Device and Method For Deriving Alignment Information

Abstract

A communication device configured to operate in accordance with a first communication protocol and to align itself with one or more communications transmitted in accordance with that protocol by identifying a communication transmitted in accordance with a second communication protocol that is not intended for the communication device, deriving alignment information from the identified communication and configuring itself to receive a communication transmitted in accordance with the first communication protocol in dependence on the alignment information.

1 . A communication device, comprising:
 one or more processors; and   a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the communication device to operate in accordance with a first communication protocol and align the communication device with one or more signals transmitted in accordance with the first communication protocol, the program including instructions for:
 identifying a first wireless signal transmitted using a second communication protocol that is different from the first communication protocol, wherein the first communication protocol is a machine-to-machine protocol; 
 deriving alignment information from the identified first signal; and 
 configuring the communication device to receive or transmit a second wireless signal in accordance with the first communication protocol and according to the alignment information. 
   
     
     
         2 . The communication device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the alignment information comprises a timing indication, and wherein the program further includes instructions for:
 aligning the communication device with a timing of the second communication in accordance with the first communication protocol according to the timing indication.   
     
     
         3 . The communication device as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the timing indication is an offset associated with at least one of start-times of frames or start-times of scheduled signals in accordance with the first communication protocol. 
     
     
         4 . The communication device as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the program further includes instructions for determining a timing of a scheduled communication according to the timing indication. 
     
     
         5 . The communication device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the alignment information comprises a frequency indication, and wherein the program further includes instructions for:
 aligning the communication device with a frequency of the second communication in accordance with the first communication protocol and according to the frequency indication.   
     
     
         6 . The communication device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the instructions for identifying a first wireless signal transmitted using a second communication protocol include instructions for identifying the first wireless signal transmitted using the second communication protocol from a part of a frequency spectrum in which the communication device is configured to communicate in accordance with the first communication protocol. 
     
     
         7 . The communication device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the program further includes instructions for deriving the alignment information from a repetitive element of the identified first communication. 
     
     
         8 . The communication device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the communication device is further configured to operate in a machine-to-machine network. 
     
     
         9 . A method for aligning a communication device with one or more signals transmitted in accordance with a first communication protocol, the method comprising:
 identifying a first wireless signal transmitted using a second communication protocol that is different from the first communication protocol, wherein the first communication protocol is a machine-to-machine protocol;   deriving alignment information from the identified first wireless signal; and   configuring a communication device to receive or transmit a second wireless signal transmitted in accordance with the first communication protocol and according to the alignment information.   
     
     
         10 . The method as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the alignment information comprises a timing indication, and wherein the method further comprises:
 aligning the communication device with a timing of the second communication in accordance with the first communication protocol and according to the timing indication.   
     
     
         11 . The method as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the timing indication is an offset associated with at least one of calculating start-times of frames or start-times of scheduled signals in accordance with the first communication protocol. 
     
     
         12 . The method as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises:
 determining a timing of a scheduled communication according to the timing indication.   
     
     
         13 . The method as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the alignment information comprises a frequency indication, and wherein the method further comprises:
 aligning the communication device with a frequency of the second communication in accordance with the first communication protocol and according to the frequency indication.   
     
     
         14 . The method as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the identifying the first wireless signal transmitted using a second communication protocol comprises identifying the first wireless signal transmitted using the second communication protocol from a part of a frequency spectrum in which the communication device is configured to communicate in accordance with the first communication protocol. 
     
     
         15 . The method as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the deriving the alignment information from the identified first wireless signal comprises:
 deriving the alignment information from a repetitive element of the identified first communication.   
     
     
         16 . The method as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the communication device is further configured to operate in a machine-to-machine network. 
     
     
         17 . A communication device, configured to:
 operate in accordance with a first communication protocol and align with one or more signals transmitted in accordance with the first communication protocol, wherein the communication device being configured to operate in accordance with the first communication protocol and align with the one or more signals transmitted in accordance with the first communication protocol comprises the communication device being configured to:
 identify a first wireless signal transmitted using a second communication protocol that is different from the first communication protocol, wherein the first communication protocol is a machine-to-machine protocol; 
 derive alignment information from the identified first signal; and 
 configure the communication device to receive or transmit a second wireless signal in accordance with the first communication protocol and according to the alignment information. 
   
     
     
         18 . The communication device as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the alignment information comprises a timing indication, and wherein the communication device is further configured to:
 align the communication device with a timing of the second communication in accordance with the first communication protocol in dependence on the timing indication.   
     
     
         19 . The communication device as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the alignment information comprises a frequency indication, and wherein the communication device is further configured to:
 align the communication device with a frequency of the second communication in accordance with the first communication protocol and according to the frequency indication.   
     
     
         20 . The communication device as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the communication device being configured to identify the first wireless signal transmitted using the second communication protocol comprises the communication device being configured to identify the first wireless signal transmitted using the second communication protocol from a part of a frequency spectrum in which the communication device is configured to communicate in accordance with the first communication protocol.