Extension carrier as a bandwidth extension

• US 9,209,955 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2012
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Damnjanovic, Jelena, Malladi, Durga Prasad, Chen, Wanshi, Gaal, Peter, Montojo, Juan
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao, Kwang B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Loo, Juvena
• Application Number:
  US13/649,058
• Publication Number:
  US 20130089048A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,154 Days
• Field of Search: 370310-350
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1822 involving configuration of automatic repeat request [ARQ] with parallel processes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/001 the frequencies being arranged in component carriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0023 Time-frequency-space
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0053 Allocation of signaling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals
• 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 5/0092 Indication of how the channel is divided
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0094 Indication of how sub-channels of the path are allocated

Abstract

A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for wireless communication are provided. The apparatus receives extended bandwidth information indicating availability of an extended bandwidth. The extended bandwidth includes a base carrier and an extension carrier within a legacy guard band of the base carrier. The apparatus receives data on a downlink in the extension carrier based on the extended bandwidth information.

Claims

1. A method of wireless communication, comprising:

receiving extended bandwidth information indicating availability of an extended bandwidth, the extended bandwidth including a base carrier and an extension carrier within a legacy guard band of the base carrier; and

receiving data on a downlink in the extension carrier within the legacy guard band of the base carrier based on the extended bandwidth information, wherein the downlink is operated within a legacy composite bandwidth, wherein the extension carrier is operated within the extended bandwidth, wherein the extended bandwidth is within the legacy composite bandwidth, and wherein the extended bandwidth comprises a base bandwidth of the base carrier, an upper extended bandwidth in an upper legacy guard band of the base carrier, and a lower extended bandwidth in a lower legacy guard band of the base carrier; and

receiving control information on the downlink in a control channel that extends (a) across the extended bandwidth into the extension carrier in a first set of subframes and (b) across and within the base bandwidth of the base carrier in a second set of subframes.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the upper extended bandwidth and the lower extended bandwidth have an equal size.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the extended bandwidth information is received through radio resource control (RRC) signaling.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting data on an uplink in the extension carrier based on the extended bandwidth information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of subframes are utilized by user equipments (UEs) that support non-legacy operation and the second set of subframes are utilized by UEs that support legacy operation.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a size of the control channel within the extension carrier is equal to a size of the control channel within the base carrier.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising receiving the size of the control channel of the base and extension carriers in a physical control format indicator channel (PCFICH) that extends across the extended bandwidth.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving the size of the control channel of the base carrier in a physical control format indicator channel (PCFICH) that extends across a base bandwidth of the base carrier; and

assuming the size of the control channel of the extension carrier is equal to the size of the control channel of the base carrier.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a size of the control channel of the base carrier in a physical control format indicator channel (PCFICH) that extends across a base bandwidth of the base carrier; and

receiving a size of the control region of the extension carrier through radio resource control (RRC) signaling.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving acknowledgment (ACK)/negative acknowledgement (NACK) feedback on a physical hybrid automatic repeat request indicator channel (PHICH) that extends across the extended bandwidth in the first set of subframes and across the base bandwidth in the second set of subframes.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving at least one of system information or radio resource control (RRC) signaling indicating which subframes of a frame belong to the first set of subframes and which subframes of the frame belong to the second set of subframes.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

blind decoding a set of control channel element (CCE) locations within the control region; and

determining which subframes of a frame belong to the first set of subframes and which subframes of the frame belong to the second set of subframes based on the blind decoding.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving control information in downlink in one of a base control region of a control channel or an extended control region of the control channel, the base control region being in the base carrier, the extended control region being in the extension carrier and independent of the base control region.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining the control region on which the control information is received through blind decoding a first set of control channel element (CCE) locations within the base control region and a second set of CCE locations within the extended control region.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein a physical hybrid automatic repeat request indicator channel (PHICH) is received only in the base control region of the control channel.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein a physical control format indicator channel (PCFICH) is received only in the base control region of the control channel.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a size of the control channel of the base control region in the PCFICH; and

receiving a size of the control channel of the extended control region through radio resource control (RRC) signaling.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving control information in downlink in a control channel that extends across the extended bandwidth; and

searching a set of control channel element (CCE) locations within the control channel for the control information,

wherein the set of CCE locations are within a plurality of CCEs including a base set of CCEs and an extended set of CCEs, the base set of CCEs and the extended set of CCEs being for user equipments (UEs) supporting non-legacy operation, the base set of CCEs being for UEs supporting legacy operation.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising mapping resource element groups (REGs) to one of the base set of CCEs or the extended set of CCEs.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein a physical hybrid automatic repeat request indicator channel (PHICH) is received only in the base set of CCEs.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein a physical control format indicator channel (PCFICH) is received only in the base set of CCEs.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

receiving a size of the control channel of the base carrier in the PCFICH; and

assuming the size of the control channel of the extension carrier is equal to the size of the control channel of the base carrier.

23. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting data on an uplink on the base carrier.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising transmitting data on the uplink in the extension carrier concurrently with the transmission of the data on the uplink in the base carrier.

25. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

means for receiving extended bandwidth information indicating availability of an extended bandwidth, the extended bandwidth including a base carrier and an extension carrier within a legacy guard band of the base carrier;

means for receiving data on a downlink in the extension carrier within the legacy guard band of the base carrier based on the extended bandwidth information, wherein the downlink operates within a legacy composite bandwidth, wherein the extension carrier is operated within the extended bandwidth, wherein the extended bandwidth is within the legacy composite bandwidth, and wherein the extended bandwidth comprises a base bandwidth of the base carrier, an upper extended bandwidth in an upper legacy guard band of the base carrier, and a lower extended bandwidth in a lower legacy guard band of the base carrier; and

means for receiving control information on the downlink in a control channel that extends (a) across the extended bandwidth into the extension carrier in a first set of subframes and (b) across and within the base bandwidth of the base carrier in a second set of subframes.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the upper extended bandwidth and the lower extended bandwidth have an equal size.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the extended bandwidth information is received through radio resource control (RRC) signaling.

28. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising means for transmitting data on an uplink in the extension carrier based on the extended bandwidth information.

29. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the first set of subframes are utilized by user equipments (UEs) that support non-legacy operation and the second set of subframes are utilized by UEs that support legacy operation.

30. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein a size of the control channel within the extension carrier is equal to a size of the control channel within the base carrier.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, further comprising means for receiving the size of the control channel of the base and extension carriers in a physical control format indicator channel (PCFICH) that extends across the extended bandwidth.

32. The apparatus of claim 30, further comprising:

means for receiving the size of the control channel of the base carrier in a physical control format indicator channel (PCFICH) that extends across a base bandwidth of the base carrier; and

means for assuming the size of the control channel of the extension carrier is equal to the size of the control channel of the base carrier.

33. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising:

means for receiving a size of the control channel of the base carrier in a physical control format indicator channel (PCFICH) that extends across a base bandwidth of the base carrier; and

means for receiving a size of the control region of the extension carrier through radio resource control (RRC) signaling.

34. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising means for receiving acknowledgment (ACK)/negative acknowledgement (NACK) feedback on a physical hybrid automatic repeat request indicator channel (PHICH) that extends across the extended bandwidth in the first set of subframes and across the base bandwidth in the second set of subframes.

35. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising means for receiving at least one of system information or radio resource control (RRC) signaling indicating which subframes of a frame belong to the first set of subframes and which subframes of the frame belong to the second set of subframes.

36. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising:

means for blind decoding a set of control channel element (CCE) locations within the control region; and

means for determining which subframes of a frame belong to the first set of subframes and which subframes of the frame belong to the second set of subframes based on the blind decoding.

37. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising means for receiving control information in downlink in one of a base control region of a control channel or an extended control region of the control channel, the base control region being in the base carrier, the extended control region being in the extension carrier and independent of the base control region.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, further comprising means for determining the control region on which the control information is received through blind decoding a first set of control channel element (CCE) locations within the base control region and a second set of CCE locations within the extended control region.

39. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein a physical hybrid automatic repeat request indicator channel (PHICH) is received only in the base control region of the control channel.

40. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein a physical control format indicator channel (PCFICH) is received only in the base control region of the control channel.

41. The apparatus of claim 40, further comprising:

means for receiving a size of the control channel of the base control region in the PCFICH; and

means for receiving a size of the control channel of the extended control region through radio resource control (RRC) signaling.

42. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising:

means for receiving control information in downlink in a control channel that extends across the extended bandwidth; and

means for searching a set of control channel element (CCE) locations within the control channel for the control information,

wherein the set of CCE locations are within a plurality of CCEs including a base set of CCEs and an extended set of CCEs, the base set of CCEs and the extended set of CCEs being for user equipments (UEs) supporting non-legacy operation, the base set of CCEs being for UEs supporting legacy operation.

43. The apparatus of claim 42, further comprising means for mapping resource element groups (REGs) to one of the base set of CCEs or the extended set of CCEs.

44. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein a physical hybrid automatic repeat request indicator channel (PHICH) is received only in the base set of CCEs.

45. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein a physical control format indicator channel (PCFICH) is received only in the base set of CCEs.

46. The apparatus of claim 45, further comprising:

means for receiving a size of the control channel of the base carrier in the PCFICH; and

means for assuming the size of the control channel of the extension carrier is equal to the size of the control channel of the base carrier.

47. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising means for transmitting data on an uplink on the base carrier.

48. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising means for transmitting data on the uplink in the extension carrier concurrently with the transmission of the data on the uplink in the base carrier.

49. An apparatus of wireless communication, comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to;

receive extended bandwidth information indicating availability of an extended bandwidth, the extended bandwidth including a base carrier and an extension carrier within a legacy guard band of the base carrier;

receive data on a downlink in the extension carrier within the legacy guard band of the base carrier based on the extended bandwidth information, wherein the downlink is operated within a legacy composite bandwidth, wherein the extension carrier is operated within the extended bandwidth, wherein the extended bandwidth is within the legacy composite bandwidth, and wherein the extended bandwidth comprises a base bandwidth of the base carrier, an upper extended bandwidth in an upper legacy guard band of the base carrier, and a lower extended bandwidth in a lower legacy guard band of the base carrier; and

receive control information on the downlink in a control channel that extends (a) across the extended bandwidth into the extension carrier in a first set of subframes and (b) across and within the base bandwidth of the base carrier in a second set of subframes.

50. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein the upper extended bandwidth and the lower extended bandwidth have an equal size.

51. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein the extended bandwidth information is received through radio resource control (RRC) signaling.

52. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein the processor is further configured to transmit data on an uplink in the extension carrier based on the extended bandwidth information.

53. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein the first set of subframes are utilized by user equipments (UEs) that support non-legacy operation and the second set of subframes are utilized by UEs that support legacy operation.

54. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein a size of the control channel within the extension carrier is equal to a size of the control channel within the base carrier.

55. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein the processor is further configured to receive the size of the control channel of the base and extension carriers in a physical control format indicator channel (PCFICH) that extends across the extended bandwidth.

56. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive the size of the control channel of the base carrier in a physical control format indicator channel (PCFICH) that extends across a base bandwidth of the base carrier; and

assume the size of the control channel of the extension carrier is equal to the size of the control channel of the base carrier.

57. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a size of the control channel of the base carrier in a physical control format indicator channel (PCFICH) that extends across a base bandwidth of the base carrier; and

receive a size of the control region of the extension carrier through radio resource control (RRC) signaling.

58. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein the processor is further configured to receive acknowledgment (ACK)/negative acknowledgement (NACK) feedback on a physical hybrid automatic repeat request indicator channel (PHICH) that extends across the extended bandwidth in the first set of subframes and across the base bandwidth in the second set of subframes.

59. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein the processor is further configured to receive at least one of system information or radio resource control (RRC) signaling indicating which subframes of a frame belong to the first set of subframes and which subframes of the frame belong to the second set of subframes.

60. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein the processor is further configured to:

blind decode a set of control channel element (CCE) locations within the control region; and

determine which subframes of a frame belong to the first set of subframes and which subframes of the frame belong to the second set of subframes based on the blind decoding.

61. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein the processor is further configured to receive control information in downlink in one of a base control region of a control channel or an extended control region of the control channel, the base control region being in the base carrier, the extended control region being in the extension carrier and independent of the base control region.

62. The apparatus of claim 61, wherein the processor is further configured to determine the control region on which the control information is received through blind decoding a first set of control channel element (CCE) locations within the base control region and a second set of CCE locations within the extended control region.

63. The apparatus of claim 61, wherein a physical hybrid automatic repeat request indicator channel (PHICH) is received only in the base control region of the control channel.

64. The apparatus of claim 61, wherein a physical control format indicator channel (PCFICH) is received only in the base control region of the control channel.

65. The apparatus of claim 64, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a size of the control channel of the base control region in the PCFICH; and

receive a size of the control channel of the extended control region through radio resource control (RRC) signaling.

66. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive control information in downlink in a control channel that extends across the extended bandwidth; and

search a set of control channel element (CCE) locations within the control channel for the control information,

wherein the set of CCE locations are within a plurality of CCEs including a base set of CCEs and an extended set of CCEs, the base set of CCEs and the extended set of CCEs being for user equipments (UEs) supporting non-legacy operation, the base set of CCEs being for UEs supporting legacy operation.

67. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein the processor is further configured to map resource element groups (REGs) to one of the base set of CCEs or the extended set of CCEs.

68. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein a physical hybrid automatic repeat request indicator channel (PHICH) is received only in the base set of CCEs.

69. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein a physical control format indicator channel (PCFICH) is received only in the base set of CCEs.

70. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a size of the control channel of the base carrier in the PCFICH; and

assume the size of the control channel of the extension carrier is equal to the size of the control channel of the base carrier.

71. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein the processor is further configured to transmit data on an uplink on the base carrier.

72. The apparatus of claim 71, wherein the processor is further configured to transmit data on the uplink in the extension carrier concurrently with the transmission of the data on the uplink in the base carrier.

73. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code that when executed on a processor instructs the processor to perform operations of:

receiving extended bandwidth information indicating availability of an extended bandwidth, the extended bandwidth including a base carrier and an extension carrier within a legacy guard band of the base carrier;

receiving data on a downlink in the extension carrier within the legacy guard band of the base carrier based on the extended bandwidth information, wherein the downlink is within a legacy composite bandwidth, wherein the extension carrier is operated within the extended bandwidth, wherein the extended bandwidth is within the legacy composite bandwidth, and wherein the extended bandwidth comprises a base bandwidth of the base carrier, an upper extended bandwidth in an upper legacy guard band of the base carrier, and a lower extended bandwidth in a lower legacy guard band of the base carrier; and

receiving control information on the downlink in a control channel that extends (a) across the extended bandwidth into the extension carrier in a first set of subframes and (b) across and within the base bandwidth of the base carrier in a second set of subframes.