Patent ID: 9213080
Filing Date: 2015-12-15
Classification: G01S,H04W

Abstract:
1. A method in a wireless communication apparatus of determining times when periodically-transmitted reference signals are muted in a cell of a wireless communication network, wherein said reference signals are transmitted at periodic reference signal occasions, said method comprising: determining a periodic muting sequence indicating a muting pattern used for muting said reference signals in the cell, wherein determining the periodic muting sequence comprises receiving a sequence of indicators in assistance data transmitted to the wireless communication apparatus, wherein each indicator represents a given reference signal occasion and indicates whether muting will be applied for that given reference signal occasion; determining a reference point relating the periodic muting pattern to a certain reference time, wherein determining the reference point comprises using a System Frame Number (SFN) of a reference cell in the wireless communication network as the reference point, and wherein relating the periodic muting pattern to the certain reference time comprises logically associating the first indicator in the sequence of indicators with the first reference signal occasion that starts after the beginning of SFN=0 in the reference cell; and determining when the reference signals are muted in the cell according to the periodic muting sequence and the reference point.