
first carrier bandwidth and a second carrier bandwidth of the
wireless communications system, wherein the first carrier bandwidth
at least partially overlaps the second carrier bandwidth; and a
means for coordinating a transmission power increase for a forward
link over the first carrier bandwidth with respect to the second
carrier bandwidth.
66. The system of claim 65, further comprising: a means for
changing the coordinated transmission power increase for the
forward link over the first carrier bandwidth with respect to the
second carrier bandwidth based on at least a time of day or a
loading of the forward link.
67. The system of claim 65, wherein at least the first carrier
bandwidth or the second carrier bandwidth is a flexible carrier
bandwidth.
68. The system of claim 65, further comprising: a means for
coordinating a transmission blanking over the second carrier
bandwidth during the coordinated transmission power increase over
the first carrier bandwidth.
69. The system of claim 65, further comprising: a means for
receiving a request to coordinate the transmission power increase
at a specific time.
70. A computer program product for reducing interference within a
wireless communications system comprising: a non-transitory
computer-readable medium comprising: code for identifying a first
carrier bandwidth and a second carrier bandwidth of the wireless
communications system, wherein the first carrier bandwidth at least
partially overlaps the second carrier bandwidth; and code for
coordinating a transmission power increase for a forward link over
the first carrier bandwidth with respect to the second carrier
bandwidth.
71. The computer program product of claim 70, wherein the
non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprising: code
for changing the coordinated transmission power increase for the
forward link over the first carrier bandwidth with respect to the
second carrier bandwidth based on at least a time of day or a
loading of the forward link.
72. The computer program product of claim 70, wherein at least the
first carrier bandwidth or the second carrier bandwidth is a
flexible carrier bandwidth.
73. A wireless communications device configured for reducing
interference, the device comprising: at least one processor
configured to: identify a first carrier bandwidth and a second
carrier bandwidth of the wireless communications system, wherein
the first carrier bandwidth at least partially overlaps the second
carrier bandwidth; and coordinate a transmission power increase for
a forward link over the first carrier bandwidth with respect to the
second carrier bandwidth.
74. The device of claim 73, wherein the at least one processor is
further configured to: change the coordinated transmission power
increase for the forward link over the first carrier bandwidth with
respect to the second carrier bandwidth based on at least a time of
day or a loading of the forward link.
75. The device of claim 73, wherein at least the first carrier
bandwidth or the second carrier bandwidth is a flexible carrier
bandwidth.
76. The device of claim 73, wherein the at least one processor is
further configured to: coordinate a transmission blanking over the
second carrier bandwidth during the coordinated transmission power
increase over the first carrier bandwidth.
77. The device of claim 73, wherein the at least one processor is
further configured to: receive a request to coordinate the
transmission power increase at a specific time.
Description
CROSS-RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application for patent claims priority to
Provisional Application No. 61/556,777 entitled "FRACTIONAL SYSTEMS
IN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS" filed Nov. 7, 2011, and assigned to the
assignee hereof and hereby expressly incorporated by reference
herein. The present application for patent also claims priority to
Provisional Application No. 61/568,742 entitled "SIGNAL CAPACITY
BOOSTING, COORDINATED FORWARD LINK BLANKING AND POWER BOOSTING, AND
REVERSE LINK THROUGHPUT INCREASING FOR FLEXIBLE BANDWIDTH SYSTEMS"
filed Dec. 9, 2011, and assigned to the assignee hereof and hereby
expressly incorporated by reference herein.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Wireless communications systems are widely deployed to
provide various types of communication content such as voice,
video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, and so on. These systems
may be multiple-access systems capable of supporting communication
with multiple users by sharing the available system resources
(e.g., time, frequency, and power). Examples of such
multiple-access systems include code-division multiple access
(CDMA) systems, time-division multiple access (TDMA) systems,
frequency-division multiple access (FDMA) systems, 3GPP Long Term
Evolution (LTE) systems, and orthogonal frequency-division multiple
access (OFDMA) systems.
[0003] Service providers are typically allocated blocks of
frequency spectrum for exclusive use in certain geographic regions.
These blocks of frequencies are generally assigned by regulators
regardless of the multiple access technology being used. In most
cases, these blocks are not integer multiple of channel bandwidths,
hence there may be unutilized parts of the spectrum. As the use of
wireless devices has increased, the demand for and value of this
spectrum has generally surged, as well. Nonetheless, in some cases,
wireless communications systems may not utilize portions of the
allocated spectrum because the portions are not big enough to fit a
standard or normal waveform. The developers of the LTE standard,
for example, recognized the problem and decided to support 6
different system bandwidths, namely 1.4, 3, 5, 10, 15 and 20 MHz.
This may provide one partial solution to the problem. In addition,
the different system bandwidths typically do not overlap, which may
help avoid interference.
SUMMARY
[0004] Methods, systems, and devices are provided for coordinating
forward link blanking and/or power boosting in wireless
communications systems. Some embodiments include two or more
bandwidth systems. The bandwidth of one bandwidth system may
overlap with the bandwidth of another bandwidth system. This
overlap may create interference. Coordinating forward link blanking
and/or power boosting may aid in reducing the impact of this
interference. Some embodiments utilize flexible bandwidth and/or
normal bandwidth systems.
[0005] Flexible bandwidth waveforms for wireless communications
systems may utilize portions of spectrum that may not be big enough
to fit a normal waveform utilizing flexible waveforms. A flexible
bandwidth system may be generated with respect to a normal
bandwidth system through dilating, or scaling down, the time or the
chip rate of the flexible bandwidth system with respect to the
normal bandwidth system. Some embodiments may increase the
bandwidth of a waveform through expanding, or scaling up, the time
or the chip rate of the flexible bandwidth system.
[0006] Some embodiments include a method of reducing interference
within a wireless communications system. The method may include:
identifying a first carrier bandwidth that at least partially
overlaps a second carrier bandwidth of the wireless communications
system; and/or coordinating a transmission blanking on a forward
link over the first carrier bandwidth during a concurrent
transmission over the second carrier bandwidth.
[0007] The method of reducing interference within the wireless
communications system may include increasing a power of
transmission over the second carrier bandwidth during the
coordinated transmission blanking over the first carrier bandwidth.
Coordinating the transmission blanking on the forward link over the
first carrier bandwidth further may include determining a timing of
a control transmission over the second carrier bandwidth and
coordinating the transmission blanking based on the determined
timing of the control channel transmission over the second carrier
bandwidth. Coordinating the transmission blanking on the forward
link over the first carrier bandwidth further may include
determining a data transmission over the second carrier bandwidth.
Coordinating the transmission blanking on the forward link over the
first carrier bandwidth may occur during the data transmission over
the second carrier bandwidth.
[0008] The method of reducing interference within the wireless
communications system may include changing the coordinated
transmission blanking on the forward link over the first carrier
bandwidth during the concurrent transmission over the second
carrier bandwidths based on at least a time of day. The method of
reducing interference within the wireless communications system may
include changing the coordinated transmission blanking on the
forward link over the first carrier bandwidth during the concurrent
transmission over the second carrier bandwidths based on at least a
loading of the forward link.
[0009] In some embodiments, at least the first carrier bandwidth or
the second carrier bandwidth is a flexible carrier bandwidth. In
some embodiments, the first carrier bandwidth and the second
carrier bandwidth are normal carrier bandwidths. The first carrier
bandwidth may fully overlap the second carrier bandwidth.
[0010] The coordinated transmission blanking over the first carrier
bandwidth and the concurrent transmission over the second carrier
bandwidth may occur at a co-location. The coordinated transmission
blanking over the first carrier bandwidth and the concurrent
transmission over the second carrier bandwidth may not be
co-located. The coordinated transmission blanking over the first
carrier bandwidth may occur at a pre-scheduled time. The
coordinated transmission blanking over the first carrier bandwidth
and the concurrent transmission over the second carrier bandwidth
may be synchronized with respect to at least an absolute time or a
known time offset.
[0011] In some embodiments, at least the first carrier bandwidth or
the second carrier bandwidth utilizes licensed spectrum. The first
carrier bandwidth and the second carrier bandwidth may utilize
different radio access technologies (RAT).
[0012] Coordinating the transmission blanking on the forward link
over the first carrier bandwidth during the concurrent transmission
over the second carrier bandwidth may include coordinating a hard
transmission blanking on the forward link over the first carrier
bandwidth during the concurrent transmission over the second
carrier bandwidth. The coordinated hard transmission blanking may
include no flow being scheduled for transmission during a period of
the coordinated hard transmission blanking. Coordinating the
transmission blanking on the forward link over the first carrier
bandwidth during the concurrent transmission over the second
carrier bandwidth may include coordinating a soft transmission
blanking on the forward link over the first carrier bandwidth
during the concurrent transmission over the second carrier
bandwidth. The coordinated soft transmission blanking may include a
transmission of at least a priority flow or a delay sensitive flow
during a period of the coordinated soft transmission blanking. The
coordinated soft transmission blanking may include reducing a power
of transmission during a period of the coordinated soft
transmission blanking. The coordinated soft transmission blanking
may include a transmission during a portion of the coordinated soft
transmission blanking less than an entire period of the coordinated
soft transmission blanking. Some embodiments further include
receiving a request from the second carrier bandwidth to coordinate
the transmission blanking at a specific time; and/or agreeing to
accommodate the request from the second carrier bandwidth.
[0013] The coordinated transmission blanking may occur at a base
station. The wireless communications system may include a time
division multiplexing system. The coordinated transmission blanking
over the first carrier bandwidth may occur at a slot level.
[0014] The power increase over the second carrier bandwidth and the
coordinated transmission blanking over the first carrier bandwidth
may be applied independently. The power increase over the second
carrier bandwidth and the coordinated transmission blanking over
the first carrier bandwidth may be applied together. The power
increase over the second carrier bandwidth and the coordinated
transmission blanking over the first carrier bandwidth may be
activated in co-located systems. The power increase over the second
carrier bandwidth and the coordinated transmission blanking over
the first carrier bandwidth may be activated in co-located systems
based on a load of the co-located systems.
[0015] Some embodiments include increasing at least a data rate of
at least a control channel or data channel utilizing the power
increase over the second carrier bandwidth. Some embodiments
include increasing a power of transmission over the first carrier
bandwidth during a period of time different than the coordinated
transmission blanking over the first carrier bandwidth. Some
embodiments include coordinating the concurrent transmission over
the second carrier bandwidth during one or more slots when the
first carrier bandwidth is not transmitting. Some embodiments
include coordinating a transmission blanking on a forward link over
the second carrier bandwidth during a concurrent transmission over
the first carrier bandwidth or increasing a power of transmission
over the first carrier bandwidth during a coordinated transmission
blanking on a forward link over the second carrier bandwidth.
Coordinating the transmission blanking on the forward link over the
second carrier bandwidth during the concurrent transmission over
the first carrier bandwidth may depend at least upon a relative
loading of the first carrier bandwidth with respect to the second
carrier bandwidth or a time of day. Some embodiments include
coordinating a power transmission increase over the first carrier
bandwidth during a coordinated transmission blanking on a forward
link over the second carrier bandwidth. Some embodiments include
identifying a third carrier bandwidth different from the second
carrier bandwidth that at least partially overlaps the first
carrier bandwidth of the wireless communications system; and/or
coordinating a transmission blanking on the forward link over the
first carrier bandwidth during a concurrent transmission over the
third carrier bandwidth.
[0016] The previous methods may also be implemented in some
embodiments by a wireless communications system configured for
reducing interference, a wireless communications device configured
for reducing interference, and/or a computer program product for
reducing interference within a wireless communications system that
includes a non-transitory computer-readable medium.
[0017] Some embodiments include a wireless communications system
configured for reducing interference. The system may include: a
means for identifying a first carrier bandwidth that at least
partially overlaps a second carrier bandwidth of the wireless
communications system; and/or a means for coordinating a
transmission blanking on a forward link over the first carrier
bandwidth during a concurrent transmission over the second carrier
bandwidth.
