SIGNALING OF VIRTUAL CELL IDENTIFIERS AND FALLBACK OPERATION

• US 20130235821A1
• Filed: 03/11/2013
• Published: 09/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: CHEN, Wanshi, GAAL, Peter, LUO, Tao, XU, Hao, GEIRHOFER, Stefan
• Granted Patent: US 9,924,498 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0026 Transmission of channel quality indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0028 Formatting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1861 Physical mapping arrangements for ACK signaling see also H04L5/0053
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2613 Structure of the reference signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 using broadcasted information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management

Abstract

A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for wireless communication are provided in which a cell identifier is selected based on one or more properties associated with received downlink control information (DCI), where the properties may not be exclusively associated with determining a cell identifier. The cell identifier may be selected from a plurality of cell identifiers received through radio resource control signaling. The properties of the DCI may include a type of download control channel, a type of subframe and a type of DCI format used to provide the DCI.

Claims

1. A method of wireless communications, comprising:

receiving a signal including downlink control information (DCI); and

selecting one of a plurality of cell identifiers based on one or more properties associated with the DCI, wherein the one or more properties are not exclusively associated with determining a cell identifier.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising initializing a pseudo-random sequence generator based on the selected cell identifier.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the plurality of cell identifiers via radio resource control (RRC) signaling.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the DCI is received in an enhanced physical download control channel (ePDCCH).

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the ePDCCH is scrambled with an ePDCCH scrambling identifier, and wherein the selecting includes:

determining a type of format of the DCI; and

selecting the selected cell identifier based on the ePDCCH scrambling identifier when the DCI has a type 1A format.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the selecting includes:

determining a type of format of the DCI; and

selecting a predetermined cell identifier when the DCI has a type 1A format.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting comprises:

determining a subframe type in which the DCI is received; and

determining whether the subframe is a Multi-Media Broadcast over a Single Frequency Network (MBSFN) subframe or a non-MBSFN subframe, wherein the cell identifier is selected, at least in part, based on the subframe type.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a signal includes receiving the DCI in a first set of candidate control channels (CCEs) of at least two sets of CCEs, and wherein the selected cell identifier is selected, at least in part, based on the set of CCEs in which the DCI is received.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the DCI includes an uplink grant, and wherein the selected cell identifier is used for an uplink transmission corresponding to the uplink grant.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing channel state information (CSI) based on the selected cell identifier.

11. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

means for receiving a signal including downlink control information (DCI); and

means for selecting one of a plurality of cell identifiers based on one or more properties associated with the DCI, wherein the one or more properties are not exclusively associated with determining a cell identifier.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising means for initializing a pseudo-random sequence generator based on the selected cell identifier.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising means for receiving the plurality of cell identifiers via radio resource control (RRC) signaling.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the DCI is received in an enhanced physical download control channel (ePDCCH).

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the ePDCCH is scrambled with an ePDCCH scrambling identifier, and wherein the means for selecting determines a type of format of the DCI, and selects the selected cell identifier based on the ePDCCH scrambling identifier when the DCI has a type 1A format.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the means for selecting determines a type of format of the DCI, and selects a predetermined cell identifier when the DCI has a type 1A format.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the means for selecting determines a subframe type in which the DCI is received, and determines whether the subframe is a Multi-Media Broadcast over a Single Frequency Network (MBSFN) subframe or a non-MBSFN subframe, wherein the cell identifier is selected, at least in part, based on the subframe type.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the means for receiving a signal receives the DCI in a first set of candidate control channels (CCEs) of at least two sets of CCEs, and wherein the selected cell identifier is selected, at least in part, based on the set of CCEs in which the DCI is received.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the DCI includes an uplink grant, and wherein the selected cell identifier is used for an uplink transmission corresponding to the uplink grant.

20. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising means for providing channel state information (CSI) based on the selected cell identifier.

21. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

a processing system configured to;

receive a signal including downlink control information (DCI); and

select one of a plurality of cell identifiers based on one or more properties associated with the DCI, wherein the one or more properties are not exclusively associated with determining a cell identifier.

22. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising code for;

receiving a signal including downlink control information (DCI); and

selecting one of a plurality of cell identifiers based on one or more properties associated with the DCI, wherein the one or more properties are not exclusively associated with determining a cell identifier.

23. A method of wireless communications, comprising:

receiving a signal including downlink control information (DCI) including an uplink grant, wherein the DCI is received in one of a PDCCH or an ePDCCH;

determining the location of a Hybrid Automatic Repeat ReQuest (HARQ) indicator based on the uplink grant, the determining including at least one of;

identifying the HARQ indicator in a physical HARQ indicator channel (PHICH) in a control region when the grant is provided in the PDCCH; and

identifying the HARQ indicator in an enhanced PHICH in a data region when the grant is provided in the ePDCCH.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising selecting one of a plurality of cell identifiers based on a property associated with the DCI, wherein the property is not exclusively related to determining a cell identifier.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising receiving an acknowledgement or a negative acknowledgement based on the selected cell identifier.

26. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

means for receiving a signal including downlink control information (DCI) including an uplink grant, wherein the DCI is received in one of a PDCCH or an ePDCCH;

means for determining the location of a hybrid ARQ indicator based on the uplink grant, wherein the means for determining identifies at least one of;

the hybrid ARQ indicator in a physical hybrid ARQ indicator channel (PHICH) in a control region when the grant is provided in the PDCCH; and

the hybrid ARQ indicator in an enhanced PHICH in a data region when the grant is provided in the ePDCCH.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising means for selecting one of a plurality of cell identifiers based on a property associated with the DCI, wherein the property is not exclusively related to determining a cell identifier.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising means for receiving an acknowledgement or a negative acknowledgement based on the selected cell identifier.

29. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

a processing system configured to;

receive a signal including downlink control information (DCI) including an uplink grant, wherein the DCI is received in one of a PDCCH or an ePDCCH;

determine the location of a hybrid ARQ indicator based on the uplink grant, wherein the processing system determines the location by identifying at least one of;

the hybrid ARQ indicator in a physical hybrid ARQ indicator channel (PHICH) in a control region when the grant is provided in the PDCCH; and

the hybrid ARQ indicator in an enhanced PHICH in a data region when the grant is provided in the ePDCCH.

30. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising code for;

receiving a signal including downlink control information (DCI) including an uplink grant, wherein the DCI is received in one of a PDCCH or an ePDCCH;

determining the location of a hybrid ARQ indicator based on the uplink grant, the determining including at least one of;

identifying the hybrid ARQ indicator in a physical hybrid ARQ indicator channel (PHICH) in a control region when the grant is provided in the PDCCH; and

identifying the hybrid ARQ indicator in an enhanced PHICH in a data region when the grant is provided in the ePDCCH.

31. A method of wireless communications, comprising:

determining an index based on a format type of downlink control information (DCI); and

selecting a set of parameters from a plurality of sets of the parameters based on the index, wherein the set of parameters defines one or more characteristics of a virtual cell, and wherein the plurality of sets of the parameters is configured through radio resource control (RRC) signaling.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising initializing a pseudo-random sequence generator using one parameter of the selected set of parameters.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the set of parameters is used to define characteristics of an uplink communication channel.

34. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

means for determining an index based on a format type of downlink control information (DCI); and

means for selecting a set of parameters from a plurality of sets of the parameters based on the index, wherein the set of parameters defines one or more characteristics of a virtual cell, and wherein the plurality of sets of the parameters is configured through radio resource control (RRC) signaling.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, further comprising means for initializing a pseudo-random sequence generator using one parameter of the selected set of parameters.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the set of parameters is used to define characteristics of an uplink communication channel.

37. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

a processing system configured to;

determine an index based on a format type of downlink control information (DCI); and

select a set of parameters from a plurality of sets of the parameters based on the index, wherein the set of parameters defines one or more characteristics of a virtual cell, and wherein the plurality of sets of the parameters is configured through radio resource control (RRC) signaling.

38. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising code for;

determining an index based on a format type of downlink control information (DCI); and

selecting a set of parameters from a plurality of sets of the parameters based on the index, wherein the set of parameters defines one or more characteristics of a virtual cell, and wherein the plurality of sets of the parameters is configured through radio resource control (RRC) signaling.

39. A method of wireless communications, comprising:

configuring one or more properties of downlink control information (DCI), wherein a user equipment (UE) is adapted to determine a cell identifier indicated by the configured properties, and wherein the configured properties are not exclusively associated with determining the cell identifier; and

transmitting a signal including the DCI to the UE.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising providing a plurality of identifiers in radio resource control (RRC) signaling to the UE, wherein the indicated cell identifier is one of the plurality of identifiers.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the UE is adapted to use the indicated cell identifier to initialize a pseudo-random sequence generator.

42. The method of claim 39, wherein configuring the one or more properties of the DCI includes configuring a format type of the DCI.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising transmitting the DCI in an enhanced physical downlink control channel (ePDCCH) that is scrambled with an ePDCCH scrambling identifier, wherein the indicated cell identifier is the ePDCCH scrambling identifier when the DCI has a type 1A format.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein the indicated cell identifier is a predetermined cell identifier when the DCI has a type 1A format.

45. The method of claim 39, further comprising transmitting the DCI in one of a Multi-Media Broadcast over a Single Frequency Network (MBSFN) subframe and a non-MBSFN subframe, wherein the cell identifier is indicated based on the subframe type.

46. The method of claim 39, wherein configuring one or more properties of the DCI includes selecting a control channel for transmitting the DCI, wherein the cell identifier is indicated, at least in part, by the control channel selection.

47. The method of claim 39, wherein the DCI includes an uplink grant, and wherein the indicated cell identifier is to be used for an uplink transmission corresponding to the uplink grant.

