Determination of enhanced physical downlink control channel candidates in a wireless communication network

• US 10,231,146 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2017
• Issued: 03/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Zhu, Yuan, Chen, Xiaogang, Han, Seunghee, Fwu, Jong-Kae, Li, Qinghua
• Primary Examiner(s): Jiang, Charles C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Defauw, Thad N
• Application Number:
  US15/426,987
• Publication Number:
  US 20170150484A1
• Time in Patent Office: 763 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 11/00 Orthogonal multiplex systems, e.g. using WALSH codesH04J13/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 11/0086 Search parameters, e.g. search strategy, accumulation length, range of search, thresholds code acquisition in DSSS H04B1/7075
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/1694 Allocation of channels in TDM/TDMA networks, e.g. distributed multiplexers Passive Optical Networks H04Q11/0062
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1812 Hybrid protocols; Hybrid automatic repeat request [HARQ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1861 Physical mapping arrangements for ACK signaling see also H04L5/0053
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1864 ARQ related signaling H04L1/1607 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1893 Physical mapping arrangements physical resource mapping in general H04L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/069 using logs of notifications; Post-processing of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5032 Generating service level reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/001 the frequencies being arranged in component carriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0035 Resource allocation in a cooperative multipoint environment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0055 Physical resource allocation for ACK/NACK for physical mapping arrangements in ARQ protocols H04L1/1861
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0057 Physical resource allocation for CQI
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0073 Allocation arrangements that take into account other cell interferences for intercell interference mitigation or co-ordination in orthogonal multiplex systems H04J11/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0091 Signaling for the administration of the divided path
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/14 Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 : Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 : at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 : in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 : Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 : Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 : Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0205 : at the air interface dynamic wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0215 : based on user or device properties, e.g. MTC-capable devices services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC] H04W4/70; wireless resource selection or allocation plan definition based on terminal or device properties H04W72/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0221 : power availability or consumption
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0252 : per individual bearer or channel dynamic wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0268 : using specific QoS parameters for wireless networks, e.g. QoS class identifier [QCI] or guaranteed bit rate [GBR] negotiating SLA or negotiating QoS H04W28/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/16 : Central resource management; Negotiation of resources or communication parameters, e.g. negotiating bandwidth or QoS [Quality of Service]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0061 : of neighbour cell information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0066 : of control information between different types of networks in order to establish a new radio link in the target network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0085 : Hand-off measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0088 : Scheduling hand-off measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/22 : for handling the traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 : Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/005 : Routing actions in the presence of nodes in sleep or doze mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/246 : Connectivity information discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 : using user query or user detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 : Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 : Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 : Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0209 : in terminal devices terminal devices per se H04W88/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0212 : managed by the network, e.g. network or access point is master and terminal is slave
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0225 : using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0235 : where the received signal is a power saving command
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0258 : controlling an operation mode according to history or models of usage information, e.g. activity schedule or time of day
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0261 : managing power supply demand, e.g. depending on battery level
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/04 : TPC
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/14 : Separate analysis of uplink or downlink
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 : Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/044 : based on the type of the allocated resource
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 : Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 : Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 : in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 : in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 : Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/52 : based on load
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 : using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/002 : Transmission of channel access control information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/004 : in the uplink, i.e. towards network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/12 : Setup of transport tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 : Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/16 : Involving different core network technologies, e.g. a packet-switched [PS] bearer in combination with a circuit-switched [CS] bearer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/23 : Manipulation of direct-mode connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 : Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/28 : Discontinuous transmission [DTX]; Discontinuous reception [DRX]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/30 : Connection release
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/08 : Mobility data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/10 : adapted for application session management, e.g. SIP [Session Initiation Protocol] connection management H04W76/00; arrangements for session management H04L67/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 : Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/12 : Access point controller devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/14 : Backbone network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 : Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/18 : Service support devices; Network management devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

