Method and apparatus for dynamically allocating HARQ processes in the uplink

• US 8,687,508 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2007
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Marinier, Paul, Zeira, Eldad M., Reznik, Alexander, Grandhi, Sudheer A., Terry, Stephen E., Cave, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): RIYAMI, ABDULLAH A
• Application Number:
  US11/841,156
• Publication Number:
  US 20080059859A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,416 Days
• Field of Search: 370/229, 370/230, 370/231, 370/235, 370/252, 370/242, 370/278, 370/310, 370/328, 370/331, 370/343, 370/338, 370/352, 370/468, 370/389, 370/226, 370/394, 370/395.4, 455/69, 455/67.11, 455/522, 714/749, 714/748, 714/18
• US Class Current: 370/252
• 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 1/1825 Adaptation of specific ARQ protocol parameters according to transmission conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1854 Scheduling and prioritising arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1867 Arrangements specially adapted for the transmitter end
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation

Abstract

In a wireless communication system including at least one wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) and at least one Node-B (NB), an activation or deactivation state is determined for each of a plurality of HARQ processes. A signal that includes the activation or deactivation state for each of the HARQ processes is transmitted to the WTRU. In response to receiving the signal, the WTRU activates or deactivates a particular HARQ process in accordance with the activation or deactivation state for each of the HARQ processes contained in the received signal.

Claims

1. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) comprising:

a processor and a transmitter configured to transmit uplink data utilizing N hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) processes, wherein N is an integer, wherein one of the N HARQ processes is used to transmit the uplink data in each of a plurality of transmission time intervals, and the N HARQ processes are used to transmit the uplink data sequentially, wherein the uplink data comprises scheduled data; and

a receiver, wherein the processor and the receiver are configured to receive a message from a wireless network, wherein the processor and the transmitter are further configured, in response to the message, to transmit uplink data utilizing less than N HARQ processes.

2. The WTRU of claim 1 wherein the processor and transmitter are further configured to transmit the uplink data utilizing the less than N HARQ processes sequentially.

3. The WTRU of claim 2 wherein a switch between the HARQ processes of the less than N HARQ processes occurs at an integer number of transmission time intervals.

4. The WTRU of claim 1 wherein a transmission time interval is 2 ms.

5. The WTRU of claim 1 wherein N is 8.

6. The WTRU of claim 1 wherein the processor and the receiver are configured to receive an allocation of resources corresponding to a plurality of transmission time intervals;

wherein the processor and the transmitter are configured to transmit using a fixed allocation of resources using a corresponding one of the N HARQ processes in a corresponding transmission time interval on a condition that the allocation of resources is not received, and to transmit using the received allocation of resources using a corresponding one of the N HARQ processes in a corresponding transmission time interval on a condition that the allocation of resources is received.

7. A method for use in a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), the method comprising:

using a processor and a transmitter to transmit uplink data utilizing N hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) processes, wherein N is an integer, wherein one of the N HARQ processes is used to transmit the uplink data in each of a plurality of transmission time intervals, and the N HARQ processes are used to transmit the uplink data sequentially, wherein the uplink data comprises scheduled data;

using the processor and a receiver to receive a message from a wireless network; and

in response to the message, using the processor and the transmitter to transmit uplink data utilizing less than N HARQ processes.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein transmitting the uplink data utilizing the less than N HARQ processes is performed sequentially.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

switching between the HARQ processes of the less than N HARQ processes at an integer number of transmission time intervals.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein a transmission time interval is 2 ms.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein N is 8.

12. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

receiving an allocation of resources corresponding to a plurality of transmission time intervals;

transmitting, using a fixed allocation of resources using a corresponding one of the N HARQ processes in a corresponding transmission time interval, on a condition that the allocation of resources is not received; and

transmitting, using the received allocation of resources using a corresponding one of the N HARQ processes in a corresponding transmission time interval, on a condition that the allocation of resources is received.

13. A Node-B comprising:

a processor and a receiver configured to receive uplink data utilizing N hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) processes, wherein N is an integer, wherein one of the N HARQ processes is used to receive the uplink data in each of a plurality of transmission time intervals, and the N HARQ processes are used to receive the uplink data sequentially, wherein the uplink data comprises scheduled data; and

a transmitter, wherein the processor and the transmitter are configured to transmit a message, wherein the processor and the receiver are further configured, in response to the message, to receive uplink data utilizing less than N HARQ processes.

14. The Node-B of claim 13 wherein the processor and receiver are further configured to receive the uplink data utilizing the less than N HARQ processes sequentially.

15. The Node-B of claim 14 wherein a switch between the HARQ processes of the less than N HARQ processes occurs at an integer number of transmission time intervals.

16. The Node-B of claim 13 wherein a transmission time interval is 2 ms.

17. The Node-B of claim 13 wherein N is 8.

18. The Node-B of claim 13 wherein the processor and the transmitter are configured to transmit an allocation of resources corresponding to a plurality of transmission time intervals.

19. A method for use in a Node-B, the method comprising:

using a processor and a receiver to receive uplink data utilizing N hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) processes, wherein N is an integer, wherein one of the N HARQ processes is used to receive the uplink data in each of a plurality of transmission time intervals, and the N HARQ processes are used to receive the uplink data sequentially, wherein the uplink data comprises scheduled data;

using the processor and a transmitter to transmit a message; and

in response to the message, using the processor and the receiver to receive uplink data utilizing less than N HARQ processes.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein receiving the uplink data utilizing the less than N HARQ processes is performed sequentially.

21. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

transmitting an allocation of resources corresponding to a plurality of transmission time intervals.