Abstract: A device and method for transmission and reception of control and data channels with a group reference signal (GRS). A GRS may include a first common reference signal associated with a first group of users and a second common reference signal associated with a second group of users. Some users or channels can be grouped to use one set of common reference signals and other users or channels can be grouped to use another set of common reference signals.

Abstract: System and method embodiments are provided for a subframe structure for wideband LTE. In an embodiment, a method in a communications controller for transmitting a packet to a wireless device includes signaling a UL/DL configuration to the wireless device, wherein the UL/DL configuration indicates a quantity of uplink microframes in a group of microframes, wherein each subframe includes a plurality of microframes, and wherein the group of microframes includes a consecutive sequence downlink microframes and a consecutive sequence of uplink microframes. The packet is transmitted to the wireless device in one downlink microframe. The method further includes receiving an acknowledgement of the packet in an uplink microframe, wherein the uplink microframe is determined in accordance with the one downlink microframe and the uplink-downlink configuration, and wherein the acknowledgement is received in a same subframe as a subframe utilized for transmitting the packet to the wireless device.

Abstract: A method for receiving wideband (WB) LTE uplink signals. A base station may signal a first frequency tone assignment to a first user equipment (UE), the first frequency tone assignment scheduling at least a first set of subcarriers allocated to the first UE, subcarriers in the first set of subcarriers being non-contiguous in the frequency domain. Subcarriers in the first set of subcarriers may be interleaved with subcarriers in a second set of subcarriers. The first UE may perform a first single carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) uplink transmission over the first set of subcarriers. A second UE may perform a second SC-FDMA uplink transmission, the second SC-FDMA uplink transmission spanning the second set of subcarriers.

Abstract: A device and method for transmission and reception of control and data channels with a group reference signal (GRS). A GRS may include a first common reference signal associated with a first group of users and a second common reference signal associated with a second group of users. Some users or channels can be grouped to use one set of common reference signals and other users or channels can be grouped to use another set of common reference signals.

Abstract: The hidden node problem can be avoided by scheduling stations in different sectors to perform transmissions during different time periods. Sectorized scheduling can be communicated to stations through transmission of beamformed beacon signals at the beginning of respective time periods. For instance, a first beamformed beacon signal may be transmitted to stations in a first sector at the beginning of a first time period, while a second beamformed beacon signal may be transmitted to stations in a second sector at the beginning of a second time period.

Abstract: A system and a method for synchronization and link acquisition in cellular wireless systems with directional antennas are disclosed. In an embodiment a method for wireless communication includes synchronizing, by a first network controller, transmission of a first synchronization signal with transmission of a second synchronization signal from another network controller.

Abstract: A method includes transmitting, by a communications controller to a user equipment (UE), a first data block on a first carrier and transmitting, by the communications controller to the UE, a first downlink control information (DCI) to initiate a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process associated with the first data block. The method also includes retransmitting, by the communications controller to the UE, the first data block and transmitting, by the communications controller to the UE, a second DCI, where the second DCI includes a first transmission indicator and an indicator of the first carrier, and where the second DCI continues the HARQ process.

Abstract: A physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) region of a subframe may include a reference signal (RS) section that includes one or more of a beam-scanning subsection, a transmit (TX) beam-tracking subsection, a receive (RX) beam-tracking subsection, and a channel state information (CSI) subsection. Reference signals in the TX beam-tracking subsection may be used to update TX analog beams. Reference signals in the RX beam-tracking subsection may be used to update RX analog beams. Reference signals in the beam-scanning subsection may be used to evaluate different combinations of TX and RX analog beams for use in a future directional data transmission. Reference signals in the CSI subsection may be transmitted over quasi-co-located (QCL) antenna ports, and may be used for purposes of channel estimation.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to technology for a base station to signal user equipment to monitor a narrowband control channel in a wideband system. The base station sends a configuration signaling to configure the user equipment including a designation of subframe(s). The base station then determines whether to signal the user equipment to monitor the subframe(s) using one of a narrowband bandwidth and a system bandwidth. In response to the base station signaling the user equipment to monitor the narrowband bandwidth, the base station communicates with the user equipment using the narrowband bandwidth. In response to the base station signaling the user equipment to monitor the system bandwidth, the base station sends a probe message within the narrowband bandwidth to the user equipment, where the probe message signals to the user equipment to begin monitoring the system bandwidth and to communicate with the user equipment using the system bandwidth.

Abstract: A method for operating a UE includes receiving, by the UE during an initial access sequence, a plurality of first inbound beams each transmitted by a communications controller in a different transmit direction over a first carrier, where the first inbound beams have a different subcarrier frequency range from each other, generating values of a receive metric in accordance with the first inbound beams, selecting one of the first inbound beams in accordance with the receive metric values, transmitting, by the UE, an indication of the selected first inbound beam, and receiving, by the UE, a second inbound beam transmitted by the communications controller in a transmit direction in accordance with the indication of the selected first inbound beam, where the second inbound beam has a second subcarrier frequency range of the first carrier that is different than a first subcarrier frequency range of the selected first inbound beam.