In embodiments, an evolved Node B (eNB) of a wireless communication network may configure an enhanced physical downlink control channel (EPDCCH) physical resource block (PRB) set for a user equipment (UE). The EPDCCH-PRB set may include a plurality of PRB-pairs. The EPDCCH-PRB set may further include a plurality of enhanced resource element groups (EREGs) organized into localized enhanced control channel elements (ECCEs) having EREGs of the same PRB-pair and distributed ECCEs having EREGs of different PRB-pairs. In some embodiments, the eNB may determine a set of distributed EPDCCH candidates for the UE from the EPDCCH-PRB set, wherein the individual distributed EPDCCH candidates include one or more of the distributed ECCEs, and wherein the set of distributed EPDCCH candidates includes at least one EREG from each of the plurality of localized ECCEs. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

Claims

1. An apparatus to be employed by a user equipment (UE), the apparatus comprising:

communications circuitry to;

receive, from an evolved Node B (eNB) of a wireless communication network, first configuration parameters for a localized enhanced physical downlink control channel (EPDCCH)-physical resource block (PRB) set having a plurality of localized enhanced control channel elements (ECCEs);

receive, from the eNB, second configuration parameters for a distributed EPDCCH-PRB set having a plurality of distributed ECCEs;

determine, based on a search space equation, a set of localized EPDCCH candidates, wherein individual localized EPDCCH candidates of the set of localized EPDCCH candidates include one or more localized ECCEs of the localized EPDCCH-PRB set;

determine, based on the search space equation, a set of distributed EPDCCH candidates, wherein individual distributed EPDCCH candidates of the set of distributed EPDCCH candidates include one or more of the distributed ECCEs of the distributed EPDCCH-PRB set; and

monitor the the localized EPDCCH candidates and the distributed EPDCCH candidates for an EPDCCH; and

decoding circuitry coupled to the communications circuitry, the decoding circuitry to decode the EPDCCH.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the set of localized EPDCCH candidates includes ECCEs of each of a plurality of PRB-pairs of the localized EPDCCH-PRB set.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the distributed EPDCCH-PRB set includes a plurality of PRB-pairs, and wherein the distributed ECCEs of the distributed EPDCCH-PRB set include enhanced resource element groups (EREGs) spread among the plurality of PRB-pairs of the distributed EPDCCH-PRB set.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the different distributed EPDCCH candidates of the set of distributed EPDCCH candidates are first mapped to distributed ECCEs including enhanced resource element groups (EREGs) of different localized ECCEs, and then mapped to distributed ECCEs including EREGs of a same localized ECCE as another distributed EPDCCH candidate.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the localized ECCEs are associated with a first set of PRB-pairs, wherein the distributed ECCEs are associated with a second set of PRB-pairs, and wherein the first and second sets of PRB-pairs include one or more common PRB-pairs.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the distributed EPDCCH candidates have an aggregation level indicating a number of distributed ECCEs included in the individual distributed EPDCCH candidates, wherein the distributed EPDCCH candidates have an aggregation level of 2 or greater, and wherein the individual distributed EPDCCH candidates are first mapped to distributed EREGs from a same set of localized ECCEs, and then mapped to distributed EREGs from a different set of localized ECCEs if no EREGs in the same set of localized ECCEs are available.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the search space equation determines the EPDCCH candidates based on indexes associated with the corresponding ECCEs, wherein the indexes of the localized ECCEs of the localized EPDCCH-PRB set are continuous, and wherein the indexes of the distributed ECCEs of the distributed EPDCCH-PRB set are continuous.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the search space equation is to identify the one or more localized or distributed ECCEs included in the respective individual localized or distributed EPDCCH candidate m of the respective set of localized or distributed EPDCCH candidates according to:

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the distributed EPDCCH-PRB set includes four PRB-pairs and sixteen distributed ECCEs, and wherein individual PRB-pairs of the four PRB-pairs include four localized ECCEs.

