HARQ-ACK SIGNAL TRANSMISSION IN RESPONSE TO DETECTION OF CONTROL CHANNEL TYPE IN CASE OF MULTIPLE CONTROL CHANNEL TYPES

• US 20130230017A1
• Filed: 03/05/2013
• Published: 09/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: PAPASAKELLARIOU, Aris, Cho, Joon-Young
• Granted Patent: US 9,072,086 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/330
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1812 Hybrid protocols; Hybrid automatic repeat request [HARQ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1861 Physical mapping arrangements for ACK signaling see also H04L5/0053
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1896 ARQ related signaling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are described for a User Equipment (UE) to transmit and for a base station to receive a Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest ACKnowledgement (HARQ-ACK) signal in a resource of a Physical Uplink Control CHannel (PUCCH). The HARQ-ACK signal is transmitted from the UE in response to a detection of a PDCCH transmitted from the base station and conveying a DCI format that, depending on the PDCCH type, can include a HARQ-ACK PUCCH Resource Offset (HPRO) information field. The UE and the NodeB determine the PUCCH resource depending on the PDCCH type and, if the DCI format includes the HPRO, also depending on a PDCCH transmission type.

Claims

1. A method for a User Equipment (UE) to transmit a Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest ACKnowledgement (HARQ-ACK) signal in a Physical Uplink Control CHannel (PUCCH) in response to a detection of a Physical Downlink Control CHannel (PDCCH) of a first type or in response to a detection of a PDCCH of a second type transmitted from a base station, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving by the UE higher layer signaling from the base station assigning a first set of Physical Resource Blocks (PRBs) for receptions of PDCCHs of the first type and assigning a second set of PRBs for receptions of PDCCHs of the second type, wherein a PRB includes a number of contiguous frequency Resource Elements (REs) over a Transmission Time Interval (TTI) and wherein the reception of the PDCCH of the first type is localized in one PRB in the first set of PRBs and the reception of the PDCCH of the second type is distributed over multiple PRBs in the second set of PRBs;

detecting by the UE a PDCCH of the first type or a PDCCH of the second type over a number of respective Control Channel Elements (CCEs), wherein the PDCCH of the first type or the PDCCH of the second type conveys a Downlink Control Information (DCI) format that includes a HARQ-ACK PUCCH Resource Offset (HPRO) information field, and wherein the UE detects the PDCCH of the first type in the one PRB using a channel estimate obtained from a DeModulation Reference Signal (DMRS) received in respective REs of the one PRB and corresponding to a base station antenna port number N_DMRS;

determining by the UE a PUCCH resource as a function of the first CCE index, the N_DMRS, HPRO value, and a first offset assigned to the UE from the base station by higher layer signaling if the UE detects a PDCCH of the first type;

determining by the UE a PUCCH resource as a function of the first CCE index, the HPRO value, and a second offset assigned to the UE from the base station by higher layer signaling if the UE detects a PDCCH of the second type; and

transmitting by the UE the HARQ-ACK signal in the determined PUCCH resource.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the HPRO information field comprises two bits.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, for the first set of PRBs, the respective CCEs are indexed within the PRBs and then across the PRBs, starting at a PRB with a lowest index, as determined by a lowest index of respective frequency REs, and continuing in an ascending order.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of PRBs at least partially overlaps with the second set of PRBs.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the UE is assigned, from the base station via the higher layer signaling, a first scrambling sequence used to scramble DCI format bits in the first set of PRBs, and a second scrambling sequence used to scramble DCI format bits in the second set of PRBs.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the PUCCH resources corresponding to PDCCHs of the first type at least partially overlap with PUCCH resources corresponding to PDCCHs of the second type.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein collisions among PUCCH resources corresponding to PDCCHs of the first type and PUCCH resources corresponding to PDCCHs of the second type are avoided through the use of the HPRO field.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein if the UE detects a PDCCH of the first type conveying a DCI format assigning a third set of PRBs for data reception and the UE does not detect PDCCHs of the second type, the UE excludes from data reception PRBs in the third set of PRBs that are also included in the second set of PRBs if PDCCHs of the second type conveys a UE-common DCI.

