Enhanced cell acquisition for enhanced machine type communications

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques that may be used by a BS and/or UE to reduce the time associated with performing cell acquisition. An exemplary method, performed by a BS, generally includes determining opportunities for assisting cell acquisition by one or more UEs, and boosting transmission power for one or more signals used for cell acquisition during the determined opportunities. Another exemplary method, performed by a UE, generally includes exiting a first low power state in order to perform cell acquisition based on one or more signals transmitted by a base station, and taking one or more actions to reduce acquisition time when performing the cell acquisition.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for wireless communications by a user equipment (UE), comprising:
 exiting a first low power state in order to perform cell acquisition based on one or more signals transmitted by a base station; and   taking one or more actions to reduce acquisition time when performing the cell acquisition.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving an announcement with information regarding opportunities when the one or more signals will be transmitted with boosted transmission power; and   wherein taking the one or more actions comprises coordinating exiting the first low power state based on the information in the announcement.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 exiting a second low power state to monitor for one or more signals, based on cell acquisition already performed during one of the announced opportunities.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein taking the one or more actions comprises performing cell acquisition while monitoring for a reduced set of synchronization signals, wherein the reduced set is based at least in part on a previously determined cell ID. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein monitoring for the reduced set of synchronization signals comprises searching for timing of a primary synchronization signal (PSS) and secondary synchronization signal (SSS) corresponding to the previously determined cell ID. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein taking the one or more actions comprises:
 terminating the cell acquisition based on one or more signal quality measurements; and   returning to the first low power state after terminating the cell acquisition.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more signals comprise at least one of a primary synchronization signal (PSS), a secondary synchronization signal (SSS), or a physical broadcast channel (PBCH). 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:
 means for exiting a first low power state in order to perform cell acquisition based on one or more signals transmitted by a base station; and   means for taking one or more actions to reduce acquisition time when performing the cell acquisition.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 means for receiving an announcement with information regarding opportunities when the one or more signals will be transmitted with boosted transmission power; and   wherein the means for taking the one or more actions comprises means for coordinating exiting the first low power state based on the information in the announcement.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 means for exiting a second low power state to monitor for one or more signals, based on cell acquisition already performed during one of the announced opportunities.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the means for taking the one or more actions comprises means for performing cell acquisition while monitoring for a reduced set of synchronization signals, wherein the reduced set is based at least in part on a previously determined cell ID. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein monitoring for the reduced set of synchronization signals comprises means for searching for timing of a primary synchronization signal (PSS) and secondary synchronization signal (SSS) corresponding to the previously determined cell ID. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the means for taking the one or more actions comprises:
 means for terminating the cell acquisition based on one or more signal quality measurements; and   means for returning to the first low power state after terminating the cell acquisition.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more signals comprise at least one of a primary synchronization signal (PSS), a secondary synchronization signal (SSS), or a physical broadcast channel (PBCH). 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:
 at least one processor configured to:
 exit a first low power state in order to perform cell acquisition based on one or more signals transmitted by a base station; and 
 take one or more actions to reduce acquisition time when performing the cell acquisition; and 
   a memory coupled to the at least one processor.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
 receive an announcement with information regarding opportunities when the one or more signals will be transmitted with boosted transmission power; and   take the one or more actions by coordinating exiting the first low power state based on the information in the announcement.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to exit a second low power state to monitor for one or more signals, based on cell acquisition already performed during one of the announced opportunities. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to take the one or more actions by performing cell acquisition while monitoring for a reduced set of synchronization signals, wherein the reduced set is based at least in part on a previously determined cell ID. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to monitor for the reduced set of synchronization signals by searching for timing of a primary synchronization signal (PSS) and secondary synchronization signal (SSS) corresponding to the previously determined cell ID. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to take the one or more actions by:
 terminating the cell acquisition based on one or more signal quality measurements; and   returning to the first low power state after terminating the cell acquisition.   
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more signals comprise at least one of a primary synchronization signal (PSS), a secondary synchronization signal (SSS), or a physical broadcast channel (PBCH). 
     
     
         22 . A computer-readable medium having computer executable code stored thereon for:
 exiting a first low power state in order to perform cell acquisition based on one or more signals transmitted by a base station; and   taking one or more actions to reduce acquisition time when performing the cell acquisition.   
     
     
         23 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 22 , further comprising computer executable code stored thereon for receiving an announcement with information regarding opportunities when the one or more signals will be transmitted with boosted transmission power, wherein taking the one or more actions comprises coordinating exiting the first low power state based on the information in the announcement. 
     
     
         24 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 23 , further comprising computer executable code stored thereon for exiting a second low power state to monitor for one or more signals, based on cell acquisition already performed during one of the announced opportunities. 
     
     
         25 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 22 , wherein taking the one or more actions comprises performing cell acquisition while monitoring for a reduced set of synchronization signals, wherein the reduced set is based at least in part on a previously determined cell ID. 
     
     
         26 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 25 , wherein monitoring for the reduced set of synchronization signals comprises searching for timing of a primary synchronization signal (PSS) and secondary synchronization signal (SSS) corresponding to the previously determined cell ID. 
     
     
         27 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 22 , wherein taking the one or more actions comprises:
 terminating the cell acquisition based on one or more signal quality measurements; and   returning to the first low power state after terminating the cell acquisition.   
     
     
         28 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 22 , wherein the one or more signals comprise at least one of a primary synchronization signal (PSS), a secondary synchronization signal (SSS), or a physical broadcast channel (PBCH).