Control of data transmission based on HARQ in a wireless communication system

• US 8,656,239 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2009
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Ho, Sai Yiu Duncan
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, Yolanda L
• Application Number:
  US12/368,968
• Publication Number:
  US 20090204867A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,834 Days
• Field of Search: 714/748, 714/749
• US Class Current: 714/748
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1812 Hybrid protocols; Hybrid automatic repeat request [HARQ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1822 involving configuration of automatic repeat request [ARQ] with parallel processes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1887 Scheduling and prioritising arrangements

Abstract

Techniques for controlling data transmission in a wireless communication system based on hybrid automatic retransmission (HARQ) are described. In one design, a user equipment (UE) may determine the number of HARQ processes (Z) supported by the UE, e.g., based on the amount of resources available at the UE. The UE may send information indicative of the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE to a Node B. The UE may thereafter receive data from the Node B on up to Z HARQ processes. In one design, the UE may receive data for non-guaranteed bit rate (non-GBR) traffic on up to Z HARQ processes and may receive data for guaranteed bit rate (GBR) traffic on up to all HARQ processes available in the system. In another design, the UE may receive data for both GBR traffic and non-GBR traffic on up to Z HARQ processes.

Claims

1. A method of receiving data in a wireless communication system, comprising:

determining a number of hybrid automatic retransmission (HARQ) processes supported by a user equipment (UE);

sending information indicative of the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE to a base station; and

receiving data from the base station through one or more HARQ processes, wherein the number of the one or more HARQ processes does not exceed the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE comprises determining the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE based on total number of HARQ processes available in the system, an overall peak rate for all available HARQ processes, and a peak rate supported by the UE.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE comprises

determining resources available at the UE for non-guaranteed bit rate (non-GBR) traffic, and

determining the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE based on the resources available for non-GBR traffic.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE further comprises

determining resources used for guaranteed bit rate (GBR) traffic, and

determining the resources available for non-GBR traffic based on the resources used for GBR traffic and total resources at the UE.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein sending information indicative of the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE comprises

generating a Medium Access Control (MAC) control element carrying the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE, and

sending the MAC control element to the base station.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the data comprises receiving data for non-guaranteed bit rate (non-GBR) traffic from the base station through the one or more HARQ processes.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising receiving data for guaranteed bit rate (GBR) traffic from the base station through one or more HARQ processes available in the system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the data comprises receiving data for both guaranteed bit rate (GBR) traffic and non-guaranteed bit rate (non-GBR) traffic through the one or more HARQ processes.

9. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

a wireless transceiver; and

at least one processor coupled to the wireless transceiver and configured to determine a number of hybrid automatic retransmission (HARQ) processes supported by a user equipment (UE), to send information indicative of the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE to a base station through the wireless transceiver, and to receive data from the base station through one or more HARQ processes, wherein the number of the one or more HARQ processes does not exceed the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine resources available at the UE for non-guaranteed bit rate (non-GBR) traffic, and to determine the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE based on the resources available for non-GBR traffic.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is configured to generate a Medium Access Control (MAC) control element carrying the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE, and to send the MAC control element to the base station.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is configured to receive data for non-guaranteed bit rate (non-GBR) traffic from the base station through the one or more HARQ processes.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is configured to receive data for both guaranteed bit rate (GBR) traffic and non-guaranteed bit rate (non-GBR) traffic through the one or more HARQ processes.

14. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

processing means for determining a number of hybrid automatic retransmission (HARQ) processes supported by a user equipment (UE); and

a wireless transceiver communicatively coupled to the processing means, the wireless transceiver including;

means for sending information indicative of the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE to a base station; and

means for receiving data from the base station through one or more HARQ processes,

wherein the number of the one or more HARQ processes does not exceed the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the means for determining the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE comprises

means for determining resources available at the UE for non-guaranteed bit rate (non-GBR) traffic, and

means for determining the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE based on the resources available for non-GBR traffic.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the means for sending information indicative of the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE comprises

means for generating a Medium Access Control (MAC) control element carrying the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE, and

means for sending the MAC control element to the base station.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the means for receiving the data comprises means for receiving data for non-guaranteed bit rate (non-GBR) traffic from the base station through the one or more HARQ processes.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the means for receiving the data comprises means for receiving data for both guaranteed bit rate (GBR) traffic and non-guaranteed bit rate (non-GBR) traffic through the one or more HARQ processes.

19. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising;

code stored on the medium for causing at least one computer to determine a number of hybrid automatic retransmission (HARQ) processes supported by a user equipment (UE),

code stored on the medium for causing the at least one computer to send information indicative of the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE to a base station, and

code stored on the medium for causing the at least one computer to receive data from the base station through one or more HARQ processes, wherein the number of the one or more HARQ processes does not exceed the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE.

