SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO DEFINE CONTROL CHANNELS USING RESERVED RESOURCE BLOCKS

• US 20090257388A1
• Filed: 04/06/2009
• Published: 10/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Montojo, Juan, Agrawal, Avneesh, Khandekar, Aamod D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,107,239 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• 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: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/044 based on the type of the allocated resource
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• 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 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points

Abstract

Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate defining new control channels in legacy wireless networks. Control data resources for new systems can be defined over resources reserved for general data communications in the legacy wireless network specification. In this regard, legacy devices can still be supported by devices implementing new control data resources, and the new control data resources can avoid substantial interference that is typically exhibited over legacy control and/or reference signal resources by instead using the general data resources. In addition, new system devices can avoid scheduling data communication resources over the new control resources to create a substantially non-interfered global control segment. Control data can be transmitted over the segment using beacon-based technologies, reuse schemes, and/or the like.

Claims

1. A method for defining new control channels in a wireless communications network, comprising:

reserving a portion of wireless communication resources for general data communications according to a legacy network specification;

allocating a subset of the reserved portion of wireless communication resources for communicating control data according to a disparate network specification; and

transmitting control data over the subset of the reserved portion of wireless communication resources.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the legacy network specification corresponds to third generation partnership project (3GPP) long term evolution (LTE) and the reserved portion comprises at least one reserved resource blocks in at least one subframe.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein reserving the portion of wireless communication resources for general data communications according to the legacy network specification is implied from reserving a disparate portion of the wireless communication resources for communicating control data according to the legacy network specification.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising receiving legacy control data over the disparate portion of the wireless communication resources wherein transmitting control data over the subset of the portion of wireless communication resources includes transmitting the legacy control data over the subset.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein reserving the portion of wireless communication resources for general data communications is further implied from reserving another disparate portion of the wireless communication resources for communicating reference signals according to the legacy network specification.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising scheduling general data communications from a mobile device over resources other than the subset of the reserved portion of wireless communication resources.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the subset of the reserved portion of wireless communication resources are allocated according to a global control segment definition.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting control data over the subset of the reserved portion of wireless communication resources includes transmitting the control data as beacon signals over the subset.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting control data over the subset of the reserved portion of wireless communication resources includes transmitting the control data at positions in the subset selected based at least in part on an identifier of an access point.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitted control data includes a resource assignment, ACK/NACK information, or interface management information.

11. A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

define a portion of wireless communications resources for data communications based at least in part on a legacy network specification;

reserve a subset of the portion of wireless communications resources for communicating control data; and

transmit control data over the subset; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor.

12. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 11, wherein the legacy network specification relates to a third generation partnership project (3GPP) long term evolution (LTE) specification and the reserved subset comprises at least one reserved resource blocks in at least one subframe.

13. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor defines the portion of wireless communications resources implicitly based at least in part on a disparate portion of the wireless communications resources reserved for transmitting control data.

14. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 13, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to receive legacy control data over the disparate portion of the wireless communication resources wherein transmitting control data over the subset includes transmitting the legacy control data over the subset.

15. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 13, wherein the at least one processor defines the portion of wireless communications resources implicitly based further in part on another disparate portion of the wireless communications resources reserved for transmitting reference signals related to the wireless communications apparatus.

16. An apparatus that facilitates defining new control channels over legacy wireless networks, comprising:

means for grouping a portion of wireless communication resources for data communication according to a legacy network specification;

means for allocating a subset of the reserved portion of wireless communication resources for communicating control data; and

means for transmitting control data over the subset of resources.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the legacy network specification relates to a third generation partnership project (3GPP) long term evolution (LTE) specification and the allocated subset comprises at least one reserved resource blocks in at least one subframe.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the means for grouping groups the portion of wireless communication resources for data communication according to determining a disparate portion of resources reserved for communicating control data.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the apparatus receives legacy control data and the control data transmitted by the means for transmitting corresponds to the legacy control data.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the means for grouping further groups the portion of wireless communication resources for data communication according to determining a disparate portion of resources reserved for transmitting reference signals.

21. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising means for scheduling data communication over resources other than the subset to define a global control segment.

22. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the means for transmitting transmits the control data over the subset using one or more beacon signals.

23. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the means for transmitting transmits the control data over the subset using a reuse scheme involving a plurality of tones in a sub-frame.

24. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising;

code for causing at least one computer to reserve a portion of wireless communication resources for general data communications according to a legacy network specification;

code for causing the at least one computer to allocate a subset of the portion of wireless communication resources for communicating control data according to a disparate network specification; and

code for causing the at least one computer to transmit control data over the subset of the portion of wireless communication resources.

25. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein the legacy network specification corresponds to third generation partnership project (3GPP) long term evolution (LTE) and the reserved portion comprises at least one reserved resource blocks in at least one subframe.

26. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein reserving the portion of wireless communication resources for general data communications is implied from reserving a disparate portion of the wireless communication resources for communicating control data according to the legacy network specification.

27. The computer program product of claim 26, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the at least one computer to receive legacy control data over the disparate portion of the wireless communication resources wherein transmitting control data over the subset of the portion of wireless communication resources includes transmitting the legacy control data over the subset.

28. The computer program product of claim 26, wherein reserving the portion of wireless communication resources for general data communications is further implied from reserving another disparate portion of the wireless communication resources for communicating reference signals according to the legacy network specification.

29. An apparatus, comprising:

a legacy specification component that allocates a portion of wireless communication resources for general data communication according to a legacy network specification;

a new control data component that defines a subset of the portion of wireless communication resources for transmitting control data; and

a transmitter component that transmits control data over the subset.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the legacy network specification relates to a third generation partnership project (3GPP) long term evolution (LTE) specification and the defined subset comprises at least one reserved resource blocks in at least one subframe.

31. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the legacy specification component allocates the portion of wireless communication resources for data communication according to determining a disparate portion of resources reserved for communicating control data.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the apparatus receives legacy control data and the control data transmitted by the transmitter component corresponds to the legacy control data.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein legacy specification component further allocates the portion of wireless communication resources for data communication according to determining a disparate portion of resources reserved for transmitting reference signals.

34. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising a resource allocation component that schedules data communication over resources other than the subset to define a global control segment.

35. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the transmitter component transmits the control data over the subset using one or more beacon signals.

36. A method for receiving control data over new control channels in a wireless communication network, comprising:

receiving control data over a set of control data resources defined within general data communication resources of a legacy network specification; and

decoding the control data to facilitate communicating with an access point.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the legacy network specification relates to a third generation partnership project (3GPP) long term evolution (LTE) specification and the defined control data resources comprise at least one reserved resource blocks in at least one subframe.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein receiving the control data includes receiving a beacon signal that comprises the control data.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein receiving the control data includes receiving the control data in resources within the set of control data resources selected according to an identifier of the access point.

40. A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

define a set of control data resources over a portion of wireless communication resources allocated for general data communication in a legacy network;

receive control data from an access point over the control data resources; and

decode the control data to determine a general data resource allocation from the access point; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor.

41. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 40, wherein the legacy network relates to a third generation partnership project (3GPP) long term evolution (LTE) specification the portion of wireless communications resources comprises at least one reserved resource blocks in at least one subframe.

42. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 40, wherein the at least one processor receives the control data as one or more beacon signals transmitted by the access point.

43. An apparatus that facilitates receiving control data over newly defined control channels, comprising:

means for allocating a set of control data resources from a portion of wireless communication resources reserved for data communication in a legacy network; and

means for receiving control data from an access point over the set of control data resources.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the legacy network relates to a third generation partnership project (3GPP) long term evolution (LTE) specification the portion of wireless communication resources comprises at least one reserved resource blocks in at least one subframe.

45. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the means for receiving receives the control data as one or more beacon signals.

46. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising;

code for causing at least one computer to receive control data over a set of control data resources defined within general data communication resources of a legacy network specification; and

code for causing the at least one computer to decode the control data to facilitate communicating with an access point.

47. The computer program product of claim 46, wherein the legacy network specification relates to a third generation partnership project (3GPP) long term evolution (LTE) specification and the defined control data resources comprise at least one reserved resource blocks in at least one subframe.

48. An apparatus, comprising:

a new system specification component that allocates a set of control data resources from a portion of wireless communication resources reserved for data communication in a legacy network;

a receiver component that receives control data from an access point over the set of control data resources.

49. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the legacy network relates to a third generation partnership project (3GPP) long term evolution (LTE) specification and the portion of wireless communication resources comprises at least one reserved resource blocks in at least one subframe.

50. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the receiver component receives the control data as one or more beacon signals.