Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) Based Concurrent Scan of Neighbor Cells

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices are described for concurrently performing handoff-related measurements for neighbor cells using multiple input multiple output (MIMO) antenna resources. In one example, a mobile device is in communication with a serving cell. Handoff-related measurements of first wireless signals from a first neighbor cell are performed. The first wireless signals are received at first MIMO antenna resources of a device. Handoff-related measurements of second wireless signals from a second neighbor cell are performed, as well. The second wireless signals are received at second MIMO antenna resources concurrently with the first wireless signals received at the first MIMO antenna resources. The first handoff-related measurements and the second handoff-related measurements may be performed during a scan interval. A type of handoff-related measurement to perform may be determined based on a determined length of the scan interval.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 tuning second multiple input multiple output (MIMO) antenna resources of a device from a serving frequency band of a serving cell to a second frequency band of a second neighbor cell during a scan interval;   performing first handoff-related measurements of first wireless signals received over a first frequency band from a first neighbor cell at first MIMO antenna resources of the device, wherein the device is in communication with the serving cell;   performing second handoff-related measurements of second wireless signals received over the second frequency band from the second neighbor cell at the second MIMO antenna resources of the device, wherein the second wireless signals are received at the second MIMO antenna resources concurrently with the first wireless signals being received at the first MIMO antenna resources; and   determine whether to handoff to the first neighbor cell or the second neighbor cell based at least in part on the first handoff-related measurements and the second handoff-related measurements.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first frequency band is the serving frequency band. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising tuning the first MIMO antenna resources of the device from the serving frequency band to the first frequency band of the first neighbor cell during the scan interval, wherein the first frequency band is different from the serving frequency band. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising tuning the first MIMO antenna resources of the device from the first frequency band to the serving frequency band following the scan interval or following performing the first handoff-related measurements. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising tuning the second MIMO antenna resources of the device from the second frequency band to the serving frequency band following the scan interval or following performing the second handoff-related measurements. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising performing the first handoff-related measurements and the second handoff-related measurements during the scan interval. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining a length of the scan interval; and   determining whether the first handoff-related measurements and the second handoff-related measurements are power measurements or signal quality measurements based at least in part on the length of the scan interval.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first handoff-related measurements and the second handoff related measurements comprise a signal quality measurement including a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), a carrier to interference-plus-noise-ratio (CINR), a bit error ratio (BER), an energy per bit to noise power spectral density ratio (Eb/NO), or an energy per symbol per noise power spectral density ratio (ES/NO). 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first neighbor cell implements a first radio access technology (RAT), and the second neighbor cell implements the first RAT. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the serving cell implements the first RAT. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the serving cell implements a second RAT different from the first RAT. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first neighbor cell implements a first radio access technology (RAT), and the second neighbor cell implements a second RAT different from the first RAT. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the serving cell implements the first RAT. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the serving cell implements a third RAT different from the first RAT and the second RAT. 
     
     
         15 . A device comprising:
 a plurality of multiple input multiple output (MIMO) antenna resources;   a transceiver coupled with the plurality of MIMO antenna resources;   a tuning module coupled with the transceiver and configured to:   
       tune second MIMO antenna resources of a device from a serving frequency band of a serving cell to a second frequency band of a second neighbor cell during a scan interval; and
 a measurement module coupled with the transceiver and configured to: 
 perform first handoff-related measurements of first wireless signals received over a first frequency band from a first neighbor cell at first MIMO antenna resources of the device, wherein the device is in communication with the serving cell; 
 perform second handoff-related measurements of second wireless signals received over the second frequency band from the second neighbor cell at the second MIMO antenna resources of the device, wherein the second wireless signals are received at the second MIMO antenna resources concurrently with the first wireless signals being received at the first MIMO antenna resources; and 
 determine whether to handoff to the first neighbor cell or the second neighbor cell based at least in part on the first handoff-related measurements and the second handoff-related measurements. 
 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the first frequency band is the serving frequency band. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the tuning module is further configured to tune the first MIMO antenna resources of the device from the serving frequency band to the first frequency band of the first neighbor cell during the scan interval, wherein the first frequency band is different from the serving frequency band. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the tuning module is further configured to tune the first MIMO antenna resources of the device from the first frequency band to the serving frequency band following the scan interval or following performing the first handoff-related measurements. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the tuning module is further configured to tune the second MIMO antenna resources of the device from the second frequency band to the serving frequency band following the scan interval or following performing the second handoff-related measurements. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the measurement module is further configured to perform the first handoff-related measurements and the second handoff-related measurements during the scan interval. 
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the first neighbor cell implements a first radio access technology (RAT), and the second neighbor cell implements the first RAT. 
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the first neighbor cell implements a first radio access technology (RAT), and the second neighbor cell implements the second RAT different from the first RAT. 
     
     
         23 . An apparatus comprising:
 means for tuning second multiple input multiple output (MIMO) antenna resources of a device from a serving frequency band of a serving cell to a second frequency band of a second neighbor cell during a scan interval;   means for performing first handoff-related measurements of first wireless signals received over a first frequency band from a first neighbor cell at first MIMO antenna resources of the device, wherein the device is in communication with the serving cell;   means for performing second handoff-related measurements of second wireless signals received over the second frequency band from the second neighbor cell at the second MIMO antenna resources of the device, wherein the second wireless signals are received at the second MIMO antenna resources concurrently with the first wireless signals being received at the first MIMO antenna resources; and   means for determining whether to handoff to the first neighbor cell or the second neighbor cell based at least in part on the first handoff-related measurements and the second handoff-related measurements.   
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the first frequency band is the serving frequency band. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the means for tuning is further configured to tune the first MIMO antenna resources of the device from the serving frequency band to the first frequency band of the first neighbor cell during the scan interval, wherein the first frequency band is different from the serving frequency band. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the means for tuning is further configured to tune the first MIMO antenna resources of the device from the first frequency band to the serving frequency band following the scan interval or following performing the first handoff-related measurements. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the means for tuning is further configured to tune the second MIMO antenna resources of the device from the second frequency band to the serving frequency band following the scan interval or following performing the second handoff-related measurements. 
     
     
         28 . A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the computer-readable medium comprising:
 code for causing at least one computer to tune second multiple input multiple output (MIMO) antenna resources of a device from a serving frequency band of a serving cell to a second frequency band of a second neighbor cell during a scan interval;   code for causing the at least one computer to perform first handoff-related measurements of first wireless signals received over a first frequency band from a first neighbor cell at first MIMO antenna resources of the device, wherein the device is in communication with the serving cell;   code for causing the at least one computer to perform second handoff-related measurements of second wireless signals received over the second frequency band from the second neighbor cell at the second MIMO antenna resources of the device, wherein the second wireless signals are received at the second MIMO antenna resources concurrently with the first wireless signals being received at the first MIMO antenna resources; and   code for causing the at least one computer to determine whether to handoff to the first neighbor cell or the second neighbor cell based at least in part on the first handoff-related measurements and the second handoff-related measurements.   
     
     
         29 . The computer program product of  claim 28 , wherein the first frequency band is the serving frequency band. 
     
     
         30 . The computer program product of  claim 28 , wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the at least one computer to tune the first MIMO antenna resources of the device from the serving frequency band to the first frequency band of the first neighbor cell during the scan interval, wherein the first frequency band is different from the serving frequency band.