[0018] The wireless communications system configured for reducing
interference may include a means for coordinating the transmission
blanking on the forward link over the first carrier bandwidth
during a control channel transmission over the second carrier
bandwidth. The wireless communications system configured for
reducing interference may include a means for changing the
coordinated transmission blanking on the forward link over the
first carrier bandwidth during the concurrent transmission over the
second carrier bandwidth based on at least a time of day or a
loading of the forward link. In some embodiments, at least the
first carrier bandwidth or the second carrier bandwidth is a
flexible carrier bandwidth.
[0019] The wireless communications system configured for reducing
interference may include a means for coordinating a hard
transmission blanking as the coordinated transmission blanking on
the forward link over the first carrier bandwidth during the
concurrent transmission over the second carrier bandwidth. The
wireless communications system configured for reducing interference
may include a means for coordinating a soft transmission blanking
as the coordinated transmission blanking on the forward link over
the first carrier bandwidth during the concurrent transmission over
the second carrier bandwidth. The wireless communications system
configured for reducing interference may include a means for
increasing a transmission power over the second carrier bandwidth
during the coordinated transmission blanking over the first carrier
bandwidth.
[0020] The wireless communications system configured for reducing
interference may include means for implementing the other aspects
of the method of reducing interference within the wireless
communications system described above.
[0021] Some embodiments include a computer program product for
reducing interference within a wireless communications system. The
computer program product may include a non-transitory
computer-readable medium that includes: code for identifying a
first carrier bandwidth that at least partially overlaps a second
carrier bandwidth of the wireless communications system; and/or
code for coordinating a transmission blanking on a forward link
over the first carrier bandwidth during a concurrent transmission
over the second carrier bandwidth.
[0022] The non-transitory computer-readable medium may include code
for coordinating the transmission blanking on the forward link over
the first carrier bandwidth during a control channel transmission
over the second carrier bandwidth. The non-transitory
computer-readable medium may include code for changing the
coordinated transmission blanking on the forward link over the
first carrier bandwidth during the concurrent transmission over the
second carrier bandwidth based on at least a time of day or a
loading of the forward link. At least the first carrier bandwidth
or the second carrier bandwidth may be a flexible carrier
bandwidth.
[0023] The non-transitory computer-readable medium may include code
for coordinating a hard transmission blanking as the coordinated
transmission blanking on the forward link over the first carrier
bandwidth during the concurrent transmission over the second
carrier bandwidth. The non-transitory computer-readable medium may
include code for coordinating a soft transmission blanking as the
coordinated transmission blanking on the forward link over the
first carrier bandwidth during the concurrent transmission over the
second carrier bandwidth. The non-transitory computer-readable
medium may include code for increasing a transmission power over
the second carrier bandwidth during the coordinated transmission
blanking over the first carrier bandwidth.
[0024] The computer program product for reducing interference
within a wireless communications system that includes a
non-transitory may include code for implementing the other aspects
of the method of reducing interference within the wireless
communications system described above.
[0025] Some embodiments include a wireless communications device
configured for reducing interference within a wireless
communications system. The device may include at least one
processor configured to: identify a first carrier bandwidth that at
least partially overlaps a second carrier bandwidth of the wireless
communications system; and/or coordinate a transmission blanking on
a forward link over the first carrier bandwidth during a concurrent
transmission over the second carrier bandwidth.
[0026] The at least one processor may be further configured to
coordinate the transmission blanking on the forward link over the
first carrier bandwidth during a control channel transmission over
the second carrier bandwidth. The at least one processor may be
further configured to change the coordinated transmission blanking
on the forward link over the first carrier bandwidth during the
concurrent transmission over the second carrier bandwidth based on
at least a time of day or a loading of the forward link. In some
embodiments, at least the first carrier bandwidth or the second
carrier bandwidth is a flexible carrier bandwidth.
[0027] The at least one processor may be further configured to
coordinate a hard transmission blanking as the coordinated
transmission blanking on the forward link over the first carrier
bandwidth during the concurrent transmission over the second
carrier bandwidth. The at least one processor may be further
configured to coordinate a soft transmission blanking as the
coordinated transmission blanking on the forward link over the
first carrier bandwidth during the concurrent transmission over the
second carrier bandwidth.
[0028] The at least one processor may be further configured to
implement the other aspects of the method of reducing interference
within the wireless communications system described above.
[0029] Some embodiments include a method of reducing interference
within a wireless communications system. The method may include:
identifying a first carrier bandwidth and a second carrier
bandwidth of the wireless communications system, wherein the first
carrier bandwidth at least partially overlaps the second carrier
bandwidth; and/or coordinating a transmission power increase for a
forward link over the first carrier bandwidth with respect to the
second carrier bandwidth.
[0030] The method of reducing interference within the wireless
communications system may include determining at least a time of
day or a loading of the forward link and coordinating the
transmission power increase for the forward link over the first
carrier bandwidth with respect to the second carrier bandwidth
changes based on at least the determined time of day or the
determined loading of the forward link. The method of reducing
interference within the wireless communications system may include
receiving a request to coordinate the transmission power increase
at a specific time. The method of reducing interference within the
wireless communications system may include coordinating a
transmission blanking over the second carrier bandwidth during the
coordinated transmission power increase over the first carrier
bandwidth. In some embodiments, at least the first carrier
bandwidth or the second carrier bandwidth is a flexible carrier
bandwidth.
[0031] The method of reducing interference within the wireless
communications system may include coordinating the transmission
power increase where the power increase occurs at a pre-scheduled
time. The method of reducing interference within the wireless
communications system may include coordinating the transmission
power increase where the power increase occurs at a base
station.
[0032] The method of reducing interference within the wireless
communications system may include identifying a third carrier
bandwidth and the second carrier bandwidth of the wireless
communications system, wherein the second carrier bandwidth
partially overlaps the third carrier bandwidth; and/or coordinating
a transmission power increase for a forward link over the third
carrier bandwidth with respect to the second carrier bandwidth.
[0033] The previous methods may also be implemented in some
embodiments by a wireless communications system configured for
reducing interference, a wireless communications device configured
for reducing interference, and/or a computer program product for
reducing interference within a wireless communications system that
includes a non-transitory computer-readable medium.
[0034] Some embodiments include a wireless communications system
configured for reducing interference. The system may include: a
means for identifying a first carrier bandwidth and a second
carrier bandwidth of the wireless communications system, wherein
the first carrier bandwidth at least partially overlaps the second
carrier bandwidth; and/or a means for coordinating a transmission
power increase for a forward link over the first carrier bandwidth
with respect to the second carrier bandwidth.
[0035] The wireless communications system configured for reducing
interference may include a means for changing the coordinated
transmission power increase for the forward link over the first
carrier bandwidth with respect to the second carrier bandwidth
based on at least a time of day or a loading of the forward link.
In some embodiments, least the first carrier bandwidth or the
second carrier bandwidth is a flexible carrier bandwidth.
[0036] The wireless communications system configured for reducing
interference may include a means for coordinating a transmission
blanking over the second carrier bandwidth during the coordinated
transmission power increase over the first carrier bandwidth. The
wireless communications system configured for reducing interference
may include a means for receiving a request to coordinate the
transmission power increase at a specific time.
[0037] The wireless communications system configured for reducing
interference may include means for implementing the other aspects
of the method of reducing interference within the wireless
communications system described above.
[0038] Some embodiments include computer program product for
reducing interference within a wireless communications system
including a non-transitory computer-readable medium. The
non-transitory computer readable medium may include: code for
identifying a first carrier bandwidth and a second carrier
bandwidth of the wireless communications system, wherein the first
carrier bandwidth at least partially overlaps the second carrier
bandwidth; and/or code for coordinating a transmission power
increase for a forward link over the first carrier bandwidth with
respect to the second carrier bandwidth.
[0039] The non-transitory computer-readable medium may include code
for changing the coordinated transmission power increase for the
forward link over the first carrier bandwidth with respect to the
second carrier bandwidth based on at least a time of day or a
loading of the forward link. In some embodiments, least the first
carrier bandwidth or the second carrier bandwidth is a flexible
carrier bandwidth.
[0040] The non-transitory computer readable medium may include code
for implementing the other aspects of the method of reducing
interference within the wireless communications system described
above.
[0041] Some embodiments include a wireless communications device
configured for reducing interference. The device may include at
least one processor configured to: identify a first carrier
bandwidth and a second carrier bandwidth of the wireless
communications system, wherein the first carrier bandwidth at least
partially overlaps the second carrier bandwidth; and/or coordinate
a transmission power increase for a forward link over the first
carrier bandwidth with respect to the second carrier bandwidth.
[0042] The at least one processor may be further configured to
change the coordinated transmission power increase for the forward
link over the first carrier bandwidth with respect to the second
carrier bandwidth based on at least a time of day or a loading of
the forward link. In some embodiments, at least the first carrier
bandwidth or the second carrier bandwidth is a flexible carrier
bandwidth.
[0043] The at least one processor may be further configured to
coordinate a transmission blanking over the second carrier
bandwidth during the coordinated transmission power increase over
the first carrier bandwidth. The at least one processor may be
further configured to receive a request to coordinate the
transmission power increase at a specific time.
[0044] The at least one processor may be further configured to
implement the other aspects of the method of reducing interference
within the wireless communications system described above.
[0045] The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and
technical advantages of examples according to the disclosure in
order that the detailed description that follows may be better
understood. Additional features and advantages will be described
hereinafter. The conception and specific examples disclosed may be
readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other
structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present
disclosure. Such equivalent constructions do not depart from the
spirit and scope of the appended claims. Features which are
believed to be characteristic of the concepts disclosed herein,
both as to their organization and method of operation, together
with associated advantages will be better understood from the
following description when considered in connection with the
accompanying figures. Each of the figures is provided for the
purpose of illustration and description only, and not as a
definition of the limits of the claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0046] A further understanding of the nature and advantages of the
present invention may be realized by reference to the following
drawings. In the appended figures, similar components or features
may have the same reference label. Further, various components of
the same type may be distinguished by following the reference label
by a dash and a second label that distinguishes among the similar
components. If only the first reference label is used in the
specification, the description is applicable to any one of the
similar components having the same first reference label
irrespective of the second reference label.
[0047] FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a wireless communications
system in accordance with various embodiments;
[0048] FIG. 2A shows an example of a wireless communications system
where a flexible waveform fits into a portion of spectrum not broad
enough to fit a normal waveform in accordance with various
embodiments;
[0049] FIG. 2B shows an example of a wireless communications system
where a flexible waveform fits into a portion of spectrum near an
edge of a band in accordance with various embodiments;
[0050] FIG. 2C shows an example of a wireless communications system
where a flexible waveform partially overlaps a normal waveform in
accordance with various embodiments;
[0051] FIG. 2D shows an example of a wireless communications system
where a flexible waveform is completely overlapped by a normal
waveform in accordance with various embodiments;
[0052] FIG. 2E shows an example of a wireless communications system
where one flexible waveform is completely overlapped by a normal
waveform and another flexible waveform partially overlaps a normal
waveform in accordance with various embodiments;
[0053] FIG. 2F shows an example of a wireless communications system
where one normal waveform partially overlaps another normal
waveform in accordance with various embodiments;
[0054] FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of a wireless communications
system in accordance with various embodiments;
[0055] FIG. 4 shows an example of frame and slot structure of a
normal bandwidth system and a flexible bandwidth system in
accordance with various embodiments;
[0056] FIG. 5 shows an example of transmission blanking on a normal
bandwidth system coordinated with control channel transmissions on
a flexible bandwidth system in accordance with various
embodiments;
[0057] FIG. 6 shows a block diagram of a device that includes
interference reduction functionality in accordance with various
embodiments;
[0058] FIG. 7 shows a block diagram of a mobile device in
accordance with various embodiments;
[0059] FIG. 8 shows a block diagram of a wireless communications
system in accordance with various embodiments;
[0060] FIG. 9 shows a block diagram of a wireless communications
system that includes a base station and a mobile device in
accordance with various embodiments;
[0061] FIG. 10A shows a flow diagram of a method for reducing
interference within a wireless communications system in accordance
with various embodiments;
[0062] FIG. 10B shows a flow diagram of a method for reducing
interference within a wireless communications system in accordance
with various embodiments;
[0063] FIG. 10C shows a flow diagram of a method for reducing
interference within a wireless communications system in accordance
with various embodiments;
[0064] FIG. 11A shows a flow diagram of a method for reducing
interference within a wireless communications system in accordance
with various embodiments;
[0065] FIG. 11B shows a flow diagram of a method for reducing
interference within a wireless communications system in accordance
with various embodiments; and
[0066] FIG. 11C shows a flow diagram of a method for reducing
interference within a wireless communications system in accordance
with various embodiments.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0067] Methods, systems, and devices are provided for coordinating
forward link blanking and/or power boosting in wireless
communications systems. Some embodiments include two or more
bandwidth systems. The bandwidth of one bandwidth system may
overlap with the bandwidth of another bandwidth system. This
overlap may create interference. Coordinating forward link blanking
and/or power boosting may aid in reducing the impact of this
interference. Some embodiments utilize flexible bandwidth and/or
normal bandwidth systems.
