Communications methods and apparatus that facilitate discovery of small coverage area base stations

摘要

A communications system includes a plurality of different types of small coverage area base stations, e.g., femto cell base stations, WiFi access points and Bluetooth access points within a macro cell. Different user equipment (UE) devices, e.g., different smartphones, include different capabilities. In order for UE devices and small coverage area base stations with compatible capabilities to efficiently discover one another, the various small coverage area base stations and various UE devices utilize the macro cell communications band and macro cell communication protocol to coordinate device discovery and exchange discovery information and control information which allows a UE device to access a compatible small coverage area base station and subsequently communicate user data, e.g., traffic data, with the UE device.

主权项

1. A method of wireless communications at a user equipment (UE) device, comprising:
operating, at said UE device, a first modem in said UE device associated with a first communications protocol and a second modem in said UE device associated with a second communications protocol, said first modem being in a powered-up mode and said second modem being in a powered-down mode; receiving, at said first modem, a discovery signal via a first frequency band from a first base station, said discovery signal being in accordance with said first communications protocol and including communications protocol information associated with said second communications protocol; in response to receiving said discovery signal, switching said second modem to a powered-up mode; and operating said second modem to scan a second frequency band for a signal from said first base station in accordance with said second communications protocol or transmit a probe signal to said first base station in said second frequency band, said probe signal being in accordance with said second communications protocol, said second communications protocol being different from said first communications protocol.