LTE Reference Signal Generation for NR Coexistence Interference

The patent introduces an intermediary reference signal (CRS or CSI-RS) transmitted by the NR cell that mimics NR reference signal characteristics. This intermediary signal serves as a mediator that allows LTE UEs to correctly evaluate channel quality and interference patterns without directly exposing them to the harmful NR PDSCH transmission on punctured REs. The reference signal provides a safe reference for measurements while the actual data transmission remains protected.

The patent applies local quality by making the reference signal transmission characteristics location-specific and protocol-specific. The NR cell transmits reference signals with properties (resource allocation, sequence generation, timing) that locally match what LTE UEs expect to see, even though the underlying spectrum sharing arrangement is static. This localized adaptation of reference signal properties ensures accurate channel estimation at each LTE UE without requiring dynamic spectrum sharing.

In dynamic spectrum sharing scenarios, the patent uses reference signals as intermediaries that allow LTE UEs to measure and adapt to the dynamically changing interference environment created by NR transmissions. The reference signals provide a stable measurement reference that mediates between the dynamic NR data transmissions and the LTE UEs that need to perform channel quality evaluations, enabling link adaptation without direct exposure to harmful interference patterns.