Abstract: A method of fast synchronization for low coverage machine type communication (MTC) devices is proposed. A machine-specific synchronization signal “mSYNC” with higher density in time and frequency is transmitted from each base station for fast timing and frequency acquisition and tracking. The mSYNC has a relatively longer periodicity (i.e., >>5 ms) to reduce overhead and inter-cell interference. The higher time-frequency density of mSYNC is designed to improve latency and power consumption by allowing the machine to wake up just before the scheduled mSYNC transmission time and to re-synchronize or track synchronization with the network without the need for long averaging time.

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 method and apparatus are therefore provided that may enable the provision of M2M communication in a wireless network environment. In this regard, for example, relatively low power devices (specifically referencing low transmission power) such as sensors or other machines in an M2M system may be enabled to initiate communication with a network through a mobile terminal in a more reliable and robust manner. The machine may transmit a busy-signal to request a reservation of a machine access slot on a machine access control channel to reserve the slot before transmitting any machine information or data to reduce the likelihood of collisions with other machines. Once the machine has reserved the machine access slot, the machine may transmit identification information via randomly selected frequency division multiplexed or code division multiplexed resources to further reduce the likelihood of collisions with other machines. Thus, delays in establishing connections may be reduced or eliminated.

Abstract: A method of controlling device-to-device communications between user equipment, including using a network control element, which is common to a plurality of networks, including controlling any of the following functions: network access control functions, connection set-up, resource allocation, mode switching, handover, security and/or charging. Also a method of controlling handovers or connections in a device-to-device communications between a first and a second user equipment wherein the control is performed, at least in part, said first or second user equipments. Alternatively the user equipment may send reports a handover/connection is initiated/controlled based on said report.

Abstract: A method for a wireless network node to support an extended control signaling is provided. The method comprises configuring a control signaling message over extended control symbols on a layer 1 (L1) downlink control channel, the control signaling message encoded over an increased aggregation of control channel elements (CCEs) in a time domain; placing the controlling signaling message in a designated set of subframes on the L1 downlink control channel; indicating a support for the extended control signaling to one or more UEs; indicating to the one or more UEs a position of the designated set of the subframes in a spare field of the Master Information Block (MIB); and transmitting the control signaling message to the one or more UEs over the L1 downlink control channel.

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: 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: An apparatus, method and computer program product comprise controlling cellular network based communication in a primary cell on a frequency band related to the cellular network and by using an uplink and downlink configuration specific to the primary cell; controlling communication in a secondary cell on a frequency band related to a television white space channel and by using an uplink and downlink configuration specific to the secondary cell; measuring radio interference on a temporarily set uplink related carrier on the secondary cell based on information on the temporarily set uplink related carrier received on a downlink related carrier on the primary cell; and reporting results of radio interference measurement via the primary cell.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided contention based uplink data transmission. In one novel aspect, the contention-based uplink data channel is used to transmit the data directly to the network. In one embodiment, the UE selects an UL data channel from a set of preconfigured uplink contention based data channels and sends the UL data transmission on the selected UL data channel. In one embodiment, the contention based UL data has a narrow bandwidth with a long CP such that the TA is not needed from the base station. In another embodiment, a small signaling payload is included in the CB UL data transmission if the size of the data contents cannot be fit in the UL data channel. In one embodiment, the signaling payload is the BSR. The UE, subsequently, receives an UL grant and sends the remaining data contents using the allocated data channel in the UL grant.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method to dynamically manage an allocation of communication resources for direct device-to-device communications between a plurality of wireless communication devices in a wireless communication system. In one embodiment, the apparatus (410) includes a communication resource allocator (420) configured to: (1) select a master communication device of a plurality of wireless communication devices that form a device-to-device group, (2) provide an allocation of communication resources for device-to-device group that facilitate direct device-to-device communications therebetween. The apparatus (410) also includes a message generator (430) configured to assemble messages that include the allocation of the communication resources.

Abstract: An apparatus including at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform: determining for a group of symbols at least one candidate transmission symbol position, wherein the group of symbols include a first symbol position part for backhaul downlink symbol positions and a second symbol position part including the at least one candidate transmission symbol position; and generating at least one further backhaul downlink symbol for the at least one candidate transmission symbol position.