[0068] Some embodiments may utilize hard blanking and/or soft
blanking. For example, some embodiments may utilize hard blanking
in one system where no data is scheduled for one or more slots in
that system. In some cases, pilot and/or MAC transmissions may
still happen in those slots as in empty slots. Soft blanking may
include situations where a base station, for example, may not be
completely silent in the data portion of the slots but where the
base station may transmit less than what the base station would
have in the absence of soft blanking, for example. Soft blanking
may include transmissions of at least a priority flow or a delay
sensitive flow over at least a portion of the blanking duration,
for example. Soft blanking may include reducing a power of
transmission. Soft blanking may include reducing power of certain
channels.
[0069] Flexible bandwidth waveforms for wireless communications
systems may utilize portions of spectrum that may not be big enough
to fit a normal waveform utilizing flexible waveforms. A flexible
bandwidth system may be generated with respect to a normal
bandwidth system through dilating, or scaling down, the time or the
chip rate of the flexible bandwidth system with respect to the
normal bandwidth system. Some embodiments may increase the
bandwidth of a waveform through expanding, or scaling up, the time
or the chip rate of the flexible bandwidth system.
[0070] Techniques described herein may be used for various wireless
communications systems such as CDMA, TDMA, FDMA, OFDMA, SC-FDMA,
Peer-to-Peer, and other systems. The terms "system" and "network"
are often used interchangeably. A CDMA system may implement a radio
technology such as CDMA2000, Universal Terrestrial Radio Access
(UTRA), etc. CDMA2000 covers IS-2000, IS-95, and IS-856 standards.
IS-2000 Releases 0 and A are commonly referred to as CDMA2000 1X,
1X, etc. IS-856 (TIA-856) is commonly referred to as CDMA2000
1xEV-DO, High Rate Packet Data (HRPD), etc. UTRA includes Wideband
CDMA (WCDMA) and other variants of CDMA. A TDMA system may
implement a radio technology such as Global System for Mobile
Communications (GSM). An OFDMA or OFDM system may implement a radio
technology such as Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), Evolved UTRA
(E-UTRA), IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi), IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX), IEEE 802.20,
Flash-OFDM, etc. UTRA and E-UTRA are part of Universal Mobile
Telecommunication System (UMTS). 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE) and
LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) are new releases of UMTS that use E-UTRA.
UTRA, E-UTRA, UMTS, LTE, LTE-A, and GSM are described in documents
from an organization named "3rd Generation Partnership Project"
(3GPP). CDMA2000 and UMB are described in documents from an
organization named "3rd Generation Partnership Project 2" (3GPP2).
The techniques described herein may be used for the systems and
radio technologies mentioned above, as well as other systems and
radio technologies.
[0071] Thus, the following description provides examples, and is
not limiting of the scope, applicability, or configuration set
forth in the claims. Changes may be made in the function and
arrangement of elements discussed without departing from the spirit
and scope of the disclosure. Various embodiments may omit,
substitute, or add various procedures or components as appropriate.
For instance, the methods described may be performed in an order
different from that described, and various steps may be added,
omitted, or combined. Also, features described with respect to
certain embodiments may be combined in other embodiments.
[0072] Referring first to FIG. 1, a block diagram illustrates an
example of a wireless communications system 100 in accordance with
various embodiments. The system 100 includes base stations 105,
mobile devices 115, a base station controller 120, and a core
network 130 (the controller 120 may be integrated into the core
network 130 in some embodiments; in some embodiments, controller
120 may be integrated into base stations 105). The system 100 may
support operation on multiple carriers (waveform signals of
different frequencies). Multi-carrier transmitters can transmit
modulated signals simultaneously on the multiple carriers. Each
modulated signal may be a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA)
signal, Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) signal, Frequency
Division Multiple Access (FDMA) signal, Orthogonal FDMA (OFDMA)
signal, Single-Carrier FDMA (SC-FDMA) signal, etc. Each modulated
signal may be sent on a different carrier and may carry control
information (e.g., pilot signals), overhead information, data, etc.
The system 100 may be a multi-carrier LTE network capable of
efficiently allocating network resources.
[0073] The mobile devices 115 may be any type of mobile station,
mobile device, access terminal, subscriber unit, or user equipment.
The mobile devices 115 may include cellular phones and wireless
communications devices, but may also include personal digital
assistants (PDAs), smartphones, other handheld devices, netbooks,
notebook computers, etc. Thus, the term mobile device should be
interpreted broadly hereinafter, including the claims, to include
any type of wireless or mobile communications device.
[0074] The base stations 105 may wirelessly communicate with the
mobile devices 115 via a base station antenna. The base stations
105 may be configured to communicate with the mobile devices 115
under the control of the controller 120 via multiple carriers. Each
of the base station 105 sites can provide communication coverage
for a respective geographic area. In some embodiments, base
stations 105 may be referred to as a NodeB, eNodeB, Home NodeB,
and/or Home eNodeB. The coverage area for each base station 105
here is identified as 110-a, 110-b, or 110-c. The coverage area for
a base station may be divided into sectors (not shown, but making
up only a portion of the coverage area). The system 100 may include
base stations 105 of different types (e.g., macro, micro, femto,
and/or pico base stations).
[0075] The different aspects of system 100, such as the mobile
devices 115, the base stations 105, the core network 130, and/or
the controller 120 may be configured to utilize flexible bandwidth
and waveforms in accordance with various embodiments. System 100,
for example, shows transmissions 125 between mobile devices 115 and
base stations 105. The transmissions 125 may include uplink and/or
reverse link transmission, from a mobile device 115 to a base
station 105, and/or downlink and/or forward link transmissions,
from a base station 105 to a mobile device 115. The transmissions
125 may include flexible and/or normal waveforms. Normal waveforms
may also be referred to as legacy and/or normal waveforms.
[0076] The different aspects of system 100, such as the mobile
devices 115, the base stations 105, the core network 130, and/or
the controller 120 may be configured to utilize flexible bandwidth
and waveforms in accordance with various embodiments. For example,
different aspects of system 100 may utilize portions of spectrum
that may not be big enough to fit a normal waveform. Devices such
as the mobile devices 115, the base stations 105, the core network
130, and/or the controller 120 may be configured to adapt the chip
rates and/or scaling factors to generate and/or utilize flexible
bandwidth and/or waveforms. Some aspects of system 100 may form a
flexible subsystem (such as certain mobile devices 115 and/or base
stations 105) that may be generated with respect to a normal
subsystem (that may be implemented using other mobile devices 115
and/or base stations 105) through dilating, or scaling down, the
time of the flexible subsystem with respect to the time of the
normal subsystem.
[0077] In some embodiments, different aspects of system 100, such
as the mobile devices 115, the base stations 105, the core network
130, and/or the controller 120 may be configured for coordinating
forward link blanking and/or power boosting in normal and/or
flexible bandwidth systems. For example, transmissions between a
mobile device 115 and a base station 105 may utilize bandwidth of a
flexible waveform that may overlap with the bandwidth of a normal
waveform. This overlap may create additional interference. The base
station 105 may coordinate forward link blanking and/or power
boosting that may aid in reducing the impact of this
interference.
[0078] FIG. 2A shows an example of a wireless communications system
200-a with a base station 105-a and a mobile device 115-a in
accordance with various embodiments, where a flexible waveform
210-a fits into a portion of spectrum not broad enough to fit a
normal waveform 220-a. System 200-a may be an example of system 100
of FIG. 1. In some embodiments, the flexible waveform 210-a may
overlap with the normal waveform 220-a that either the base 105-a
and/or the mobile device 115-a may transmit. In some cases, the
normal waveform 220-a may completely overlap the flexible waveform
210-a. Some embodiments may also utilize multiple flexible
waveforms 210. In some embodiments, another base station and/or
mobile device (not shown) may transmit the normal waveform 220-a
and/or the flexible waveform 210-a.
[0079] In some embodiments, the mobile device 115-a and/or the base
station 105-a may be configured to separate the signaling and the
data traffic into different flexible bandwidth carriers 210 so that
assigned resources can be customized to different traffic patterns.
The base station 105-a may be configured to coordinate forward link
blanking and/or power boosting with respect to the normal waveform
220-a and/or flexible waveform 210-a. For example, transmissions
between mobile device 115-a and base station 105-a may utilize
bandwidth of the flexible waveform 210-a that may overlap with the
bandwidth of the normal waveform 220-a. In some embodiments, the
mobile device 115-a and/or base station 105-a may be configured for
increasing reverse link throughput by coordination of multiple
wireless systems using reverse link blanking. Base stations 105-a
may utilize different indicators to prompt a device, such as a
mobile device 115-a, to utilize reverse link blanking on a normal
waveform 220-a to increase throughput for an overlapping flexible
waveform 210-a. In some embodiments, reverse link blanking may also
occur on a flexible waveform 210-a. Some embodiments may also
utilize power boosting on the reverse link to increase reverse link
throughput, such as on the flexible waveform 210-a. FIG. 2B shows
an example of a wireless communications system 200-b with a base
station 105-b and mobile device 115-b, where a flexible waveform
210-b fits into a portion of spectrum near an edge of a band, which
may be a guard band, where normal waveform 220-b may not fit.
System 200-b may be an example of system 100 of FIG. 1.
[0080] FIG. 2C shows an example of a wireless communications system
200-c where a flexible waveform 210-c partially overlaps a normal
waveform 220-c in accordance with various embodiments. System 200-c
may be an example of system 100 of FIG. 1. FIG. 2D shows an example
of a wireless communications systems 200-d where a flexible
waveform 210-d is completely overlapped by a normal waveform 220-d
in accordance with various embodiments. System 200-d may be an
example of system 100 of FIG. 1. FIG. 2E shows an example of a
wireless communications system 200-e where one flexible waveform
210-f is completely overlapped by a normal waveform 220-e and
another flexible waveform 210-e partially overlaps the normal
waveform 220-e in accordance with various embodiments. System 200-e
may be an example of system 100 of FIG. 1. FIG. 2F shows an example
of a wireless communications system 200-f where one normal waveform
220-f partially overlaps another normal waveform 220-g in
accordance with various embodiments. System 200-f may be an example
of system 100 of FIG. 1.
[0081] In general, a first waveform or carrier bandwidth and a
second waveform or carrier bandwidth may partially overlap when
they overlap by at least 1%, 2%, and/or 5%. In some embodiments,
partial overlap may occur when the overlap is at least 10%. In some
embodiments, the partial overlap may be less than 99%, 98%, and/or
95%. In some embodiments, the overlap may be less than 90%. In some
cases, a flexible waveform or carrier bandwidth may be contained
completely within another waveform or carrier bandwidth such as
seen in system 200-d of FIG. 2. This overlap still reflects partial
overlap, as the two waveforms or carrier bandwidths do not
completely coincide. In general, partial overlap can mean that the
two or more waveforms or carrier bandwidths do not completely
coincide (i.e., the carrier bandwidths are not the same).
[0082] Some embodiments may utilize different definitions of
overlap based on power spectrum density (PSD). For example, one
definition of overlap based on PSD is shown in the following
overlap equation for a first carrier:
overlap = 100 % * .intg. 0 .infin. PSD 1 ( f ) * PSD 2 ( f ) .intg.
