METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING TIMING ALIGNMENT

• US 20080310395A1
• Filed: 06/18/2008
• Published: 12/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Kashima, Tsyoshi
• Granted Patent: US 10,313,989 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/350
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1867 Arrangements specially adapted for the transmitter end
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1896 ARQ related signaling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/001 Synchronization between nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0045 compensating for timing error by altering transmission time
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/006 in the downlink, i.e. towards the terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/08 Non-scheduled access, e.g. ALOHA hybrid access H04W74/02

Abstract

An approach includes generating a control message having a format designated for resource allocation, wherein the control message includes a plurality of control fields. One of the control fields is reserved to specify information other than information for resource allocation, the value indicating timing alignment information or information for starting a random access procedure. The control message is transmitted over a control channel according to a lower layer protocol.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

generating a control message having a format designated for resource allocation, wherein the control message includes a plurality of control fields; and

reserving a value of one of the control fields to specify information other than information for resource allocation, the value indicating timing alignment information or information for starting a random access procedure,

wherein the control message is transmitted over a control channel according to a lower layer protocol.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the lower layer protocol includes either a L1/L2 protocol or a medium access control (MAC) layer protocol.

3. A method according to claim 2, further comprising:

determining whether there is data to be transmitted; and

determining whether resources have been allocated for transmission of the data,

wherein the control message is transmitted using the L1/L2 protocol if no data is to be transmitted and no resources have been allocated.

4. A method according to claim 3, further comprising:

determining whether a terminal, configured to receive the control message, is in synchronization,

wherein the control message is transmitted using the MAC layer protocol if there data is to be transmitted and the terminal is in synchronization.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the one control field includes either a resource allocation field, a modulation field, or a Hybrid ARQ (HARQ) field.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

indicating whether to apply Hybrid ARQ (HARQ) within the one control field.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the control channel includes a physical downlink control channel.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the control channel is established over a radio communication network compliant with a long term evolution (LTE)-compliant architecture.

9. A computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the method of claim 1.

10. An apparatus comprising:

logic configured to generate a control message having a format designated for resource allocation, wherein the control message includes a plurality of control fields,

wherein the logic is further configured to reserve one of the control fields to specify information other than information for resource allocation, the value indicating timing alignment information or information for starting a random access procedure,

wherein the control message is transmitted over a control channel according to a lower layer protocol.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the lower layer protocol includes either a L1/L2 protocol or a medium access control (MAC) layer protocol.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the logic is further configured to determine whether there is data to be transmitted, and to determine whether resources have been allocated for transmission of the data, the control message being transmitted using the L1/L2 protocol if no data is to be transmitted and no resources have been allocated.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the logic is further configured to determine whether a terminal, configured to receive the control message, is in synchronization, wherein the control message is transmitted using the MAC layer protocol if there data is to be transmitted and the terminal is in synchronization.

14. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the one control field includes either a resource allocation field, a modulation field, or a Hybrid ARQ (HARQ) field.

15. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the logic is further configured to indicate whether to apply Hybrid ARQ (HARQ) within the one control field.

16. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the control channel includes a physical downlink control channel.

17. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the control channel is established over a radio communication network compliant with a long term evolution (LTE)-compliant architecture.

18. An apparatus comprising:

means for generating a control message having a format designated for resource allocation, wherein the control message includes a plurality of control fields; and

means for reserving a value of one of the control fields to specify information other than information for resource allocation, the value indicating timing alignment information or information for starting a random access procedure,

wherein the control message is transmitted over a control channel according to a lower layer protocol.

19. A method comprising:

receiving a control message having a format designated for resource allocation, wherein the control message includes a plurality of control fields, and a value of one of the control fields is reserved to specify information other than information for resource allocation, the value indicating timing alignment information or information for starting a random access procedure,

wherein the control message is transmitted over a control channel according to a lower layer protocol including a L1/L2 protocol or a medium access control (MAC) layer protocol.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the control message is received using the L1/L2 protocol, if no data is to be transmitted and no resources have been allocated for the transmission.

21. A method according to claim 20, further comprising:

determining whether synchronization is obtained with respect to a communication link,

wherein the control message is transmitted using the MAC layer protocol if there data is to be transmitted and synchronization is obtained.

22. A method according to claim 19, wherein the one control field includes either a resource allocation field, a modulation field, or a Hybrid ARQ (HARQ) field.

23. A method according to claim 19, wherein the control message indicates whether to apply Hybrid ARQ (HARQ) within the one control field.

24. A computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the method of claim 19.

25. An apparatus comprising:

logic configured to receive a control message having a format designated for resource allocation, wherein the control message includes a plurality of control fields, and a value of one of the control fields is reserved to specify information other than information for resource allocation, the value indicating timing alignment information or information for starting a random access procedure,

wherein the control message is transmitted over a control channel according to a lower layer protocol including a L1/L2 protocol or a medium access control (MAC) layer protocol.

26. An apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the control message is received using the L1/L2 protocol, if no data is to be transmitted and no resources have been allocated for the transmission.

27. An apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the logic is further configured to determine whether synchronization is obtained with respect to a communication link, wherein the control message is transmitted using the MAC layer protocol if there data is to be transmitted and synchronization is obtained.

28. An apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the one control field includes either a resource allocation field, a modulation field, or a Hybrid ARQ (HARQ) field.

29. An apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the control message indicates whether to apply Hybrid ARQ (HARQ) within the one control field.

30. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a control message specifying either timing alignment information or a dedicated random access preamble, wherein the control message includes a plurality of control fields, and a value of one of the control fields is reserved to specify information other than information for resource allocation, the value indicating timing alignment information or information for starting a random access procedure,

wherein the control message is transmitted over a control channel according to a lower layer protocol including a L1/L2 protocol or a medium access control (MAC) layer protocol.