Early ttt termination

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for communicating in a wireless network including provision of a user equipment for use in a wireless communication system, the user equipment comprising a communication module configured to obtain a first signal measurement value, associated with a reference signal transmitted by a serving eNB and a second signal measurement value associated with a reference signal transmitted by a further eNB, and control logic configured to initiate a time to trigger, TTT, timer based on a determination that the first signal measurement value is less than the second signal measurement value, and terminate the TTT timer based on a determination that the first signal measurement value is less than the second signal measurement value by more than a threshold value.

1 . A user equipment for use in a wireless communication system, the user equipment comprising:
 a communication module configured to obtain a first signal measurement value, associated with a reference signal transmitted by a serving eNB and a second signal measurement value associated with a reference signal transmitted by a further eNB; and   control logic configured to:
 initiate a time to trigger, TTT, timer based on a determination that the first signal measurement value is less than the second signal measurement value; and 
 terminate the TTT timer based on a determination that the first signal measurement value is less than the second signal measurement value by more than a threshold value. 
   
     
     
         2 . The user equipment of  claim 1 , wherein the control logic is further configured to cause the control logic to transmit a measurement report to the serving eNB upon termination of the TTT timer. 
     
     
         3 . The user equipment of  claim 1 , wherein the communication module is further configured to receive information from the serving eNB comprising the threshold value. 
     
     
         4 . The user equipment of  claim 3 , wherein the communication module is further configured to receive the threshold value from the serving eNB in a ReportConfigEUTRA information element. 
     
     
         5 . The user equipment of  claim 2 , wherein the communication module is further configured to receive a handover command from the serving eNB in response to the measurement report. 
     
     
         6 . The user equipment of  claim 1 , wherein the first signal measurement value and the second signal measurement value comprise reference signal received power, RSRP, values. 
     
     
         7 . The user equipment of  claim 1 , wherein the first signal measurement value and the second signal measurement value comprise reference signal received quality, RSRQ, values. 
     
     
         8 . The user equipment of  claim 1 , wherein the first signal measurement value and the second signal measurement value comprise signal to interference noise ratio, SINK, values. 
     
     
         9 . The user equipment of  claim 1 , wherein the user equipment is for use in a network implementing the 3rd Generation Partnership Project long term evolution, LTE, advanced wireless communication standard. 
     
     
         10 . The user equipment of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication system comprises a heterogeneous network environment. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A method of controlling handover of a user equipment in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:
 monitoring a first signal measurement value, associated with a reference signal transmitted by a serving eNB and an second signal measurement value, associated with a reference signal transmitted by a further eNB;   initiating a time to trigger, TTT, timer based on a determination that the first signal measurement value is less than the second signal measurement value; and   responsive to a determination that the first signal measurement value is less than the second signal measurement value by more than a threshold value, terminating the TTT timer.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising transmitting a measurement report to the serving eNB upon termination of the TTT timer. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first signal measurement value and the second signal measurement value comprise reference signal received power values. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first signal measurement value and the second signal measurement value comprise one of: a reference signal received quality or a signal to noise ratio. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising receiving information comprising the threshold value from the serving eNB. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein receiving information comprising the threshold value from the serving eNB comprises receiving an ReportConfigEUTRA information element from the eNB. 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The user equipment of any of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more of: a screen, a speaker, a touchscreen, a keyboard, an antenna array including a plurality of antennas, a graphics processor, or an application processor. 
     
     
         20 . An eNB for use in a wireless communication system, the eNB comprising:
 a communication module configured to transmit a wireless signal to at least one user equipment; and   control logic coupled to the communication module and configured to:
 obtain an offset value to be used by a user equipment in determining whether to terminate a time to trigger, TTT, timer early; and 
 cause the communication module to transmit information to at least one user equipment, the information comprising the threshold value. 
   
     
     
         21 . The eNB of  claim 20 , wherein the communication module is further configured to transmit a reference signal to the at least one user equipment. 
     
     
         22 . The eNB of  claim 20 , wherein the communication module is further configured to receive a measurement report from the at least one user equipment and to transmit a handover command to the user equipment in response to the measurement report. 
     
     
         23 . The eNB of  claim 20 , wherein the information comprising the threshold value comprises a ReportConfigEUTRA information element. 
     
     
         24 . A method performed in eNB in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:
 obtaining an offset value to be used by a user equipment in determining whether to terminate a time to trigger, TTT, timer early; and
 transmitting information to at least one user equipment, the information comprising the threshold value. 
   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the information comprising the threshold value comprises a ReportConfigEUTRA information element. 
     
     
         26 . (canceled)