PCFICH design for multicarrier operation

• US 8,971,257 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2010
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Damnjanovic, Jelena M., Bhushan, Naga, Montojo, Juan, Gaal, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Elpenord, Candal
• Application Number:
  US12/764,347
• Publication Number:
  US 20110096734A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,777 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/329, 370/330, 370336-337, 370/342, 370344-345, 370479-480, 455/450, 455/452.1, 455/452.2
• US Class Current: 370/329
• 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: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal

Abstract

Systems and methodologies are described that facilitates communicating Physical Control Format Indicator Channel (PCFICH) information to a user equipment (UE) in which the PCFICH information is specific to a particular component carrier. The PCFICH information for each component carrier can be communicated via an anchor component carrier in order to reduce decoding each PCFICH information for each component carrier. In particular, the PCFICH information can be decoded for an anchor component carrier and PCFICH information for additional carriers can be included in a Multi-Carrier (MC) grant of the Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH).

Claims

1. A method used in a wireless communications system that facilitates conveying control information for one or more downlink component carriers, comprising:

evaluating a plurality of component carriers to identify related Physical Control Format Indicator Channel (PCFICH) information; and

communicating the PCFICH information related to each non-anchor component carrier of plurality of component carriers via dedicated signaling, the PCFICH information comprising separate PCFICH information for each of the non-anchor component carriers, wherein the separate PCFICH information indicates a control region size of each of the non-anchor component carriers, wherein the control region size of a particular one of the non-anchor component carriers is independent of control region sizes of other component carriers of the plurality of component carriers.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying an anchor component carrier from the plurality of component carriers; and

communicating PCFICH information related to the anchor component carrier and PCFICH information related to each of the plurality of component carriers.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the anchor component carrier has a PCFICH information value that is conveyed via an anchor PCFICH sent on the anchor component carrier.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating a backward compatible component carrier operation mode that supports Long Term Evolution (LTE) user equipment (UE), wherein the backward compatible component carrier operation mode utilizes the PCFICH information to identify one or more symbols for control;

creating a non-backward compatible component carrier operation mode that does not utilize the PCFICH information; and

employing at least one of the backward compatible component carrier operation mode or the non-backward compatible component carrier operation mode based upon a user equipment (UE).

5. A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

evaluate a plurality of downlink component carriers to identify related Physical Control Format Indicator Channel (PCFICH) information; and

communicate the PCFICH information related to each non-anchor component carrier of the plurality of component carriers via dedicated signaling, the PCFICH information comprising separate PCFICH information for each of the non-anchor component carriers, wherein the separate PCFICH information indicates a control region size of each of the non-anchor component carriers, wherein the control region size of a particular one of the non-anchor component carriers is independent of control region sizes of other component carriers of the plurality of component carriers; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor.

6. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 5, the at least one processor further configured to:

identify an anchor component carrier from the plurality of component carriers; and

communicate PCFICH information related to the anchor component carrier and each of the plurality of component carriers.

7. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 5, the at least one processor further configured to:

communicate PCFICH information related to an anchor component carrier via an anchor PCFICH channel on the anchor component carrier.

8. A wireless communications apparatus that conveys control information for one or more component carriers, comprising:

means for evaluating a plurality of component carriers to identify related Physical Control Format Indicator Channel (PCFICH) information; and

means for communicating the PCFICH information related to each non-anchor component carrier of the plurality of component carriers via dedicated signaling, the PCFICH information comprising separate PCFICH information for each of the non-anchor component carriers, wherein the separate PCFICH information indicates a control region size of each of the non-anchor component carriers, wherein the control region size of a particular one of the non-anchor component carriers is independent of control region sizes of other component carriers of the plurality of component carriers.

9. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

means for identifying an anchor component carrier from the plurality of component carriers; and

means for communicating PCFICH information related to the anchor component carrier and each of the plurality of component carriers.

10. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

means for creating a backward compatible component carrier operation mode that supports Long Term Evolution (LTE) user equipment (UE), wherein the backward compatible component carrier operation mode utilizes the PCFICH information to identify one or more symbols for control;

means for creating a non-backward compatible component carrier operation mode that does not utilize the PCFICH information; and

means for employing at least one of the backward compatible component carrier operation mode or the non-backward compatible component carrier operation mode based upon a user equipment (UE).

11. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

communicating PCFICH information related to an anchor component carrier via an anchor PCFICH channel on the anchor component carrier.

12. A computer program product, comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising:

code for causing at least one computer to evaluate a plurality of downlink component carriers to identify related Physical Control Format Indicator Channel (PCFICH) information; and

code for causing at least one computer to communicate the PCFICH information related to each non-anchor component carrier of the plurality of component carriers via dedicated signaling, the PCFICH information comprising separate PCFICH information for each of the non-anchor component carriers, wherein the separate PCFICH information indicates a control region size of each of the non-anchor component carriers, wherein the control region size of a particular one of the non-anchor component carriers is independent of control region sizes of other component carriers of the plurality of component carriers.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, further comprising:

code for causing the at least one computer to identify an anchor component carrier from the plurality of component carriers; and

code for causing the at least one computer to communicate PCFICH information related to the anchor component carrier and each of the plurality of component carriers.