48. The method of claim 39, wherein the selected cell identifier is to be used to provide channel state information (CSI).

49. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

means for configuring one or more properties of downlink control information (DCI), wherein a user equipment (UE) is adapted to determine a cell identifier indicated by the configured properties, and wherein the configured properties are not exclusively associated with determining the cell identifier; and

means for transmitting a signal including the DCI to the UE.

50. The apparatus of claim 49, further comprising means for providing a plurality of identifiers in radio resource control (RRC) signaling to the UE, wherein the indicated cell identifier is one of the plurality of identifiers.

51. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein the UE is adapted to use the indicated cell identifier to initialize a pseudo-random sequence generator.

52. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein the means for configuring the one or more properties of the DCI configures a format type of the DCI.

53. The apparatus of claim 52, further comprising means for transmitting the DCI in an enhanced physical download control channel (ePDCCH) that is scrambled with an ePDCCH scrambling identifier, wherein the indicated cell identifier is the ePDCCH scrambling identifier when the DCI has a type 1A format.

54. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein the indicated cell identifier is a predetermined cell identifier when the DCI has a type 1A format.

55. The apparatus of claim 49, further comprising means for transmitting the DCI in one of a Multi-Media Broadcast over a Single Frequency Network (MBSFN) subframe and a non-MBSFN subframe, wherein the cell identifier is indicated based on the subframe type.

56. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein the means for configuring one or more properties of the DCI selects a control channel for transmitting the DCI, wherein the cell identifier is indicated, at least in part, by the control channel selection.

57. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein the DCI includes an uplink grant, and wherein the indicated cell identifier is to be used for an uplink transmission corresponding to the uplink grant.

58. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein the selected cell identifier is to be used to provide channel state information (CSI).

59. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

a processing system configured to;

configure one or more properties of downlink control information (DCI), wherein a user equipment (UE) is adapted to determine a cell identifier indicated by the configured properties, and wherein the configured properties are not exclusively associated with determining the cell identifier; and

transmit a signal including the DCI to the UE.

60. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising code for;

configuring one or more properties of downlink control information (DCI), wherein a user equipment (UE) is adapted to determine a cell identifier indicated by the configured properties, and wherein the configured properties are not exclusively associated with determining the cell identifier; and

transmitting a signal including the DCI to the UE.

61. A method of wireless communications, comprising:

transmitting a signal including downlink control information (DCI) that includes an uplink grant to a user equipment (UE), wherein the DCI is transmitted in one of a PDCCH or an ePDCCH;

transmitting an acknowledgement (ACK) or a negative acknowledgement (NACK), the transmitting of the ACK or the NACK comprising at least one of;

transmitting the ACK or the NACK in a physical hybrid ARQ indicator channel (PHICH) in a control region when the grant is provided in the PDCCH; and

transmitting the ACK or the NACK in an enhanced PHICH in a data region when the grant is provided in the ePDCCH.

62. The method of claim 61, further comprising configuring one or more properties of the DCI, wherein the UE is adapted to determine a cell identifier indicated by the configured properties, and wherein the configured properties are not exclusively associated with determining the cell identifier

63. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

means for transmitting a signal including downlink control information (DCI) that includes an uplink grant to a user equipment (UE), wherein the DCI is transmitted in one of a PDCCH or an ePDCCH;

means for transmitting an acknowledgement (ACK) or a negative acknowledgement (NACK), wherein the means for transmitting the ACK or the NACK transmits the ACK or the NACK in;

a physical hybrid ARQ indicator channel (PHICH) in a control region when the grant is provided in the PDCCH; and

an enhanced PHICH in a data region when the grant is provided in the ePDCCH.

64. The apparatus of claim 63, further means for comprising configuring one or more properties of the DCI, wherein the UE is adapted to determine whether the PHICH is transmitted in the control region or in the data region based on the configured properties.

65. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

a processing system configured to;

transmit a signal including downlink control information (DCI) that includes an uplink grant to a user equipment (UE), wherein the DCI is transmitted in one of a PDCCH or an ePDCCH;

transmit an acknowledgement (ACK) or a negative acknowledgement (NACK), wherein the processing system transmits the ACK or the NACK in at least one of;

a physical hybrid ARQ indicator channel (PHICH) in a control region when the grant is provided in the PDCCH; and

an enhanced PHICH in a data region when the grant is provided in the ePDCCH.

66. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising code for;

transmitting a signal including downlink control information (DCI) that includes an uplink grant to a user equipment (UE), wherein the DCI is transmitted in one of a PDCCH or an ePDCCH;

transmitting an acknowledgement (ACK) or a negative acknowledgement (NACK), the transmitting of the ACK or the NACK comprising at least one of;

transmitting the ACK or the NACK in a physical hybrid ARQ indicator channel (PHICH) in a control region when the grant is provided in the PDCCH; and

transmitting the ACK or the NACK in an enhanced PHICH in a data region when the grant is provided in the ePDCCH.