METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IRREGULAR SIGNAL TRANSMISSION IN A SYSTEM WITH RECEPTION GAPS

摘要

The proposed approach contemplates systems and methods configured to transmit signals irregularly (sparsely) over a mobile communication network (carrier) in which reception gaps apply while increasing the likelihood that receivers will receive a signal at least once during a certain time period, called irregular signal period. First, a set of transmission offsets is selected, the transmission offsets defining a relative transmission time in a burst, such that if a burst would be transmitted using the selected transmission offsets, a receiver with any valid reception gap configuration would receive at least one signal in its whole duration. Then, during an irregular signal period, signals are transmitted in a sequence of one or more consecutive bursts using each of the transmission offsets in the selected set at least once, wherein the sequence of bursts may be preceded and/or followed by a period of no signal transmission. Finally, a receiver receives at least one of the irregular signals in its whole duration during one of the reception gaps of the receiver.