US-12627324-B2 - Methods and apparatus relating to communicating and/or using minimum frequency separation information to facilitate carrier aggregation and/or dual connectivity

Abstract

A master node (MN) communicating with a UE using resource of a first band of unlicensed spectrum sends an addition request to a selected secondary node, to request resources for supporting the UE in a second band of unlicensed spectrum. The addition request includes minimum frequency separation information and optionally a baseline reference frequency. The minimum frequency separation information communicated in the addition request, indicates a minimum amount of frequency separation to be maintained between the communication resources in the first band of unlicensed spectrum used for communications with the UE and communication resource in the second band of unlicensed spectrum to be used for communications with the UE. The secondary node selects a channel within the second band of unlicensed spectrum to use for communications with the UE, which will satisfy the minimum frequency separation requirement communicated in the addition request and avoid IDC problems for the UE.

Inventors

• Maulik Vaidya
• Ahmad Reza HEDAYAT
• Frank Azcuy
• Amitav Mukherjee
• Marcus Maranhao

Assignees

• CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS OPERATING, LLC

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20240804

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A communications method, the method comprising: receiving, at a first node, first user equipment (UE) capability information from a first UE, said first UE capability information communicating first frequency information indicating a first minimum frequency separation to be used to limit possible in-device-coexistence (IDC) interference at the first UE; sending a message from the first node to a second node, said message including second frequency information indicating a second minimum frequency separation to be maintained when the second node allocates one or more frequencies to be used by the first UE, said second minimum frequency separation being greater than or equal to the first minimum frequency separation; and operating the first node to communicate with the first UE over a first channel while the second node communicates with the first UE over a second channel which is separated from said first channel by at least said second minimum frequency separation.
2. 2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said first node is a first base station; and wherein said second node is a second base station.
3. 3 . The communications method of claim 1 , wherein said message includes a baseline reference frequency with which said second minimum frequency separation is to be maintained.
4. 4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein said baseline reference frequency is a maximum frequency being used by the first node for communication with the first UE.
5. 5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising: selecting, at the second node, based on the second minimum frequency separation and the baseline reference frequency, said second channel to be used to communicate with the first UE.
6. 6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising: operating the second node to establish a cell which uses the selected second channel to support communications with the first UE; and communicating between the second node and the first UE using the selected second channel; and wherein the selected second channel is in a 6 GHz unlicensed band.
7. 7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said information indicating a second minimum frequency separation is communicated in a minimum frequency separation information element.
8. 8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein said minimum frequency separation information element indicates a minimum frequency separation that is required between a channel of a first unlicensed frequency band being used for communications between the first node and the first UE and a channel of a second unlicensed frequency band to be used by the second node for communications between the second node and the first UE.
9. 9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: operating the first node to transmits signals to the first UE via the first channel of the first frequency band of unlicensed spectrum while the second node simultaneously receives signals from the first UE via the second channel of the second frequency band of unlicensed spectrum, said concurrent transmission and reception being performed without subjecting the first UE to unacceptable IDC interference due to the second minimum frequency separation.
10. 10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising: operating the first node to receive signals from the first UE via the first channel of the first frequency band of unlicensed spectrum while the second node simultaneously transmits signals to the first UE via the second channel of the second frequency band of unlicensed spectrum, said concurrent reception and transmission being performed without experiencing unacceptable IDC interference due to the second minimum frequency separation.
11. 11 . A communications system comprising: a first node including a memory and a first processor coupled to said memory, the first processor being configured to operate the first node to: receive, at the first node, first user equipment (UE) capability information from a first UE, said first UE capability information communicating first frequency information indicating a first minimum frequency separation to be used to limit possible in-device-coexistence (IDC) interference at the first UE; send a message from the first node to a second node, said message including second frequency information indicating a second minimum frequency separation to be maintained when the second node allocates one or more frequencies to be used by the first UE, said second minimum frequency separation being greater than or equal to the first minimum frequency separation; and operate the first node to communicate with the first UE over a first channel while the second node communicates with the first UE over a second channel which is separated from said first channel by at least said second minimum frequency separation.
12. 12 . The communications system of claim 11 , wherein said first node is a first base station; and wherein said second node is a second base station.
13. 13 . The communications system of claim 11 , wherein said message further includes a baseline reference frequency with which said second minimum frequency separation is to be maintained.
14. 14 . The communications system of claim 13 , wherein said baseline reference frequency is a maximum frequency being used by the first node for communication with the first UE.
15. 15 . The communications system of claim 14 , further comprising said second node including a second processor configured to: select, at the second node, based on the second minimum frequency separation and the baseline reference frequency, said second channel to be used to communicate with the first UE.
16. 16 . The communications system of claim 14 , wherein said second processor is further configured to: operate the second node to establish a cell which uses the selected second channel to support communications with the first UE; and operate the second node to communicate between the second node and the first UE using the selected second channel; and wherein the selected second channel is in a 6 GHz unlicensed band.
