Method for UE Pattern Indication and Measurement for Interference Coordination

Abstract

A method of inter-cell interference coordination is provided for UE measurements and network access procedure. In a first embodiment, a UE in idle mode performs measurements on received radio signals applying a simplified radio resource restriction for interference coordination. The UE determines the restricted radio resource without receiving explicit measurement configuration. In a second embodiment, during various phases of a network access procedure, the UE indicates its interference status and/or additional interference information to its serving base station to enhance interference coordination. In a third embodiment, the UE in connected mode performs measurements on both interference-protected transmission resources and non-interference-protected transmission resources. The UE measurement results are used for scheduling, radio link monitoring, and/or mobility management to increase radio spectrum efficiency and to improve user experience.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 detecting a strong interfering cell by a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, wherein the interfering cell is non-accessible to the UE;   performing a network access procedure with a base station; and   indicating interference coordination information to the base station during the network access procedure.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the network access procedure comprises:
 transmitting a RACH preamble over a RACH resource, wherein the RACH preamble belongs to a RACH preamble group dedicated for strongly interfered UEs.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the network access procedure comprises:
 transmitting a RACH preamble over a RACH resource, wherein the RACH resource belongs to a RACH resource group dedicated for strongly interfered UEs.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the network access procedure comprises:
 transmitting a connection request message to the base station after receiving an uplink grant, wherein the connection request message contains an indicator indicating that the UE is strongly interfered.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the network access procedure comprises:
 transmitting a connection request message to the base station after receiving an uplink grant, wherein the connection request message contains interference-protected resource pattern of the interfering cell.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the network access procedure comprises:
 transmitting a connection setup complete message to the base station after receiving a connection setup message, wherein the connection setup complete message contains interference-protected resource pattern of the interfering cell.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 performing measurement on configured measurement object after establishing a connection with the base station; and   transmitting a measurement report to the base station, wherein the measurement report comprises the interference coordination information.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the UE decodes a broadcast channel of the interfering cell, and wherein the interference coordination information comprises a cell ID and/or an interference-protected resource pattern of the interfering cell. 
     
     
         9 . A User Equipment (UE), comprising:
 a processor that enables the UE to detect a strong interfering cell in a wireless communication system, wherein the interfering cell is non-accessible to the UE, and wherein the UE also performs a network access procedure with a base station; and   memory that stores interference coordination information to be indicated to the base station during the network access procedure.   
     
     
         10 . The UE of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a transmitter that transmits a RACH preamble over a RACH resource, wherein the RACH preamble belongs to a RACH preamble group dedicated for strongly interfered UEs.   
     
     
         11 . The UE of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a transmitter that transmits a RACH preamble over a RACH resource, wherein the RACH resource belongs to a RACH resource group dedicated for strongly interfered UEs.   
     
     
         12 . The UE of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a transmitter that transmits a connection request message to the base station after receiving an uplink grant, wherein the connection request message contains an indicator indicating that the UE is strongly interfered.   
     
     
         13 . The UE of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a transmitter that transmits a connection request message to the base station after receiving an uplink grant, wherein the connection request message contains interference-protected resource pattern of the interfering cell.   
     
     
         14 . The UE of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a transmitter that transmits a connection setup complete message to the base station after receiving a connection setup message, wherein the connection setup complete message contains interference-protected resource pattern of the interfering cell.   
     
     
         15 . The UE of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a measurement module that performs measurement on configured measurement object after establishing a connection with the base station; and   a transmitter that transmits a measurement report to the base station, wherein the measurement report comprises the interference coordination information.   
     
     
         16 . The UE of  claim 15 , wherein the UE decodes a broadcast channel of the interfering cell, and wherein the interference coordination information comprises a cell ID and/or an interference-protected resource pattern of the interfering cell.