Downlink HARQ feedback transmission

• US 10,693,596 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2016
• Issued: 06/23/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Liu, Jinhua, Li, Gen, Shi, Cong
• Primary Examiner(s): Lin, Will W
• Application Number:
  US15/514,974
• Publication Number:
  US 20180234211A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,300 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/16 in which the return channel carries supervisory signals, e.g. repetition request signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1614 using bitmaps
• 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 5/0055 Physical resource allocation for ACK/NACK for physical mapping arrangements in ARQ protocols H04L1/1861
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal

Abstract

The embodiments disclose a method for an access node in a wireless network, and the method comprises a step of determining a HARQ feedback for each of one or more HARQ processes, for each of the plurality of communication devices, a step of generating a HARQ feedback table for the plurality of communication devices and a step of transmitting the HARQ feedback table to the plurality of communication devices. The embodiments also disclose a method for a communication device. The method comprises a step of receiving a HARQ feedback table from an access node, a step of obtaining HARQ feedbacks for the one or more HARQ processes of the communication device and a step of performing a retransmission according to the determination of the HARQ feedbacks of the communication device. The access node and communication device thereof are also disclosed according to the embodiments.

Claims

1. A method for a first communication device communicating with an access node in a wireless network, the first communication device corresponding to one or more HARQ processes, the method comprising:

receiving a HARQ feedback table transmitted by the access node, the HARQ feedback table comprising a HARQ feedback entry for each communication device included in a set of two or more communication devices, wherein the set of two or more communication devices comprises the first communication device and a second communication device, wherein the HARQ feedback entry for the first communication device comprises a first communication device identifier identifying the first communication device and at least two HARQ feedbacks, and wherein said at least two HARQ feedbacks include a first HARQ feedback for a first HARQ process of the first communication device and a second HARQ feedback for a second HARQ process of the first communication device;

obtaining the first HARQ feedback for the first HARQ process;

obtaining the second HARQ feedback for the second HARQ process; and

performing a retransmission based on the first HARQ feedback.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the HARQ feedback entry for the second communication device comprises a second communication device identifier identifying the second communication device and at least a first HARQ feedback for a first HARQ process of the second communication device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein

obtaining the first HARQ feedback for the first HARQ process comprises identifying the HARQ feedback entry for the first communication device based on the first communication device identifier identifying the first communication device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein

the HARQ feedback table further comprises a flag, the value of which indicates that the HARQ feedback table comprises at least one HARQ feedback entry.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein

the HARQ feedback table further comprises a common acknowledgement bit.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein

the first HARQ feedback is a HARQ process identity identifying the first HARQ process, and

the retransmission is performed based on the HARQ process identity and the value of the common acknowledgement bit.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein

the HARQ feedback table comprises a first portion and a second portion,

the second portion contains each one of said HARQ feedback entries, and

the first portion comprises a flag indicating that the second portion contains at least one HARQ feedback entry.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein

the first portion further comprises a common acknowledgement bit, and

the retransmission is performed based on the first HARQ feedback and the value of the common acknowledgement bit.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first HARQ feedback is a HARQ process identity identifying the first HARQ process.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the HARQ feedback table is received in a physical downlink feedback channel transmitted toward the plurality of communication devices by the access node.

11. An access node in a wireless network, the access node comprising:

a transmitter;

a memory storing instructions; and

a processing system configured to execute the instructions, wherein the access node is configured to;

generate a HARQ feedback table; and

transmit the HARQ feedback table toward a plurality of communication devices, wherein the HARQ feedback table comprising a HARQ feedback entry for each communication device included in a set of two or more communication devices, wherein the set of communication devices comprises the first communication device and a second communication device, wherein the HARQ feedback entry for the first communication device comprises a first communication device identifier identifying the first communication device and at least two HARQ feedbacks, and wherein said at least two HARQ feedbacks include a first HARQ feedback for a first HARQ process of the first communication device and a second HARQ feedback for a second HARQ process of the first communication device.

12. The access node of claim 11, wherein the HARQ feedback entry for the second communication device comprises a second communication device identifier identifying the second communication device and at least a first HARQ feedback for a first HARQ process of the second communication device.

13. The access node of claim 11, wherein

the HARQ feedback table further comprises a flag, the value of which indicates that the HARQ feedback table comprises at least one HARQ feedback entry.

14. The access node of claim 13, wherein

the HARQ feedback table further comprises a common acknowledgement bit.

15. The access node of claim 14, wherein

the first HARQ feedback is a HARQ process identity identifying the first HARQ process.

16. The access node of claim 11, wherein

the HARQ feedback table comprises a first portion and a second portion,

the second portion contains each one of said HARQ feedback entries, and

the first portion comprises a flag indicating that the second portion contains at least one HARQ feedback entry.

17. The access node of claim 16, wherein

the first portion further comprises a common acknowledgement bit, and

the first HARQ feedback is a HARQ process identity identifying the first HARQ process.

18. A communication device in a wireless network, the communication device comprising:

a memory;

a receiver for receiving a HARQ feedback table transmitted by an access node, the HARQ feedback table comprising a HARQ feedback entry for each communication device included in a set of two or more communication devices, wherein the set of communication devices comprises the first communication device and a second communication device, wherein the HARQ feedback entry for the first communication device comprises a first communication device identifier identifying the first communication device and at least two HARQ feedbacks, and wherein said at least two HARQ feedbacks include a first HARQ feedback for a first HARQ process of the first communication device and a second HARQ feedback for a second HARQ process of the first communication device; and

processing circuitry, coupled to the memory and the receiver, configured to;

obtain the first HARQ feedback for the first HARQ process;

obtain the second HARQ feedback for the second HARQ process; and

perform a retransmission based on the first HARQ feedback.

19. The communication device of claim 18, wherein

the HARQ feedback table further comprises a flag, the value of which indicates that the HARQ feedback table comprises at least one HARQ feedback entry.

20. The communication device of claim 19, wherein

the HARQ feedback table further comprises a common acknowledgement bit,

the first HARQ feedback is a HARQ process identity identifying the first HARQ process, and

the communication device performs the retransmission based on the HARQ process identity and the value of the common acknowledgement bit.

21. The communication device of claim 18, wherein

the HARQ feedback table comprises a first portion and a second portion,

the second portion contains each one of said HARQ feedback entries, and

the first portion comprises a flag indicating that the second portion contains at least one HARQ feedback entry.

22. The communication device of claim 18, wherein first HARQ feedback is a single bit indicating an ACK or a NACK.