20. A method of sending data in a wireless communication system, comprising:

receiving information indicative of a number of hybrid automatic retransmission (HARQ) processes supported by a user equipment (UE); and

sending data from a base station to the UE through one or more HARQ processes, wherein the number of the one or more HARQ processes does not exceed the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising limiting the number of the one or more HARQ processes used to send the data to the UE to the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE until information indicative of an updated number of HARQ processes supported by the UE is received from the UE.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising limiting the number of the one or more HARQ processes used to send the data to the UE to the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE for a predetermined period of time.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein receiving the information indicative of the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE comprises receiving a Medium Access Control (MAC) control element carrying the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein sending the data comprises sending data for non-guaranteed bit rate (non-GBR) traffic from the base station to the through the one or more HARQ processes.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising sending data for guaranteed bit rate (GBR) traffic from the base station to the UE through one or more HARQ processes available in the system.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein sending the data comprises sending data for both guaranteed bit rate (GBR) traffic and non-guaranteed bit rate (non-GBR) traffic from the base station to the UE through the one or more HARQ processes.

27. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

a wireless transceiver; and

at least one processor communicatively coupled to the wireless transceiver and configured to receive information indicative of a number of hybrid automatic retransmission (HARQ) processes supported by a user equipment (UE), and to send data from a base station to the UE through one or more HARQ processes, wherein the number of the one or more HARQ processes does not exceed the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the at least one processor is configured to receive a Medium Access Control (MAC) control element carrying the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE.

29. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the at least one processor is configured to send data for non-guaranteed bit rate (non-GBR) traffic from the base station to the UE through the one or more HARQ processes.

30. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the at least one processor is configured to send data for both guaranteed bit rate (GBR) traffic and non-guaranteed bit rate (non-GBR) traffic from the base station to the UE through the one or more HARQ processes.

31. A method of exchanging data in a wireless communication system, comprising:

determining a number of hybrid automatic retransmission (HARQ) processes supported by a user equipment (UE); and

exchanging data through one or more HARQ processes, wherein the number of the one or more HARQ processes does not exceed the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein exchanging the data comprises receiving data from a base station through the one or more HARQ processes.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein exchanging the data comprises sending data from the UE to a base station through the one or more HARQ processes.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein determining the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE comprises determining the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE based on resources available at the UE for non-guaranteed bit rate (non-GBR) traffic.

35. The method of claim 31, wherein determining the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE comprises determining the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE based on negative acknowledgements (NAKs) received from the UE for prior transmissions of data sent to the UE.

36. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

means for transmitting and receiving data or control information wirelessly;

means for determining a number of hybrid automatic retransmission (HARQ) processes supported by a user equipment (UE); and

means for exchanging data through one or more HARQ processes, wherein the number of the one or more HARQ processes does not exceed the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the means for exchanging the data receives data from a base station through the one or more HARQ processes.

38. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the means for exchanging the data sends data from the UE to a base station through the one or more HARQ processes.

39. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the means for determining the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE determines the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE based on resources available at the UE for non-guaranteed bit rate (non-GBR) traffic.

40. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the means for determining the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE determines the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE based on negative acknowledgements (NAKs) received from the UE for prior transmissions of data sent to the UE.

41. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

a processing system configured to;

determine a number of hybrid automatic retransmission (HARQ) processes supported by a user equipment (UE); and

exchanging data through one or more HARQ processes, wherein the number of the one or more HARQ processes does not exceed the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein exchanging the data comprises receiving data from a base station through the one or more HARQ processes.

43. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein exchanging the data comprises sending data from the UE to a base station through the one or more HARQ processes.

44. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein determining the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE comprises determining the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE based on resources available at the UE for non-guaranteed bit rate (non-GBR) traffic.

45. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein determining the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE comprises determining the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE based on negative acknowledgements (NAKs) received from the UE for prior transmissions of data sent to the UE.

46. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code for;

determining number of hybrid automatic retransmission (HARQ) processes supported by a user equipment (UE); and

exchanging data through one or more HARQ processes, wherein the number of the one or more HARQ processes does not exceed the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE.

47. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

means for transmitting and receiving data or control information wirelessly;

means for receiving information indicative of a number of hybrid automatic retransmission (HARQ) processes supported by a user equipment (UE); and

means for sending data from a base station to the UE through one or more HARQ processes, wherein the number of the one or more HARQ processes does not exceed the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE.

48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the means for sending the data limits the number of the one or more HARQ processes used to send the data to the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE until information indicative of an updated number of HARQ processes supported by the UE is received from the UE.

49. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the means for sending the data limits the number of the one or more HARQ processes to the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE for a predetermined period of time.

50. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the means for receiving the information indicative of the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE is configured to receive a Medium Access Control (MAC) control element carrying the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE.

51. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the means for sending the data sends data for non-guaranteed bit rate (non-GBR) traffic from the base station to the UE through the one or more HARQ processes.

52. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the means for sending the data sends data for guaranteed bit rate (GBR) traffic from the base station to the UE through one or more HARQ processes available in the system.

53. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the means for sending the data sends data for both guaranteed bit rate (GBR) traffic and non-guaranteed bit rate (non-GBR) traffic from the base station to the UE through the one or more HARQ processes.

54. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code for;

receiving information indicative of a number of hybrid automatic retransmission (HARQ) processes supported by a user equipment (UE); and

sending data from a base station to the UE through one or more HARQ processes, wherein the number of the one or more HARQ processes does not exceed the number of HARQ processes supported by the UE.