Abstract: A method is provided for facilitating device-to-device communication. The method may include causing a message to be sent to a first device to trigger the first device to transmit a reference signal. The method may further include causing a request for a channel quality indication to be sent to a second device. The request may indicate that the channel quality indication is to be based on measurement of the reference signal. The method may additionally include receiving the channel quality indication in response to the request. The channel quality indication may be indicative of a link quality between the first device and the second device. The method may also include determining based on the received channel quality indication whether to cause establishment of a device-to-device link between the first device. A corresponding apparatus and computer program product are also provided.

Abstract: There is provided, for example, an apparatus, which is caused to select a transmission power configuration for a communication with at least one user terminal taking place on component carriers of a carrier aggregation configuration within a shared band, wherein the selection is between a low transmission power configuration applying a transmission power below a predetermined power threshold without a listen-before-talk approach and a high transmission power configuration applying a transmission power of at least the predetermined power threshold; and upon detecting that the selected transmission power configuration needs to be informed, cause an indication of the selected transmission power configuration to the at least one user terminal and at least one secondary cell.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and computer program products configure a sounding reference signal (SRS) for a segment carrier that serves as a contiguous bandwidth extension of a component carrier, such as a component carrier that is backwards compatible with prior releases of a mobile terminal. In the context of a mobile terminal, the method receives a triggering message that identifies respective configurations of the SRS for the component carrier and the associated segment carrier. The configuration of the SRS for the component carrier is different than the configuration of the SRS for the segment carrier. The method also causes the SRS to be transmitted in accordance with the respective configurations identified by the triggering message via uplink subframes of the component carrier and the segment carrier.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed that facilitate discontinuous reception via a primary cell and one or more secondary cells that have different TDD UL/DL subframe configurations including overlapping subframes, such as in an instance in which a UL subframe of a secondary cell overlaps with a corresponding DL subframe of the primary cell. A method may define an active state of a primary cell to be larger than an active state of a secondary cell in a TDD network that supports carrier aggregation. The method may also provide for discontinuous reception via the primary cell and the secondary cell in accordance with different TDD UL/DL subframe configurations and also in accordance with the respective active states of the primary and secondary cells.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for managing the use of industrial-scientific-medical bands for cellular network communication. An apparatus comprises a processing system and a memory storing a set of program instructions. The processing system is configured to cause the apparatus to receive channel information from a UE reporting the control of an unlicensed band channel by the UE and cause the apparatus to schedule a communication session with the UE over the channel, with the channel being configured and activated as a component carrier. The apparatus may further request one or more user equipments (UEs) to report their wireless fidelity (WiFi) capability and request user equipments having WiFi capability to compete for the wireless medium and report occupation of the wireless medium in the form of a request to send command, to which the apparatus responds with a clear to send command.

Abstract: An apparatus, method and computer program product comprise controlling cellular network based communication in a primary cell on a frequency band related to the cellular network and by using an uplink and downlink configuration specific to the primary cell; controlling communication in a secondary cell on a frequency band related to a television white space channel and by using an uplink and downlink configuration specific to the secondary cell; measuring radio interference on a temporarily set uplink related carrier on the secondary cell based on information on the temporarily set uplink related carrier received on a downlink related carrier on the primary cell; and reporting results of radio interference measurement via the primary cell.

Abstract: Transmitting physical signals precoded at the physical layer, and transmitting via a physical channel precoded at the physical layer decoding information for use in physical layer decoding of said physical signals; wherein said decoding information is incorporated into one or more data units at a layer higher than the physical layer. Transmitting in a single sub-frame one or more physical reference signals for use in physical layer decoding of a physical channel in a plurality of sub-frames.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing machine-to-machine communication in a wireless network may include at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code. The at least one memory and the computer program code may be configured, with the processor, to cause the apparatus to perform at least providing wireless network resources to enable direct downlink communication from a wireless network access point to a relatively low power communication device, allocating wireless network resources to enable uplink data to be provided from the relatively low power communication device to a mobile gateway device within communication range of the relatively low power communication device and utilizing wireless network resources to receive the uplink data from the mobile gateway device at the wireless network access point. A corresponding method and computer program product are also provided.

Abstract: There is provided, for example, an apparatus, which is caused to select a transmission power configuration for a communication with at least one user terminal taking place on component carriers of a carrier aggregation configuration within a shared band, wherein the selection is between a low transmission power configuration applying a transmission power below a predetermined power threshold without a listen-before-talk approach and a high transmission power configuration applying a transmission power of at least the predetermined power threshold; and upon detecting that the selected transmission power configuration needs to be informed, cause an indication of the selected transmission power configuration to the at least one user terminal and at least one secondary cell.