9. A method for a base station (NodeB) to receive a Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest ACKnowledgement (HARQ-ACK) signal in a Physical Uplink Control CHannel (PUCCH), the HARQ-ACK signal transmitted from a User Equipment (UE) in response to a detection of a Physical Downlink Control CHannel (PDCCH) of a first type or in response to a detection of a PDCCH of a second type, the method comprising the steps of:

assigning, by the NodeB, to the UE via higher layer signaling, a first set of Physical Resource Blocks (PRBs) for transmissions of PDCCHs of the first type and a second set of PRBs for transmissions of PDCCHs of the second type, wherein a PRB includes a number of contiguous frequency Resource Elements (REs) over a Transmission Time Interval (TTI) and wherein the reception of the PDCCH of the first type is localized in a single PRB in the first set of PRBs and the reception of the PDCCH of the second type is distributed over a plurality of PRBs in the second set of PRBs;

transmitting, by the NodeB a PDCCH of the first type or a PDCCH of the second type over a number of respective Control Channel Elements (CCEs), wherein the PDCCH of the first type or the PDCCH of the second type conveys a Downlink Control Information (DCI) format comprising of information fields that includes a HARQ-ACK PUCCH Resource Offset (HPRO) information field;

transmitting, by the NodeB, a DeModulation Reference Signal (DMRS) in respective REs of the single PRB from a NodeB antenna port number N_DMRS, wherein the DMRS is associated with the PDCCH of the first type;

determining by the NodeB a PUCCH resource as a function of the first CCE index, the N_DMRS, the HPRO information field, and a first offset if the NodeB transmits a PDCCH of the first type;

determining, by the NodeB, a PUCCH resource as a function of the first CCE index, the HPRO information field, and a second offset if the NodeB transmits a PDCCH of the second type; and

receiving by the NodeB the HARQ-ACK signal in the determined PUCCH resource.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the HPRO information field comprises two bits.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein, for the first set of PRBs, the respective CCEs are indexed within the PRBs and then across the PRBs, starting at a PRB with a lowest index, as determined by a lowest index of respective frequency REs, and continuing in an ascending order.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the first set of PRBs at least partially overlaps with the second set of PRBs.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the NodeB assigns to the UE, via the higher layer signaling, a first scrambling sequence used to scramble DCI format bits in the first set of PRBs, and a second scrambling sequence used to scramble DCI format bits in the second set of PRBs.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the PUCCH resources corresponding to PDCCHs of the first type at least partially overlap with PUCCH resources corresponding to PDCCHs of the second type.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein collisions among PUCCH resources corresponding to PDCCHs of the first type and PUCCH resources corresponding to PDCCHs of the second type are avoided through the use of the HPRO information field.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein if the NodeB transmits a PDCCH of the first type conveying a DCI format assigning to the UE a third set of PRBs for data transmission and the NodeB does not transmit PDCCHs of the second type to the UE, the NodeB does not transmit data in PRBs in the third set of PRBs that are also included in the second set of PRBs if PDCCHs of the second type convey a UE-common DCI.

17. A User Equipment (UE) apparatus for transmitting a Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest ACKnowledgement (HARQ-ACK) signal in a Physical Uplink Control CHannel (PUCCH) in response to a detection of a Physical Downlink Control CHannel (PDCCH) of a first type or in response to a detection of a PDCCH of a second type, the apparatus comprising:

a receiver for receiving a first offset and a second offset and for receiving an assignment of a first set of Physical Resource Blocks (PRBs) for receptions of PDCCHs of the first type and an assignment of a second set of PRBs for receptions of PDCCHs of the second type, wherein a PRB comprises a number of contiguous frequency Resource Elements (REs) over a Transmission Time Interval (TTI), and wherein reception of the PDCCH of the first type is localized in a single PRB in the first set of PRBs and the reception of the PDCCH of the second type is distributed over multiple PRBs in the second set of PRBs;

a detector for detecting a PDCCH of the first type or a PDCCH of the second type over a number of respective Control Channel Elements (CCEs), wherein the PDCCH of the first type or the PDCCH of the second type conveys a Downlink Control Information (DCI) format that includes a HARQ-ACK PUCCH Resource Offset (HPRO) information field, and wherein the detection of the PDCCH of the first type in the one PRB uses a channel estimate obtained from a DeModulation Reference Signal (DMRS) received in respective REs of the single PRB and corresponding to a base station antenna port number, N_DMRS;

