UPLINK CONTROL INFORMATION TRANSMITTING METHOD AND APPARATUS

• US 20180027549A1
• Filed: 12/29/2015
• Published: 01/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: WANG, Yi, LI, Yingyang
• Application Number:
  US15/546,859
• Publication Number:
  US 20180027549A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/00 Arrangements for detecting or preventing errors in the information received correcting synchronisation H04L7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0025 Transmission of mode-switching indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0026 Transmission of channel quality indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0031 Multiple signaling transmission H04L1/1664, F15 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0073 Special arrangements for feedback channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1671 the supervisory signal being transmitted together with control information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1854 Scheduling and prioritising arrangements
• 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: H04L 27/0006 Assessment of spectral gaps suitable for allocating digitally modulated signals, e.g. for carrier allocation in cognitive radio for spectrum sharing between different networks H04W16/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/001 the frequencies being arranged in component carriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0044 allocation of payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0055 Physical resource allocation for ACK/NACK for physical mapping arrangements in ARQ protocols H04L1/1861
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0057 Physical resource allocation for CQI
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/006 Quality of the received signal, e.g. BER, SNR, water filling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0082 at predetermined intervals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0091 Signaling for the administration of the divided path
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0092 Indication of how the channel is divided
• 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

The present invention provides an uplink control information transmitting method and apparatus. In the method, when a user equipment (UE) is configured with an uplink carrier in an unlicensed spectrum, the UE transmits uplink control information through a pre-defined location and a pre-defined format in a licensed spectrum and/or a pre-defined location and a pre-defined format in an idle unlicensed spectrum according to an uplink (UL) grant transmitted from a base station and the UCI to be transmitted. According to the technical solution provided by the present invention, the UCI is flexibly transmitted in the licensed spectrum or in the idle unlicensed spectrum, thereby improving transmission efficiency and reducing impact on downlink signal scheduling when the UE is configured with the uplink carrier in the unlicensed spectrum and transmits the UCI, and further improving LTE network efficiency.

Claims

1. An uplink control information (UCI) transmitting method, applying to a user equipment (UE) configured with an uplink carrier in an unlicensed spectrum, comprising:

detecting, by the UE, an uplink (UL) grant from a base station;

transmitting, by the UE, UCI through a pre-defined location and a predefined format in a licensed spectrum and/or a pre-defined location and a pre-defined format in an idle unlicensed spectrum according to the UL grant and the UCI to be transmitted.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein when the UE is configured to have simultaneous Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) and Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) transmission, the process of the UE transmitting the UCI through the pre-defined location and the pre-defined format in the licensed spectrum and/or the pre-defined location and the pre-defined format in the idle unlicensed spectrum according to the UL grant and the UCI to be transmitted comprises:

if a carrier with a smallest secondary cell index (SCellIndex ) in the UL grant is an unlicensed carrier according to the UL grant, the UE does not detect a UL grant scheduling a PUSCH of a Primary cell (Pcell) or a secondary Primary cell (sPcell), and UCI includes Acknowledgement/Negative Acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) and periodic Channel State Information (CSI);

or if the carrier with the smallest SCellIndex in the detected UL grant is the unlicensed carrier according to the UL grant, the UE does not detect the UL grant scheduling the PUSCH of the Pcell or the sPcell, there is no determined PUSCH, and the UCI includes the ACK/NACK and the periodic CSI;

or

if a carrier with a smallest SCellIndex in carriers determined to be used for PUSCH transmission is the unlicensed carrier, the UE does not detect the UL grant scheduling the PUSCH of the Pcell or the sPcell, and the UCI includes the ACK/NACK and the periodic CSI;

or if the carrier with the smallest SCellIndex in the carriers determined to be used for PUSCH transmission is the unlicensed carrier, the UE does not detect the UL grant scheduling the PUSCH of the Pcell or the sPcell, there is no determined PUSCH, and the UCI includes the ACK/NACK and the periodic CSI, performing any one of the following procedures to transmit the UCI through the pre-defined location and the pre-defined format in the licensed spectrum and/or the pre-defined location and the pre-defined format in the idle unlicensed spectrum;

transmitting, by the UE, the UCI carried on the PUCCH on the Pcell or sPcell, and/or transmitting a scheduled PUSCH in the licensed spectrum, and transmitting the scheduled PUSCH on an idle carrier in the unlicensed spectrum;

