Frame Number in Multicarrier Wireless Networks

Abstract

A base station is configured to communicate employing a plurality of carriers comprising at least one prime carrier and at least one non-prime carrier. The base station may transmit a system frame number in a physical broadcast channel in a frame on a prime carrier. The base station may transmit and receive, employing a communication interface, packets in the frames on a non-prime carrier. The communication interface employs the system frame number transmitted in the frame of the prime carrier. The non-prime carrier is configured to operate without broadcasting the system frame number on the non-prime carrier.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 a) transmitting at least one control message to a wireless device, said at least one control message configured to cause configuration of a plurality of carriers, said plurality of carriers configured to transmit symbols in a sequential series of frames, said plurality of carriers comprising:
 i) at least one prime carrier; and 
 ii) at least one non-prime carrier; 
   b) transmitting a system frame number, by said base station, in a frame in said sequential series of frames on a prime carrier in said at least one prime carrier;   c) transmitting and receiving, by said base station employing a communication interface, a plurality of packets in said frame on a non-prime carrier in said at least one non-prime carrier, wherein said non-prime carrier is configured to operate without broadcasting said system frame number on said non-prime carrier.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting, by said base station, the same system frame number in said frame of each of said at least one prime carrier. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said base station is further configured to communicate with a first category of wireless devices:
 a) configured to receive said at least one prime carrier; and   b) unable to receive said at least one non-prime carrier.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said base station is further configured to communicate with a second category of wireless devices configured to receive:
 a) said at least one prime carrier; and   b) said at least one non-prime carrier.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said at least one prime carrier has a larger coverage area than at least one of said at least one non-prime carrier. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising scrambling, by said base station, said control blocks transmitted on said physical broadcast channel with a carrier-specific sequence prior to modulation. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising modulating, by said base station, said control blocks transmitted on said physical broadcast channel employing QPSK modulation. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising encoding, by said base station, said control blocks employing tail biting convolutional coding before transmission. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising adding, by said base station, CRC bits to an encoded control block before transmission, said CRC bits scrambled according to an antenna configuration of a transmitter in said base station. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a control block in said physical broadcast channel comprises:
 a) a downlink bandwidth field;   b) a system frame number field; and   c) a PHICH configuration field.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one control message is configured to cause said wireless device to associate said non-prime carrier with said prime carrier. 
     
     
         12 . A method comprising:
 a) transmitting, by a base station configured to communicate employing a plurality of carriers, at least one control message to a wireless device, said at least one control message configured to cause configuration of said plurality of carriers, said plurality of carriers configured to transmit symbols in a sequential series of frames, said plurality of carriers comprising:
 i) at least one prime carrier; and 
 ii) at least one non-prime carrier; 
   b) transmitting, by said base station, a system frame number in a physical broadcast channel in a frame in said sequential series of frames on a prime carrier in said at least one prime carrier; and   c) transmitting and receiving, by said base station employing a communication interface, a plurality of packets in said frame on a non-prime carrier in said at least one non-prime carrier, said communication interface employing, at least in part, said system frame number transmitted in said frame of said prime carrier, wherein said non-prime carrier is configured to operate without broadcasting said system frame number on said non-prime carrier.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising scrambling, by said base station, said control blocks transmitted on said physical broadcast channel with a carrier-specific sequence prior to modulation. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising modulating, by said base station, said control blocks transmitted on said physical broadcast channel employing QPSK modulation. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising encoding, by said base station, said control blocks employing tail biting convolutional coding before transmission. 
     
     
         16 . A wireless device, configured to communicate employing a plurality of carriers, comprising:
 a) one or more communication interfaces;   b) one or more processors; and   c) memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause said wireless device to:
 i) receive at least one control message from a base station, said at least one control message configured to cause configuration of said plurality of carriers, said plurality of carriers configured to receive symbols in a sequential series of frames, said plurality of carriers comprising:
 (1) at least one prime carrier; and 
 (2) at least one non-prime carrier; 
 
 ii) receive a system frame number, from said base station, in a frame in said sequential series of frames on a prime carrier in said at least one prime carrier; and 
 iii) transmit and receive, by said base station employing a communication interface, a plurality of packets in said frame on a non-prime carrier in said at least one non-prime carrier, said communication interface employing, at least in part, said system frame number received in said frame of said prime carrier, wherein said non-prime carrier is configured to operate without said base station broadcasting said system frame number on said non-prime carrier. 
   
     
     
         17 . The wireless device of  claim 16 , wherein said at least one control message is configured to cause said wireless device to associate said non-prime carrier with said prime carrier. 
     
     
         18 . The wireless device of  claim 16 , wherein a control block in said physical broadcast channel comprises:
 a) a downlink bandwidth field;   b) a system frame number field; and   c) a PHICH configuration field.   
     
     
         19 . The wireless device of  claim 16 , wherein said control blocks are modulated employing QPSK modulation. 
     
     
         20 . The wireless device of  claim 16 , wherein said control blocks are encoded employing tail biting convolutional coding.