10. An evolved Node B (eNB) comprising:

means to configure, for a user equipment (UE) of a wireless communication network, a distributed enhanced physical downlink control channel (EPDCCH)-physical resource block (PRB) set;

means to determine a set of distributed EPDCCH candidates for the UE from the distributed EPDCCH-PRB set, wherein a set of distributed enhanced control channel elements (ECCEs) corresponding to an EPDCCH candidate m of the set of distributed EPDCCH candidates is given by

11. The eNB of claim 10, wherein the distributed EPDCCH-PRB set includes a plurality of PRB-pairs, and wherein distributed ECCEs of the distributed EPDCCH-PRB set include enhanced resource element groups (EREGs) spread among the plurality of PRB-pairs.

12. The eNB of claim 10, wherein the set of distributed EPDCCH candidates is a first set of EPDCCH candidates, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the eNB to determine a second set of EPDCCH candidates for the UE, and wherein the first and second sets of EPDCCH candidates are determined based on respective first and second starting candidate indexes that are different from one another.

13. The eNB of claim 10, further comprising:

means to configure, for the UE or another UE, a localized EPDCCH-PRB set including a plurality of localized ECCEs, individual localized ECCEs having EREGs of a same PRB-pair;

determine a set of localized EPDCCH candidates for the UE or the another UE from the localized EPDCCH-PRB set, wherein the localized EPDCCH candidates are determined according to

14. The eNB of claim 10, further comprising:

means to configure, for the UE or another UE, a localized EPDCCH-PRB set including a plurality of localized ECCEs, wherein individual localized ECCEs have EREGs of a same PRB-pair, and wherein the localized EPDCCH-PRB set includes one or more common resources with the distributed EPDCCH-PRB set;

means to determine a set of localized EPDCCH candidates for the UE or the another UE from the localized EPDCCH-PRB set; and

means to transmit another EPDCCH to the UE or the another UE on one or more of the localized EPDCCH candidates.

15. The eNB of claim 12, wherein the first and second starting candidate indexes are separated by a pre-defined offset.

16. A user equipment (UE) comprising:

means to determine a set of distributed enhanced physical downlink control channel (EPDCCH) candidates from a distributed EPDCCH-physical resource block (PRB) set, wherein a set of distributed enhanced control channel elements (ECCEs) corresponding to an EPDCCH candidate m of the set of distributed EPDCCH candidates is given by

17. The UE of claim 16, further comprising means to obtain configuration parameters, via wireless signaling from an evolved Node B (eNB) of the wireless communication network, for the distributed EPDCCH-PRB set.

18. The UE of claim 16, wherein the distributed EPDCCH-PRB set includes a plurality of PRB-pairs, and wherein distributed ECCEs of the distributed EPDCCH-PRB set include enhanced resource element groups (EREGs) spread among the plurality of PRB-pairs.

19. The UE of claim 16, wherein the set of distributed EPDCCH candidates is a first set of EPDCCH candidates, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the UE to determine a second set of EPDCCH candidates for the UE, and wherein the first and second sets of EPDCCH candidates are determined based on respective first and second starting candidate indexes that are different from one another.

20. The UE of claim 16, further comprising:

means to determine a set of localized EPDCCH candidates from a localized EPDCCH-PRB set including a plurality of localized ECCEs, wherein individual localized ECCEs have EREGs of a same PRB-pair, and wherein the localized EPDCCH candidates are determined according to

21. The UE of claim 16, further comprising:

means to determine a set of localized EPDCCH candidates from a localized EPDCCH-PRB set including a plurality of localized ECCEs, wherein individual localized ECCEs have EREGs of a same PRB-pair, and wherein the localized EPDCCH-PRB set includes one or more common resources with the distributed EPDCCH-PRB set; and

means to monitor the localized EPDCCH candidates for another EPDCCH including DCI for the UE.

22. The UE of claim 16, further comprising means to receive the EPDCCH on one or more of the distributed EPDCCH candidates.

23. The UE of claim 19, wherein the first and second starting candidate indexes are separated by a pre-defined offset.