Methods and devices operating with fine timing reference signals transmitted occasionally

Abstract

Methods and devices enable a fine synchronization related to a data transmission on a physical channel. A fine timing reference signal is occasionally transmitted to the data transmission recipient using one of time-frequency resources in a recipient-specific pattern.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method implemented in a wireless device, the method comprising:
 receiving an indication of physical channel resources; and   detecting, a reference signal quasi-co-located with the indicated physical channel resources.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising performing a timing estimate for data transmission on the indicated physical channel resources. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the timing estimation is performed overlaps with the demodulation of the physical channel resources. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising performing channel measurements based on the received reference signal and following a reference signal trigger. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the reference signal trigger is an indication received from a communication network. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving a reference signal configuration data for the reference signal. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein time and frequency resources for the reference signal include less than a bandwidth configurable for communication between the wireless device and the communication network. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein one or more time-frequency resources in a reference signal pattern for the reference signal are at equal time intervals and/or cover same frequencies. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising performing a fine synchronization using the reference signal to decode data received during data transmission. 
     
     
         10 . A wireless device comprising processing circuitry operable to:
 receive an indication of physical channel resources; and   detect a reference signal quasi-co-located with the indicated physical channel resources.