Abstract: A new approach to generating a probing signal by a cell in a heterogeneous network (HetNet) deployment is proposed. A small cell in the HetNet may be switched off by a base station when the small cell is not needed. The small cell is configured to alternate between an off-state and on-state. The small cell maintains the on-state for a predetermined probing period and maintains the off-state for a predetermined off period. The small cell may switch between the on-state and the off-state periodically. The small cell may be activated during a predetermined off period to transmit data to a user device.

Abstract: The proposed approach contemplates systems and methods configured to utilize a modified reference signal to facilitate efficient discovery of as many cells as possible within one channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) sub-frame while maintaining certain detection and measurement performance. The proposed approach is configured to unambiguously discover at least the number of anticipated small cells within one cluster and to further identify all small cells within the coverage area of a base station/macro cell. In some embodiments, frequency multiplexing is utilized to allow different cells to transmit their discovery signals on different physical resource blocks (PRBs) rather than one cell using every PRB over the entire system bandwidth.

Abstract: The present application discloses systems and methods for adjusting a back-off value for a rank. In some embodiment, the method includes the steps of: (a) determining whether the rank is underutilized and (b) in response to determining that the rank is underutilized, decreasing the back-off value as a function of time while the rank remains underutilized.

Abstract: A method and system for obtaining system information from a plurality of cells in a network based on a downlink (DL) synchronization signal block (SB) burst used by the plurality of cells to transmit information to user equipment (UE) wherein the DL SB burst includes a plurality of SB's each containing synchronization information for one or more of the plurality of cells.

Abstract: In a heterogeneous network deployment that includes a macro base station and one or more low power nodes, a discovery signal is transmitted to facilitate the identification of low power nodes. The discovery signal is transmitted on a selected subset of resource elements, previously unused, to maintain backward compatibility with legacy user equipment. The transmission sequence and/or the locations of resource elements used for transmitting the discovery signal can identify the low power node to a user equipment.

Abstract: Systems and methods for small cell distributed precoding. In one embodiment, a method includes: receiving remote precoding information from a plurality of small cells; sending local precoding information to the plurality of small cells; and transmitting an output signal as part of a joint transmission with the plurality of small cells in response to the receiving the remote precoding information, wherein the output signal is based on the remote precoding information and a user equipment data vector.

Abstract: An auxiliary cell identity (ACI) is proposed besides the conventional physical cell identity carried on the synchronization channels. The ACI is designed and configured to be transmitted in one or more primary regions and one or more secondary regions and transmitted by a base station/cell to a plurality of user equipment (UEs) located within coverage of the cell in one or more transmissions. Each of the UEs is configured to detects the transmitted ACI and identifies the cell based on the detected ACI.

Abstract: A new approach to deployment of a hybrid node in a cellular communication network is proposed, wherein the hybrid node includes a plurality of antennas that simultaneously serve a plurality of cells in the cellular communication network by transmitting or receiving signals to or from the cells at the same time. The cellular communication network further includes a partner cell among the plurality of cells served by the hybrid node, wherein the partner cell is a soft cell that maintains communication channels with antennas of more than one node at the same time. The cellular communication network further includes a hybrid cell among the plurality of cells also served by the hybrid node, wherein the hybrid cell is a hard cell that maintains communication channels with antennas of only one node at any one time.

Abstract: Methods and devices provide a feedback message having unequal error protection. The feedback message may include channel quality indicators. The channel quality indicators may have different levels of error protection based on a transmission property.

Abstract: A serving cell configures a search window within which a UE searches to find a discovery burst. The discovery burst may include PSS, SSS, DS, CSI-RS or other signals. The UE detects synchronization signals and determines if the synchronization signals are part of the discovery burst by detecting signal properties to distinguish them from legacy or other synchronization signals. One property is the time difference between a PSS and an SSS in a discovery burst. Other properties are the frequency difference between a PSS and an SSS, and the sequence of the synchronization signals. If the UE determines that the synchronization signals are part of the discovery burst, the UE performs RRM measurements on other signals in the discovery burst, and reports the measurements results to a serving cell. The serving cell decides if a UE should be handed over to the measured cell based on the measurement reports.

Abstract: Provided is a method and wireless communication system that includes a HetNet, a serving cell with an associated coverage area and multiple additional low power nodes (LPNs) deployed in one or more clusters of cells in the coverage area. The LPNs transmit an associated discovery signal based on the timing of the associated small cell. The serving cell is configured to determine the timing of the cells and therefore the transmission pattern of the discovery signals and the serving cell configures measurement gaps such that the discovery signals are transmitted during the measurement gaps. The network is adapted to accomplish this for various degrees of granularity and timing measurement inaccuracies by placing the measurement gaps and/or adjusting the discovery signal (DS) transmission scheme accordingly.