0 .infin. PSD 1 ( f ) * PSD 1 ( f ) . ##EQU00001##
In this equation, PSD.sub.1(f) is the PSD for a first waveform or
carrier bandwidth and PSD.sub.2 (f) is the PSD for a second
waveform or carrier bandwidth. When the two waveforms or carrier
bandwidths coincide, then the overlap equation may equal 100%. When
the first waveform or carrier bandwidth and the second waveform or
carrier bandwidth at least partially overlap, then the overlap
equation may not equal 100%. For example, the Overlap Equation may
result in a partial overlap of greater than or equal to 1%, 2%, 5%,
and/or 10% in some embodiments. The overlap equation may result in
a partial overlap of less than or equal to 99%, 98%, 95%, and/or
90% in some embodiments. One may note that in the case in which the
first waveform or carrier bandwidth is a normal waveform or carrier
bandwidth and the second waveform or a carrier waveform is a
flexible waveform or carrier bandwidth that is contained within the
normal bandwidth or carrier bandwidth, then the overlap equation
may represent the ratio of the flexible bandwidth compared to the
normal bandwidth, written as a percentage. Furthermore, the overlap
equation may depend on which carrier bandwidth's perspective the
overlap equation is formulated with respect to. Some embodiments
may utilize other definitions of overlap. In some cases, another
overlap may be defined utilizing a square root operation such as
the following:
overlap = 100 % * .intg. 0 .infin. PSD 1 ( f ) * PSD 2 ( f ) .intg.
0 .infin. PSD 1 ( f ) * PSD 1 ( f ) . ##EQU00002##
Other embodiments may utilize other overlap equations that may
account for multiple overlapping carriers.
[0083] FIG. 3 shows a wireless communications system 300 with a
base station 105-c and a mobile devices 115-c and 115 d, in
accordance with various embodiments. In some embodiments, the base
station 105-c may be configured for coordinating forward link
blanking and/or power boosting in normal and/or flexible carrier
bandwidths. For example, transmissions 305-a and/or 305-b between
the mobile device 115-c/115-d and the base station 105-a may
utilize bandwidth of a flexible waveform that may overlap with the
bandwidth of a normal waveform; other configurations are possible,
such as partially overlapping normal waveforms or partially
overlapping flexible waveforms. The base station 105-c may
coordinate forward link blanking and/or power boosting that may aid
in reducing the impact of interference. In some embodiments, the
base station 105-c may coordinate with another base station (not
shown) to coordinate forward link blanking and/or power boosting in
a normal and/or flexible carrier bandwidths.
[0084] Transmissions 305-a and/or 305-b between the mobile device
115-c/115-d and the base station 105-a may utilize flexible
waveforms that may be generated to occupy less (or more) bandwidth
than a normal waveform. For example, at a band edge, there may not
be enough available spectrum to place a normal waveform. For a
flexible waveform, as time gets dilated, the frequency occupied by
a waveform goes down, thus making it possible to fit a flexible
waveform into spectrum that may not be broad enough to fit a normal
waveform. In some embodiments, the flexible waveform may be scaled
utilizing a scaling factor N with respect to a normal waveform.
Scaling factor N may take on numerous different values including,
but not limited to, integer values such as 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, etc. N,
however, does not have to be an integer.
[0085] Some embodiments may utilize additional terminology. A new
unit D may be utilized. The unit D is dilated. The unit is unitless
and has the value of N. One can talk about time in the flexible
system in terms of "dilated time". For example, a slot of say 10 ms
in normal time may be represented as 10D ms in flexible time (note:
even in normal time, this will hold true since N=1 in normal time:
D has a value of 1, so 10D ms=10 ms). In time scaling, one can
replace most "seconds" with "dilated-seconds". Note frequency in
Hertz is 1/s.
[0086] As discussed above, a flexible waveform may be a waveform
that occupies less bandwidth than a normal waveform. Thus, in a
flexible bandwidth system, the same number of symbols and bits may
be transmitted over a longer duration compared to normal bandwidth
system. This may result in time stretching, whereby slot duration,
frame duration, etc., may increase by a scaling factor N. Scaling
factor N may represent the ratio of the normal bandwidth to
flexible bandwidth (BW). Thus, data rate in a flexible bandwidth
system may equal (Normal Rater 1/N), and delay may equal (Normal
Delay.times.N). In general, a flexible systems channel BW=channel
BW of normal systems/N. Delay.times.BW may remain unchanged.
Furthermore, in some embodiments, a flexible waveform may be a
waveform that occupies more bandwidth than a normal waveform.
[0087] Throughout this specification, the term normal system,
subsystem, and/or waveform may be utilized to refer to systems,
subsystems, and/or waveforms that involve embodiments that may
utilize a scaling factor that may be equal to one (e.g., N=1) or a
normal or standard chip rate. These normal systems, subsystems,
and/or waveforms may also be referred to as standard and/or legacy
systems, subsystems, and/or waveforms. Furthermore, flexible
systems, subsystems, and/or waveforms may be utilized to refer to
systems, subsystems, and/or waveforms that involve embodiments that
may utilize a scaling factor that may be not equal to one (e.g.,
N=2, 4, 8, 1/2, 1/4, etc). For N>1, or if a chip rate is
decreased, the bandwidth of a waveform may decrease. Some
embodiments may utilize scaling factors or chip rates that increase
the bandwidth. For example, if N<1, or if the chip rate is
increased, then a waveform may be expanded to cover bandwidth
larger than a normal waveform. Flexible systems, subsystems, and/or
waveforms may also be referred to as fractional systems,
subsystems, and/or waveforms in some cases. Fractional systems,
subsystems, and/or waveforms may or may not change bandwidth, for
example. A fractional system, subsystem, or waveform may be
flexible because it may offer more possibilities than a normal or
standard system, subsystem, or waveform (e.g., N=1 system).
[0088] A flexible waveform may include a waveform that occupies
less bandwidth than a normal waveform (in some embodiments, a
flexible waveform may include a waveform that occupies more
bandwidth than a normal waveform). For example, at the band edge,
there may not be enough available spectrum to place a normal
waveform. Unlike normal waveforms, there can be partial or complete
overlap between normal and flexible waveforms. It is to be noted
that the flexible waveform may increase the system capacity. There
can be a trade off between extent of overlap and the bandwidth of
the flexible waveform. The overlap may create additional
interference. Embodiments may be directed at methods, systems,
and/or devices and be aimed at reducing the interference.
[0089] Embodiments may utilize coordinated forward link blanking
and/or power boosting in normal and/or flexible bandwidth systems.
In some embodiments, the normal and/or flexible bandwidth systems
are co-located. Scheduling can be done based on information about
the other system. The normal and/or flexible bandwidth systems may
be synchronized in the absolute time scale and/or or value of time
offset is known a priori. In some situations, the normal bandwidth
system is not highly loaded. In some situations, the traffic
patterns of the normal and/or flexible bandwidth systems are not
identical and therefore the peaks in the two systems are not
aligned.
[0090] In some embodiments, the flexible bandwidth system may have
complete overlap with the normal bandwidth system. There may be
partial overlap of the spectrum of flexible and normal bandwidth
systems in some embodiments. For example, flexible waveform and
normal waveform for C2K or UMTS may fully or partially overlap. In
another example, two normal full waveforms for UMTS may partially
overlap.
[0091] Some embodiments may utilize a scaling factor with respect
to different normal and/or flexible bandwidth systems. For example,
the scaling factor for simpler implementations may utilize integer
values such as N=1, 2, 4, 8, 16, etc. Other values of N that are
not a power of 2 (or multiple of 2) may be utilized such that
scheduling may still occur with regard to which slots to blank.
FIG. 4 shows examples 400 of different frame structures of a normal
bandwidth system and/or a flexible bandwidth system in accordance
with various embodiments. For example, a normal bandwidth system
(N=1) with data is shown in frame structure 410. A normal bandwidth
system (N=1) and with idle portions is shown in example 420. Merely
by way of example, an example 420 of a frame structure for an N=2
flexible bandwidth system with data is also shown. Example 420
shows how the frame structure may be stretched out by a factor of
N=2 for this flexible bandwidth system.
[0092] The use of blanking may result in a loss of system capacity.
For example, blanking in one system may mean that no data scheduled
for one or more slots in that system without affecting the QoS
requirements of currently served mobiles to facilitate the
transmission of some control or even data messages on the other
system. It is to be noted that pilot and MAC transmission may still
happen in those slots as in empty slots. It is also to be noted
that the blanked slots in one system need not be contiguous as the
transmission in the other system could be an interlaced
transmission where every 4.sup.th slot is used. For example, for a
normal bandwidth system assisting 8 slot transmission for Control
Channel in a flexible bandwidth system (N), 8*N slots every N CC
Cycle in normal bandwidth system may need to be idle in normal
bandwidth system may need to be idle. The loss in capacity may be
equal to (0.8*N)/(16*16*N) (i.e., 1/32 or 3.125%, which may be
independent of N). A loss in capacity can be absorbed in light- to
medium-loaded systems. The loss value may be other than 3.125% if N
is not a power of 2 (or multiple of 2). In some cases, one may want
to have some threshold for overlap before blanking is utilized.
[0093] The use of coordinated forward link blanking may have an
impact on an application's quality of service (QoS) requirements.
For example, consider a case where 1 frame in N=1 spans 26.67 msec
and 1 slot spans 1.67 msec. Some applications (e.g., VoIP) might
not be scheduled while meeting both the QoS requirements and the
blanking schedule as they require low inter-packet delay. The
impact of forward link blanking may be mitigated in some cases by
having only high priority delay sensitive flows scheduled in the
"blanked" slots. The impact of N comes in how often the blanking
may need to be done in the assisting system. The impact of N may be
represented in the span of time for which no traffic is scheduled
for one blanking instance in the normal bandwidth system-assisting
system (i.e., 8*N slots which may not be contiguous). Out of 8*N
slots for the blanking duration, N slots may be contiguous. For
higher N of the assisted system, this span may be more but it
happens less frequently. For smaller N, this span may be less but
it happens more frequently. For previous example (N=2), there may
be loss of 0.5*2*16=16 slots frame every 2 CC cycles. In some
cases, scheduling may deviate from the proportional fair scheduling
during the duration of blanking.
[0094] Coordinated forward link blanking may be enhanced in a
variety of different ways. For example, the duration of blanking
may be made minimal. This may include increasing the CC data rate
in a flexible bandwidth system by using fewer slots for control
overhead. For example, in one embodiment, one may use 76.8 kbpDs
(i.e., 76.8/N kbps as CC data rate). Some embodiments may include
power boosting to CC information in a flexible bandwidth system
(e.g., transmit power is more than required for same transmit power
density). This may offset the reduced reliability of a higher CC
data rate in flexible bandwidth systems. the power boost may
causeno additional interference to the normal bandwidth system as
normal bandwidth system in already blanking. For example, consider
a case where blanking is occurring with regard to the normal
bandwidth system. Power boosting can be disabled if high priority,
delay sensitive flows have to be scheduled in the normal bandwidth
system during blanking. Also, in some embodiments, more power may
be utilized on normal bandwidth system at other times to compensate
for blanking. FIG. 5 shows an example 500 of transmission blanking
on a normal bandwidth system 510 coordinated with control channel
transmissions on a flexible bandwidth system 520 in accordance with
various embodiments. In this example, N=2 for the flexible
bandwidth system. As shown with the normal bandwidth system 510,
one or more idle slots due to transmission blanking 515-a/515-b
occurs when control transmission 525-a/525-b occurs for the
flexible bandwidth system 520. Also shown in example 500 is user
data channel 530 and control channel 535-a/535-b/535-c for the
normal bandwidth system 510, and user data channel 540 for the
flexible bandwidth system 520. Other embodiments may utilize
different frames or portions of a slot to transmit control channel
and/or user data channel information. As shown in FIG. 5, 16 slots
make 1 frame and 16 such frames (i.e., 16*16=256 slots) make one
control channel (CC) cycle. Other embodiments may utilize different
numbers of slots per control channel (CC) cycle, different timings,
and/or different scaling factors.
[0095] Some embodiments may utilize soft blanking on the normal
bandwidth system (or flexible bandwidth systems in some cases) as
mentioned above. Soft blanking may include situations where a base
station, for example, may not be completely silent as in hard
blanking in the data portion of the slots but where the base
station may transmit less than what the base station would have in
the absence of soft blanking, for example. Soft blanking may
include transmissions of at least a priority flow or a delay
sensitive flow over at least a portion of the blanking duration.
