FLEXIBLE SIGNALING OF RESOURCES ON A CONTROL CHANNEL

• US 20090325585A1
• Filed: 05/01/2008
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Malladi, Durga Prasad, Montojo, Juan, Chen, Wanshi, Farajidana, Amir
• Granted Patent: US 9,137,821 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/450
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal

Abstract

Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate employing flexible signaling of resource block assignments on a control channel. Resource blocks associated with an uplink or downlink channel can be split into a plurality of groups, and group-specific signaling constraints can be utilized with each of these groups. For example, the group-specific signaling constraints can relate to minimum resource block allocation units, signaling structures (e.g., bitmap structure, contiguous allocation structure, tree-based structure, . . . ), and the like utilized for sending assignment indications that allocate resource blocks within the respective groups. Further, an access terminal can have a common understanding of the group-specific signaling constraints; thus, a received assignment indication can be deciphered by the access terminal by utilizing the group-specific signaling constraints.

Claims

1. A method that facilitates allocating resource blocks of a channel in a wireless communication environment, comprising:

transmitting information related to group-specific signaling constraints for a plurality of groups of resource blocks via a downlink;

assigning resource blocks from one or more of the groups to an access terminal; and

signaling the assigned resource blocks to the access terminal using the group-specific signaling constraints.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the resource blocks are associated with a Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the resource blocks are associated with a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH).

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising splitting the resource blocks into the plurality of groups, wherein each of the resource blocks is included in one of the plurality of groups.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting the group-specific signaling constraints for each of the plurality of groups.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the group-specific signaling constraints include respective minimum resource block allocation units or each of the plurality of groups.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the group-specific signaling constraints include respective signaling structures for each of the plurality of groups.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein each of the respective signaling structures is one of a bitmap structure, a contiguous allocation structure, or a tree-based structure.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the group-specific signaling constraints include respective explicit indications of resource blocks included in each of the plurality of groups.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the information related to the group-specific signaling constraints to access terminals in proximity via a broadcast channel.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising assigning the resource blocks in accordance with the group-specific signaling constraints for each of the plurality of groups.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising signaling the assigned resource blocks via a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH).

13. A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:

a memory that retains instructions related to allocating resource blocks from one or more groups of resource blocks to an access terminal based at least in part upon group-specific signaling constraints, and transferring an indication of the resource block allocation to the access terminal using the group-specific signaling constraints; and

a processor, coupled to the memory, configured to execute the instructions retained in the memory.

14. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 13, wherein the memory further retains instruction related to segmenting a total number of resource blocks associated with a channel into a plurality of groups, wherein each of the resource blocks is included in one of the plurality of groups.

15. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 13, wherein the memory further retains instruction related to transferring information related to the group-specific signaling constraints for a plurality of groups of the resource blocks to at least one access terminal in proximity via a broadcast channel.

16. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 13, wherein the resource blocks are associated with an uplink data channel.

17. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 13, wherein the resource blocks are associated with a downlink data channel.

18. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 13, wherein the memory further retains instructions related to determining the group-specific signaling constraints.

19. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 13, wherein the group-specific signaling constraints include respective minimum resource block allocation units for each of a plurality of groups of resource blocks.

20. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 13, wherein the group-specific signaling constraints include respective signaling structures for each of a plurality of groups of resource blocks, each of the respective signaling structure being one of a bitmap structure, a contiguous allocation structure, or a tree-based structure.

21. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 13, wherein the group-specific signaling constraints include respective explicit indications of selections of resource blocks for each of the plurality of groups.

22. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 13, wherein the memory further retains instruction related to transferring the indication of the resource block allocation via a control channel.

23. A wireless communications apparatus that enables utilizing a flexible scheme for signaling resource block assignments in a wireless communication environment, comprising:

means for sending information pertaining to group-specific signaling constraints for a plurality of groups of resource blocks;

means for allotting resource blocks from at least one group to an access terminal; and

means for sending an indication corresponding to the allotted resource blocks to the access terminal using the group-specific signaling constraints.

24. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 23, further comprising means for separating the resource blocks into the plurality of groups.

25. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 23, further comprising means for determining the group-specific signaling constraints for each of the plurality of groups.

26. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 23, wherein the group-specific signaling constraints include respective minimum resource block allocation units for each of the plurality of groups.

27. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 23, wherein the group-specific signaling constraints include respective signaling structures for each of the plurality of groups, each of the respective signaling structures being one of a bitmap structure, a contiguous allocation structure, or a tree-based structure.

28. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 27, wherein a first group is associated with a first signaling structure that differs from a second signaling structure associated with a second group.

29. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 23, wherein the group-specific signaling constraints include respective explicit indications of resource blocks included in each of the plurality of groups.

30. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 23, further comprising means for sending the indication corresponding to the allotted resource blocks via a control channel.

31. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising;

code for transferring information pertaining to group-specific signaling constraints for a plurality of groups of resource blocks;

code for allotting resource blocks from at least one group to an access terminal; and

code for transmitting an indication corresponding to the allotted resource blocks to the access terminal using the group-specific signaling constraints.

32. The computer program product of claim 31, the computer-readable medium further comprising code for separating the resource blocks into the plurality of groups.

33. The computer program product of claim 31, the computer-readable medium further comprising code for determining the group-specific signaling constraints for each of the plurality of groups.

34. The computer program product of claim 31, wherein the group-specific signaling constraints include respective minimum resource block allocation units for each of the plurality of groups.

35. The computer program product of claim 31, wherein the group-specific signaling constraints include respective signaling structures for each of the plurality of groups, each of the respective signaling structures being one of a bitmap structure, a contiguous allocation structure, or a tree-based structure.

36. The computer program product of claim 31, wherein the group-specific signaling constraints include respective explicit information concerning selections of resource blocks included in each of the plurality of groups.

37. The computer program product of claim 31, the computer-readable medium further comprising code for transmitting the indication corresponding to the allotted resource blocks via a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH).

38. In a wireless communications system, an apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to;

allocate resource blocks from one or more groups of resource blocks to an access terminal based at least in part upon group-specific signaling constraints; and

transfer an indication of the resource block allocation to the access terminal using the group-specific signaling constraints over a control channel.

39. A method that facilitates obtaining resource block assignments in a wireless communication environment, comprising:

receiving information related to group-specific signaling constraints for a plurality of groups of resource blocks from a base station;

receiving an assignment message transferred from the base station utilizing the group-specific signaling constraints; and

determining allocated resource blocks by deciphering the assignment message based upon the group-specific signaling constraints.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the resource blocks are associated with an uplink channel.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein the resource blocks are associated with a downlink channel.

42. The method of claim 39, wherein the group-specific signaling constraints pertain to minimum resource block allocation units for each of the plurality of groups.

43. The method of claim 39, wherein the group-specific signaling constraints relate to signaling structures for each of the plurality of groups.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein each of the signaling structures is one of a bitmap structure, a contiguous allocation structure, or a tree-based structure.

45. The method of claim 39, wherein the group-specific signaling constraints relate to selection of resource blocks for each of the plurality of groups.

46. The method of claim 39, further receiving information related to at least one of a number of the plurality of groups or a number of resource blocks in each of the plurality of groups.

47. The method of claim 39, further comprising storing the group-specific signaling constraints in memory.

48. The method of claim 47, further comprising:

receiving disparate information related to disparate group-specific signaling constraints from a disparate base station;

storing the disparate group-specific signaling constraints in memory; and

utilizing the disparate group-specific signaling constraints when deciphering a disparate assignment message obtained from the disparate base station.

49. The method of claim 39, further comprising receiving the assignment message via a control channel.

50. The method of claim 39, wherein the allocated resource blocks are from one or more of the plurality of groups.

51. A wireless communication apparatus, comprising:

a memory that retains instructions related to obtaining an assignment message transferred from a base station utilizing group-specific signaling constraints via a control channel, and determining assigned resource blocks from one or more groups of resource blocks by analyzing the assignment message with the group-specific signaling constraints; and

a processor, coupled to the memory, configured to execute the instructions retained in the memory.

52. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 51, wherein the memory further retains instructions related to obtaining information related to the group-specific signaling constraints for a plurality of groups of resource blocks from the base station.

53. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 51, wherein the memory further retains instructions related to deriving the group-specific signaling constraints utilized by the base station when transferring the assignment message.

54. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 51, wherein the group-specific signaling constraints relate to minimum resource block allocation units for each of the plurality of groups.

55. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 51, wherein the group-specific signaling constraints relate to signaling structures for each of the plurality of groups, each of the signaling structures is one of a bitmap structure, a contiguous allocation structure, or a tree-based structure.

56. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 51, wherein the group-specific signaling constraints relate to selection of resource blocks included in each of the plurality of groups.

57. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 51, wherein the memory further retains instructions related to receiving information related to at least one of a number of the plurality of groups or a number of resource blocks in each of the plurality of groups.

58. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 51, wherein the memory further retains instructions related to storing the group-specific signaling constraints.

59. A wireless communications apparatus that enables employing resource blocks assigned via a flexible signaling scheme in a wireless communication environment, comprising:

means for obtaining information pertaining to group-specific signaling constraints for more than one group of resource blocks from a base station;

means for obtaining an indication of an assignment of one or more resource blocks from one or more of the groups, the indication being communicated using the group-specific signaling constraints; and

means for evaluating the indication using the group-specific signaling constraints to recognize the assigned one or more resource blocks.

60. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 59, wherein the group-specific signaling constraints relate to minimum resource block allocation units for each of the more than one group.

61. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 59, wherein the group-specific signaling constraints relate to signaling structures for each of the more than one group, each of the signaling structures is one of a bitmap structure, a contiguous allocation structure, or a tree-based structure.

62. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 59, wherein the group-specific signaling constraints relate to selection of resource blocks included in each of the more than one group.

63. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 59, further comprising means for obtaining information related to at least one of a number of groups or a number of resource blocks in each of the groups.

64. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 59, further comprising retaining the group-specific signaling constraints in memory.

65. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium, comprising;

code for receiving information pertaining to group-specific signaling constraints for more than one group of resource blocks from a base station via a broadcast channel;

code for receiving an indication of an assignment of one or more resource blocks from one or more of the groups, the indication being communicated using the group-specific signaling constraints via a control channel; and

code for evaluating the indication using the group-specific signaling constraints to recognize the assigned one or more resource blocks.

66. The computer program product of claim 65, wherein the group-specific signaling constraints relate to minimum resource block allocation units for each of the more than one group.

67. The computer program product of claim 65, wherein the group-specific signaling constraints relate to signaling structures for each of the more than one group, each of the signaling structures is one of a bitmap structure, a contiguous allocation structure, or a tree-based structure.

68. The computer program product of claim 65, wherein the group-specific signaling constraints relate to selection of resource blocks included in each of the more than one group.

69. The computer program product of claim 65, the computer-readable medium further comprising code for receiving information related to at least one of a number of groups or a number of resource blocks in each of the groups.

70. The computer program product of claim 65, the computer-readable medium further comprising code for retaining the group-specific signaling constraints in memory.

71. In a wireless communications system, an apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive an assignment message transferred from a base station utilizing group-specific signaling constraints via a control channel; and

determine assigned resource blocks from one or more groups of resource blocks by analyzing the assignment message with the group-specific signaling constraints.

72. A method that facilitates assigning resource blocks of a channel in a wireless communication environment, comprising:

generating a resource allocation assignment message that includes an explicit indication of one or more groups from which one or more resource blocks are allocated to an access terminal; and

transmitting the resource allocation assignment message to the access terminal.

73. The method of claim 72, further comprising signaling the one or more resource blocks that are allocated utilizing respective, group-specific signaling constraints for each of the one or more groups.

74. The method of claim 72, further comprising indicating physical resource blocks from a set of physical resource blocks included in a selected resource block group based upon a bitmap size.

75. The method of claim 74, further comprising utilizing an addressing portion of the bitmap to address physical resource blocks in the selected resource block group, wherein each bit in the addressing portion of the bitmap addresses a single addressable physical resource block in the selected resource block group.

76. A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:

a memory that retains instructions related to generating a resource allocation assignment message that includes an explicit indication of one or more groups from which one or more resource blocks are allocated to an access terminal and sending the resource allocation assignment message to the access terminal; and

a processor, coupled to the memory, configured to execute the instructions retained in the memory.

77. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 76, wherein the memory further retains instructions related to signaling the one or more resource blocks that are allocated utilizing respective, group-specific signaling constraints for each of the one or more groups.

78. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 76, wherein the memory further retains instructions related to indicating physical resource blocks from a set of physical resource blocks included in a selected resource block group based upon a bitmap size.

79. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 78, wherein the memory further retains instructions related to using an addressing portion of the bitmap to address physical resource blocks in the selected resource block group, wherein each bit in the addressing portion of the bitmap addresses a single addressable physical resource block in the selected resource block group.

80. A wireless communications apparatus that enables signaling resource block assignments in a wireless communication environment, comprising:

means for yielding an assignment message that includes an explicit indication of one or more groups from which one or more resource blocks are allocated to an access terminal; and

means for transferring the assignment message to the access terminal.

81. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 80, further comprising means for signaling the one or more resource blocks that are allocated utilizing respective, group-specific signaling constraints for each of the one or more groups.

82. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 80, further comprising means for indicating physical resource blocks from a set of physical resource blocks included in a selected resource block group based upon a bitmap size.

83. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 82, further comprising means for using an addressing portion of the bitmap to address physical resource blocks in the selected resource block group, wherein each bit in the addressing portion of the bitmap addresses a single addressable physical resource block in the selected resource block group.

84. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising;

code for yielding an assignment message that includes an explicit indication of one or more groups from which one or more resource blocks are allocated to an access terminal; and

code for transferring the assignment message to the access terminal.

85. The computer program product of claim 84, the computer-readable medium further comprising code for signaling the one or more resource blocks that are allocated utilizing respective, group-specific signaling constraints for each of the one or more groups.

86. The computer program product of claim 84, the computer-readable medium further comprising code for indicating physical resource blocks from a set of physical resource blocks included in a selected resource block group based upon a bitmap size.

87. The computer program product of claim 86, the computer-readable medium further comprising code for employing an addressing portion of the bitmap to address physical resource blocks in the selected resource block group, wherein each bit in the addressing portion of the bitmap addresses a single addressable physical resource block in the selected resource block group.

88. In a wireless communications system, an apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to;

generate a resource allocation assignment message that includes an explicit indication of one or more groups from which one or more resource blocks are allocated to an access terminal; and

transmit the resource allocation assignment message to the access terminal.

89. A method that facilitates receiving resource block assignments in a wireless communication environment, comprising:

receiving a resource allocation assignment message that includes an explicit indication of one or more groups from which one or more resource blocks are assigned; and

determining the one or more assigned resource blocks by deciphering the resource allocation assignment message.

90. The method of claim 89, wherein the resource allocation assignment message is transferred from a base station utilizing group-specific signaling constraints.

91. The method of claim 89, further comprising recognizing physical resource blocks from a set of physical resource blocks included in a selected resource block group based upon a bitmap size.

92. The method of claim 91, wherein an addressing portion of the bitmap addresses physical resource blocks in the selected resource block group, each bit in the addressing portion of the bitmap addresses a single addressable physical resource block in the selected resource block group.

93. A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:

a memory that retains instructions related to obtaining a resource allocation assignment message that includes an explicit indication of one or more groups from which one or more resource blocks are assigned and recognizing the one or more assigned resource blocks by deciphering the resource allocation assignment message; and

a processor, coupled to the memory, configured to execute the instructions retained in the memory.

94. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 93, wherein the resource allocation assignment message is transferred from a base station utilizing group-specific signaling constraints.

95. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 93, wherein the memory further retains instructions related to recognizing physical resource blocks from a set of physical resource blocks included in a selected resource block group based upon a bitmap size.

96. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 95, wherein an addressing portion of the bitmap addresses physical resource blocks in the selected resource block group, each bit in the addressing portion of the bitmap addresses a single addressable physical resource block in the selected resource block group.

97. A wireless communications apparatus that enables employing allocated resource blocks in a wireless communication environment, comprising:

means for obtaining an assignment message that includes an explicit indication of one or more groups from which one or more resource blocks are assigned; and

means for evaluating the assignment message to identify the one or more assigned resource blocks.

98. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 97, wherein the assignment message is transferred from a base station utilizing group-specific signaling constraints.

99. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 97, further comprising means for recognizing physical resource blocks from a set of physical resource blocks included in a selected resource block group based upon a bitmap size.

100. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 99, wherein an addressing portion of the bitmap addresses physical resource blocks in the selected resource block group, each bit in the addressing portion of the bitmap addresses a single addressable physical resource block in the selected resource block group.

101. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising;

code for obtaining an assignment message that includes an explicit indication of one or more groups from which one or more resource blocks are assigned; and

code for evaluating the assignment message to identify the one or more assigned resource blocks.

102. The computer program product of claim 101, wherein the assignment message is transferred from a base station utilizing group-specific signaling constraints.

103. The computer program product of claim 101, the computer-readable medium further comprising code for recognizing physical resource blocks from a set of physical resource blocks included in a selected resource block group based upon a bitmap size.

104. The computer program product of claim 103, wherein an addressing portion of the bitmap addresses physical resource blocks in the selected resource block group, each bit in the addressing portion of the bitmap addresses a single addressable physical resource block in the selected resource block group.

105. In a wireless communications system, an apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive a resource allocation assignment message that includes an explicit indication of one or more groups from which one or more resource blocks are assigned; and

determine the one or more assigned resource blocks by deciphering the resource allocation assignment message.