transmitting, by the UE, the scheduled PUSCH and the UCI in the licensed spectrum, transmitting the scheduled PUSCH on the idle carrier in the unlicensed spectrum;

or if there is no scheduled PUSCH in the licensed spectrum, transmitting the UCI carried on the PUCCH on the Pcell or the sPcell, transmitting the scheduled PUSCH on the idle carrier in the unlicensed spectrum;

or if there is no scheduled PUSCH in the licensed spectrum, not transmitting the UCI, only transmitting the scheduled PUSCH on the idle carrier in the unlicensed spectrum;

transmitting, by the UE, the scheduled PUSCH and the UCI in the licensed spectrum, transmitting the scheduled PUSCH on the idle carrier in the unlicensed spectrum;

or transmitting the scheduled PUSCH and the UCI on the idle carrier in the unlicensed spectrum if there is no scheduled PUSCH in licensed spectrum; and

transmitting, by the UE, the scheduled PUSCH and the UCI on the idle carrier in the unlicensed spectrum, transmitting the scheduled PUSCH in the licensed spectrum.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the UE transmitting the UCI carried on the PUCCH on the Pcell or sPcell, and/or transmitting a scheduled PUSCH in the licensed spectrum, and transmitting the scheduled PUSCH on the idle carrier in the unlicensed spectrum comprises:

carrying the ACK/NACK and periodic CSI on the PUCCH on the Pcell or the sPcell, transmitting a PUSCH only including an Uplink Shared Channel (UL-SCH) on the scheduled idle carrier in the unlicensed spectrum, transmitting a PUSCH only including the UL-SCH on the scheduled carrier in the licensed spectrum when there is a scheduled PUSCH in the licensed spectrum;

or

according to a total load of the ACK/NACK and the periodic CSI, selecting the PUCCH to carry the ACK/NACK and the periodic CSI, or selecting the PUCCH to carry the ACK/NACK and selecting the PUSCH to carry the periodic CSI.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the UE transmitting the scheduled PUSCH and the UCI in the licensed spectrum, transmitting the scheduled PUSCH on the idle carrier in the unlicensed spectrum;

or if there is no scheduled PUSCH in the licensed spectrum, transmitting the UCI carried on the PUCCH on the Pcell or the sPcell, transmitting the scheduled PUSCH on the idle carrier in the unlicensed spectrum;

or if there is no scheduled PUSCH in the licensed spectrum, not transmitting the UCI, only transmitting the scheduled PUSCH on the idle carrier in the unlicensed spectrum comprises;

if the periodic CSI is carried on the PUSCH, carrying the periodic CSI on the PUCCH on a carrier in the licensed spectrum, wherein the carrier on which the PUSCH is transmitted has the smallest SCellIndex in carriers in the licensed spectrum;

if there is no PUSCH transmission in the licensed spectrum, discarding periodic CSI transmission, or carrying the periodic CSI and the ACK/NACK on the PUCCH on the Pcell or the sPcell.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the UE transmitting the scheduled PUSCH and the UCI in the licensed spectrum, transmitting the scheduled PUSCH on the idle carrier in the unlicensed spectrum;

or transmitting the scheduled PUSCH and the UCI on the idle carrier in the unlicensed spectrum if there is no scheduled PUSCH in licensed spectrum comprises;

carrying the periodic CSI on the PUSCH on a carrier in the licensed spectrum, wherein the carrier on which the PUSCH is transmitted has a smallest SCellIndex in carriers in the licensed spectrum;

if there is no PUSCH transmission in the licensed spectrum, carrying the periodic CSI on the PUSCH transmitted in the unlicensed spectrum according to a preset rule, or carrying the period CSI respectively on PUSCHs transmitted on all carriers or pre-configured carriers in the unlicensed spectrum;

wherein carrying the periodic CSI on the PUSCH transmitted in the unlicensed spectrum according to the preset rule comprises;

carrying the periodic CSI on the PUSCH transmitted on an uplink carrier with a smallest SCellIndex in uplink carriers in the unlicensed spectrum.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the UE transmitting the scheduled PUSCH and the UCI on the idle carrier in the unlicensed spectrum and transmitting the scheduled PUSCH in the licensed spectrum comprises:

