Abstract: Methods, apparatus and computer program products are provided for rebalancing the sizes of downlink (DL) association sets for component carriers having different time division duplex subframe configurations. A method is provided that includes determining DL subframes that are included in a DL association set for each of a plurality of component carriers. In an instance in which the number of acknowledgement (ACK)/negative acknowledgement (NACK) bits corresponding to the DL subframes included in the DL association sets for respective component carriers differ by at least a predetermined amount, the method modifies the number of ACK/NACK bits corresponding to the DL subframes that are included in the DL association sets for each of the respective component carriers. The method may also cause transmission of the ACK/NACK bits in accordance with the DL association sets, as modified, via the respective component carriers. Corresponding apparatus and computer program products are also provided.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided to facilitate the determination of the timing advances of each of a plurality of component carriers by triggering the determination of the timing advances in response to certain pre-defined events that are indicative of a need for the timing advance to be determined. A method may include determining that a pre-defined event has occurred and triggering a determination of a timing advance for a second component carrier relative to a timing advance of a first component carrier based upon occurrence of the predefined event. In this regard, both the component carriers are concurrently allocated to a mobile terminal. The method may also utilize the timing advance to synchronize communications on the second component carrier between the mobile terminal and a network. A corresponding apparatus and computer program product may also be provided.

Abstract: There is proposed a mechanism for controlling and conducting a discovery procedure of small cells or secondary cells located in a macro cell or primary cell. The discovery procedure is based on a discovery signal communicated via PDCH and based on a positioning reference signal (PRS). For configuring the signaling of the discovery signal, frequency domain multiplexing for splitting resources of the PRS in the frequency domain for increasing capacity, and/or usage of reserved communication resources for the signaling of the discovery signal are employed. Assistance information is provided to the UE for supporting the discovery of small cells.

Abstract: Using an allocated control channel resource in a relay transmission frame, with an identified starting point, in a semi-static allocation scheme is disclosed. The control signaling may be mapped to the allocated control channel resource using different mapping schemes. Also disclosed is decoding a control channel element from a relay transmission frame received via a wireless relay link. The control channel resource associated with the relay transmission frame may be allocated in a semi-static allocation scheme. A starting indicator may be extracted from the decoded control channel element. A part of control signaling may be extracted from the decoded control channel element using the extracted starting indicator.

Abstract: A method of wireless communications for use with user equipment, comprising identifying a subframe in a radio frame in which a synchronizing signal is to be transmitted, and transmitting a reference signal to the user equipment in a subframe other than the identified subframe.

Abstract: A downlink resource grant is on a first component carrier having a first downlink to uplink DL/UL subframe configuration, and cross schedules to a second component carrier having a different second DL/UL subframe configuration. If a first set SI of downlink subframes associated with a subframe n of the first DL/UL subframe configuration only partially overlaps with a second set S2 of downlink subframes associated with the subframe n of the second DL/UL subframe configuration, then explicit signaling is utilized to select whether uplink radio resources in subframe n for channel selection are implicitly or explicitly allocated. If instead SI does not only partially overlap SI, then a default rule is utilized for allocating the uplink radio resources in subframe n for channel selection. In different examples the explicit signaling is higher layer signaling which configures a UE; or a predetermined state in a field of the PDCCH.

Abstract: A communication link is provided between a station of an access system and a relay node. The relay node is a node capable of wirelessly communicating with at least one communication device within the coverage thereof. A set up procedure for the communication link is initiated such that the relay node acts as a communication device towards the station, the set up procedure being initiated according to a set up procedure between the station and communication devices accessing the station directly. Communication between the relay node and at least one communication device within the coverage area thereof are handled such that the relay nodes acts as a station of an access system towards said at least one communication device.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and computer program products are provided for rebalancing the sizes of downlink (DL) association sets for component carriers having different time division duplex subframe configurations. A method is provided that includes determining DL subframes that are included in a DL association set for each of a plurality of component carriers. In an instance in which the number of acknowledgement (ACK)/negative acknowledgement (NACK) bits corresponding to the DL subframes included in the DL association sets for respective component carriers differ by at least a predetermined amount, the method modifies the number of ACK/NACK bits corresponding to the DL subframes that are included in the DL association sets for each of the respective component carriers. The method may also cause transmission of the ACK/NACK bits in accordance with the DL association sets, as modified, via the respective component carriers. Corresponding apparatus and computer program products are also provided.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for enabling efficient allocation of discovery resources for device to device communications. An example method may comprise establishing a cellular network connection to an access point. The method may further comprise establishing a local area network connection to a user equipment. Additionally, the method may comprise either receiving offloaded data for the user equipment from the access point via the cellular network connection and relaying the offloaded data to the user equipment via the local area network connection, or receiving offloaded data for the access point from the user equipment via the local area network connection and relaying the offloaded data to the access point via the cellular network connection. Similar and related example methods, example apparatuses, and example computer program products are also provided.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method is provided by which it is determined that at least one user equipment should perform detection and/or measurements with respect to at least one network control node, the at least one network control node is instructed to send a predetermined aperiodic signal to the at least one user equipment, and the at least one user equipment is instructed to detect the predetermined aperiodic signal.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer program product are provided to reduce coexistence interference that may occur following a S 1 handover. The method, apparatus and computer program product may provide the target access point with information regarding one or more frequencies to be avoided so as to reduce instances of coexistence interference that might otherwise occur following a SI handover.

