METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR FLEXIBLE BANDWIDTH OPERATION

• US 20170339677A1
• Filed: 04/26/2017
• Published: 11/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: RICO ALVARINO, Alberto, XU, Hao, GAAL, Peter, CHEN, Wanshi, WANG, Renqiu, FAKOORIAN, Seyed Ali Akbar, MONTOJO, Juan, LEI, Jing, WEI, Yongbin, MILLER, Arthur
• Granted Patent: US 10,299,260 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0007 the frequencies being orthogonal, e.g. OFDM(A), DMT
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0053 Allocation of signaling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0091 Signaling for the administration of the divided path
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0094 Indication of how sub-channels of the path are allocated
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72511 Searching for available channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/02 Resource partitioning among network components, e.g. reuse partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0274 by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/028 switching on or off only a part of the equipment circuit blocks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/006 in the downlink, i.e. towards the terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/28 Discontinuous transmission [DTX]; Discontinuous reception [DRX]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/36 for reassigning the resources associated with the released connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for flexible bandwidth operation in a wireless communication network are provided. A User Equipment (UE) monitors a first set of resources for a first control channel in a first bandwidth region. In response, to detecting the first control channel, the UE monitors a second set of resources in a second bandwidth region for at least one of control information or data, the second bandwidth region larger than the first bandwidth region, wherein the monitoring the second set of resources for the control information includes monitoring the second set of resources for a second control channel for receiving the control information scheduling resources for receiving the data.

Claims

1. A method for wireless communication by a User Equipment (UE), comprising:

monitoring a first set of resources for a first control channel in a first bandwidth region;

in response to detecting the first control channel, monitoring a second set of resources in a second bandwidth region for at least one of control information or data, the second bandwidth region larger than the first bandwidth region,

wherein the monitoring the second set of resources for the control information comprises monitoring the second set of resources for a second control channel for receiving the control information scheduling resources for receiving the data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the second set of resources for the data comprises monitoring a third set of resources contained within the second set of resources for the data based on an indication received in the first control channel that the third set of resources is assigned for receiving the data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first control channel provides an indication to monitor the second bandwidth region.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first control channel comprises a Machine Type Communications (MTC) Physical Downlink Control Channel (mPDCCH) and wherein the second control channel comprises a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH).

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring the first set of resources for the first control channel in the first bandwidth region in response to not receiving transmission on the second set of resources for a given period of time.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, in the second bandwidth region, an indication to monitor the first set of resources for the first control channel in the first bandwidth region; and

in response, monitoring the first set of resources for the first control channel in the first bandwidth region.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second bandwidth region comprises at least a portion of the first bandwidth region and the second set of resources comprises resources for the first control channel in the portion of the first bandwidth region.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving control information in the first control channel in the portion of the first bandwidth region, the control information scheduling resources for receiving data in the second bandwidth region.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving an indication of whether the control information schedules the resources for receiving the data in the same subframe or a different subframe.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring the second set of resources for the first control channel and the second control channel to receive additional control information scheduling resources for receiving data in the second bandwidth region.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first control channel and the second control channel are of the same type.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting an indication that the UE supports monitoring the first set of resources for the first control channel in the first bandwidth region and receiving data in the second bandwidth region.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that a serving cell supports operation in the first bandwidth region; and

in response, monitoring the first set of resources for the first control channel in the first bandwidth region for receiving pages while the UE is in an idle mode.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that a serving cell does not support operation in the first bandwidth region; and

in response, monitoring for the second control channel in the second bandwidth region for receiving pages while the UE is in an idle mode.

15. A method for wireless communication by a Base Station (BS), comprising:

transmitting control information using at least a first set of resources for a first control channel in a first bandwidth region; and

transmitting, based on the control information, at least one of additional control information or data using a second set of resources in a second bandwidth region larger than the first bandwidth region,

wherein the additional control information is transmitted using at least a portion of the second set of resources for a second control channel, the additional control information scheduling resources for transmitting data.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the control information provides an indication that a third set of resources contained in the second set of resources is assigned for receiving data.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the control information provides an indication to monitor the second bandwidth region.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the second control channel comprises a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH).

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising transmitting an indication to monitor the first set of resources for the first control channel in the first bandwidth region.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the second bandwidth region comprises at least a portion of the first bandwidth region and the second set of resources comprises resources for the first control channel in the portion of the first bandwidth region.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising transmitting second control information in the first control channel in the portion of the first bandwidth region, the second control information scheduling resources for transmitting data in the second bandwidth region.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising transmitting an indication of whether the second control information schedules the resources for transmitting the data in the same subframe or a different subframe.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising transmitting third control information using the second set of resources for the second control channel in the second bandwidth region.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the third control information comprises information regarding scheduled data resources in the second bandwidth region.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the first control channel and the second control channel are of the same type.

26. The method of claim 16, wherein the first control channel comprises a Machine Type Communications (MTC) Physical Downlink Control Channel (mPDCCH).

27. The method of claim 15, further comprising receiving an indication that a User Equipment (UE) supports monitoring the first set of resources for the first control channel in the first bandwidth region and receiving data in the second bandwidth region.

28. An apparatus for wireless communication by a User Equipment (UE), comprising:

means for monitoring a first set of resources for a first control channel in a first bandwidth region;

means for monitoring, in response to detecting the first control channel, a second set of resources in a second bandwidth region for at least one of control information or data, the second bandwidth region larger than the first bandwidth region,

wherein the monitoring the second set of resources for the control information comprises monitoring the second set of resources for a second control channel for receiving the control information scheduling resources for receiving the data.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the means for monitoring the second set of resources for the data is configured to monitor a third set of resources contained within the second set of resources for the data based on an indication received in the first control channel that the third set of resources is assigned for receiving the data.

30. An apparatus for wireless communication by a Base Station (BS), comprising:

means for transmitting control information using at least a first set of resources for a first control channel in a first bandwidth region; and

means for transmitting, based on the control information, at least one of additional control information or data using a second set of resources in a second bandwidth region larger than the first bandwidth region,

wherein the additional control information is transmitted using at least a portion of the second set of resources for a second control channel, the additional control information scheduling resources for transmitting data.