Extension of Physical Downlink Control Channel Coverage

• US 20120163437A1
• Filed: 07/03/2009
• Published: 06/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd. (Xiaomi Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Frederiksen, Frank, Roessel, Sabine, Wigard, Jeroen, Goldberg, Martin, Luo, Jijun, Rehfuess, Ulrich
• Granted Patent: US 8,711,671 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/001 the frequencies being arranged in component carriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0053 Allocation of signaling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal

Abstract

It is provided an apparatus, including observing means configured to observe a first parameter; deciding means configured to decide, based on the first parameter, whether or not an original search space of a downlink control channel of an orthogonal frequency division multiplex technology is to be redefined; and redefining means configured to redefine the original search space, thus obtaining a redefined search space.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising

observing means configured to observe a first parameter;

deciding means configured to decide, based on the first parameter, whether or not an original search space of a downlink control channel of an orthogonal frequency division multiplex technology is to be redefined; and

redefining means configured to redefine the original search space, thus obtaining a redefined search space.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

transmitting means configured to transmit an information about the redefinition of the original search space.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the transmitting means is configured to transmit the information via radio resource control signaling.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the transmitting means is configured to transmit the first parameter, wherein the first parameter is a parameter controlling a coverage for the downlink shared channel information.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the redefining means is configured to remove a search position from the original search space.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the redefining means is configured to add a search position to the original search space.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the aggregation level of the added search position is defined as m*4, m being a positive integer, including the aggregation levels of 16, 24, and 32.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the redefining means is configured to add at least two search positions having the same aggregation level, the apparatus further comprising

writing means configured to write a specific entry into each of the at least two search positions.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein both, the original search space and the redefined search space, are a user equipment specific search space or a common search space.

10. A base station, comprising an apparatus according to claim 1, and a base station means configured to provide a base station functionality according to the orthogonal frequency division multiplexing technique.

11. An apparatus, comprising

monitoring means configured to monitor a first parameter comprising an information if an original search space of a downlink control channel of an orthogonal frequency division multiplex technology is redefined;

checking means configured to check whether or not the first parameter indicates the original search space is redefined; and

searching means configured to search an entry at a search entry of the redefined search space.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising receiving means configured to receive the first parameter.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the receiving means is configured to receive the first parameter via radio resource control signaling.

14. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein

the receiving means is configured to receive the first parameter, wherein the first parameter is a parameter controlling a coverage for the downlink shared channel information.

15. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the searching means is configured not to search at a search position of the original search space.

16. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the searching means is configured to search at a search position not comprised in the original search space.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the aggregation level of the search position not comprised in the original search space is defined as m*4, m being a positive integer, including the aggregation levels of 16, 24, and 32.

18. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the searching means is configured to search at least two search positions having the same aggregation level, the apparatus further comprising

combining means configured to combine the entries of the at least two search positions.

19. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein both, the original search space and the redefined search space, are a user equipment specific search space or a common search space.

20. User equipment, comprising an apparatus according to claim 11, and a user equipment means configured to provide a user equipment functionality according to the orthogonal frequency division multiplexing technique.

21. A method, comprising

observing a first parameter;

deciding, based on the first parameter, whether or not an original search space of a downlink control channel of an orthogonal frequency division multiplex technology is to be redefined; and

redefining the original search space, thus obtaining a redefined search space, if it is decided that the original search space is to be redefined.

22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising transmitting an information about the redefinition of the original search space.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the information is transmitted via radio resource control signaling.

24. The method according to claim 22, wherein

the first parameter is transmitted, wherein the first parameter is a parameter controlling a coverage for the downlink shared channel information.

25. The method according to claim 21, wherein the redefining comprises removing a search position from the original search space.

26. The method according to claim 21, wherein the redefining comprises adding a search position to the original search space.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the aggregation level of the added search position is defined as m*4, m being a positive integer, including the aggregation levels of 16, 24, and 32.

28. The method according to claim 26, wherein the redefining comprises adding at least two search positions having the same aggregation level, the method further comprising

writing a specific entry into each of the at least two search positions.

29. The method according to claim 21, wherein both, the original search space and the redefined search space, are a user equipment specific search space or a common search space.

39. Computer program product embodied on a computer-readable medium, comprising program instructions which perform, when run on a computer, the execution of which result in operations of the method according to claim 21.

30. A method, comprising

monitoring a first parameter comprising an information if an original search space of a downlink control channel of an orthogonal frequency division multiplex technology is redefined;

checking whether or not the first parameter indicates that the original search space is redefined;

searching an entry at a search entry of the redefined search space if the checking means checks that the original search space is redefined.

31. The method according to claim 30, further comprising receiving the first parameter.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein the receiving comprises receiving the first parameter via radio resource control signaling.

33. The method according to claim 31, wherein

the receiving comprises receiving the first parameter, wherein the first parameter is a parameter controlling a coverage for the downlink shared channel information.

34. The method according to claim 30, wherein the searching comprises not searching at a search position of the original search space.

35. The method according to claim 30, wherein the searching comprises searching at a search position not comprised in the original search space.

36. The method according to claim 35, wherein the aggregation level of the search position not comprised in the original search space is defined as m*4, m being a positive integer, including the aggregation levels of 16, 24, and 32.

37. The method according to claim 35, wherein the searching comprises searching at least two search positions having the same aggregation level, the method further comprising

combining the entries of the at least two search positions.

38. The method according to claim 30, wherein both, the original search space and the redefined search space, are a user equipment specific search space or a common search space.

40. (canceled)