Timing Advance Group in LTE Small Cell Enhancement

Abstract

A method for communication in a wireless telecommunication system is provided. The method includes assigning a first cell of a first network node to a first timing advance group (TAG) of a user equipment (UE) and assigning a second cell of a second network node to a second TAG of the UE, wherein the second network node has a separate MAC (medium access control) scheduler from the first network node, and wherein the UE is able to transmit data on both the first and the second cell.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for communication in a wireless telecommunication system, the method comprising:
 assigning a first cell of a first network node to a first timing advance group (TAG) of a user equipment (UE);   assigning a second cell of a second network node to a second TAG of the UE, wherein the second network node has a separate MAC (medium access control) scheduler from the first network node, and wherein the UE is able to transmit data on both the first and the second cell.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second TAG is different from the first TAG. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second TAG is the same as the first TAG. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the assigning of at least one cell to a TAG is provided by the UE. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the UE adjusts uplink transmission on the first cell and the second cell using the timing advance information of the first and the second TAG. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the assigning of at least one cell to the first or second TAG is provided by the first network node. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the first network node receives timing advance information from the second network node in determining the TAG assignment of the second cell. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the first network node receives timing advance information from the UE in determining the TAG assignment of the first cell. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the assigning of the first network node to the first TAG takes into account a time synchronization information of the first cell. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first network node stores information about the first cell and assigns the first cell to the first timing advance group based on the stored information. 
     
     
         11 . A user equipment (UE) comprising:
 a processor configured such that the UE is able to transmit data on both a first and a second cell, where the first cell of a first network node is assigned to a first timing advance group (TAG) of the UE, and the second cell of a second network node is assigned to a second TAG of the UE, and wherein the second network node has a separate MAC (medium access control) scheduler from the first network node.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the second TAG is different from the first TAG. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the second TAG is the same as the first TAG. 
     
     
         14 . The UE of  claim 11 , wherein the UE transmits information about the first timing advance group to the first network node. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the UE adjusts uplink transmission on the first cell and the second cell using the timing advance information of the first and second TAG. 
     
     
         16 . A first network node comprising:
 a processor configured such that the first network node assigns a first cell of the first network node to a first timing advance group (TAG) of a user equipment (UE), the first network node assigns a second cell of a second network node to a second TAG of the UE, wherein the second network node has a separate MAC (medium access control) scheduler from the first network node.   
     
     
         17 . The first network node of  claim 16 , wherein the first network node transmits to the UE the assignment of the first cell to the first TAG. 
     
     
         18 . The first network node of  claim 16 , wherein the first network node transmits to the UE the assignment of the second cell to the second TAG. 
     
     
         19 . The first network node of  claim 16 , wherein the first network node transmits timing information regarding the first timing advance group to the user equipment (UE). 
     
     
         20 . The first network node of  claim 16 , wherein the first network node receives timing information regarding the second cell from the second network node. 
     
     
         21 . The first network node of  claim 16 , wherein the first network node takes into account a time synchronization information of the second cell in assigning the second cell to the second TAG of the UE. 
     
     
         22 . The first network node of  claim 16 , wherein the first network node stores information about the first cell and assigns the first cell to the first timing advance group based on the stored information.