Soft blanking may include reducing a power of transmission. In
addition to priority or delay sensitive flows, for example, other
flows can be scheduled in the "blanked" slots on normal bandwidth
systems. In some cases, those flows can be sent with lowered power
(on the normal bandwidth system). This may be suitable to serve
mobile devices with better channel conditions. In some embodiments,
even with hard blanking, pilot and/or MAC transmissions might be
present.
[0096] For collocated systems, where load information of the first
and second bandwidth systems may be available to a scheduler, the
blanking may be done at a finer granularity, such as at the slot
level. The blanking could be triggered by a request response
procedure where the second bandwidth system that may require help
may send a request to the first bandwidth system and the latter may
respond with an acknowledgement or rejects citing a reason, for
example.
[0097] Some embodiments may utilize non co-located flexible and
normal bandwidth systems. The granularity of blanking may be
relatively coarser for non-collocated systems if the relative load
information is not shared. For example, blanking can be done at
pre-scheduled times of day. This may assume that the peaks in both
systems do not happen at the same time due to different traffic
distributions. A flexible non co-located base station, for example,
can request normal bandwidth base stations to blank at a certain
time or times when it may want to send data to a mobile device far
away.
[0098] Embodiments may provide several advantages. For example,
blanking in a normal bandwidth system may provide more reliability
to CC transmissions or other transmissions in flexible bandwidth
systems as there may be no scheduled flow in the normal bandwidth
system. Power boosting to a flexible CC transmission may enable
flexible bandwidth system's CC transmission at higher rates thereby
using fewer slots without lowering reliability and/or enhanced
reliability of CC if CC data rate is kept the same. Power boosting
also may not cause interference to a normal bandwidth system if the
normal bandwidth system is blanking. Blanking and power boost can
be applied also at the same time or at different times.
[0099] Some embodiments may include blanking in the flexible
bandwidth system. Blanking in a flexible bandwidth system can be
done to reduce interference on the normal bandwidth system. For a
flexible bandwidth system (N) assisting 8 slot transmission for
control channel in a normal bandwidth system, (0.5*16) slots every
CC Cycle (i.e., 16*16 slots) in flexible bandwidth system may need
to be idle. The loss in capacity is again (0.5*16)/(16*16) (i.e.,
1/32 or 3.125%, which may be independent of N). Thus loss of system
capacity may be the same if seen with blanking for a normal
bandwidth system discussed above. It is to be noted that when the
assisting system is flexible (N) and assisted system is normal,
then to assist 1 slot transmission, 1/N slot needs to be blanked.
The effective loss in system capacity may be higher if less than 1
slot cannot be blanked. If a normal and a flexible bandwidth
system's peak loads are not time aligned, there can be alternating
periods of blanking in the normal system, followed by blanking in
the flexible system and so on. In some embodiments, the flexible
bandwidth system may transmit with more power (if available
headroom) for some time to compensate for blanking.
[0100] The blanking can be extended beyond control channel (CC)
transmissions (i.e., can be applied for data transmissions). The
loss in system capacity in the assisting system may depend on how
many slots are blanked. Blanking and/or power boosting for data can
be done opportunistically. For example, blanking may be utilized
without power boosting. When there is less traffic on one system;
that system can manage its traffic slot allocations such that it
can just blank for some time and transmit all its traffic in a
bursty manner for some other time. The other system can transmit
with higher data rates during the blanking slots of the first
system since there will be less interference.
[0101] Power boosting may be utilized without blanking in some
cases. For example, when the mobile devices served by the system
with regular power are known to be close to the base station and
can tolerate additional interference, then the other system can
boost its power to serve its mobile devices with more power, hence
this may result in higher data rates. One potential problem may be
interference to other cells. This can be solved by coordination
with other cells. If similar conditions exist in the neighboring
cells, then the additional interference may be tolerated in some
situations. Other cells may let this cell boost its power to a
certain level in some situations. The power boost may be a function
of different factors. For example, the power boost may be a
function of the intra-cell and/or inter-cell interference factors.
In one embodiment, the power boost may be equal, but is not
limited, to: min {power boost possible without causing problem to
the first system (intra cell), power boost possible without causing
problem to other cells of both systems (inter cell)}.
[0102] Blanking and power boosting may be utilized at the same
time. When there is less traffic on one system, that system can
manage its traffic slot allocations such that it can just blank for
some time and transmit all its traffic in a bursty manner for some
other time. The other system can increase its power output without
causing any problems to the other cells of the first system at
least to the point where its power is equivalent to the sum of the
original powers of two systems for a fully overlapping spectrum
allocation for the two systems. For partial allocation, the ratio
of overlap may be taken into consideration. The other system may
need to coordinate with other cells of its system for how much it
can boost its power.
[0103] In some embodiments, instead of a transmitter stopping
transmissions for blanking, it can lower its power. Since the
interference levels may be changed as a result, calculations for
data rates and power boost may have to be taken into
consideration.
[0104] Blanking and/or power boosting tools and techniques
discussed herein can be extended to two normal systems or two
flexible systems operating in the same frequency (i.e., non
co-located). Merely by way of example, the two flexible systems may
include a first factional system with a scaling factor N=2 and a
second flexible system with a scaling factor N=4; in this example
the two systems may help each other due to the relationship between
the two scaling factors. Embodiments may be extended to TDD systems
where normal blanking during flexible transmission occurs at the
same time or vice versa either at uplink or forward link.
[0105] In some embodiments, data blanking in one system may occur
for data transmission in the other system. Data blanking in one
system may occur for control transmission in the other system.
Control blanking in one system may occur for data transmission in
the other system. Control blanking in one system may occur for
control transmission in the other system.
[0106] Turning next to FIG. 6, a block diagram illustrates a device
600 that includes interference reduction functionality in
accordance with various embodiments. The device 600 may be an
example of aspects of the base stations 105 of FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG.
3, FIG. 8, and/or FIG. 9. The device 600 may also be a processor.
The device 600 may also be a processor. The device 600 may include
a receiver module 605, a power boosting module 610, a blanking
module 615, and/or a transmitter module 620. Each of these
components may be in communication with each other.
[0107] These components of the device 600 may, individually or
collectively, be implemented with one or more application-specific
integrated circuits (ASICs) adapted to perform some or all of the
applicable functions in hardware. Alternatively, the functions may
be performed by one or more other processing units (or cores), on
one or more integrated circuits. In other embodiments, other types
of integrated circuits may be used (e.g., Structured/Platform
ASICs, Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), and other
Semi-Custom ICs), which may be programmed in any manner known in
the art. The functions of each unit may also be implemented, in
whole or in part, with instructions embodied in a memory, formatted
to be executed by one or more general or application-specific
processors.
[0108] The receiver module 605 may receive information such as
packet, data, and/or signaling information regarding what device
600 has received or transmitted. The received information may be
utilized by the power boosting module 610 and/or blanking module
615 for a variety of purposes.
[0109] The receiver module 605 may be configured to identify
multiple carrier bandwidths, such as first carrier bandwidth and a
second carrier bandwidth of the wireless communications system. The
first carrier bandwidth may at least partially overlap the second
carrier bandwidth. The blanking module 615 may utilize the carrier
bandwidth information from the receiver module 605 to coordinate a
transmission blanking on a forward link over the first carrier
bandwidth during a concurrent transmission over the second carrier
bandwidth.
[0110] In some embodiments, the blanking module 615 may coordinate
the transmission blanking over the first carrier bandwidth such
that it occurs during a control channel transmission over the
second carrier bandwidth. The blanking module 615 may determine a
timing of the control channel transmission over the second carrier
bandwidth and coordinate the transmission blanking based on the
determined timing of the control channel transmission over the
second carrier bandwidth. The blanking module 615 may coordinate
the transmission blanking over the first carrier bandwidth such
that it occurs during a data transmission over the second carrier
bandwidth. The blanking module 615 may determine aspects about the
data transmission over the second carrier bandwidth, such as when
the data transmission may occur and/or an amount data to be
transmitted. The blanking module 615 may coordinate the
transmission blanking such that it occurs during the data
transmission over the second carrier bandwidth. In some
embodiments, the coordinated transmission blanking on the forward
link over the first carrier bandwidth during the concurrent
transmission over the second carrier bandwidths is changed based on
at least a time of day or a load of the forward link.
[0111] The transmission blanking coordinated by the blanking module
615 over the first carrier bandwidth and the concurrent
transmission over the second carrier may be co-located. The
coordinated transmission blanking over the first carrier bandwidth
and the concurrent transmission over the second carrier bandwidth
may not be co-located. The coordinated transmission blanking over
the first carrier bandwidth may occur at a pre-scheduled time. The
transmission blanking over the first carrier bandwidth coordinated
by the blanking module 615 and the concurrent transmission over the
second carrier may be synchronized with respect to an absolute time
or known time offset.
[0112] In some embodiments, the first carrier bandwidth is a
flexible bandwidth and the second carrier bandwidth is a normal
bandwidth. In some embodiments, the first carrier bandwidth is a
first flexible bandwidth and the second carrier bandwidth is a
second flexible bandwidth. In some embodiments, the first carrier
bandwidth is a normal bandwidth and the second carrier bandwidth is
a flexible bandwidth. In some embodiments, the first carrier
bandwidth is a first normal bandwidth and the second carrier
bandwidth is a second normal bandwidth. In some embodiments, the
first carrier bandwidth may fully overlap the second carrier
bandwidth, such as when a flexible bandwidth carrier is fully
overlapped by a normal carrier bandwidth. Some embodiments may be
extended to additional carrier bandwidths, such as a third
bandwidth carrier.
[0113] In some embodiments, at least the first carrier bandwidth or
the second carrier bandwidth utilizes licensed spectrum. In some
embodiments, the first carrier bandwidth and the second carrier
bandwidth utilize different radio access technologies (RATs). For
example, in one embodiment, the first carrier bandwidth utilizes
LTE, while the second carrier bandwidth utilizes EV-DO, or vice
versa.
[0114] The blanking module 615 may be configured to generate
transmission blanking that includes hard blanking. Hard blanking
may include now flow being scheduled for transmission during the
period of transmission blanking. The blanking module 615 may
generate transmission blanking that includes soft blanking. Soft
blanking may include transmissions of at least a priority flow or a
delay sensitive flow during the period of transmission blanking.
Soft blanking may include reducing a power of transmission.
Coordinated soft transmission blanking may include transmissions
during a portion of the coordinated soft transmission blanking less
than an entire period of the coordinated soft transmission
blanking.
[0115] Some embodiments may further include configuring the
receiver module 605 to identify a third carrier bandwidth different
than the second carrier bandwidth that at least partially overlaps
the first carrier bandwidth of the wireless communications system.
The blanking module 615 may coordinate a transmission blanking on
the forward link over the first carrier bandwidth during a
concurrent transmission over the third carrier bandwidth. This use
of a third or more carrier bandwidths may be referred to as
multi-carrier embodiments. These multi-carrier embodiments can be
co-located or at a different location. For example, if co-located,
blanking may not be utilized for the close by mobile device, while
blanking may occur for a mobile device further away. If service is
needed for both the close and far away mobile devices, the close
mobile device may be placed on the smaller carrier bandwidth and
blanked since it can take the lower signal to reduce the
interference for the mobile device further away.
[0116] The power boosting module 610 may be configured to increase
a power of transmission over the second carrier bandwidth during
the transmission blanking over the first carrier bandwidth. In some
embodiments, the power increase and the transmission blanking are
applied independently. In some embodiments, the power increase and
the transmission blanking are applied together. In some
embodiments, the power increase and the transmission blanking are
activated in co-located systems. In some embodiments, the power
increase and the transmission blanking are activated in co-located
systems based on the load of the co-located systems. The
coordinated transmission blanking over the first carrier bandwidth
may occur at a slot level. Some embodiments include increasing at
least a data rate of at least a control channel or data channel
utilizing the power increase over the second carrier bandwidth.
Some embodiments include increasing a power of transmission over
the first carrier bandwidth during a period of time different than
the coordinated transmission blanking over the first carrier
bandwidth. Coordinating the concurrent transmission over the second
carrier bandwidth may occur during one or more slots when the first
carrier bandwidth is not transmitting. In some embodiments, at
least coordinating a transmission blanking on the forward link over
the second carrier bandwidth during the concurrent transmission
over the first carrier bandwidth or increasing the power of
transmission over the first carrier bandwidth during the
coordinated transmission blanking on the forward link over the
second carrier bandwidth depends at least upon a relative loading
of the first carrier bandwidth with respect to the second carrier
bandwidth or time of day.