a computation unit for determining a PUCCH resource as a function of the first CCE index the N_DMRS, the HPRO information field, and a first offset if the UE apparatus detects a PDCCH of the first type or for determining a PUCCH resource as a function of the first CCE index, the HPRO information field value, and the second offset if the UE apparatus detects a PDCCH of the second type; and

a transmitter for transmitting the HARQ-ACK signal in the determined PUCCH resource.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the HPRO information field comprises two bits.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein, for the first set of PRBs, the respective CCEs are indexed within the PRBs and then across the PRBs, starting at a PRB with a lowest index, as determined by a lowest index of respective frequency REs, and continuing in an ascending order.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first set of PRBs at least partially overlaps with the second set of PRBs.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the UE apparatus receives a first scrambling sequence used to scramble DCI format bits in the first set of PRBs, and a second scrambling sequence used to scramble DCI format bits in the second set of PRBs.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the PUCCH resources corresponding to PDCCHs of the first type at least partially overlap with PUCCH resources corresponding to PDCCHs of the second type.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein collisions among PUCCH resources corresponding to PDCCHs of the first type and PUCCH resources corresponding to PDCCHs of the second type are avoided through the use of the HPRO information field.

24. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein if the UE apparatus detects a PDCCH of the first type conveying a DCI format assigning a third set of PRBs for data reception and the UE apparatus does not detect PDCCHs of the second type, the UE apparatus excludes from data reception PRBs in the third set of PRBs that are also included in the second set of PRBs if PDCCHs of the second type convey a UE-common DCI.

25. A base station (NodeB) apparatus for receiving a Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest ACKnowledgement (HARQ-ACK) signal in a Physical Uplink Control CHannel (PUCCH), the HARQ-ACK signal transmitted from a User Equipment (UE) in response to a detection of a Physical Downlink Control CHannel (PDCCH) of a first type or in response to a detection of a PDCCH of a second type, the apparatus comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting a first offset and a second offset, for transmitting an assignment of a first set of Physical Resource Blocks (PRBs) for transmissions of PDCCHs of the first type and an assignment of a second set of PRBs for transmissions of PDCCHs of the second type, wherein a PRB comprises a number of contiguous frequency Resource Elements (REs) over a Transmission Time Interval (TTI), and wherein transmission of the PDCCH of the first type is localized in one PRB in the first set of PRBs and the transmission of the PDCCH of the second type is distributed over multiple PRBs in the second set of PRBs, for transmitting a PDCCH of the first type or a PDCCH of the second type over a number of respective Control Channel Elements (CCEs), wherein the PDCCH of the first type or the PDCCH of the second type includes a HARQ-ACK PUCCH Resource Offset (HPRO) information field, and for transmitting a DeModulation Reference Signal (DMRS) in respective REs of the single PRB from a NodeB antenna port number N_DMRS, wherein the DMRS is associated with the first PDCCH;

a computation unit for determining a PUCCH resource as a function of the first CCE index, the N_DMRS, the HPRO value, and a first offset if the NodeB apparatus transmits a PDCCH of the first type or for determining a PUCCH resource as a function of the first CCE index, the HPRO information field, and the second offset if the NodeB apparatus transmits a PDCCH of the second type; and

a receiver for receiving the HARQ-ACK signal in the determined PUCCH resource.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the HPRO information field comprises two bits.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein, for the first set of PRBs, the respective CCEs are indexed within the PRBs and then across the PRBs, starting at a PRB with the lowest index, as determined by a lowest index of respective frequency REs, and continuing in an ascending order.

28. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the first set of PRBs at least partially overlaps with the second set of PRBs.

29. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the NodeB apparatus transmits a first scrambling sequence used to scramble DCI format bits in the first set of PRBs, and a second scrambling sequence used to scramble DCI format bits in the second set of PRBs.

30. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the PUCCH resources corresponding to PDCCHs of the first type at least partially overlap with PUCCH resources corresponding to PDCCHs of the second type.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein collisions among PUCCH resources corresponding to PDCCHs of the first type and PUCCH resources corresponding to PDCCHs of the second type are avoided through the use of the HPRO information field.

32. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein if the NodeB transmits a PDCCH of the first type conveying a DCI format assigning to the UE a third set of PRBs for data transmission and the NodeB does not transmit PDCCHs of the second type to the UE, the NodeB does not transmit data in PRBs in the third set of PRBs that are also included in the second set of PRBs if PDCCHs of the second type convey a UE-common DCI.