Abstract: The hidden node problem can be avoided by scheduling stations in different sectors to perform transmissions during different time periods. Sectorized scheduling can be communicated to stations through transmission of beamformed beacon signals at the beginning of respective time periods. For instance, a first beamformed beacon signal may be transmitted to stations in a first sector at the beginning of a first time period, while a second beamformed beacon signal may be transmitted to stations in a second sector at the beginning of a second time period.

Abstract: A method for transmitting a transmission to a station in a wireless network includes transmitting a preamble of the transmission to the station using a first channel with a first bandwidth, the preamble including a first indicator indicating a second channel with a second bandwidth, the second bandwidth greater than the first bandwidth, and transmitting a data portion of the transmission to the station using the second channel with the second bandwidth.

Abstract: A method for measuring delay in a wireless fidelity (WiFi) network includes measuring a delay associated with transmission of a packet through the WiFi network in response to a measurement request from a requesting device, and contending for access to a communications channel of the WiFi network after measurement of the delay. The method also includes transmitting the delay as measured to the access point using the communications channel after a successful contention.

Abstract: A device and method for transmission and reception of control and data channels with a group reference signal (GRS). A GRS may include a first common reference signal associated with a first group of users and a second common reference signal associated with a second group of users. Some users or channels can be grouped to use one set of common reference signals and other users or channels can be grouped to use another set of common reference signals.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for setting a clear channel assessment (CCA) threshold includes receiving, by a station from a first access point, a first message including an information element and determining a CCA threshold in accordance with the information element. The method also includes detecting a power level of a channel between the station and the access point to produce a first detected power level and comparing the first detected power level and the CCA threshold. Additionally, the method includes transmitting, by the station to the first access point on the channel, a second message when the detected power level is less than the CCA threshold.

Abstract: System and method embodiments are provided for adaptive pilot allocation. In an embodiment, a method in a communication controller for adaptive pilot allocation includes determining at least one channel condition parameter for a wireless channel between the communications controller and a user equipment (UE). The method includes selecting a microframe pilot pattern to use for subsequent communications on the wireless channel according to the at least one channel condition parameter. Additionally, the method includes signaling an indication of the selected microframe pilot pattern to the user equipment. The method further includes transmitting data to the UE using the selected microframe pilot pattern.

Abstract: A method for receiving wideband (WB) LTE uplink signals. A base station may signal a first frequency tone assignment to a first user equipment (UE), the first frequency tone assignment scheduling at least a first set of subcarriers allocated to the first UE, subcarriers in the first set of subcarriers being non-contiguous in the frequency domain. Subcarriers in the first set of subcarriers may be interleaved with subcarriers in a second set of subcarriers. The first UE may perform a first single carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) uplink transmission over the first set of subcarriers. A second UE may perform a second SC-FDMA uplink transmission, the second SC-FDMA uplink transmission spanning the second set of subcarriers.

Abstract: A method embodiment includes receiving, by a network device, collided first and second transmissions, signaling a retransmission request to a first source of the collided first transmission, receiving a retransmitted first transmission, and recovering the collided second transmission using the collided first and second transmissions and the retransmitted first transmission.

Abstract: A system and method of scheduling transmissions. A wireless device such as an eNodeB (eNB) may schedule a transmission of a wideband (WB) signal on a micro-frame selected from a plurality of WB micro-frames of a WB carrier. A narrowband (NB) subframe may span a portion of the selected WB micro-frame in the frequency-domain, and the selected WB micro-frame may overlap at least a portion of the NB subframe in the time-domain. The WB signal and an NB signal may be transmitted over the WB micro-frame and the NB subframe in accordance with a first numerology and a second numerology, respectively. A WB subframe may be divided into a plurality of micro-frames. The transmission direction of the WB micro-frame may be scheduled according to a transmission rule based on the contents of a payload in the NB subframe.

Abstract: System and method embodiments are provided for a subframe structure for wideband LTE. In an embodiment, a method in a communications controller for transmitting a packet to a wireless device includes signaling a UL/DL configuration to the wireless device, wherein the UL/DL configuration indicates a quantity of uplink microframes in a group of microframes, wherein each subframe includes a plurality of microframes, and wherein the group of microframes includes a consecutive sequence downlink microframes and a consecutive sequence of uplink microframes. The packet is transmitted to the wireless device in one downlink microframe. The method further includes receiving an acknowledgement of the packet in an uplink microframe, wherein the uplink microframe is determined in accordance with the one downlink microframe and the uplink-downlink configuration, and wherein the acknowledgement is received in a same subframe as a subframe utilized for transmitting the packet to the wireless device.