Abstract: Various methods for managing interference handling overhead are provided. One example method includes generating interference overload indication information and causing the interference overload information to be transmitted on a broadcast channel for relay nodes, wherein the transmission via the broadcast channel indicates that the interference overload indication information is for a donor cell. Similar and related example methods and example apparatuses are also provided. Additional example methods and apparatuses are also provided.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide methods, devices and computer programs arranged to control access to a Secondary Cell Carrier (SCC) by a user terminal. The user terminal having a first functional state in which the user terminal is arranged to monitor for a broadcast channel associated with the SCC, and a second functional state, different to said first functional state. One embodiment comprises an apparatus comprising a processing system arranged to cause the apparatus to: receive data indicative of a plurality of operational modes assigned to the SCC; and transmit a signalling message comprising data indicative of said plurality of operational modes for receipt by the user terminal, whereby to configure the user terminal into the first functional state, wherein the user terminal is arranged to selectively request access to resources of the SCC on the basis of a comparison between data contained in said signalling message and data contained in a transmission received on the broadcast channel.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods, apparatuses and a computer program product for random access channel enhancement for carrier aggregation with different uplink/downlink configuration. The present invention includes detecting, at a user equipment, a downlink control channel in a specific downlink subframe on a first component carrier, receiving, at the user equipment, a downlink shared channel on the first component carrier, and transmitting, after a predetermined period, a random access channel in a specific uplink subframe on a second component carrier, the specific uplink subframe overlapping the specific downlink subframe on the first component carrier.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided facilitating flexible time sharing among systems. A method and apparatus may generate a secondary component carrier transmission plan including planned on and off durations. The planned on durations correspond to a time period for an apparatus and devices to communicate via an unlicensed band of the secondary component carrier. The planned off durations correspond to a time interval in which the devices may deactivate from the unlicensed band or remain disconnected from the unlicensed band. The method and apparatus may also enable provision of the plan to the devices via a licensed band of a primary component carrier and detecting a medium of the unlicensed band prior to the expiration of the time period to determine whether the medium is available in order to decide whether to turn on transmissions to the unlicensed band after one of the planned off durations.

Abstract: There is provided a mechanism for controlling communications conducted via different frequency bands or communication spectrums. When a communication via a first communication path, for example an unlicensed or white space communication spectrum, is to be established, e.g. for offloading traffic from a second communication path, for example a licensed cellular communication spectrum, a preamble transmission command is generated and transmitted from a communication network control element, such as an eNB, via the second communication path to a communication element, such as a UE. By means of the preamble transmission command, the transmission of a preamble signal by the receiving communication element on the first communication path with predetermined communication resources is triggered.

Abstract: A method is provided that includes allocating a first subset of resource elements (REs) of a physical resource block (PRB) to a mobile terminal and associating one or more first demodulation reference symbols (DM-RS) ports therewith. The first subset of REs and the one or more first DM-RS ports have common interference characteristics, thereby providing for enhanced interference suppression. The method also includes causing transmission of the PRB for reception by the mobile terminal. Corresponding apparatus and computer program products are also provided.

Abstract: A method for synchronizing channels on unlicensed bands is described. The method includes determining whether a SCC channel has started to be used by a first network. The SCC channel is a CA channel shared with at least one other network. In response to determining that the SCC channel has been started to be used by the first network, the UE determines an off duration describing a period since a previous SCC channel ON period. A given channel ON period is a continuous period of use of the given channel by the first network, The method also includes, in response to determining that the off duration is less than a minimum threshold duration, performing fine synchronization based on CRS tracking on the SCC channel using course synchronization parameters of the previous SCC channel ON period. Apparatus and computer readable media are also described.

Abstract: A user equipment UE is configured with an integer value N which defines an effective data rate. The network sends to the UE a grant for uplink transmissions that comprises a resource indication field that allocates N channels each having a same predetermined uplink format and payload capacity. The UE sends N bit sequences on the respective N channels, each bit sequence comprising data and the same predetermined uplink format. In various embodiments: the network specifically configures the UE to receive the predetermined format of the grant; the grant may have an indicator whether the channels are for new data and for the MCS to use; the N channels may be in a same or in adjacent sub frames regardless of the value of N; and there is one MAC header for all the N channels which the network reads as a single MAC PDU.

Abstract: The invention relates to the radio interface between an apparatus for wireless communication and a network element, comprising flexible uplink/downlink configuration for time division duplex. The method comprises detecting a parameter indicating interference in a subframe of a time division duplex configuration; assigning a priority Physical Resource Block set for a flexible subframe; and scheduling the connection for a wireless apparatus according to the priority Physical Resource Block set.