Methods and Arrangements for Contention-Based Uplink Transmission in a Wireless Communications System

• US 20120314619A1
• Filed: 02/22/2010
• Published: 12/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Wiberg, Niclas, Englund, Eva, Eriksson, Erik, Wallentin, Pontus
• Granted Patent: US 9,094,942 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/006 in the downlink, i.e. towards the terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0833 Random access procedures, e.g. with 4-step access

Abstract

The present invention relates to a user equipment and a radio base station, and to related methods of enabling contention-based uplink transmission. The method comprises the steps of determining (210) configuration information for at least one contention-based uplink transmission opportunity, transmitting (220) the configuration information to at least one user equipment, and for each of the at least one contention-based uplink transmission opportunity, transmitting (230) an access control signal to the at least one user equipment, indicating whether contention-based uplink transmission is allowed for the opportunity.

Claims

1-19. -19. (canceled)

20. A method of enabling contention-based uplink transmission, in a radio base station in a wireless communications system, the method comprising:

determining configuration information for at least one contention-based uplink transmission opportunity;

transmitting the configuration information to at least one user equipment; and

,

for each of the at least one contention-based uplink transmission opportunities, transmitting an access control signal to the at least one user equipment, the access control signal indicating whether contention-based uplink transmission is allowed for the opportunity.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the configuration information comprises at least one of an uplink transmission resource, an uplink transmission format, and timing information for the at least one contention-based uplink transmission opportunity.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the configuration information is included in broadcasted system information.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the configuration information is included in dedicated configuration messages.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the access control signal is transmitted in a sub frame immediately preceding a sub frame that comprises an uplink transmission resource corresponding to said opportunity.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the access control signal indicates a probability that contention-based uplink transmission is allowed for the opportunity.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the access control signal is transmitted on a physical hybrid automatic repeat request indicator channel.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein the access control signal is transmitted on a physical downlink control channel.

28. A method, in a user equipment in a wireless communications system, of enabling contention-based uplink transmission, the method comprising:

receiving and storing configuration information for at least one contention-based uplink transmission opportunity, wherein the configuration information is received from a radio base station;

receiving input data for uplink transmission; and

reading an access control signal associated with one of the at least one contention-based uplink transmission opportunities, wherein the access control signal is received from the radio base station and indicates whether contention-based uplink transmission is allowed for the associated opportunity.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the configuration information comprises at least one of an uplink transmission resource, an uplink transmission format, and timing information for the at least one contention-based uplink transmission opportunity.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the configuration information is included in broadcasted system information.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein the configuration information is included in dedicated configuration messages.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein the access control signal is received in a sub frame immediately preceding a sub frame that comprises an uplink transmission resource corresponding to the associated opportunity.

33. The method of claim 28, wherein the access control signal indicates a probability that contention-based uplink transmission is allowed for the associated opportunity, and wherein the method comprises the further step of determining whether contention-based uplink transmission is allowed for the associated opportunity based on the probability.

34. The method of claim 28, wherein the access control signal is received on a physical hybrid automatic repeat request indicator channel.

35. The method of claim 28, wherein the access control signal is received on a physical downlink control channel.

36. A radio base station configured to enable contention-based uplink transmission in a wireless communications system, the radio base station comprising:

a determining unit adapted to determine configuration information for at least one contention-based uplink transmission opportunity,

a transmitter adapted to transmit the configuration information to at least one user equipment, and to transmit an access control signal to the at least one user equipment for each of the at least one contention-based uplink transmission opportunities, wherein the access control signal indicates whether contention-based uplink transmission is allowed for the opportunity.

37. A user equipment configured to enable contention-based uplink transmission in a wireless communications system, the user equipment comprising:

a receiver adapted to receive configuration information for at least one contention-based uplink transmission opportunity from a radio base station,

a storage unit adapted to store the received configuration information,

a data input unit adapted to receive input data for uplink transmission, and

a reading unit adapted to read an access control signal received from the radio base station and associated with one of the at least one contention-based uplink transmission opportunities, wherein the access control signal indicates whether contention-based uplink transmission is allowed for the associated opportunity.

38. The user equipment of claim 37, wherein the access control signal indicates a probability that contention-based uplink transmission is allowed for the associated opportunity, and wherein the user equipment further comprises a determining unit adapted to determine whether contention-based uplink transmission is allowed for the associated opportunity based on the probability.