Dual base stations for wireless communication systems

Abstract

A network apparatus comprises a controller to determine a first base station for transmitting data and to determine a second different base station for receiving data. In one embodiment, the network apparatus further comprises a transceiver to transmit data to the first base station while associated with the second base station. The transceiver is operable to receive data from the second base station while associated with the first base station.

1 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A method to connect with two Evolved Node B (eNB) stations simultaneously, comprising:
 associating with a first eNB to receive downlink transmissions from the first eNB except to only transmit control data to the first eNB; and   associating with a second eNB for uplink transmissions to the second eNB except to only receive control data from the second eNB.   
     
     
         23 . The method as claimed in  claim 22 , further comprising:
 receiving automatic repeat request (ARQ) transmissions over the downlink from the first eNB and transmitting an acknowledgment to the first eNB as the control data in response to received ARQ transmissions; and   sending ARQ transmissions over the uplink to the second eNB and receiving an acknowledgment from the second eNB as the control data in response to the sent ARQ transmissions.   
     
     
         24 . The method as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein the ARQ transmissions comprise hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) transmissions. 
     
     
         25 . A user equipment to connect with two Evolved Node B (eNB) stations simultaneously, comprising:
 a controller to associate with a first eNB for downlink transmissions, and to associate with a second eNB for uplink transmissions; and   
       a transceiver to receive downlink transmissions from the first eNB except to only transmit control data to the eNB, and to transmit uplink transmissions to the second eNB except to receive control data from the second eNB. 
     
     
         26 . The user equipment as claimed in  claim 25 , wherein the transceiver is configured to receive automatic repeat request (ARQ) transmissions over the downlink from the first eNB and to transmit an acknowledgment to the first eNB as the control data in response to received ARQ transmissions, and to send ARQ transmissions over the uplink to the second eNB and to receive an acknowledgment from the second eNB as the control data in response to the sent ARQ transmissions. 
     
     
         27 . The user equipment as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the ARQ transmissions comprise hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) transmissions. 
     
     
         28 . A non-transitory medium having instructions stored thereon that, if executed, result in connecting with two Evolved Node B (eNB) stations simultaneously, by:
 associating with a first eNB to receive downlink transmissions from the first eNB except to only transmit control data to the first eNB; and   associating with a second eNB for uplink transmissions to the second eNB except to only receive control data from the second eNB.   
     
     
         29 . The non-transitory medium as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein the instructions, if executed further result connecting with two Evolved Node B (eNB) stations simultaneously by:
 receiving automatic repeat request (ARQ) transmissions over the downlink from the first eNB and transmitting an acknowledgment to the first eNB as the control data in response to received ARQ transmissions; and   sending ARQ transmissions over the uplink to the second eNB and receiving an acknowledgment from the second eNB as the control data in response to the sent ARQ transmissions.   
     
     
         30 . The non-transitory medium as claimed in  claim 29 , wherein the ARQ transmissions comprise hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) transmissions. 
     
     
         31 . A method to connect with two Evolved Node B (eNB) stations simultaneously, comprising:
 determining a first eNB to transmit data over an uplink channel;   determining a second eNB to receive data over a downlink channel;   transmitting data to the first eNB over the uplink channel without being associated with the first eNB for the downlink channel; and   receiving data from the second eNB over the downlink channel without being associated with the second eNB for the uplink channel.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 establishing a first link, with a lower bandwidth than the uplink channel, to receive only first network control data from the first eNB; and   establishing a second link, with a lower bandwidth than the downlink channel, to transmit only second network control data to the second eNB.   
     
     
         33 . The method as claimed in  claim 31 , further comprising:
 receiving automatic repeat request (ARQ) transmissions over the downlink from the first eNB and transmitting an acknowledgment to the first eNB as the control data in response to received ARQ transmissions; and   sending ARQ transmissions over the uplink to the second eNB and receiving an acknowledgment from the second eNB as the control data in response to the sent ARQ transmissions.   
     
     
         34 . The method as claimed in  claim 33 , wherein the ARQ transmissions comprise hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) transmissions. 
     
     
         35 . A user equipment to connect with two Evolved Node B (eNB) stations simultaneously, comprising:
 a control to determine a first eNB to transmit data over an uplink channel, and to determine a second eNB to receive data over a downlink channel; and   a transceiver to transmit data to the first eNB over the uplink channel without being associated with the first eNB for the downlink channel, and to receive data from the second eNB over the downlink channel without being associated with the second eNB for the uplink channel.   
     
     
         36 . The user equipment of  claim 35 , wherein the transceiver is configured to establish a first link, with a lower bandwidth than the uplink channel, to receive only first network control data from the first eNB, and to establish a second link, with a lower bandwidth than the downlink channel, to transmit only second network control data to the second eNB. 
     
     
         37 . The user equipment as claimed in  claim 35 , wherein the transceiver is configured to receive automatic repeat request (ARQ) transmissions over the downlink from the first eNB and transmitting an acknowledgment to the first eNB as the control data in response to received ARQ transmissions, and to send ARQ transmissions over the uplink to the second eNB and receiving an acknowledgment from the second eNB as the control data in response to the sent ARQ transmissions. 
     
     
         38 . The user equipment as claimed in  claim 37 , wherein the ARQ transmissions comprise hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) transmissions. 
     
     
         39 . A non-transitory medium comprising instructions stored thereon that, if executed, result in connecting with two Evolved Node B (eNB) stations simultaneously, by:
 determining a first eNB to transmit data over an uplink channel;   determining a second eNB to receive data over a downlink channel;   transmitting data to the first eNB over the uplink channel without being associated with the first eNB for the downlink channel; and   receiving data from the second eNB over the downlink channel without being associated with the second eNB for the uplink channel.   
     
     
         40 . The non-transitory medium of  claim 39 , wherein the instructions, if executed further result in connecting with two Evolved Node B (eNB) stations simultaneously by:
 establishing a first link, with a lower bandwidth than the uplink channel, to receive only first network control data from the first eNB; and   establishing a second link, with a lower bandwidth than the downlink channel, to transmit only second network control data to the second eNB.   
     
     
         41 . The non-transitory medium as claimed in  claim 39 , wherein the instructions, if executed further result in connecting with two Evolved Node B (eNB) stations simultaneously by:
 receiving automatic repeat request (ARQ) transmissions over the downlink from the first eNB and transmitting an acknowledgment to the first eNB as the control data in response to received ARQ transmissions; and   sending ARQ transmissions over the uplink to the second eNB and receiving an acknowledgment from the second eNB as the control data in response to the sent ARQ transmissions.   
     
     
         42 . The non-transitory medium as claimed in  claim 41 , wherein the ARQ transmissions comprise hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) transmissions.