[0117] In some embodiments, the power boosting module 610 may be
further configured to increase transmission power over the first
carrier bandwidth and/or the second carrier bandwidth such that
these bandwidths are not be not co-located. In some embodiments,
the power boosting module 610 may be further configured such that
the transmission power increase may occur at a pre-scheduled time
in some embodiments. Some embodiments may further include the
receiver module 605 being configured to receive a request from the
second carrier bandwidth to coordinate the transmission power
increase at a specific time. In some embodiments, the first carrier
bandwidth system may agree to accommodate the request from the
second carrier bandwidth; in some cases, the first carrier
bandwidth may send an acknowledgement or agreement message.
[0118] Some embodiments may further include configuring the
receiver module 605 to identify a third carrier bandwidth and the
second carrier bandwidth of the wireless communications system
where the second carrier bandwidth at least partially overlaps the
third carrier bandwidth. The power boosting module 610 may
coordinate a transmission power increase for a forward link over
the third carrier bandwidth with respect to the second carrier
bandwidth.
[0119] Some embodiments of power boosting module 610 and/or the
blanking module 615 may be further configured to at least
coordinate a transmission blanking on a forward link over the
second carrier bandwidth during a concurrent transmission over the
first carrier bandwidth or increase a power of transmission over
the first carrier bandwidth during the transmission blanking over
the second carrier bandwidth. At least coordinating the
transmission blanking on the forward link over the second carrier
bandwidth during the concurrent transmission over the first carrier
bandwidth, increasing the power of transmission over the first
carrier bandwidth during the transmission blanking over the second
carrier bandwidth, coordinating the transmission blanking on the
forward link over the first carrier bandwidth during the concurrent
transmission over the second carrier bandwidth, or increasing the
power of transmission over the second carrier bandwidth during the
transmission blanking over the first carrier bandwidth may change
based on at least a time of day or a loading of at least one of the
forward links.
[0120] The transmission blanking coordinated by the blanking module
615 over the first carrier bandwidth and the concurrent
transmission over the second carrier may not be co-located in some
cases. The blanking module 615 may coordinate the transmission
blanking such that it occurs at a pre-scheduled time. In some
embodiments, the receiver module 605 may be configured to receive a
request to coordinate the transmission blanking at a specific
time.
[0121] In some embodiments, the power boosting module 610 may
coordinate a transmission power increase over a first carrier
bandwidth with respect to a second carrier bandwidth. The first
carrier bandwidth may partially overlap the second carrier
bandwidth. Some embodiments may further include the power boosting
module 610 coordinating with the blanking module 615 such that a
transmission blanking occurs over the second carrier bandwidth
during a concurrent transmission over the first carrier bandwidth.
The concurrent transmission over the first carrier bandwidth may
occur during the transmission power increase. In some embodiments,
the power boosting module 610 may determine at least a time of day
or a loading of the forward link; the power boosting module 610 may
coordinate the transmission power increase for the forward link
over the first carrier bandwidth with respect to the second carrier
bandwidth changes based on at least the determined time of day or
the determined loading of the forward link.
[0122] In some embodiments, the first carrier bandwidth is a
flexible bandwidth and the second carrier bandwidth is a normal
bandwidth. In some embodiments, the first carrier bandwidth is a
first flexible bandwidth and the second carrier bandwidth is a
second flexible bandwidth. In some embodiments, the first carrier
bandwidth is a normal bandwidth and the second carrier bandwidth is
a flexible bandwidth. In some embodiments, the first carrier
bandwidth is a first normal bandwidth and the second carrier
bandwidth is a second normal bandwidth.
[0123] In some embodiments, the blanking module 615 and/or the
receiver module 605 may be configured to receive the coordinated
transmission blanking on the forward link over the first carrier
bandwidth and/or the concurrent transmission over the second
carrier bandwidth. The blanking module 615 and/or the receiver
module 605 may be configured to receive the variations related to
coordinated transmission blanking and/or concurrent transmissions
as discussed above with respect to device 600. In some embodiments,
the power boosting module 610 and/or receiver module 605 may be
configured to receive the increased transmission power over one
carrier bandwidth during the transmission blanking over another
carrier bandwidth. The power boosting module 615 and/or the
receiver module 605 may be configured to receive the variations
related to increased power transmission as discussed above with
respect to device 600.
[0124] FIG. 7 is a block diagram 700 of a mobile device 115-e
configured to facilitate the use of flexible bandwidth in
accordance with various embodiments. The mobile device 115-e may
have any of various configurations, such as personal computers
(e.g., laptop computers, netbook computers, tablet computers,
etc.), cellular telephones, PDAs, digital video recorders (DVRs),
internet appliances, gaming consoles, e-readers, etc. The mobile
device 115-e may have an internal power supply (not shown), such as
a small battery, to facilitate mobile operation. In some
embodiments, the mobile device 115-e may be the mobile device 115
of FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 8, and/or FIG. 9, and/or the device
600 of FIG. 6. The mobile device 115-e may be a multi-mode mobile
device. The mobile device 115-e may be referred to as a wireless
communications device in some cases.
[0125] The mobile device 115-e may include antennas 740, a
transceiver module 750, memory 780, and a processor module 770,
which each may be in communication, directly or indirectly, with
each other (e.g., via one or more buses). The transceiver module
750 is configured to communicate bi-directionally, via the antennas
740 and/or one or more wired or wireless links, with one or more
networks, as described above. For example, the transceiver module
750 may be configured to communicate bi-directionally with base
stations 105 of FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 8, and/or FIG. 9. The
transceiver module 750 may include a modem configured to modulate
the packets and provide the modulated packets to the antennas 740
for transmission, and to demodulate packets received from the
antennas 740. While the mobile device 115-e may include a single
antenna, the mobile device 115-e will typically include multiple
antennas 740 for multiple links.
[0126] The memory 780 may include random access memory (RAM) and
read-only memory (ROM). The memory 780 may store computer-readable,
computer-executable software code 785 containing instructions that
are configured to, when executed, cause the processor module 770 to
perform various functions described herein (e.g., call processing,
database management, message routing, etc.). Alternatively, the
software 785 may not be directly executable by the processor module
770 but be configured to cause the computer (e.g., when compiled
and executed) to perform functions described herein.
[0127] The processor module 770 may include an intelligent hardware
device, e.g., a central processing unit (CPU) such as those made by
Intel.RTM. Corporation or AMD.RTM., a microcontroller, an
application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), etc. The processor
module 770 may include a speech encoder (not shown) configured to
receive audio via a microphone, convert the audio into packets
(e.g., 30 ms in length) representative of the received audio,
provide the audio packets to the transceiver module 750, and
provide indications of whether a user is speaking. Alternatively,
an encoder may only provide packets to the transceiver module 750,
with the provision or withholding/suppression of the packet itself
providing the indication of whether a user is speaking.
[0128] According to the architecture of FIG. 7, the mobile device
115-e may further include a communications management module 760.
The communications management module 760 may manage communications
with other mobile devices 115. By way of example, the
communications management module 760 may be a component of the
mobile device 115-e in communication with some or all of the other
components of the mobile device 115-e via a bus. Alternatively,
functionality of the communications management module 760 may be
implemented as a component of the transceiver module 750, as a
computer program product, and/or as one or more controller elements
of the processor module 770.
[0129] The components for mobile device 115-e may be configured to
implement aspects discussed above with respect to device 600 in
FIG. 6 and may not be repeated here for the sake of brevity. The
power boosting module 610-a may be the power boosting module 610 of
FIG. 6. The forward link blanking module 615-a may be the blanking
module 615 of FIG. 6. In some embodiments, the blanking module
615-a and/or other components of device 115-e may be configured to
receive the coordinated transmission blanking on the forward link
over the first carrier bandwidth and/or the concurrent transmission
over the second carrier bandwidth. The blanking module 615-a and/or
other components of device 115-e may be configured to receive the
variations related to coordinated transmission blanking and/or
concurrent transmissions as discussed above with respect to device
600. In some embodiments, the power boosting module 610-a and/or
other components of device 115-e may be configured to receive the
increased transmission power over one carrier bandwidth during the
transmission blanking over another carrier bandwidth. The power
boosting module 610-a and/or other components of device 115-e may
be configured to receive the variations related to increased power
transmission as discussed above with respect to device 600.
[0130] The mobile device 115-e may also include a spectrum
identification module 715. The spectrum identification module 715
may be utilized to identify spectrum available for flexible
waveforms. In some embodiments, a handover module 725 may be
utilized to perform handover procedures of the mobile device 115-e
from one base station to another. For example, the handover module
725 may perform a handover procedure of the mobile device 115-e
from one base station to another where normal waveforms are
utilized between the mobile device 115-e and one of the base
stations and flexible waveforms are utilized between the mobile
device and another base station. A scaling module 710 may be
utilized to scale and/or alter chip rates to generate flexible
waveforms.
[0131] In some embodiments, the transceiver module 750, in
conjunction with antennas 740, along with other possible components
of mobile device 115-e, may transmit information regarding flexible
waveforms and/or scaling factors from the mobile device 115-e to
base stations or a core network. In some embodiments, the
transceiver module 750, in conjunction with antennas 740, along
with other possible components of mobile device 115-e, may transmit
information, such flexible waveforms and/or scaling factors, to
base stations or a core network such that these devices or systems
may utilize flexible waveforms.
[0132] FIG. 8 shows a block diagram of a communications system 800
that may be configured for utilizing flexible waveforms in
accordance with various embodiments. This system 800 may be an
example of aspects of the system 100 depicted in FIG. 1, systems
200 of FIG. 2, system 300 of FIG. 3, and/or system 900 of FIG. 9.
The base station 105-e may include antennas 845, a transceiver
module 850, memory 870, and a processor module 865, which each may
be in communication, directly or indirectly, with each other (e.g.,
over one or more buses). The transceiver module 850 may be
configured to communicate bi-directionally, via the antennas 845,
with the mobile device 115-f, which may be a multi-mode mobile
device. The transceiver module 850 (and/or other components of the
base station 105-e) may also be configured to communicate
bi-directionally with one or more networks. In some cases, the base
station 105-e may communicate with the network 130-a and/or
controller 120-a through network communications module 875. Base
station 105-e may be an example of an eNodeB base station, a Home
eNodeB base station, a NodeB base station, and/or a Home NodeB base
station. Controller 120-a may be integrated into base station 105-e
in some cases, such as with an eNodeB base station.
[0133] Base station 105-e may also communicate with other base
stations 105, such as base station 105-m and base station 105-n.
Each of the base stations 105 may communicate with mobile device
115-f using different wireless communications technologies, such as
different Radio Access Technologies. In some cases, base station
105-e may communicate with other base stations such as 105-m and/or
105-n utilizing base station communication module 815. In some
embodiments, base station communication module 815 may provide an
X2 interface within an LTE wireless communication technology to
provide communication between some of the base stations 105. In
some embodiments, base station 105-e may communicate with other
base stations through controller 120-a and/or network 130-a.
[0134] The memory 870 may include random access memory (RAM) and
read-only memory (ROM). The memory 870 may also store
computer-readable, computer-executable software code 871 containing
instructions that are configured to, when executed, cause the
processor module 865 to perform various functions described herein
(e.g., call processing, database management, message routing,
etc.). Alternatively, the software 871 may not be directly
executable by the processor module 865 but be configured to cause
the computer, e.g., when compiled and executed, to perform
functions described herein.
[0135] The processor module 865 may include an intelligent hardware
device, e.g., a central processing unit (CPU) such as those made by
Intel.RTM. Corporation or AMD.RTM., a microcontroller, an
application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), etc. The processor
module 865 may include a speech encoder (not shown) configured to
receive audio via a microphone, convert the audio into packets
(e.g., 30 ms in length) representative of the received audio,
provide the audio packets to the transceiver module 850, and
provide indications of whether a user is speaking. Alternatively,
an encoder may only provide packets to the transceiver module 850,
with the provision or withholding/suppression of the packet itself
providing the indication of whether a user is speaking.
