CO-CHANNEL DEPLOYMENT OF NEW AND LEGACY CARRIER TYPES

摘要

Methods for changing a carrier type from a first carrier type to a second carrier type are disclosed. An example method may be implemented in one or more nodes of a cellular system that includes a plurality of cells that can each be selectively operated with either a first carrier type or a second carrier type, one of the first and second carrier types either having substantially fewer reference symbols than the other or lacking a control structure supported by the other, or both. The example method begins with determining (800) that a cell or cells should be switched from the first carrier type to a second carrier type. This may be done based on, for example, an evaluation of UE performance criteria, e.g., whether one or more UEs are capable of operating on the second carrier type and/or whether one or more UEs may receive a higher quality of service from the second carrier type. The example method continues with changing (810) the carrier type on the cell or cells from the first carrier type to the second carrier type.