Wireless communication system control of carrier aggregation for a wireless relay

A wireless communication system controls Carrier Aggregation (CA) at a wireless relay. A wireless access point wirelessly receives user data and transfers a first portion of the user data to a wireless User Equipment (UE) using a UE CA configuration and a second portion of the user data to the wireless relay using a relay CA configuration, wherein the wireless relay wirelessly serves additional UEs. The wireless access point determines an amount of the transferred user data and translates the amount of the transferred user data into a new UE CA configuration and a new relay CA configuration. The wireless access point wirelessly receives additional user data and transfers a first portion of the additional user data to the wireless UE using the new UE CA configuration and a second portion of the additional user data to the wireless relay using the new relay CA configuration.

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND

Wireless communication systems transfer data packets between User Equipment (UE) to provide data communication services, like internet access, voice calls, media streaming, user messaging, among other communication services. Wireless communication systems allow users to move about and communicate over the air with access communication. Some wireless communication systems use Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) to exchange wireless data with UEs. In OFDM communication systems, resource blocks are used to transfer data simultaneously over various time slots and frequency carriers. One popular wireless communication system that uses the resource block allocation scheme of OFDM communication systems is Long Term Evolution (LTE) communication networks.

To expand or enhance the wireless signal coverage of a wireless communication network, wireless communication relays are added to locations not adequately covered by current network infrastructure. A relay exchanges wireless signaling and data between UEs and another wireless access point. Without the signal repetition provided by the wireless relay, the coverage area of the wireless network access point may otherwise have not extended far enough to serve the UEs using the relay. Thus, a wireless relay provides a less resource intensive means for increasing wireless network coverage. Wireless relays typically backhaul traffic through a communication link to a donor base station.

A wireless communication system may employ Carrier Aggregation (CA). CA allows communication networks, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) networks, to use multiple resource blocks simultaneously for a UE. A UE uses uplink CA to increase data throughput and transmission speeds to a wireless relay or donor base station. Wireless communication systems can aggregate carriers over frequencies bands using Intra-Band Contiguous CA, Intra-Band Non-Contiguous CA, and Inter-Band CA. Intra-Band Contiguous CA uses component carriers that are in the same frequency band and are adjacent to each other. Intra-Band Non-Contiguous CA uses component carriers that are in the same frequency band but are not adjacent to each other. Inter-Band CA uses component carriers that are in different frequency bands.

Wireless communication networks allow multiple relays and UEs to be connected to a donor base station. CA configurations for relays and UEs may be set up upon attachment and may be determined based on the combination of relays and UEs attached to the wireless communication network. While providing CA to both relays and UEs may allow higher throughput rate, this may also lead to a limited number of resources available to relays serving additional relays and UEs which require additional downlink tonnage. Unfortunately, existing CA configuration determinations do not differentiate between UEs and relays and therefore, a method to dynamically control CA for relays and UEs is needed.

TECHNICAL OVERVIEW

A wireless A wireless communication system controls Carrier Aggregation (CA) at a wireless relay. A wireless access point wirelessly receives user data and transfers a first portion of the user data to a wireless User Equipment (UE) using a UE CA configuration and a second portion of the user data to the wireless relay using a relay CA configuration, wherein the wireless relay wirelessly serves additional UEs. The wireless access point determines an amount of the transferred user data and translates the amount of the transferred user data into a new UE CA configuration and a new relay CA configuration. The wireless access point wirelessly receives additional user data and transfers a first portion of the additional user data to the wireless UE using the new UE CA configuration and a second portion of the additional user data to the wireless relay using the new relay CA configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1-3illustrate wireless communication system100to control Carrier Aggregation (CA) at a wireless relay. Wireless communication system100transfers data between User Equipment (UEs) to provide data communication services, like internet access, media streaming, voice calls, user messaging, among other services. Referring toFIG. 1, wireless communication system100comprises User Equipment (UE)101, UE102, wireless relay110, wireless access point120, and communication network130. UE101communicates with wireless access point120over wireless link140. UE102communicates with wireless relay110over wireless link141. Wireless relay110communicates with wireless access point120over wireless link142. Wireless access point120communicates with communication network130over communication link143.

UEs101-102could be a phone, tablet computer, media device, intelligent machine, or some other apparatus having a wireless communication transceiver. UEs101-102include processing circuitry and memory that store and execute various software modules. UEs101-102comprise communication transceivers, such as antennas, ports, bus interfaces, signal processors, memory, and software. UEs101-102are capable to using CA for exchanging data with wireless relay110and wireless access point120. CA allows UEs101-102to exchange a greater amount of data over a shorter period of time by scheduling multiple resource blocks. UEs101-102may use a primary component carrier to exchange signaling and data over a primary uplink carrier and one or more secondary component carriers to exchange additional data over additional uplink carriers.