[0136] The transceiver module 850 may include a modem configured to
modulate the packets and provide the modulated packets to the
antennas 845 for transmission, and to demodulate packets received
from the antennas 845. While some examples of the base station
105-e may include a single antenna 845, the base station 105-e
preferably includes multiple antennas 845 for multiple links which
may support carrier aggregation. For example, one or more links may
be used to support macro communications with mobile device
115-f.
[0137] According to the architecture of FIG. 8, the base station
105-e may further include a communications management module 830.
The communications management module 830 may manage communications
with other base stations 105. By way of example, the communications
management module 830 may be a component of the base station 105-e
in communication with some or all of the other components of the
base station 105-e via a bus. Alternatively, functionality of the
communications management module 830 may be implemented as a
component of the transceiver module 850, as a computer program
product, and/or as one or more controller elements of the processor
module 865.
[0138] The components for base station 105-e may be configured to
implement aspects discussed above with respect to device 600 in
FIG. 6 and may not be repeated here for the sake of brevity. The
power boosting module 610-b may be the power boosting module 610 of
FIG. 6. The forward link blanking module 615-b may be the blanking
module 615 of FIG. 11.
[0139] The base station 105-e may also include a spectrum
identification module 815. The spectrum identification module 815
may be utilized to identify spectrum available for flexible
waveforms. In some embodiments, a handover module 825 may be
utilized to perform handover procedures of the mobile device 115-f
from one base station 105 to another. For example, the handover
module 825 may perform a handover procedure of the mobile device
115-f from base station 105-e to another where normal waveforms are
utilized between the mobile device 115-f and one of the base
stations and flexible waveforms are utilized between the mobile
device and another base station. A scaling module 810 may be
utilized to scale and/or alter chip rates to generate flexible
waveforms.
[0140] In some embodiments, the transceiver module 850 in
conjunction with antennas 845, along with other possible components
of base station 105-e, may transmit information regarding flexible
waveforms and/or scaling factors from the base station 105-e to the
mobile device 115-f, to other base stations 105-m/105-n, or core
network 130-a. In some embodiments, the transceiver module 850 in
conjunction with antennas 845, along with other possible components
of base station 105-e, may transmit information to the mobile
device 115-f, to other base stations 105-m/105-n, or core network
130-a, such as flexible waveforms and/or scaling factors, such that
these devices or systems may utilize flexible waveforms.
[0141] FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a system 900 including a base
station 105-f and a mobile device 115-g in accordance with various
embodiments. This system 900 may be an example of the system 100 of
FIG. 1, systems 200 of FIG. 2, system 300 of FIG. 3, and/or system
800 of FIG. 8. The base station 105-f may be equipped with antennas
934-a through 934-x, and the mobile device 115-g may be equipped
with antennas 952-a through 952-n. At the base station 105-f, a
transmit processor 920 may receive data from a data source.
[0142] The transmit processor 920 may process the data. The
transmit processor 920 may also generate reference symbols, and a
cell-specific reference signal. A transmit (TX) MIMO processor 930
may perform spatial processing (e.g., precoding) on data symbols,
control symbols, and/or reference symbols, if applicable, and may
provide output symbol streams to the transmit modulators 932-a
through 932-x. Each modulator 932 may process a respective output
symbol stream (e.g., for OFDM, etc.) to obtain an output sample
stream. Each modulator 932 may further process (e.g., convert to
analog, amplify, filter, and upconvert) the output sample stream to
obtain a downlink (DL) signal. In one example, DL signals from
modulators 932-a through 932-x may be transmitted via the antennas
934-a through 934-x, respectively. The transmitter processor 920
may receive information from a processor 940. The processor 940 may
be coupled with a memory 942. The processor 940 may be configured
to generate flexible waveforms through altering a chip rate and/or
utilizing a scaling factor. In some embodiments, the processor
module 940 may be configured for coordinating forward link blanking
and/or power boosting in normal and/or flexible bandwidth systems.
For example, transmissions between mobile device 115-g and base
station 105-f may utilize bandwidth of a flexible waveform that may
overlap with the bandwidth of a normal waveform. The processor 940
may coordinate forward link blanking and/or power boosting that may
aid in reducing the impact of this interference.
[0143] At the mobile device 115-g, the mobile device antennas 952-a
through 952-n may receive the DL signals from the base station
105-f and may provide the received signals to the demodulators
954-a through 954-n, respectively. Each demodulator 954 may
condition (e.g., filter, amplify, downconvert, and digitize) a
respective received signal to obtain input samples. Each
demodulator 954 may further process the input samples (e.g., for
OFDM, etc.) to obtain received symbols. A MIMO detector 956 may
obtain received symbols from all the demodulators 954-a through
954-n, perform MIMO detection on the received symbols if
applicable, and provide detected symbols. A receive processor 958
may process (e.g., demodulate, deinterleave, and decode) the
detected symbols, providing decoded data for the mobile device
115-g to a data output, and provide decoded control information to
a processor 980, or memory 982.
[0144] On the uplink (UL) or reverse link, at the mobile device
115-g, a transmitter processor 964 may receive and process data
from a data source. The transmitter processor 964 may also generate
reference symbols for a reference signal. The symbols from the
transmitter processor 964 may be precoded by a transmit MIMO
processor 966 if applicable, further processed by the demodulators
954-a through 954-n (e.g., for SC-FDMA, etc.), and be transmitted
to the base station 105-f in accordance with the transmission
parameters received from the base station 105-E The transmitter
processor 964 may also be configured to generate flexible waveforms
through altering a chip rate and/or utilizing a scaling factor;
this may be done dynamically in some cases. The transmit processor
964 may receive information from processor 980. The processor 980
may provide for different alignment and/or offsetting procedures.
The processor 980 may also utilize scaling and/or chip rate
information to perform measurements on the other subsystems,
perform handoffs to the other subsystems, perform reselection, etc.
The processor 980 may invert the effects of time stretching
associated with the use of flexible bandwidth through parameter
scaling. At the base station 105-f, the UL signals from the mobile
device 115-g may be received by the antennas 934, processed by the
demodulators 932, detected by a MIMO detector 936 if applicable,
and further processed by a receive processor. The receive processor
938 may provide decoded data to a data output and to the processor
980. In some embodiments, the processor 980 may be implemented as
part of a general processor, the transmitter processor 964, and/or
the receiver processor 958.
[0145] In some embodiments, the processor 980 may be configured to
receive coordinated forward link blanking and/or power boosting in
normal and/or flexible bandwidth systems. For example,
transmissions between mobile device 115-g and base station 105-f
may utilize bandwidth of a flexible waveform that may overlap with
the bandwidth of a normal waveform. The processor 940 may be
configured to receive coordinated forward link blanking and/or
power boosting that may aid in reducing the impact of this
interference.
[0146] Turning to FIG. 10A, a flow diagram of a method 1000-a for
reducing interference within a wireless communications system in
accordance with various embodiments. Method 1000-a may be
implemented utilizing various wireless communications devices
including, but not limited to: a mobile device 115 as seen in FIG.
1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 7, FIG. 8, and/or FIG. 9; a base station
105 as seen in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 8, or FIG. 9; a core
network 130 or controller 120 as seen in FIG. 1 and/or FIG. 8;
and/or a device 600 of FIG. 6.
[0147] At block 1005, a first carrier bandwidth and a second
carrier bandwidth of the wireless communications system may be
identified. The first carrier bandwidth may partially at least
overlap the second carrier bandwidth. At block 1010, a transmission
blanking on a forward link over the first carrier bandwidth during
a concurrent transmission over the second carrier bandwidth may be
coordinated.
[0148] In some embodiments, the transmission blanking over the
first carrier bandwidth may occur during a control channel
transmission over the second carrier bandwidth. A timing of the
control channel transmission over the second carrier bandwidth may
be determined and coordinating the transmission blanking may be
based on the determined timing of the control channel transmission
over the second carrier bandwidth. In some embodiments, the
transmission blanking over the first carrier bandwidth may occur
during a data transmission over the second carrier bandwidth.
Aspects of the data transmission over the second carrier bandwidth
may be determined, such as when the data transmission may occur
and/or an amount data to be transmitted. The determined information
may be utilized to coordinate the transmission blanking such that
it occurs during the data transmission over the second carrier
bandwidth. In some embodiments, the coordinated transmission
blanking on the forward link over the first carrier bandwidth
during the concurrent transmission over the second carrier
bandwidths is changed based on at least a time of day or a load of
the forward link.
[0149] The transmission blanking over the first carrier bandwidth
and the concurrent transmission over the second carrier may be
co-located. The coordinated transmission blanking over the first
carrier bandwidth and the concurrent transmission over the second
carrier bandwidth may not be co-located. The coordinated
transmission blanking over the first carrier bandwidth may occur at
a pre-scheduled time. The transmission blanking over the first
carrier bandwidth and the concurrent transmission over the second
carrier may be synchronized with respect to an absolute time or
known time offset.
[0150] In some embodiments, the first carrier bandwidth is a
flexible bandwidth and the second carrier bandwidth is a normal
bandwidth. In some embodiments, the first carrier bandwidth is a
first flexible bandwidth and the second carrier bandwidth is a
second flexible bandwidth. In some embodiments, the first carrier
bandwidth is a normal bandwidth and the second carrier bandwidth is
a flexible bandwidth. In some embodiments, the first carrier
bandwidth is a first normal bandwidth and the second carrier
bandwidth is a second normal bandwidth. In some embodiments, the
first carrier bandwidth may fully overlap the second carrier
bandwidth, such as when a flexible bandwidth carrier is fully
overlapped by a normal carrier bandwidth.
[0151] In some embodiments, at least the first carrier bandwidth or
the second carrier bandwidth utilizes licensed spectrum. In some
embodiments, the first carrier bandwidth and the second carrier
bandwidth utilize different radio access technologies (RATs). For
example, in one embodiment, the first carrier bandwidth utilizes
LTE, while the second carrier bandwidth utilizes EV-DO.
[0152] In some embodiments, the transmission blanking may include
hard blanking. Hard blanking may include no flow being scheduled
for transmission during the period of transmission blanking. The
transmission blanking may include soft blanking. Soft blanking may
include transmissions of at least a priority flow or a delay
sensitive flow during the period of transmission blanking. Soft
blanking may include reducing a power of transmission during the
period of transmission blanking. Coordinated soft transmission
blanking may include transmissions during a portion of the
coordinated soft transmission blanking less than an entire period
of the coordinated soft transmission blanking.
[0153] Some embodiments of method 1000-a may further include
increasing a power of transmission over the second carrier
bandwidth during the transmission blanking over the first carrier
bandwidth. In some embodiments, the power increase and the
transmission blanking are applied independently. In some
embodiments, the power increase and the transmission blanking are
applied together. In some embodiments, the power increase and the
transmission blanking are activated in co-located systems. In some
embodiments, the power increase and the transmission blanking are
activated in co-located systems based on the load of the co-located
systems. The coordinated transmission blanking over the first
carrier bandwidth may occur at a slot level. Some embodiments
include increasing at least a data rate of at least a control
channel or data channel utilizing the power increase over the
second carrier bandwidth. Some embodiments include increasing a
power of transmission over the first carrier bandwidth during a
period of time different than the coordinated transmission blanking
over the first carrier bandwidth. Coordinating the concurrent
transmission over the second carrier bandwidth may occur during one
or more slots when the first carrier bandwidth is not transmitting.
In some embodiments, at least coordinating a transmission blanking
on the forward link over the second carrier bandwidth during the
concurrent transmission over the first carrier bandwidth or
increasing the power of transmission over the first carrier
bandwidth during the coordinated transmission blanking on the
forward link over the second carrier bandwidth depends at least
upon a relative loading of the first carrier bandwidth with respect
to the second carrier bandwidth or time of day.
[0154] Some embodiments of method 1000-a may further include at
least coordinating a transmission blanking on a forward link over
the second carrier bandwidth during a concurrent transmission over
the first carrier bandwidth or increasing a power of transmission
over the first carrier bandwidth during the transmission blanking
over the second carrier bandwidth. At least coordinating the
transmission blanking on the forward link over the second carrier
bandwidth during the concurrent transmission over the first carrier
bandwidth, increasing the power of transmission over the first
carrier bandwidth during the transmission blanking over the second
carrier bandwidth, coordinating the transmission blanking on the
forward link over the second carrier bandwidth during the
concurrent transmission over the first carrier bandwidth, or
increasing the power of transmission over the first carrier
bandwidth during the transmission blanking over the second carrier
bandwidth may change based on at least a time of day or a loading
of at least one of the forward links.
