PROCESSING ENHANCED PDCCH (EPDCCH) IN LTE

• US 20130170449A1
• Filed: 12/20/2012
• Published: 07/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Chen, Wanshi, Xu, Hao, Gaal, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 9,084,252 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0038 Blind format detection for detection of modulation format H04L27/0012
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/03866 using scrambling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0044 allocation of payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0053 Allocation of signaling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/044 based on the type of the allocated resource
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/085 Access point devices with remote components

Abstract

A method of wireless communication includes configuring a virtual cell identifier (ID) for a user equipment (UE). The method determines a first candidate for an enhanced physical downlink control channel (ePDCCH) for the UE. The method also determines a first virtual cell ID for the first candidate. Furthermore, the method scrambles the ePDCCH based on the first virtual cell ID and transmits, to the UE, the scrambled ePDCCH using the first candidate.

Claims

1. A method of wireless communication, comprising:

configuring at least one virtual cell identifier (ID) for a user equipment (UE);

determining a first candidate for an enhanced physical downlink control channel (ePDCCH) for the UE;

determining a first virtual cell ID for the first candidate;

scrambling the ePDCCH based on the first virtual cell ID; and

transmitting, to the UE, the scrambled ePDCCH using the first candidate.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising frequency division multiplexing the ePDCCH with other channels.

3. The method of claim 1, in which the configuring comprises configuring the at least one virtual cell ID to be the same as at least one virtual cell ID of a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH).

4. The method of claim 1, in which the configuring comprises configuring the at least one virtual cell ID separately from at least one virtual cell ID of a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH).

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising signaling the at least one configured virtual cell ID to the UE.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating the first virtual cell ID with transmitted reference signals.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a second candidate for the enhanced physical downlink control channel (ePDCCH);

determining a second virtual cell ID from the at least one configured virtual cell ID for the second candidate when the at least one virtual cell ID is a plurality of virtual cell IDs;

scrambling the enhanced physical downlink control channel (ePDCCH) based on the second virtual cell ID; and

transmitting the scrambled ePDCCH using the second candidate.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising associating the first candidate with a localized ePDCCH transmission and the second candidate with a distributed ePDCCH transmission.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising associating the first candidate with a first configured ePDCCH resource set and the second candidate with a second configured ePDCCH resource set.

10. The method of claim 7, in which the first candidate is transmitted from a first cell and the second candidate is transmitted from a second cell.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

configuring a plurality of ePDCCH resource sets; and

associating a virtual cell ID with each ePDCCH resource set.

12. The method of claim 1, in which the scrambled first ePDCCH is transmitted from a plurality of cells.

13. The method of claim 1, in which at least one of the at least one configured virtual cell ID is different from a physical cell ID of a cell associated with the UE.

14. A method of wireless communication, comprising:

determining a first set of decoding candidates for an enhanced physical downlink control channel (ePDCCH);

determining a first virtual cell identifier (ID) for the first set of decoding candidates; and

decoding the ePDCCH based at least in part on the first virtual cell ID and the determined first set of decoding candidates.

15. The method of claim 14, in which the ePDCCH is scrambled based at least in part on the first virtual cell ID.

16. The method of claim 14, in which the first virtual cell ID is the same as at least one virtual cell ID of a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH).

17. The method of claim 14, in which the first virtual cell ID is different from at least one virtual cell ID of a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH).

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining a second set of decoding candidates for the ePDCCH;

determining a second virtual cell ID for the second set of decoding candidates; and

decoding the ePDCCH based at least in part on the second virtual cell ID and the determined second set of decoding candidates.

19. The method of claim 18, in which the ePDCCH of the first set of decoding candidates is a localized ePDCCH transmission and the ePDCCH of the second set of decoding candidates is a distributed ePDCCH transmission.

20. The method of claim 18, in which the ePDCCH of the first set of candidates is received from a first cell and the ePDCCH of the second set of candidates is received from a second cell.

21. The method of claim 14, in which the ePDCCH is scrambled by the first virtual cell ID.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising associating the first set of decoding candidates with a first configured ePDCCH resource set and the second set of decoding candidates with a second configured ePDCCH resource set.

23. The method of claim 14, in which the ePDCCH is received from a plurality of cells.

24. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a configuration of a plurality of ePDCCH resource sets; and

associating a virtual cell ID with each ePDCCH resource set.

25. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving at least one configured virtual cell ID; and

determining the first virtual cell ID based at least in part on the received at least one configured virtual cell ID.

26. The method of claim 25, in which at least one of the configured virtual cell ID(s) is different from a physical cell ID of a cell associated with a user equipment (UE).

27. An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

means for configuring at least one virtual cell identifier (ID) for a user equipment (UE);

means for determining a first candidate for an enhanced physical downlink control channel (ePDCCH) for the UE;

means for determining a first virtual cell ID for the first candidate;

means for scrambling the ePDCCH based on the first virtual cell ID; and

means for transmitting, to the UE, the scrambled ePDCCH using the first candidate.

28. An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

means for determining a first set of decoding candidates for an enhanced physical downlink control channel (ePDCCH);

means for determining a first virtual cell identifier (ID) for the first set of decoding candidates; and

means for decoding the ePDCCH based at least in part on the first virtual cell ID and the determined first set of decoding candidates.

