Transmission of uplink control information in inter-eNB carrier aggregation

• US 9,301,183 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2013
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Heo, Youn Hyoung, Han, Seunghee, Zhang, Yujian
• Primary Examiner(s): Elallam, Ahmed
• Application Number:
  US13/927,823
• Publication Number:
  US 20140092865A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,007 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 11/00 Orthogonal multiplex systems, e.g. using WALSH codesH04J13/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 11/0086 Search parameters, e.g. search strategy, accumulation length, range of search, thresholds code acquisition in DSSS H04B1/7075
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/1694 Allocation of channels in TDM/TDMA networks, e.g. distributed multiplexers Passive Optical Networks H04Q11/0062
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1812 Hybrid protocols; Hybrid automatic repeat request [HARQ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1861 Physical mapping arrangements for ACK signaling see also H04L5/0053
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1864 ARQ related signaling H04L1/1607 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1893 Physical mapping arrangements physical resource mapping in general H04L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/069 using logs of notifications; Post-processing of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5032 Generating service level reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/001 the frequencies being arranged in component carriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0035 Resource allocation in a cooperative multipoint environment
• 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 5/0057 Physical resource allocation for CQI
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0073 Allocation arrangements that take into account other cell interferences for intercell interference mitigation or co-ordination in orthogonal multiplex systems H04J11/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0091 Signaling for the administration of the divided path
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/14 Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 : Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 : at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 : in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 : Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 : Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 : Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0205 : at the air interface dynamic wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0215 : based on user or device properties, e.g. MTC-capable devices services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC] H04W4/70; wireless resource selection or allocation plan definition based on terminal or device properties H04W72/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0221 : power availability or consumption
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0252 : per individual bearer or channel dynamic wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0268 : using specific QoS parameters for wireless networks, e.g. QoS class identifier [QCI] or guaranteed bit rate [GBR] negotiating SLA or negotiating QoS H04W28/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/16 : Central resource management; Negotiation of resources or communication parameters, e.g. negotiating bandwidth or QoS [Quality of Service]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0061 : of neighbour cell information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0066 : of control information between different types of networks in order to establish a new radio link in the target network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0083 : Determination of parameters used for hand-off, e.g. generation or modification of neighbour cell lists
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0085 : Hand-off measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0088 : Scheduling hand-off measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 : Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 : Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/22 : for handling the traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 : Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/005 : Routing actions in the presence of nodes in sleep or doze mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/246 : Connectivity information discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 : using user query or user detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 : Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 : Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 : Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0209 : in terminal devices terminal devices per se H04W88/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0212 : managed by the network, e.g. network or access point is master and terminal is slave
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0225 : using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0235 : where the received signal is a power saving command
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0258 : controlling an operation mode according to history or models of usage information, e.g. activity schedule or time of day
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0261 : managing power supply demand, e.g. depending on battery level
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/04 : TPC
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/14 : Separate analysis of uplink or downlink
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 : Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/044 : based on the type of the allocated resource
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 : Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 : Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 : in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 : in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 : Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/52 : based on load
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 : using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/002 : Transmission of channel access control information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/004 : in the uplink, i.e. towards network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/12 : Setup of transport tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 : Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/16 : Involving different core network technologies, e.g. a packet-switched [PS] bearer in combination with a circuit-switched [CS] bearer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/23 : Manipulation of direct-mode connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 : Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/28 : Discontinuous transmission [DTX]; Discontinuous reception [DRX]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/30 : Connection release
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/08 : Mobility data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/10 : adapted for application session management, e.g. SIP [Session Initiation Protocol] connection management H04W76/00; arrangements for session management H04L67/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 : Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/12 : Access point controller devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/14 : Backbone network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 : Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/18 : Service support devices; Network management devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A user equipment (UE) for communication in a wireless network supporting inter-EUTRAN Node B (eNB) carrier aggregation has a receiver to communicate with a first eNB corresponding to a primary cell (PCell) in the wireless network and a second eNB corresponding to a secondary cell (SCell) in the wireless network. The receiver is configured to receive downlink data through a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) in the SCell. The UE has a processor configured to, in response to receiving the downlink data, generate a hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) for the SCell. A transmitter of the UE is configured to transmit, through a first physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) in the PCell, uplink control information (UCI) including the HARQ-ACK for the SCell.