carrying the periodic CSI on the PUSCH transmitted on an uplink carrier with a smallest SCellIndex in uplink carriers used for transmission.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the UCI comprises periodic CSI, the pre-defined location comprises a subframe where the periodic CSI is reported,

when the UCI further comprises aperiodic CSI in the same subframe and an uplink carrier carrying the aperiodic CSI is in the unlicensed spectrum, transmitting the periodic CSI on a carrier in the licensed spectrum, transmitting the aperiodic CSI in the unlicensed spectrum if the unlicensed spectrum is idle;

or

only transmitting, by the UE, the periodic CSI on an uplink carrier in the licensed spectrum when the uplink carrier carrying the aperiodic CSI in the unlicensed spectrum is not used for transmission in the same subframe.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the UCI comprises periodic CSI, the pre-defined location comprises a subframe where the periodic CSI is reported,

when the UCI in the same subframe further comprises aperiodic CSI and all downlink carriers corresponding to the aperiodic CSI are carriers in the unlicensed spectrum, transmitting the periodic CSI on the licensed spectrum, transmitting the aperiodic CSI on a carrier in the licensed spectrum if the carrier carrying the aperiodic CSI is in the licensed spectrum, transmitting the aperiodic CSI on a carrier in the unlicensed spectrum if the carrier carrying the aperiodic CSI is idle and in the unlicensed spectrum;

or

only transmitting, by the UE, the periodic CSI on a carrier in the licensed carrier if there is no valid CSI measurement result for any downlink unlicensed carrier corresponding to the aperiodic CSI in the same subframe.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the UCI further comprises aperiodic CSI,

the UL grant comprises an aperiodic CSI report trigger signalling;

before the UE transmits the UCI, further comprising;

determining, by the UE, the number of CSI processes can be updated in CSI processes indicated by the aperiodic CSI report trigger signalling according to CSI process processing capability and the number of CSI processes neither updated nor reported before the UE receives the aperiodic CSI report trigger signalling, updating CSI measurement results for the CSI process can be updated,

wherein the transmitted UCI is a CSI report.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the CSI process processing capability comprises a CSI process processing capability for each carrier N_x, the process of the UE determining the number of the CSI processes can be updated in the CSI processes indicated by the aperiodic CSI report trigger signalling comprises:

according to the CSI process processing capability for each carrier N_x and the number of CSI processes neither updated nor reported for the carrier before the UE receives the aperiodic CSI report trigger signalling N_u, determining, by the UE, that the number of the CSI processes can be updated for the carrier in the CSI processes indicated by the aperiodic CSI report trigger signalling N_{left_u} is equal to (N_x-N_u,

     0);

wherein the N_{left_u} CSI processes comprise N_{left_u} CSI processes with N<sub>left—

u</sub> highest priorities determined according to a pre-defined priority rule.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the CSI processes neither updated nor reported for the carrier before the UE receives the aperiodic CSI report trigger signalling N_u do not comprise a CSI process for the carrier CSI of which is calculated, but is not reported to the base station since an uplink signal can be transmitted to the base station in the uplink subframe where the CSI is reported;

and/or

the CSI processes can be updated for the carrier in the CSI processes indicated by the aperiodic CSI report trigger signalling N_{left_u} do not comprise a CSI process for the carrier CSI of which is calculated, but is not reported to the base station since an uplink signal can be transmitted to the base station in an uplink subframe where the CSI of the carrier is reported.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the CSI process processing capability comprises a capability for simultaneously processing CSI processes N_y, wherein the CSI processes simultaneously processed corresponds to different carriers or different carrier groups;

the process of the UE determining the number of the CSI processes can be updated in CSI processes indicated by the aperiodic CSI report trigger signalling comprises;

according to the capability for simultaneously processing CSI processes N_y, determining, by the UE, the number of the CSI processes can be updated in the CSI processes indicated by the aperiodic CSI report trigger signalling;

wherein the CSI processes can be updated in the CSI processes indicated by the aperiodic CSI report trigger signalling N_y do not comprise a CSI process CSI of which is calculated, but is not reported to the base station since an uplink signal can be transmitted to the base station in the uplink subframe where the CSI is reported.