14. The computer program product of claim 12, further comprising:

code for causing the at least one computer to communicate PCFICH information related to an anchor component carrier via an anchor PCFICH channel on the anchor component carrier.

15. A method used in a wireless communications system that facilitates utilizing control information for one or more component carriers, comprising:

receiving Physical Control Format Indicator Channel (PCFICH) information related to each non-anchor component carrier of a plurality of component carriers via dedicated signaling, the PCFICH information comprising separate PCFICH information for each of the non-anchor component carriers, wherein the separate PCFICH information indicates a control region size of each of the non-anchor component carriers, wherein the control region size of a particular one of the non-anchor component carriers is independent of control region sizes of other component carriers of the plurality of component carriers; and

decoding the PCFICH information to identify control information for the non-anchor component carriers.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

wherein one or more component carriers is an anchor component carrier; and

identifying a PCFICH information corresponding to at least one component carrier in addition to the anchor component carrier.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

utilizing the PCFICH information related to the anchor component carrier to identify one or more symbols for control for such anchor component carrier; and

utilizing the PCFICH information corresponding to the component carrier to identify one or more symbols for control for such component carrier.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

identifying a user equipment (UE) as at least one of backward compatible or non-backward compatible;

employing a backward compatible component carrier operation mode for the user equipment (UE) that supports Long Term Evolution (LTE) user equipment (UE), wherein the backward compatible component carrier operation mode utilizes the PCFICH information to identify one or more symbols for control if the user equipment is backward compatible; and

employing a non-backward compatible component carrier operation mode for the user equipment (UE) and does not utilize the PCFICH information if the user equipment (UE) is non-backward compatible.

19. A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

receive Physical Control Format Indicator Channel (PCFICH) information related to each non-anchor component carrier of a plurality of component carriers via dedicated signaling, the PCFICH information comprising separate PCFICH information for each of the non-anchor component carriers, wherein the separate PCFICH information indicates a control region size of each of the non-anchor component carriers, wherein the control region size of a particular one of the non-anchor component carriers is independent of control region sizes of other component carriers of the plurality of component carriers; and

decode the PCFICH information to identify control information for the non-anchor component carriers; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor.

20. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

wherein one or more component carriers is an anchor component carrier; and

identify a PCFICH information corresponding to at least one component carrier in addition to the anchor component carrier.

21. A wireless communications apparatus that utilizes control information for one or more component carriers, comprising:

means for receiving Physical Control Format Indicator Channel (PCFICH) information related to each non-anchor component carrier of a plurality of component carriers via dedicated signaling, the PCFICH information comprising separate PCFICH information for each of the non-anchor component carriers, wherein the separate PCFICH information indicates a control region size of each of the non-anchor component carriers, wherein the control region size of a particular one of the non-anchor component carriers is independent of control region sizes of other component carriers of the plurality of component carriers; and

means for decoding the PCFICH information to identify control information for the non-anchor component carriers.

22. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

wherein one or more component carriers is an anchor component carrier; and

means for identifying a PCFICH information corresponding to at least one component carrier in addition to the anchor component carrier.

23. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 22, further comprising:

means for utilizing the PCFICH information related to the anchor component carrier to identify one or more symbols for control for such anchor carrier; and

means for utilizing the PCFICH information corresponding to the component carrier to identify one or more symbols for control for such component carrier.

24. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

means for identifying a user equipment (UE) as at least one of backward compatible or non-backward compatible;

means for employing a backward compatible component carrier operation mode for the user equipment (UE) that supports Long Term Evolution (LTE) user equipment (UE), wherein the backward compatible component carrier operation mode utilizes the PCFICH information to identify one or more symbols for control if the user equipment is backward compatible; and

means for employing a non-backward compatible component carrier operation mode for the user equipment (UE) and does not utilize the PCFICH information if the user equipment (UE) is non-backward compatible.

25. A computer program product, comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising:

code for causing at least one computer to receive Physical Control Format Indicator Channel (PCFICH) information related to each non-anchor component carrier of a plurality of component carriers via dedicated signaling, the PCFICH information comprising separate PCFICH information for each of the non-anchor component carriers, wherein the separate PCFICH information indicates a control region size of each of the non-anchor component carriers, wherein the control region size of a particular one of the non-anchor component carriers is independent of control region sizes of other component carriers of the plurality of component carriers; and

code for causing at least one computer to decode the PCFICH information to identify control information for the non-anchor component carriers.

26. The computer program product of claim 25, further comprising:

wherein one or more component carriers is an anchor component carrier; and

code for causing the at least one computer to identify a PCFICH information corresponding to at least one component carrier in addition to the anchor component carrier.