[0155] Some embodiments may include identifying a third carrier
bandwidth different than the second carrier bandwidth that at least
partially overlaps the first carrier bandwidth of the wireless
communications system. A transmission blanking on the forward link
over the first carrier bandwidth may be coordinated with respect to
a concurrent transmission over the third carrier bandwidth. This
use of a third or more carrier bandwidths may be referred to as
multi-carrier embodiments. These multi-carrier embodiments can be
co-located or at a different location. For example, if co-located,
blanking may not be utilized for the close by mobile device, while
blanking may occur for a mobile device further away. If service is
needed for both the close and far away mobile devices, the close
mobile device may be placed on the smaller carrier bandwidth and
blanked since it can take the lower signal to reduce the
interference for the mobile device further away.
[0156] The transmission blanking over the first carrier bandwidth
and the concurrent transmission over the second carrier may not be
co-located in some cases. The transmission blanking may occur at a
pre-scheduled time. Some embodiments may further include receiving
a request from the second carrier bandwidth to coordinate the
transmission blanking at a specific time. In some embodiments, the
first carrier bandwidth system may agree to accommodate the request
from the second carrier bandwidth; in some cases, the first carrier
bandwidth may send an acknowledgement or agreement message.
[0157] Method 1000-a may be implemented by a base station in some
embodiments. In some embodiments, the wireless communications
system includes a time division multiplexing system.
[0158] Turning to FIG. 10B, a flow diagram of a method 1000-b for
reducing interference within a wireless communications system in
accordance with various embodiments. Method 1000-b may be
implemented utilizing various wireless communications devices
including, but not limited to: a mobile device 115 as seen in FIG.
1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 7, FIG. 8, and/or FIG. 9; a base station
105 as seen in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 8, or FIG. 9; a core
network 130 or controller 120 as seen in FIG. 1 and/or FIG. 8;
and/or a device 600 of FIG. 6. Method 1000-b may be an example of
method 1000-a of FIG. 10A.
[0159] At block 1005-a, a normal carrier bandwidth and a flexible
carrier bandwidth of the wireless communications system may be
identified. The normal carrier bandwidth may partially overlap the
flexible carrier bandwidth. At block 1010-a, a transmission
blanking on a forward link over the normal carrier bandwidth during
a concurrent transmission over the flexible carrier bandwidth may
be coordinated. At block 1015, a transmission power over the
flexible carrier bandwidth for the concurrent transmission may be
increased during the coordinated transmission blanking over the
normal carrier bandwidth. At block 1020, the coordinated
transmission blanking or the increased transmission power may be
changed based on a time of day or a loading of the forward
link.
[0160] Turning to FIG. 10C, a flow diagram of a method 1000-c for
reducing interference within a wireless communications system in
accordance with various embodiments. Method 1000-c may be
implemented utilizing various wireless communications devices
including, but not limited to: a mobile device 115 as seen in FIG.
1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 7, FIG. 8, and/or FIG. 9; a base station
105 as seen in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 8, or FIG. 9; a core
network 130 or controller 120 as seen in FIG. 1 and/or FIG. 8;
and/or a device 600 of FIG. 6. Method 1000-c may be an example of
method 1000-a of FIG. 10A and/or method 1000-b of FIG. 10B.
[0161] At block 1005-b, a normal carrier bandwidth and a flexible
carrier bandwidth of the wireless communications system may be
identified. The normal carrier bandwidth may at least partially
overlap the flexible carrier bandwidth. At block 1010-b, a
transmission blanking on a forward link over the flexible carrier
bandwidth during a concurrent transmission over the normal carrier
bandwidth may be coordinated. In some embodiments, a transmission
power over the normal carrier bandwidth for the concurrent
transmission may be increased during the coordinated transmission
blanking over the flexible carrier bandwidth as shown in block
1015.
[0162] Turning to FIG. 11A, a flow diagram of a method 1100-a for
reducing interference within a wireless communications system in
accordance with various embodiments. Method 1100-a may be
implemented utilizing various wireless communications devices
including, but not limited to: a mobile device 115 as seen in FIG.
1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 7, FIG. 8, and/or FIG. 9; a base station
105 as seen in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 8, and/or FIG. 9; a
core network 130 or controller 120 as seen in FIG. 1 and/or FIG. 8;
and/or a device 600 of FIG. 6.
[0163] At block 1105, a first carrier bandwidth and a second
carrier bandwidth of the wireless communications system may be
identified. The first carrier bandwidth may at least partially
overlap the second carrier bandwidth. At block 1110, a transmission
power increase for a forward link over the first carrier bandwidth
may be coordinated with respect to the second carrier bandwidth.
Some embodiments may further include coordinating a transmission
blanking over the second carrier bandwidth during a concurrent
transmission over the first carrier. The concurrent transmission
over the first carrier bandwidth may occur during the transmission
power increase. At least a time of day or a loading of the forward
link may be determined in some cases; coordinating the transmission
power increase for the forward link over the first carrier
bandwidth with respect to the second carrier bandwidth may change
based on at least the determined time of day or the determined
loading of the forward link.
[0164] In some embodiments, the first carrier bandwidth is a
flexible bandwidth and the second carrier bandwidth is a normal
bandwidth. In some embodiments, the first carrier bandwidth is a
first flexible bandwidth and the second carrier bandwidth is a
second flexible bandwidth. In some embodiments, the first carrier
bandwidth is a normal bandwidth and the second carrier bandwidth is
a flexible bandwidth. In some embodiments, the first carrier
bandwidth is a first normal bandwidth and the second carrier
bandwidth is a second normal bandwidth.
[0165] Some embodiments of method 1100-a may further include
coordinating a transmission blanking over the second carrier
bandwidth during a concurrent transmission over the first carrier
bandwidth. Some embodiments may further include coordinating a
transmission blanking over the second carrier bandwidth during a
concurrent transmission over the first carrier bandwidth.
[0166] The transmission power increase over the first carrier
bandwidth and the second carrier may not be not co-located in some
embodiments. The transmission power increase may occur at a
pre-scheduled time in some embodiments. Some embodiments may
further include receiving a request to coordinate the transmission
power increase at a specific time.
[0167] Some embodiments may include identifying a third carrier
bandwidth and the second carrier bandwidth of the wireless
communications system where the second carrier bandwidth partially
overlaps the third carrier bandwidth. A transmission power increase
for a forward link over the third carrier bandwidth may be
coordinated with respect to the second carrier bandwidth.
[0168] Method 1100-a may be performed by a base station in some
embodiments.
[0169] Turning to FIG. 11B, a flow diagram of a method 1100-b for
reducing interference within a wireless communications system in
accordance with various embodiments. Method 1100-b may be
implemented utilizing various wireless communications devices
including, but not limited to: a mobile device 115 as seen in FIG.
1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 7, FIG. 8, and/or FIG. 9; a base station
105 as seen in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 8, and/or FIG. 9; a
core network 130 or controller 120 as seen in FIG. 1 and/or FIG. 8;
and/or a device 600 of FIG. 6. Method 1100-b may be an example of
method 1100-a of FIG. 11A.
[0170] At block 1105-a, a flexible carrier bandwidth and a normal
carrier bandwidth of the wireless communications system may be
identified. The flexible carrier bandwidth may at least partially
overlap the normal carrier bandwidth. At block 1115, a request to
coordinate a transmission power increase at a specific time may be
received. At block 1110-a, the transmission power increase for a
forward link over the flexible carrier bandwidth may be coordinated
with respect to the normal carrier bandwidth.
[0171] Turning to FIG. 11C, a flow diagram of a method 1100-c for
reducing interference within a wireless communications system in
accordance with various embodiments. Method 1100-c may be
implemented utilizing various wireless communications devices
including, but not limited to: a mobile device 115 as seen in FIG.
1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 7, FIG. 8, and/or FIG. 9; a base station
105 as seen in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 8, and/or FIG. 9; a
core network 130 or controller 120 as seen in FIG. 1 and/or FIG. 8;
and/or a device 600 of FIG. 6. Method 1100-c may be an example of
method 1100-a of FIG. 11A and/or method 1100-b of FIG. 11B.
[0172] At block 1105-b, a flexible carrier bandwidth and a normal
carrier bandwidth of the wireless communications system may be
identified. The flexible carrier bandwidth may at least partially
overlap the normal carrier bandwidth. In some embodiments, a
request to coordinate a transmission power increase at a specific
time may be received as seen in block 1115-a. At block 1110-b, the
transmission power increase for a forward link over the normal
carrier bandwidth may be coordinated with respect to the flexible
carrier bandwidth.
[0173] The detailed description set forth above in connection with
the appended drawings describes exemplary embodiments and does not
represent the only embodiments that may be implemented or that are
within the scope of the claims. The term "exemplary" used
throughout this description means "serving as an example, instance,
or illustration," and not "preferred" or "advantageous over other
embodiments." The detailed description includes specific details
for the purpose of providing an understanding of the described
techniques. These techniques, however, may be practiced without
these specific details. In some instances, well-known structures
and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid
obscuring the concepts of the described embodiments.
[0174] Information and signals may be represented using any of a
variety of different technologies and techniques. For example,
data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, symbols,
and chips that may be referenced throughout the above description
may be represented by voltages, currents, electromagnetic waves,
magnetic fields or particles, optical fields or particles, or any
combination thereof.
[0175] The various illustrative blocks and modules described in
connection with the disclosure herein may be implemented or
performed with a general-purpose processor, a digital signal
processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC),
a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic
device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware
components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the
functions described herein. A general-purpose processor may be a
microprocessor, but in the alternative, the processor may be any
conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state
machine. A processor may also be implemented as a combination of
computing devices, e.g., a combination of a DSP and a
microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more
microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such
configuration.
[0176] The functions described herein may be implemented in
hardware, software executed by a processor, firmware, or any
combination thereof. If implemented in software executed by a
processor, the functions may be stored on or transmitted over as
one or more instructions or code on a computer-readable medium.
Other examples and implementations are within the scope and spirit
of the disclosure and appended claims. For example, due to the
nature of software, functions described above can be implemented
using software executed by a processor, hardware, firmware,
hardwiring, or combinations of any of these. Features implementing
functions may also be physically located at various positions,
including being distributed such that portions of functions are
implemented at different physical locations. Also, as used herein,
including in the claims, "or" as used in a list of items prefaced
by "at least one of" indicates a disjunctive list such that, for
example, a list of "at least one of A, B, or C" means A or B or C
or AB or AC or BC or ABC (i.e., A and B and C).
[0177] Computer-readable media includes both computer storage media
and communication media including any medium that facilitates
transfer of a computer program from one place to another. A storage
medium may be any available medium that can be accessed by a
general-purpose or special-purpose computer. By way of example, and
not limitation, computer-readable media can comprise RAM, ROM,
EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage
or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be
used to carry or store desired program code means in the form of
instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a
general-purpose or special-purpose computer, or a general-purpose
or special-purpose processor. Also, any connection is properly
termed a computer-readable medium. For example, if the software is
transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source using a
coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, digital subscriber
line (DSL), or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and
microwave, then the coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair,
DSL, or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and
microwave are included in the definition of medium. Disk and disc,
as used herein, include compact disc (CD), laser disc, optical
disc, digital versatile disc (DVD), floppy disk and blu-ray disc
where disks usually reproduce data magnetically, while discs
reproduce data optically with lasers. Combinations of the above are
also included within the scope of computer-readable media.
[0178] The previous description of the disclosure is provided to
enable a person skilled in the art to make or use the disclosure.
Various modifications to the disclosure will be readily apparent to
those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein
may be applied to other variations without departing from the
spirit or scope of the disclosure. Throughout this disclosure the
term "example" or "exemplary" indicates an example or instance and
does not imply or require any preference for the noted example.
Thus, the disclosure is not to be limited to the examples and
designs described herein but is to be accorded the widest scope
consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed
herein.
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