17. 17 . The communications system of claim 11 , wherein said information indicating a second minimum frequency separation is communicated in a minimum frequency separation information element.
18. 18 . The communications system of claim 11 , wherein said first processor is further configured to operate the first node to transmit signals to the first UE via the first channel of the first frequency band of unlicensed spectrum while the second node simultaneously receives signals from the first UE via the second channel of the second frequency band of unlicensed spectrum, said concurrent transmission and reception being performed without subjecting the first UE to unacceptable IDC interference due to the implemented second minimum frequency separation.
19. 19 . The communications system of claim 18 , wherein said first processor is further configured to operate the first node to receive signals from the first UE via the first channel of the first frequency band of unlicensed spectrum while the second processor is further configured to operate the second node to simultaneously transmit signals to the first UE via the second channel of the second frequency band of unlicensed spectrum, said concurrent reception and transmission being performed without experiencing unacceptable IDC interference due to the implemented second minimum frequency separation.
20. 20 . A non-transitory computer readable medium including machine executable instructions which when executed by a processor of a first node causes the first node to perform the steps of: receiving, at the first node, first user equipment (UE) capability information from a first UE, said first UE capability information communicating first frequency information indicating a first minimum frequency separation to be used to limit possible in-device-coexistence (IDC) interference at the first UE; sending a message from the first node to a second node, said message including second frequency information indicating a second minimum frequency separation to be maintained when the second node allocates one or more frequencies to be used by the first UE, said second minimum frequency separation being greater than or equal to the first minimum frequency separation; and operating the first node to communicate with the first UE over a first channel while the second node communicates with the first UE over a second channel which is separated from said first channel by at least said second minimum frequency separation.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/877,455 filed on Jul. 29, 2022 which published as U.S. Patent Application Publication No.: US 2024-0039565 A1 on Jan. 1, 2024 and which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety. FIELD The present application relates to wireless communications, and more particularly, to methods and apparatus for controlling, managing and/or eliminating in-device-coexistence (IDC) problems with respect to using multiple unlicensed spectrum bands, e.g., as part of dual connectivity operations. BACKGROUND New Radio Unlicensed (NR-U) technology was normatively specified by 3GPP in Rel-16 standards for operation in unlicensed spectrum world-wide. NR-U technology was defined to operate in: Frequency Range 1 (FR1) from 410 MHZ-7.125 GHz and Frequency Range 2 (FRS) from 24.250-71 GHz. NR-U technology was defined to work in the following modes: a) License-assisted via Carrier Aggregation (CA), b) License-assisted via Dual Connectivity (DC), and c) Standalone. Both License-assisted via Carrier Aggregation (CA) mode and License-assisted via Dual Connectivity (DC) mode require a licensed carrier as the primary carrier (PCell or PSCell). Although, not explicitly mentioned, it was understood that when operating in License-assisted via Carrier Aggregation (CA) mode or License-assisted via Dual Connectivity (DC) mode, only a single unlicensed band was employed. In the USA, 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands have long been used for unlicensed access (mostly via WiFi—and IEEE 802.11 technology). Although in the USA, FCC did not mandate Listen-Before-Talk (LBT) mechanism for these bands, regulators in other parts of the world (e.g., EU) did mandate it. Moreover, LBT was a key mandatory mechanism In IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac specifications. In the USA, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently ruled on making additional spectrum available for unlicensed use. (See FCC R&O on Unlicensed use of 6 GHz band.) With the above-mentioned ruling, there are three spectrum bands available for unlicensed use: i) 2.4 GHz, ii) 5 GHz (3GPP defines this band as n46 (See 3GPP TS 38.10101, NR; User Equipment (UE) radio transmission and reception Part 1: Range 1 Standalone, V17.3.0); and iii) 6 GHz (3GPP defines this band as n96 (See 3GPP TS 38.10101, NR; User Equipment (UE) radio transmission and reception Part 1: Range 1 Standalone, V17.3.0). As such, aggregation, when using 3GPP NR-U, of channels (e.g., 20 MHz per channel) across these bands is also possible. However, give the uncertainty around channel access (due to LBT), without additional techniques, a device (e.g., a UE) may end up transmitting data (in the uplink direction) to a base station (e.g., a gNB) whilst receiving data (in the downlink direction). Given the close proximity (in the frequency domain) of the unlicensed bands (mentioned above, e.g., n46 and n96) in the FR1 range, this can result in self-interference at the UE. A similar issue may arise at the base station (e.g., gNB) side as well. Based on the above description there is a need for new methods and apparatus to prevent self-interference problems in environments in which a UE may be communicating using multiple unlicensed bands concurrently. SUMMARY Methods and apparatus for facilitating user equipment (UE) communications using resources from two bands of unlicensed spectrum, e.g., 5 GHz n46 and 6 GHz n96, while avoiding in-device coexistence problems are described. A master node (MN) communicating with the UE using resource of a first band of unlicensed spectrum sends an addition request to a selected secondary node, to request resources for supporting the UE in a second band of unlicensed spectrum. The addition request includes minimum frequency separation information and optionally a baseline reference frequency. The minimum frequency separation information communicated in the addition request is based on received device capability information from the UE. Different UEs may, and sometimes do, have different requirements for minimum frequency separation to avoid an in-device coexistence (IDC) problem. The minimum frequency separation information communicated in the addition request, indicates a minimum amount of frequency separation to be maintained between the communication resources in the first band of unlicensed spectrum used for communications with the UE and communication resource in the second band of unlicensed spectrum to be used for communications with the UE. In some embodiments, the baseline reference frequency includes a edge value, e.g. a maximum frequency value, of the resources being used for communications with the UE in the first communications band of unlicensed spectrum. The secondary node selects a channel within the second band of unlicensed spectrum to use for communications with the UE, which will satisfy the minimum frequency separation requirement communicated in the addition request. For sak