DYNAMICAL SEARCH SPACE ALTERATIONS

• US 20170264417A1
• Filed: 04/20/2016
• Published: 09/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Eriksson, Erik, Frberg Olsson, Jonas, Hessler, Martin, Frenger, Pl, Parkvall, Stefan
• Granted Patent: US 10,461,912 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0053 Allocation of signaling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0096 Indication of changes in allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal

Abstract

There is disclosed a method performed by a wireless device for updating an allocated search space for downlink control information. A corresponding wireless device is also disclosed. There is also disclosed a method performed by a radio network node to enable a wireless device served by the radio network node to perform an update of a search space allocated to the wireless device to monitor for downlink control information. Also provided is a corresponding radio network node. Corresponding computer programs and apparatuses are also disclosed. One particular advantage of the disclosed is that it enables a more tailor made search space for a wireless device.

Claims

1. A method performed by a wireless device for updating an allocated search space for downlink control information, wherein the method comprises:

obtaining, from a downlink control information message, information specifying an alteration of the search space to monitor for downlink control information, DCI;

determining an updated search space based on the allocated search space and the obtained information specifying an alteration of the search space.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the downlink control information message comprising the information specifying an alteration of the search space is received over a downlink physical control channel.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the information specifying an alteration of the search space is obtained from downlink control information comprised in a message received over a downlink physical data channel.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the downlink control information message is obtained by decoding a medium access control information element, MAC-element, comprised in the message received over the downlink physical data channel.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the information specifying an alteration of the search space comprises information instructing the wireless device to extend the allocated search space to also include search space locations used for downlink control information in earlier Transmission Time Intervals, TTIs.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the information specifying an alteration of the search space also comprises information ordering the wireless device to delete the oldest search space location from the allocated search space when the search space has been updated.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the information specifying an alteration of the search space specifies a complementary search space.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the information specifying a complementary search space also comprises instructions ordering the wireless device to add the complementary search space to the allocated search space in order to extend the search space to monitor for downlink control information.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the information specifying a complementary search space also comprises instructions ordering the wireless device to reduce the allocated search space by removing the specified complementary search space from the allocated search space in order to obtain a reduced search space to monitor for downlink control information.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said determined updated search space has a validity time for N future Transmission Time Intervals, where N is a standardization, system or configuration parameter.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein said allocated search space is a default search space in a downlink physical control channel, said default search space being allocated to the wireless device to monitor for downlink control information.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the allocated search space is a search space allocated specifically to said wireless device.

13-21. -21. (canceled)

22. A wireless device configured to update an allocated search space for downlink control information, wherein:

the wireless device is configured to obtain, from a downlink control information message, information specifying an alteration of the search space to monitor for downlink control information, DCI; and

the wireless device is configured to determine an updated search space based on the allocated search space and the obtained information specifying an alteration of the search space.

23. The wireless device according to claim 22, wherein the wireless device is configured to obtain the downlink control information message comprising the information specifying an alteration of the search space by receiving it over a downlink physical control channel.

24. The wireless device according to claim 22, wherein the wireless device is configured to obtain the information specifying an alteration of the search space from downlink control information comprised in a message received over the downlink physical data channel.

25. The wireless device according to claim 24, wherein the wireless device is configured to obtain the downlink control information message by decoding a medium access control information element, MAC-element, comprised in the message received over the downlink physical data channel.

26. The wireless device according to claim 22, wherein the wireless device is configured to extend the search space by also including search space locations used for downlink control information in earlier Transmission Time intervals, TTIs.

27. The wireless device according to claim 22, wherein the wireless device is configured to delete the oldest search space location from the allocated search space when the search space has been updated.

28. The wireless device according to claim 22, wherein the information specifying an alteration of the search space specifies a complementary search space.

29. The wireless device according to claim 28, wherein the wireless device is configured to add the complementary search space to the allocated search space in order to extend the search space to monitor for downlink control information.

30. The wireless device according to claim 28, wherein the wireless device is configured to remove the specified complementary search space from the allocated search space in order to obtain a reduced search space to monitor for downlink control information.

31. The wireless device according to claim 22, wherein said determined updated search space has a validity time for N future Transmission Time Intervals, where N is a standardization, system or configuration parameter.

32. The wireless device according to claim 22, wherein said allocated search space is a default search space in a downlink physical control channel, said default search space being allocated to the wireless device to monitor for downlink control information.

33. The wireless device according to claim 22, wherein said allocated search space is a search space allocated specifically to said wireless device.

34. The wireless device according to claim 22, wherein the wireless device comprises a processor and a memory, the memory comprising instructions executable by the processor, whereby the processor is operative to update an allocated search space for downlink control information.

35. The wireless device according to claim 22, wherein the wireless device also comprises a communication circuit.

36-46. -46. (canceled)

47. A computer program for performing, when executed by at least one processor, an update of an allocated search space for downlink control information, the computer program comprises instructions, which when executed, cause the at least one processor to:

read information relating to a specified alteration of the search space in a downlink physical control channel to monitor for downlink control information, DCI;

determine, based on the read information, an updated search space based on the allocated search space and the specified alteration of the search space.

48. A computer program for performing, when executed by at least one processor, an update of a search space for downlink control information allocated to a wireless device, the computer program comprises instructions, which when executed, cause the at least one processor to:

determine an alteration of the search space allocated to the wireless device;

output information specifying the alteration of the search space to be embedded in message to be communicated to the wireless device to enable the wireless device to update its allocated search space.

49. (canceled)

50. (canceled)