Wireless relay110may comprise a mini-macro cell, a femtocell, a picocell, or some other wireless base station capable of providing wireless communication services to UE102. Wireless access point120may comprise a macro base station, a wireless hotspot, an evolved NodeB (eNodeB), or some other base station that may provide wireless communication services to UE101directly and UE102over wireless relay110. Wireless relay110and wireless access point120each include communication interfaces, microprocessors, storage systems, or some other processing systems or software systems, and may be distributed among multiple devices.

In particular, wireless relay110and wireless access point120may be configured to provide wireless coverage to one or more UEs for voice calls, media streaming, internet access, text messages, and the like. Wireless relay110is capable of transferring user data to UE102using UE CA. Wireless access point120is capable of transferring user data to wireless relay110using relay CA and user data to UE101using UE CA. Wireless access point120is also capable of determining an amount of transferred user data and translating the amount of user data into a new UE CA configuration and a new relay CA configuration.

Wireless links140-142may use air or space to transport media. Wireless links140-141may use protocols, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) and Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM). Wireless link142may use protocols, such as LTE, OFDM, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), LTE Wireless Aggregation (LWA), Internet Protocol (IP), Wireless Fidelity (WiFi), or some other wireless communication format—including combinations thereof.

Communication link143may use metal, glass, optics, air, space, or some other material as the transport media. Communication link143may use Time Division Multiplexing (TDM), IP, Ethernet, Synchronous Optical Networking (SONET), communication signaling, wireless communications, or some other communication format—including improvements thereof. Communication link143may be a direct link, or can include intermediate networks, systems, or devices, and can include a logical network link transported over multiple physical links.

In operation, wireless access point120wirelessly receives user data. User data may include attachment and registration information to establish signaling between UEs101-102and wireless relay110with communication network. The user data may comprise an Access Point Number (APN) data set for UEs101-102and wireless relay110. The user data may characterize established bearer data, such as Quality-of-Service (QoS) Class Indicators (QCIs).

Wireless access120transfers a first portion of the user data to UE101using a UE CA configuration and a second portion of the user data to wireless relay110using a relay CA configuration. Wireless networks can aggregate carriers over frequencies bands using Intra-Band Contiguous CA, Intra-Band Non-Contiguous CA, and Inter-Band CA. Intra-Band Contiguous CA uses component carriers that are in the same frequency band and are adjacent to each other. Intra-Band Non-Contiguous CA uses component carriers that are in the same frequency band but are not adjacent to each other. Inter-Band CA uses component carriers that are in different frequency bands.

In a next operation, wireless access point120determines an amount of the transferred user data. Wireless access point120translates the amount of the transferred user data into a new UE CA configuration and a new relay CA configuration. The new UE CA configuration and the new relay CA configuration may include a new resource block allocation schedule, disablement of a percentage of the UE CA configuration, or complete disablement of the UE CA configuration. The new UE CA configuration and the new relay CA configuration may further include an Interband Contiguous channel allocation configuration, and Interband Non-Contiguous channel allocation configuration, or an Intraband Non-Contiguous channel allocation configuration.

In a final operation, wireless access point120wirelessly receives additional user data and transfers a portion of the additional user data to UE101using the new UE CA configuration and a second portion of the additional user data to wireless relay110using the new relay CA configuration. Advantageously, this allows optimal resource allocation management for wireless relay110serving additional wireless relays and UEs, such as UE102, which may result in better utilization of backhaul resources and downlink throughput for the sector served by wireless access point120.

FIG. 2is a flow diagram illustrating an operation of wireless communication system100to control CA at a wireless relay. Wireless access point120wirelessly receives (201) user data and transfers (201) a first portion of the user data to UE101using a UE CA configuration and a second portion of the user data to wireless relay110using a relay CA configuration. Wireless access point120determines (202) an amount of the transferred user data and translates (202) the amount of the transferred user data into a new UE CA configuration and a new relay CA configuration. Wireless access point120wirelessly receives (203) additional user data and transfers (203) a first portion of the additional user data to UE101using the new UE CA configuration and a second portion of the additional user data to wireless relay110using the new relay CA configuration.

FIG. 3is a sequence diagram illustrating the operation of wireless communication system100to control CA at a wireless relay. Wireless access point120wirelessly receives user data and transfers a first portion of the user data to UE101using a UE CA configuration and a second portion of the user data to wireless relay110using a relay CA configuration. For example, wireless access point120may receive Voice over LTE (VoLTE) user data, relay backhaul data, and UE video streaming data from communication network130. Wireless access point120may then transfer the VoLTE user data to UE101using a UE CA configuration and the relay backhaul data to wireless relay110using a relay CA configuration.

