System and method for dynamic cell selection and resource mapping for CoMP joint transmission

Abstract

A wireless communication system includes a number of base stations capable of communicating with a plurality of subscriber stations. The base station coordinates transmission of resource blocks with a transmission of resource blocks from a second base station. The resource blocks include at least one reference signal (RS) patterns. In addition, base station punctures a plurality of resource elements in the resource blocks that might overlap with one of the CRS patterns in another resource block transmitted by the second base station such that no data is transmitted in the plurality of punctured resource elements. The subscriber station receives the resource blocks from at least two base stations and can avoid reading data from the resource elements that might overlap.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. For use in a wireless communication network, a base station capable of communicating with a plurality of subscriber stations, the base station comprising:
 a plurality of antennas configured to transmit data and control information; 
 a transmitter coupled to the plurality of antenna, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit a plurality of symbols in a sub-frame to a subscriber station; and 
 a controller configured to include a bitmap in a downlink control information (DCI), wherein the bitmap is configured to inform the subscriber station regarding a subset of cells within, from among a coordinated multipoint (CoMP) measurement set of cells, to be measured for channel quality information reporting. 
 
     
     
       2. The base station as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the bitmap comprises a plurality of bits that correspond to respective cells of the CoMP measurement set. 
     
     
       3. The base station as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the subset of cells within the CoMP measurement set includes an anchor cell serving the subscriber station and wherein the plurality of bits comprises at least two bits configured to identify cells within the subset of cells within the CoMP measurement set other than the anchor cell. 
     
     
       4. For use in a wireless communication network, a subscriber station capable of communicating with a plurality of base stations, the subscriber station comprising:
 a plurality of antennas configured to receive data and control information; 
 a receiver coupled to the plurality of antenna, wherein the receiver is configured to receive a plurality of symbols from a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) in a subframe from a base station; and 
 a controller configured to interpret a bitmap in a downlink control information (DCI), wherein the bitmap is configured to identify a subset of cells within, from among a coordinated multipoint (CoMP) measurement set of cells, to be measured for channel quality information reporting. 
 
     
     
       5. The subscriber station as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein the bitmap comprises a plurality of bits that correspond to respective cells of the CoMP measurement set. 
     
     
       6. The subscriber station as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the subset of cells within the CoMP measurement set includes an anchor cell serving the subscriber station and wherein the plurality of bits comprises at least two bits configured to identify cells within the subset of cells within the CoMP measurement set other than the anchor cell. 
     
     
       7. For use in a wireless communication network, a method for communicating with a plurality of subscriber stations, the method comprising:
 transmitting, to a subscriber station, a plurality of symbols in a sub-frame; and 
 including a bitmap in a downlink control information (DCI), the bitmap configured to inform the subscriber station regarding a subset of cells within, from among a coordinated multipoint (CoMP) measurement set of cells, to be measured for channel quality information reporting. 
 
     
     
       8. The method as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the bitmap comprises a plurality of bits that correspond to respective cells of the CoMP measurement set. 
     
     
       9. The method as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein the subset of cells within the CoMP measurement set includes an anchor cell serving the subscriber station and wherein the plurality of bits comprises at least two bits configured to identify cells within the subset of cells within the CoMP measurement set other than the anchor cell. 
     
     
       10. A method, comprising:
 receiving higher layer signaling that provides a set of frequency shifts for reference signals (RS), and   a downlink control information (DCI) format that includes a field indicating a frequency shift from the set of frequency shifts and scheduling reception of a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) over a set of resource elements (REs),   wherein the set of REs within which the PDSCH is scheduled for reception excludes REs corresponding to REs of the RS for the indicated frequency shift; and   extracting data from the PDSCH.   
     
     
       11. The method of claim 10, wherein the frequency shift corresponds to the respective RS. 
     
     
       12. A method, comprising:
 transmitting higher layer signaling that provides a set of frequency shifts for reference signals (RS), and   a downlink control information (DCI) format that includes a field indicating a frequency shift from the set of frequency shifts and scheduling reception of a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) over a set of resource elements (REs),   wherein the set of REs within which the PDSCH is scheduled for reception excludes REs corresponding to REs of the RS for the indicated frequency shift; and   transmitting data in the PDSCH.   
     
     
       13. The method of claim 12, wherein the frequency shift corresponds to the respective RS. 
     
     
       14. A base station, comprising:
 a controller; and   a transmitter communicably coupled to the controller, the transmitter configured to transmit higher layer signaling that provides a set of frequency shifts for reference signals (RS), and   a downlink control information (DCI) format that includes a field indicating a frequency shift from the set of frequency shifts and scheduling reception of a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) over a set of resource elements (REs),   wherein the set of REs within which the PDSCH is scheduled for reception excludes REs corresponding to REs of the RS for the indicated frequency shift, and   data in the PDSCH.   
     
     
       15. The base station of claim 14, wherein the frequency shift corresponds to the respective RS. 
     
     
       16. A user equipment, comprising:
 a receiver configured to receive
 higher layer signaling that provides a set of frequency shifts for reference signals (RS), and 
 a downlink control information (DCI) including a field indicating a frequency shift from the set of frequency shifts and scheduling reception of a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) over a set of resource elements (REs), 
 wherein the set of REs within which the PDSCH is scheduled for reception excludes REs corresponding to REs of the RS for the indicated frequency shift; and 
   a controller configured to extract data from the PDSCH.   
     
     
       17. The user equipment of claim 16, wherein the frequency shift corresponds to the respective RS.