Telecommunications apparatus and method for searching a predefined signature sequence

Abstract

A wireless telecommunications system including at least one base station, a first terminal device and a second terminal device, wherein the first terminal device is a terminal device of a first type and the second terminal device is a terminal device of a second type, the second type being different from the first type, and wherein the at least one base station is configured to communicate data which is specific to the first terminal device in a synchronous manner and to communicate data which is specific to the second terminal device in a non-synchronous manner.

1 . A terminal device for communicating in a wireless telecommunications system, the terminal device being not synchronized to a radio frame structure, the terminal device comprising:
 circuitry configured to:
 receive a transmission from the wireless telecommunications system in a non-synchronous manner; 
 search the transmission for a predefined signature sequence, the predefined signature sequence being associated with data that is specific to the terminal device; 
 determine, based on whether the predefined signature sequence is found in the transmission, whether the transmission is intended for the terminal device; and 
 extract, when the transmission is determined to be intended for the terminal device, the data that is specific to the terminal device from the transmission. 
   
     
     
         2 . The terminal device of  claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to search the transmission for the predefined signature sequence only during time periods that are in accordance with a predefined timing schedule. 
     
     
         3 . The terminal device of  claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to enter a sleep mode at times outside of time periods during which the circuitry searches for the predefined signature sequence. 
     
     
         4 . The terminal device of  claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to enter a sleep mode in response to extracting the data. 
     
     
         5 . The terminal device of  claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to search for the predefined signature sequence within a predefined frequency range of the transmission that is narrower than and within an operating frequency range of the wireless telecommunications system. 
     
     
         6 . The terminal device of  claim 1 , wherein the data comprises an indication of an identity of the terminal device. 
     
     
         7 . The terminal device of  claim 1 , wherein the data comprises user-plane data for the terminal device. 
     
     
         8 . The terminal device of  claim 7 , wherein the data comprises an indication of a coding scheme for the user-plane data for the terminal device. 
     
     
         9 . The terminal device of  claim 1 , wherein the data comprises an indication of a time and/or frequency on which user-plane data for the terminal device is transmitted. 
     
     
         10 . The terminal device of  claim 1 , wherein
 the circuitry is configured to receive the transmission in a packet format, and   the predefined signature sequence comprises a portion selected from a group comprising a pre-amble portion, a mid-amble portion, a post-amble portion, a pilot portion, and a scattered pilot portion.   
     
     
         11 . The terminal device of  claim 10 , wherein the packet format further comprises a header portion comprising an indication of an identity of the terminal device. 
     
     
         12 . The terminal device of  claim 10 , wherein the packet format further comprises a payload portion comprising user-plane data for the terminal device. 
     
     
         13 . The terminal device of  claim 1 , wherein the predefined signature sequence is any one of a set of predefined signature sequences which the terminal device is configured to search for. 
     
     
         14 . The terminal device of  claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to transmit an acknowledgement signaling after successful receipt of the data. 
     
     
         15 . The terminal device of  claim 1 , wherein
 the data comprises an instruction for the terminal device to proceed to synchronize to the radio frame structure in order to receive a further transmission from the wireless telecommunications system in a synchronous manner, and   the terminal device is further configured to synchronize to the radio frame structure in response to the instruction.   
     
     
         16 . The terminal device of  claim 15 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to receive another transmission in a synchronous manner. 
     
     
         17 . The terminal device of  claim 1 , wherein the terminal device is a machine-type communication (MTC) terminal device. 
     
     
         18 . The terminal device of  claim 1 , wherein
 the transmission includes a packet format having a header portion and a payload portion, and   the payload portion is transmitted at a time and a frequency that is not contiguous with the header portion.   
     
     
         19 . A method for communicating in a wireless telecommunication system, the terminal device being not synchronized to a radio frame structure, the method comprising:
 receiving, by a terminal device, a transmission from the wireless telecommunications system in a non-synchronous manner;   searching the transmission for a predefined signature sequence, the predefined signature sequence being associated with data that is specific to the terminal device;   determining, by the terminal device and based on whether the predefined signature sequence is found in the transmission, whether the transmission is intended for the terminal device; and   extracting, by the terminal device when the transmission is determined to be intended for the terminal device, the data that is specific to the terminal device from the transmission.   
     
     
         20 . An integrated circuit for use in a terminal device that communicates in a wireless telecommunications system, the terminal device being not synchronized to a radio frame structure, the integrated circuit comprising:
 circuitry configured to cause the terminal device to:
 receive a transmission from the wireless telecommunications system in a non-synchronous manner; 
 search the transmission for a predefined signature sequence, the predefined signature sequence being associated with data that is specific to the terminal device; 
 determine, based on whether the predefined signature sequence is found in the transmission, whether the transmission is intended for the terminal device; and 
 extract, when the transmission is determined to be intended for the terminal device, the data that is specific to the terminal device from the transmission.