In this example, the UE CA configuration may include an Interband Non-Contiguous CA configuration where UE101is transferred signaling over a primary component carrier in a first frequency band and VoLTE data over two secondary component carriers in a second frequency band from wireless access point120. The relay CA configuration may include an Intraband Contiguous CA configuration where wireless relay110is transferred signaling over a primary component carrier in a frequency band and relay backhaul data and UE video streaming data over four adjacent secondary component carriers in the same frequency band as the primary component carrier from wireless access point120.

Wireless access point120determines an amount of the transferred user data and translates the amount of the transferred user data into a new UE CA configuration and a new relay CA configuration. In some examples, wireless access point120may determine an amount of the user data for a particular APN and translate the amount of the transferred user data for the particular APN into a new UE CA configuration and a new relay CA configuration. In other examples, wireless access point120may determine an amount of the user data for a media conference APN and translate the amount of the transferred user data for the media conference APN into a new UE CA configuration and a new relay CA configuration.

For example, wireless access point120may determine that UE101is receiving VoLTE data based on the particular APN associated with UE101. Wireless access point120may also determine that wireless relay110is receiving relay backhaul data and UE video streaming data based on the particular APNs associated with wireless relay110. Wireless access point120may then translate each of the APNs to determine that wireless relay110requires a new relay CA configuration with an additional secondary component carrier and a new UE CA configuration with one less secondary component carrier.

In other examples, wireless access point120may determine an amount of QCIs for the transferred user data and translate the amount of the transferred user data for the QCIs into a new UE CA configuration and a new relay CA configuration. In other examples, wireless access point120may determine an amount of a media service QCIs for the transferred user data and translate the amount of the transferred user data for the media service QCIs into a new UE CA configuration and a new relay CA configuration.

Wireless access point120then wirelessly receives additional user data and transfers a first portion of the additional user data to UE101using the new UE CA configuration and a second portion of the additional user data to wireless relay110using the new relay CA configuration. For example, wireless access point120may receive additional relay backhaul data, UE video streaming data, and VoLTE data from communication network130. Wireless access point120may then transfer the additional relay backhaul data and UE video streaming data to wireless relay110using an additional component carrier in a second frequency band in addition to the original primary component carrier and four adjacent secondary carriers in the first frequency band. Wireless access point120may also transfer the VoLTE user data to UE101using the primary component carrier in the first frequency band but only one secondary component carrier in the second frequency band.

FIG. 4illustrates Long Term Evolution (LTE) communication system400to control CA at a relay. LTE communication system400is an example of wireless communication system100, although wireless communication system100may use alternative configurations and operations. LTE communication system400includes UE401, UE402, UE403, LTE relay410, LTE relay411, and eNodeB420. eNodeB420contains an antenna system, a Remote Radio Head (RRH), a Baseband Unit (BBU), and a Cell Switch Router (CSR). The BBU contains a Common Public Radio Interface (CPRI), memory, a resource block scheduler, and an Ethernet interface.

UE401, UE402, UE403, LTE relay410, and LTE relay411are each receiving data and signaling associated with a particular APN from eNodeB420. As indicated on the table inFIG. 4, APN1is associated with relay backhaul data, APN2is associated with relay signaling, APN3is associated with UE internet access, APN4is associated with UE VoLTE calls, and APN5is associated with UE video streaming.

UE401exchanges UE internet access data (APN3) and UE video streaming data (APN5) with eNodeB420using a UE CA configuration. LTE relay410exchanges relay backhaul data (APN1), relay signaling data (APN2), UE internet access data (APN3), and UE VoLTE call data (APN4) with eNodeB420using a relay CA configuration. UE402exchanges UE VoLTE call data (APN4) with LTE relay410using a UE CA configuration. LTE relay410exchanges relay backhaul data (APN1), relay signaling data (APN2), and UE internet access data (APN3) with LTE relay411using a relay CA configuration. UE403exchanges UE VoLTE call data (APN4) with LTE relay410using a UE CA configuration.

In operation, eNodeB420wirelessly receives user data associated with APNs1-5. eNodeB420then transfers user data for APNs3and5to UE401using a UE CA configuration of one primary component carrier in a 1.9 gigahertz (GHz) frequency band and two secondary component carriers in a 2.5 GHz frequency band. eNodeB420also transfers user data associated with APNs1-4to LTE relay410using one primary component carrier and two component carriers in the 1.9 GHz frequency band and two secondary component carrier in the 2.5 GHz frequency band.

eNodeB420then determines an amount of the transferred user data for each of the particular APNs and translates the amount of the transferred user data into a new UE CA configuration for LTE relay410and a new relay CA configuration for UE401. The new CA configurations may be translated by calculating weighted percentages of total CA availability for each of LTE relay410and UE401based on a number of APNs and APN type. For example, APNs associated with media conference data may be translated into more CA carriers than an APN associated with relay signaling. eNodeB420may also use other techniques to determine and translate the transferred user data into new CA configurations, such as a number of QCIs and QCI types.