Abstract: A wireless communication technique includes configuring a first antenna group to transmit common system information, a common reference signal, and data according to a first format and a second format to wireless devices in a cell, configuring a second antenna group to transmit data according to the second format, but no common system information or common reference signals, to wireless devices in the cell and dynamically assigning, based on a network operational status, antennas from a plurality of antennas to either the first antenna group or the second antenna group.

Abstract: A mobile terminal, method and non-transitory computer-readable medium for simultaneously utilizing at least two different radio access technologies (RATs). In one embodiment, the mobile terminal includes: at least one processor configured to control and coordinate first and second radio resource control functions corresponding to first and second RATs, respectively; and map a logical channel to first and second transport channels corresponding to the first and second RATs.

Abstract: A network node, method and non-transitory computer-readable medium for simultaneously utilizing at least two different radio access technologies (RATs). In one embodiment, the network node includes at least one processor configured to: activate a first radio resource control (RRC) component corresponding to a first RAT, wherein the first RAT is a default RAT of a mobile terminal configured to communicate with the network node; determine whether a second RAT is available to the mobile terminal based on at least one predetermined criterion; and if the second RAT is available, activate a second RRC component corresponding to the second RAT, wherein both the first RAT and the second RAT are active at the same time to communicate with the mobile terminal.

Abstract: A method and system for wireless communication system provide for transmitting a scheduling grant to a User Equipment (UE) and configuring the UE with a configurable time offset. The method and system also provide for transmitting a scheduling grant to a node and configuring the node with a configurable time offset. The UE transmits or receives a communication scheduled by said scheduling grant, and this transmitting or receiving a communication is delayed from said transmitting a scheduling grant by the configurable time offset. The configurable time offset may be an integer of multiple orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols in some embodiments and postpones or adjusts the UE transmitting or receiving a communication, with respect to a regular start time based on the scheduling grant. The method and system find application in cross-carrier and cross-node systems.

Abstract: A plurality of signal transmissions, transmitted using a plurality of transmit powers, are received at a receiver over a communication channel. Each transmit power shares a common transmit power term unknown to the receiver and a signal-specific power offset known to the receiver. The received power is measured at the receiver. A corresponding known power offset is subtracted from the measured received signal power, resulting in a corresponding estimate of the common unknown power term. This results in a plurality of estimates of the common transmit power term. A refined common transmit power term is estimated from the plurality of estimates of the common transmit power term. A plurality of refined measured received signal powers are estimated by adding the plurality of signal-specific power offsets to the refined common power term. Based on the refined common transmit power term, a functionality of the wireless communication system is adapted.

Abstract: A method of small cell discovery in a wireless network deployment using a Channel State Information Reference System (CSI-RS) is proposed. First, a wireless communication system allocates pairs of resource elements in each resource block of a subframe to a CSI-RS configuration. A first of two orthogonal cover codes is applied to the first CSI-RS. The CSI-RS is transmitted by a small cell to a user equipment (UE). The UE utilizes the CSI-RS to perform small cell discovery and measurement of the small cell.

Abstract: A new approach to generating a probing signal by a cell in a heterogeneous network (HetNet) deployment is proposed. A small cell in the HetNet may be switched off by a base station when the small cell is not needed. The small cell is configured to alternate between an off-state and on-state. The small cell maintains the on-state for a predetermined probing period and maintains the off-state for a predetermined off period. The small cell may switch between the on-state and the off-state periodically. The small cell may be activated during a predetermined off period to transmit data to a user device.

Abstract: The proposed approach comtemplates systems and methods configured to utilize a modified reference signal to facilitate efficient discovery of as many cells as possible within one channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) sub-frame while maintaining certain detection and measurement performance. The proposed approach is configured to unambiguously discover at least the number of anticipated small cells within one cluster and to further identify all small cells within the coverage area of a base station/macro cell. In some embodiments, frequency multiplexing is utilized to allow different cells to transmit their discovery signals on different physical resource blocks (PRBs) rather than one cell using every PRB over the entire system bandwidth.

Abstract: The proposed approach contemplates systems and methods configured to transmit signals irregularly (sparsely) over a mobile communication network (carrier) in which reception gaps apply while increasing the likelihood that receivers will receive a signal at least once during a certain time period, called irregular signal period. First, a set of transmission offsets is selected, the transmission offsets defining a relative transmission time in a burst, such that if a burst would be transmitted using the selected transmission offsets, a receiver with any valid reception gap configuration would receive at least one signal in its whole duration. Then, during an irregular signal period, signals are transmitted in a sequence of one or more consecutive bursts using each of the transmission offsets in the selected set at least once, wherein the sequence of bursts may be preceded and/or followed by a period of no signal transmission.