13. The method of claim 9, the CSI process processing capability comprises a CSI process processing capability for each carrier N_x and a capability for simultaneously processing CSI processes N_y, wherein the CSI processes simultaneously processed corresponds to different carriers or different carrier groups;

the process of the UE determining the number of the CSI processes can be updated in CSI processes indicated by the aperiodic CSI report trigger signalling comprises;

according to the capability for simultaneously processing CSI processes N_y, the CSI process processing capability for each carrier , and the number of CSI processes neither updated nor reported for the carrier before the UE receives the aperiodic CSI report trigger signalling N_u, determining, by the UE, the number of the CSI processes can be updated in the CSI processes indicated by the aperiodic CSI report trigger signalling;

the CSI processes neither updated nor reported for the carrier before the UE receives the aperiodic CSI report trigger signalling N_u do not comprise a CSI process for the carrier CSI of which is calculated, but is not reported to the base station since an uplink signal can be transmitted to the base station in the uplink subframe where the CSI is reported; and

/or

the CSI processes can be updated for the carrier in the CSI processes indicated by the aperiodic CSI report trigger signalling do not comprise a CSI process for the carrier CSI of which is calculated, but is not reported to the base station since an uplink signal can be transmitted to the base station in the uplink subframe where the CSI is reported; and

/or

the CSI processes can be updated in the CSI processes indicated by the aperiodic CSI report trigger signalling N_y do not comprise a CSI process CSI of which is calculated, but is not reported to the base station since an uplink signal can be transmitted in the uplink subframe where the CSI is reported.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein when the CSI processes indicated by the aperiodic CSI report trigger signalling corresponds to multiple carriers, the CSI measurement results for the CSI processes can be updated are updated according to a pre-defined priority rule, wherein the pre-defined priority rule comprises:

a priority of a CSI process a CSI report of which is fed back in a licensed spectrum is higher than a priority of a CSI process a CSI report of which is fed back in an unlicensed spectrum.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the CSI report comprises a CSI result of a CSI process that is in the CSI processes indicated by the aperiodic CSI report trigger signalling received by the UE and has a valid CSI measurement result.

16. An uplink control information (UCI) transmitting apparatus, comprising:

a receiving module, to receive an uplink (UL) grant from a base station;

a detecting module, to detect the UL grant;

a determining module, to determine a configured uplink carrier in an unlicensed carrier; and

a UCI transmitting module, to transmit UCI through a pre-defined location and a pre-defined format in a licensed spectrum and/or a pre-defined location and a pre-defined format in an idle unlicensed spectrum according to the UL grant and the UCI to be transmitted.

17. An uplink control information (UCI) transmission controlling method, comprising:

performing, by a base station, secondary cell index (SCellIndex ) configuration for a secondary carrier, wherein when the base station configures multiple carriers for a UE, the base station configures that a SCellIndex of a carrier in a licensed spectrum is smaller than a SCellIndex of any carrier in an unlicensed spectrum, or performs scheduling configuration for the UE, wherein the scheduling configuration includes preferably scheduling transmission on a carrier in a licensed spectrum in an uplink subframe where the UE has a possibility to transmit UCI, or preferably scheduling transmission on a licensed carrier for triggered aperiodic Channel State Information (CSI) when the base station triggers the UE to transmit the aperiodic CSI;

transmitting, by the base station, a SCellIndex configuration signalling according to the configuration, or transmitting an uplink (UL) grant according to the configuration.

18. An uplink control information (UCI) transmission controlling base station, comprising:

a configuring module, to perform secondary cell index (SCellIndex ) configuration for a secondary carrier, wherein when the base station configures multiple carriers for a UE, the base station configures that a SCellIndex of a carrier in a licensed spectrum is smaller than a SCellIndex of any carrier in an unlicensed spectrum, or performs scheduling configuration for the UE, wherein the scheduling configuration includes preferably scheduling transmission on a carrier in a licensed spectrum in an uplink subframe where the UE has a possibility to transmit UCI, or preferably scheduling transmission on a licensed carrier for triggered aperiodic Channel State Information (CSI) when the base station triggers the UE to transmit the aperiodic CSI;

a transmitting module, to transmit a SCellIndex configuration signalling according to the configuration, or transmit a uplink (UL) grant according to the configuration.