In this example, the new relay CA configuration for LTE relay410includes an additional secondary component carrier in the 2.5 GHz frequency band and the new UE CA configuration for UE401includes one less secondary component carrier in the 2.5 GHz frequency band. In response to determining the new CA configurations, eNodeB420sends an instruction indicating the new relay CA configuration to LTE relay410and an instruction indicating the new UE relay CA configuration to UE401. NodeB420then wirelessly receives additional user data and transfers the additional user data associated with APNs3and5to UE401using the new UE CA configuration and the additional user data associated with APNs1-4to LTE relay410using the new relay CA configuration.

FIG. 5illustrates a graph of eNodeB420to control CA at a relay. As indicated on the graph, the amount of CA carriers used by UE401, UE402, UE403, LTE relay410, and LTE relay411is proportional to the total amount of user data received from by eNodeB420. In this scenario, the amount of user data is determined based on the APN loading where a particular APN is associated with either relay services or UE services. As the APN loading increases, the amount of CA carriers allocated to LTE relay410on eNodeB420and LTE relay411on LTE relay410increases. In contrast, as the amount of APN loading increases, the amount of CA carriers allocated to UE401on eNodeB420, UE402on LTE relay410, and UE403on LTE relay411decreases.

Still referring toFIG. 5, the amount of CA carriers allocated to LTE relay411may increase at a lower rate than LTE relay410due to the particular APNs used by each of the LTE relays and the weighted percentages associated with those particular APNs. On the other hand, the amount of CA carriers allocated to UE402on LTE relay410and UE403on LTE relay411may decrease at a lower rate due to the fact that UE402and UE403are likely located further away from eNodeB420and therefore cause less interference with other relays and UEs directly linked to eNodeB420. However, it should be noted that other distribution curves are available depending on the number and type of APNs used by each of LTE relays410-411and UEs401-403.

FIG. 6illustrates wireless access point600to control CA for a relay. Wireless access point600is an example of wireless access point120and eNodeB420, although wireless access point120and eNodeB420may use alternative configurations and operations. Wireless access point600includes a data communication interface system comprising network transceiver601, UE transceiver602, and relay transceiver603. Wireless relay600also contains data processing system604. Data processing system604is linked to network transceiver601, UE transceiver602, and relay transceiver603.

In particular, network transceiver601may be configured to receive user data from a data communication network. UE transceiver602may be configured to transfer user data to a UE using a UE CA configuration and additional user data to the UE using a new UE CA configuration. Relay transceiver603may be configured to transfer user data to a wireless relay using a relay CA configuration and additional user data to the wireless relay using a new relay CA configuration.

Data processing system604includes processing circuitry605and storage system606that stores software607. Processing circuitry605comprises a microprocessor and other circuitry that retrieves and executes software607from storage system606. Storage system606comprises a non-transitory storage medium, such as a disk drive, flash drive, data storage circuitry, or some other memory apparatus. Software607comprises computer programs, firmware, or some other form of machine-readable processing instructions. Software607may further include an operating system, utilities, drivers, network interfaces, applications, or some other type of software. When executed by processing circuitry605, software607directs processing system604to operate wireless relay600as described herein.

In particular, when executed by processing circuitry605, user data module608directs processing circuitry605to receive user data from data communication network. When executed by processing circuitry605, user data module608also directs processing circuitry605to determine an amount of the transferred user data. When executed by processing circuitry605, UE CA configuration module609directs processing circuitry605to transfer a first portion of the user data to a wireless UE using a UE CA configuration. When executed by processing circuitry605, UE CA configuration module609also directs processing circuitry605to translate the amount of user data into a new UE CA configuration. When executed by processing circuitry605, UE CA configuration module609also directs processing circuitry605to transfer a first portion of additional user data to the wireless UE using the new UE CA configuration.

When executed by processing circuitry605, relay CA configuration module610directs processing circuitry605to transfer a second portion of the user data to a wireless relay using a relay CA configuration. When executed by processing circuitry605, relay CA configuration module610also directs processing circuitry605to translate the amount of user data into a new relay CA configuration. When executed by processing circuitry605, relay CA configuration module610also directs processing circuitry605to transfer a second portion of additional user data to the wireless relay using the new relay CA configuration.

The above descriptions and associated figures depict specific embodiments to teach those skilled in the art how to make and use the best mode of the invention. The following claims specify the scope of the invention. Note that some aspects of the best mode may not fall within the scope of the invention as specified by the claims. Those skilled in the art will appreciate variations from these embodiments that fall within the scope of the invention and that the features described above can be combined in various ways to form multiple embodiments. As a result, the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, but only by the claims and their equivalents.