Claims

1. A user equipment (UE) for communication in a wireless network supporting inter-EUTRAN Node B carrier aggregation, the UE comprising:

a receiver to receive first downlink data from a first EUTRAN Node B (eNB) corresponding to a primary cell (PCell) in the wireless network, and to receive second downlink data from a second eNB corresponding to a secondary cell (SCell) in the wireless network;

a processor configured to, in response to receiving the first downlink data, generate a first hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) for the PCell, in response to receiving the second downlink data, generate a second HARQ-ACK for the SCell and further configured to select between use of a first physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource in the PCell and a second PUCCH resource in the SCell; and

a transmitter configured to transmit, through the first PUCCH resource, first uplink control information (UCI) including the first HARQ-ACK for the PCell, and to transmit, through the second PUCCH resource, second UCI including the second HARQ-ACK for the SCell.

2. The UE of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to select the first PUCCH resource corresponding to a first PUCCH format in the PCell, and to select the second PUCCH resource corresponding to a second PUCCH format in the SCell.

3. The UE of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit, through the first PUCCH resource in the PCell, a scheduling request on a scheduling request resource or on an acknowledgement/negative acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) resource for the PCell and to transmit, through the second PUCCH resource in the SCell, a scheduling request on a scheduling request resource or on an acknowledgement/negative acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) resource for the SCell.

4. The UE of claim 1, wherein the first HARQ-ACK and the second HARQ-ACK comprise an aggregated acknowledgement/negative acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) for carrier aggregation.

5. The UE of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured for uplink switching such that the transmitter is configured to transmit on the first PUCCH resource in the PCell in a subframe n and on the second PUCCH resource in the SCell in a subframe n+1.

6. The UE of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to maintain a first time alignment timer allocated to a primary timing advance group (TAG) associated with the PCell and a second time alignment timer allocated to a secondary TAG associated with the SCell.

7. The UE of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to, in response to the first time alignment timer expiring, maintain HARQ-ACK buffers while the second time alignment timer has not expired.

8. The UE of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to, in response to the first time alignment timer expiring, maintain PUCCH configurations for serving cells while the second time alignment timer has not expired.

9. The UE of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to, in response to the first time alignment timer expiring, maintain downlink configurations and uplink grants while the second time alignment timer is not expired.

10. The UE of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to, in response to the first time alignment timer expiring, continue running the second time alignment timer.

11. A user equipment (UE) for communication in a wireless network supporting inter-EUTRAN Node B carrier aggregation, the UE comprising:

a receiver to communicate with a first EUTRAN Node B (eNB) corresponding to a primary cell (PCell) in the wireless network and a second eNB corresponding to a secondary cell (SCell) in the wireless network, wherein the first eNB includes a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource, the receiver configured to receive downlink data through a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) in the SCell;

a processor configured to, in response to receiving the downlink data, generate a hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) for the second eNB; and

a transmitter configured to transmit, through the PUCCH resource of the first eNB, uplink control information (UCI) including the HARQ-ACK for the second eNB.

12. The UE of claim 11, wherein the receiver is further configured to receive a signal from the first eNB in the PCell during SCell scheduling to indicate the PUCCH resource for the transmitter to transmit the UCI in the PCell.

13. The UE of claim 11, wherein the receiver is further configured to receive transmit power control (TPC) data through a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) in the SCell during SCell scheduling, the TPC data including an indication of the PUCCH resource.

14. The UE of claim 11, wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit, through the PUCCH resource in the PCell, a scheduling request for the SCell.

15. The UE of claim 11, wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit, through a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) resource in the PCell, a buffer status report (BSR) for the SCell.

16. A user equipment (UE) for communication in a wireless network supporting inter-EUTRAN Node B carrier aggregation, the UE comprising:

a receiver to communicate with a first EUTRAN Node B (eNB) corresponding to a primary cell (PCell) in the wireless network and a second eNB corresponding to a secondary cell (SCell) in the wireless network, wherein the second eNB includes a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource, the receiver configured to receive downlink data through a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) in the PCell;

a processor configured to, in response to receiving the downlink data, generate a hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) for the first eNB; and

a transmitter configured to transmit, through the PUCCH resource of the second eNB, uplink control information (UCI) including the HARQ-ACK for the first eNB.

17. The UE of claim 16, wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit, through the PUCCH resource in the SCell, a scheduling request for the PCell.

18. The UE of claim 16, wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit, through a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) resource in the SCell, a buffer status report (BSR) for the PCell.

19. The UE of claim 16, wherein the receiver is further configured to receive a signal from the second eNB in the SCell during PCell scheduling to indicate the PUCCH resource for the transmitter to transmit the UCI in the SCell.

20. The UE of claim 16, wherein the receiver is further configured to receive transmit power control (TPC) data through a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) in the PCell during PCell scheduling, the TPC data including an indication of the PUCCH resource.