29. A computer program product for wireless communications, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium having program code recorded thereon, the program code comprising;

program code to configure at least one virtual cell identifier (ID) for a user equipment (UE);

program code to determine a first candidate for an enhanced physical downlink control channel (ePDCCH) for the UE;

program code to determine a first virtual cell ID for the first candidate;

program code to scramble the ePDCCH based on the first virtual cell ID; and

program code to transmit, to the UE, the scrambled ePDCCH using the first candidate.

30. A computer program product for wireless communications, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium having program code recorded thereon, the program code comprising;

program code to determine a first set of decoding candidates for an enhanced physical downlink control channel (ePDCCH);

program code to determine a first virtual cell identifier (ID) for the first set of decoding candidates; and

program code to decode the ePDCCH based at least in part on the first virtual cell ID and the determined first set of decoding candidates.

31. An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory, the at least one processor being configured;

to configure at least one virtual cell identifier (ID) for a user equipment (UE);

to determine a first candidate for an enhanced physical downlink control channel (ePDCCH) for the UE;

to determine a first virtual cell ID for the first candidate;

to scramble the ePDCCH based on the first virtual cell ID; and

to transmit, to the UE, the scrambled ePDCCH using the first candidate.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, in which the at least one processor is further configured to frequency division multiplex the ePDCCH with other channels.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, in which the at least one processor is further configured to configure the at least one virtual cell ID to be the same as at least one virtual cell ID of a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH).

34. The apparatus of claim 31, in which the at least one processor is further configured to configure the at least one virtual cell ID separately from at least one virtual cell ID of a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH).

35. The apparatus of claim 31, in which the at least one processor is further configured to signal the at least one configured virtual cell ID to the UE.

36. The apparatus of claim 31, in which the at least one processor is further configured to associate the first virtual cell ID with transmitted reference signals.

37. The apparatus of claim 31, in which the at least one processor is further configured:

to determine a second candidate for the enhanced physical downlink control channel (ePDCCH);

to determine a second virtual cell ID from the at least one configured virtual cell ID for the second candidate when the at least one virtual cell ID is a plurality of virtual cell IDs;

to scramble the enhanced physical downlink control channel (ePDCCH) based on the second virtual cell ID; and

to transmit the scrambled ePDCCH using the second candidate.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, in which the at least one processor is further configured:

to associate the first candidate with a localized ePDCCH transmission; and

to associate the second candidate with a distributed ePDCCH transmission.

39. The apparatus of claim 37, in which the at least one processor is further configured:

to associate the first candidate with a first configured ePDCCH resource set and

to associate the second candidate with a second configured ePDCCH resource set.

40. The apparatus of claim 37, in which the first candidate is transmitted from a first cell and the second candidate is transmitted from a second cell.

41. The apparatus of claim 31, in which the at least one processor is further configured:

to configure a plurality of ePDCCH resource sets; and

to associate a virtual cell ID with each ePDCCH resource set.

42. The apparatus of claim 31, in which the scrambled first ePDCCH is transmitted from a plurality of cells.

43. The apparatus of claim 31, in which at least one of the at least one configured virtual cell ID is different from a physical cell ID of a cell associated with the UE.

44. An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory, the at least one processor being configured;

to determine a first set of decoding candidates for an enhanced physical downlink control channel (ePDCCH);

to determine a first virtual cell identifier (ID) for the first set of decoding candidates; and

to decode the ePDCCH based at least in part on the first virtual cell ID and the determined first set of decoding candidates.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, in which the ePDCCH is scrambled by the first virtual cell ID.

46. The apparatus of claim 44, in which the first virtual cell ID is the same as at least one virtual cell ID of a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH).

47. The apparatus of claim 44, in which the first virtual cell ID is different from at least one virtual cell ID of a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH).

48. The apparatus of claim 44, in which the at least one processor is further configured:

to determine a second set of decoding candidates for the ePDCCH;

to determine a second virtual cell ID for the second set of decoding candidates; and

to decode the ePDCCH based at least in part on the second virtual cell ID and the determined second set of decoding candidates.

49. The apparatus of claim 48, in which the ePDCCH of the first set of decoding candidates is a localized ePDCCH transmission and the ePDCCH of the second set of candidates is a distributed ePDCCH transmission.

50. The apparatus of claim 48, in which the ePDCCH of the first set of candidates is received from a first cell and the ePDCCH of the second set of candidates is received from a second cell.

51. The apparatus of claim 48, in which the ePDCCH is scrambled by the second virtual cell ID.

52. The apparatus of claim 48, in which the at least one processor is further configured to associate the first set of candidates with a first configured ePDCCH resource set and the second set of candidates with a second configured ePDCCH resource set.

53. The apparatus of claim 44, in which the ePDCCH is received from a plurality of cells.

54. The apparatus of claim 44, in which the at least one processor is further configured:

to receive a configuration of a plurality of ePDCCH resource sets; and

to associate a virtual cell ID with each ePDCCH resource set.

55. The apparatus of claim 44, in which the at least one processor is further configured:

to receive at least one configured virtual cell ID; and

to determine the first virtual cell ID based at least in part on the received at least one configured virtual cell ID.

56. The apparatus of claim 55, in which the at least one of the configured virtual cell ID(s) is different from a physical cell ID of a cell associated with a user equipment (UE).