Signalling within a communication system

• US 8,274,931 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2008
• Issued: 09/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Tiirola, Esa Tapani, Pajukoski, Kari Pekka
• Primary Examiner(s): Sam, Phirin
• Assistant Examiner(s): HALIYUR, VENKATESH N
• Application Number:
  US12/451,204
• Publication Number:
  US 20100195532A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,624 Days
• Field of Search: 370254-463, 375259-267, 455450-455
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/261 Details of reference signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0044 allocation of payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/06 the signals being represented by different frequencies combined with time-division multiplexing H04L5/26

Abstract

Sounding reference signal presence information is incorporated into an uplink data resource assignment for a user equipment, and the uplink data assignment including the sounding reference signal presence information is sent to the user equipment.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

incorporating sounding reference signal presence information into an uplink data resource assignment for a user equipment; and

sending the uplink data resource assignment including the sounding reference signal presence information to the user equipment,

wherein the sounding reference signal presence information consists of a single bit in the uplink data resource assignment,

wherein the uplink data resource assignment allocates frequency and time resources to the user equipment for use in uplink signalling,

wherein the sounding reference signal presence information indicates whether or not a sounding reference signal is present in the frequency and time resources allocated to the user equipment, and

wherein a frequency band allocated to the user equipment comprises a plurality of allocated data symbols and one of allocated data symbols is designated as a signal for sounding reference signalling.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sounding reference signal presence information indicates whether or not a sounding reference signal is present in a resource allocated by the uplink data resource assignment to the user equipment for uplink data signalling.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the uplink data resource assignment allocates a frequency band for use by the user equipment in uplink signalling.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the sounding reference signal presence information indicates whether or not a sounding reference signal is present in the frequency band allocated to the user equipment.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the uplink data resource assignment allocates frequency and time resources to the user equipment for use in uplink signalling.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the sounding reference signal presence information indicates whether or not a sounding reference signal is present in the frequency and time resources allocated to the user equipment.

7. The method according to claim 3, wherein

the frequency band allocated to the user equipment comprises a plurality of allocated data symbols, and

one of allocated data symbols is designated as a signal for sounding reference signalling.

8. A method comprising:

receiving an uplink data resource assignment at a user equipment, the uplink data resource assignment comprising sounding reference signal presence information; and

sending uplink data from the user equipment based on the sounding reference signal presence information,

wherein the uplink data resource assignment allocates frequency and time resources to the user equipment for use in uplink signalling,

wherein the sounding reference signal presence information indicates whether or not a sounding reference signal is present in the frequency and time resources allocated to the user equipment, and

wherein a frequency band allocated to the user equipment comprises a plurality of allocated data symbols and one of allocated data symbols is designated as a signal for sounding reference signalling.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

controlling transmission of the uplink data from the user equipment based on whether or not the sounding reference signal is present.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the resource allocated to the user equipment comprises a plurality of data blocks.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein, if it is determined that a sounding reference signal is present in a designated data block, uplink data is not transmitted on the designated data block.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein, if it is determined that a sounding reference signal is present in a designated data block, and the user equipment is scheduled to transmit the sounding reference signal, then the user equipment transmits the sounding reference signal in the designated data block.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein, if it is determined that a sounding reference signal is present in a designated data block, and the user equipment is not scheduled to transmit the sounding reference signal, then the user equipment transmits nothing in the designated data block.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein, if it is determined that a sounding reference signal is not present in any of the data blocks, then the user equipment transmits uplink data over all said data blocks.

15. The method according to claim 10, wherein the uplink data comprises control signals and data signals.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a resource allocation unit to prepare an uplink data resource assignment for a user equipment and to incorporate sounding reference signal presence information into the uplink data resource assignment; and

a transmitter to send the uplink data resource assignment including the sounding reference signal presence information to the user equipment,

wherein the uplink data resource assignment allocates frequency and time resources to the user equipment for use in uplink signalling,

wherein the sounding reference signal presence information indicates whether or not a sounding reference signal is present in the frequency and time resources allocated to the user equipment, and

wherein a frequency band allocated to the user equipment comprises a plurality of allocated data symbols and one of allocated data symbols is designated as a signal for sounding reference signalling.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the apparatus is a network entity.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver to receive an uplink data resource assignment comprising sounding reference signal presence information; and

a transmitter to send uplink data based on the sounding reference signal presence information, the uplink data being sent on a resource allocated by the uplink data resource assignment,

wherein the uplink data resource assignment allocates frequency and time resources to the apparatus for use in uplink signalling,

wherein the sounding reference signal presence information indicates whether or not a sounding reference signal is present in the frequency and time resources allocated to the apparatus, and

wherein a frequency band allocated to the apparatus comprises a plurality of allocated data symbols and one of allocated data symbols is designated as a signal for sounding reference signalling.

19. An apparatus according to claim 18, where the apparatus is a user equipment.

20. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a computer program to control a computer to perform a method comprising:

incorporating sounding reference signal presence information into an uplink data resource assignment for a user equipment; and

sending the uplink data resource assignment including the sounding reference signal presence information to the user equipment,

wherein the sounding reference signal presence information consists of a single bit in the uplink data resource assignment,

wherein the uplink data resource assignment allocates frequency and time resources to the user equipment for use in uplink signalling,

wherein the sounding reference signal presence information indicates whether or not a sounding reference signal is present in the frequency and time resources allocated to the user equipment, and

wherein a frequency band allocated to the user equipment comprises a plurality of allocated data symbols and one of allocated data symbols is designated as a signal for sounding reference signalling.