PUCCH resource determination for EPDCCH

• US 9,386,576 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2013
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Chen, Wanshi, Xu, Hao, Gaal, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Li, Guang
• Application Number:
  US13/964,978
• Publication Number:
  US 20140133370A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• Field of Search: 370/280
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices are described for indexing control channel elements to determine uplink channel resources. Downlink control messages may be monitored in a set of downlink subframes. The monitoring may include monitoring physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) messages in at least one of the subframes and monitoring enhanced physical downlink control channel (EPDCCH) messages in at least one of the subframes. A downlink control message may be received in at least one subframe. The downlink control message may include an EPDCCH message. An index for enhanced control channel elements (ECCEs) may be determined based at least in part on the set of downlink subframes. The determined index of the ECCEs may be used to identify uplink control channel resources. The ECCEs may be indexed in a manner that is specific to a cell in a wireless communication system, or which is configured for a particular mobile device.

Claims

1. A method of indexing control channel elements in wireless communications, comprising:

monitoring for downlink control messages in a set of downlink subframes, wherein at least one subframe in the set of downlink subframes is configured for physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) messages and at least one subframe in the set of downlink subframes is configured for enhanced physical downlink control channel (EPDCCH) messages;

indexing enhanced control channel elements (ECCEs) across each subframe in the set of downlink subframes, wherein the ECCEs are indexed in a continuous manner across each subframe in the set of downlink subframes including subframes for which PDCCH is monitored and subframes for which EPDCCH is monitored, and wherein the ECCE indexing is based on a total number of subframes in the set of downlink subframes;

receiving a downlink control message in at least one subframe in the set of downlink subframes, the downlink control message comprising an EPDCCH message;

determining an ECCE index associated with the received downlink control message comprising the EPDCCH message;

identifying uplink control channel resources based at least in part on the determined ECCE index; and

transmitting an acknowledgement/negative acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) indication associated with the received downlink control message comprising the EPDCCH message on the identified uplink control channel resources.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting the ACK/NACK indication comprises:

transmitting the ACK/NACK indication in a single uplink subframe, the single uplink subframe being a common uplink subframe for each of the subframes in the set of downlink subframes.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein indexing the ECCEs comprises:

incrementing an index value for each ECCE within a subframe of the set of downlink subframes.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the index value is incremented in each subframe in the set of downlink subframes such that a first ECCE of a subsequent subframe is incremented with respect to a last ECCE of a preceding subframe.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a configuration for a plurality of EPDCCH resource sets, each EPDCCH resource set comprising two or more physical resource block (PRB) pairs, wherein indexing the ECCEs comprises indexing the ECCEs associated with each EPDCCH resource set separately.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each subframe in the set of downlink subframes comprises one of the PDCCH messages or the EPDCCH messages.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

indexing control channel elements (CCEs) across each subframe in the set of downlink subframes, wherein the CCEs are indexed in a continuous manner across each subframe in the set of downlink subframes;

receiving a downlink control message in at least one subframe in the set of downlink subframes, the downlink control message comprising a PDCCH message;

determining a CCE index associated with the received downlink control message comprising the PDCCH message;

identifying uplink control channel resources based at least in part on the determined CCE index; and

transmitting an ACK/NACK indication for the received downlink control message comprising the PDCCH message on the identified uplink control channel resources.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the CCE indexing is based upon a total number of subframes in the set of downlink subframes.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying an ECCE index associated with each EPDCCH message.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein each of the subframes in the set of downlink subframes are contiguous downlink subframes.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communications are performed in a wireless communication system that comprises a time division duplexed (TDD) long term evolution (LTE) system.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the number of subframes in the set of downlink subframes depends at least in part on a downlink and uplink subframe configuration specified for the TDD LTE system.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the downlink control message comprises a downlink control information (DCI) message.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the EPDCCH messages are monitored in a search space specific to the mobile device.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the EPDCCH messages are monitored in a search space common to two or more mobile devices.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein each subframe in the set of downlink subframes comprises an EPDCCH message.

17. An apparatus for indexing control channel elements in wireless communications, comprising:

means for monitoring for downlink control messages in a set of downlink subframes, wherein at least one subframe in the set of downlink subframes is configured for physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) messages and at least one subframe in the set of downlink subframes is configured for enhanced physical downlink control channel (EPDCCH) messages;

means for indexing enhanced control channel elements (ECCEs) across each subframe in the set of downlink subframes, wherein the ECCEs are indexed in a continuous manner across each subframe in the set of downlink subframes including subframes for which PDCCH is monitored and subframes for which EPDCCH is monitored, and wherein the ECCE indexing is based on a total number of subframes in the set of downlink subframes;

means for receiving a downlink control message in at least one subframe in the set of downlink subframes, the downlink control message comprising an EPDCCH message;

means for determining an ECCE index associated with the received downlink control message comprising the EPDCCH message;

means for identifying uplink control channel resources based at least in part on the determined ECCE index; and

means for transmitting an acknowledgement/negative acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) indication associated with the received downlink control message comprising the EPDCCH message on the identified uplink control channel resources.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the means for transmitting the ACK/NACK indication comprises:

means for transmitting the ACK/NACK indication in a single uplink subframe, the single uplink subframe being a common uplink subframe for each of the subframes in the set of downlink subframes.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the means for indexing the ECCEs comprises:

means for incrementing an index value for each ECCE within a subframe of the set of downlink subframes.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the index value is incremented in each subframe in the set of downlink subframes such that a first ECCE of a subsequent subframe is incremented with respect to a last ECCE of a preceding subframe.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

means for receiving a configuration for a plurality of EPDCCH resource sets, each EPDCCH resource set comprising two or more physical resource block (PRB) pairs, wherein the means for indexing the ECCEs indexes the ECCEs associated with each EPDCCH resource set separately.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein each subframe in the set of downlink subframes comprises one of the PDCCH messages or the EPDCCH messages.

23. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein each subframe in the set of downlink subframes comprises an EPDCCH message.

24. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

means for indexing control channel elements (CCEs) across each subframe in the set of downlink subframes, wherein the CCEs are indexed in a continuous manner across each subframe in the set of downlink subframes;

means for receiving a downlink control message in at least one subframe in the set of downlink subframes, the downlink control message comprising a PDCCH message;

means for determining a CCE index associated with the received downlink control message comprising the PDCCH message;

means for identifying uplink control channel resources based at least in part on the determined CCE index; and

means for transmitting an ACK/NACK indication for the received downlink control message comprising the PDCCH message on the identified uplink control channel resources.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the CCE indexing is based upon a total number of subframes in the set of downlink subframes.

26. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

means for identifying an ECCE index associated with each EPDCCH message.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein each of the subframes in the set of downlink subframes are contiguous downlink subframes.

28. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the wireless communications are performed in a wireless communication system that comprises a time division duplexed (TDD) long term evolution (LTE) system.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the number of subframes in the set of downlink subframes depends at least in part on a downlink and uplink subframe configuration specified for the TDD LTE system.

30. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the downlink control message comprises a downlink control information (DCI) message.

31. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the EPDCCH messages are monitored in a search space specific to the mobile device.

32. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the EPDCCH messages are monitored in a search space common to two or more mobile devices.

33. An apparatus for indexing control channel elements in wireless communications, comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor; and

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to;

monitor for downlink control messages in a set of downlink subframes, wherein at least one subframe in the set of downlink subframes is configured for physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) messages and at least one subframe in the set of downlink subframes is configured for enhanced physical downlink control channel (EPDCCH) messages;

index enhanced control channel elements (ECCEs) across each subframe in the set of downlink subframes, wherein the ECCEs are indexed in a continuous manner across each subframe in the set of downlink subframes including subframes for which PDCCH is monitored and subframes for which EPDCCH is monitored, and wherein the ECCE indexing is based on a total number of subframes in the set of downlink subframes;

receive a downlink control message in at least one subframe in the set of downlink subframes, the downlink control message comprising an EPDCCH message;

determine an ECCE index associated with the received downlink control message comprising the EPDCCH message;

identify uplink control channel resources based at least in part on the determined ECCE index; and

transmit an acknowledgement/negative acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) indication associated with the received downlink control message comprising the EPDCCH message on the identified uplink control channel resources.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the instructions for transmitting the ACK/NACK indication are executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to:

transmit the ACK/NACK indication in a single uplink subframe, the single uplink subframe being a common uplink subframe for each of the subframes in the set of downlink subframes.

35. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the instructions for indexing the ECCEs are executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to:

increment an index value for each ECCE within a subframe of the set of downlink subframes.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the index value is incremented in each subframe in the set of downlink subframes such that a first ECCE of a subsequent subframe is incremented with respect to a last ECCE of a preceding subframe.

37. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to:

receive a configuration for a plurality of EPDCCH resource sets, each EPDCCH resource set comprising two or more physical resource block (PRB) pairs, wherein the instructions for indexing the ECCEs are executable by the processor to index the ECCEs associated with each EPDCCH resource set separately.

38. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein each subframe in the set of downlink subframes comprises one of the PDCCH messages or the EPDCCH messages.

39. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein each subframe in the set of downlink subframes comprises an EPDCCH message.

40. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

index control channel elements (CCEs) across each subframe in the set of downlink subframes, wherein the CCEs are indexed in a continuous manner across each subframe in the set of downlink subframes;

receive a downlink control message in at least one subframe in the set of downlink subframes, the downlink control message comprising a PDCCH message;

determine a CCE index associated with the received downlink control message comprising the PDCCH message;

identify uplink control channel resources based at least in part on the determined CCE index; and

transmit an ACK/NACK indication for the received downlink control message comprising the PDCCH message on the identified uplink control channel resources.

41. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein the CCE indexing is based upon a total number of subframes in the set of downlink subframes.

42. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to:

identify an ECCE index associated with each EPDCCH message.

43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein each of the subframes in the set of downlink subframes are contiguous downlink subframes.

44. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the wireless communications are performed in a wireless communication system that comprises a time division duplexed (TDD) long term evolution (LTE) system.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the number of subframes in the set of downlink subframes depends at least in part on a downlink and uplink subframe configuration specified for the TDD LTE system.

46. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the downlink control message comprises a downlink control information (DCI) message.

47. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the EPDCCH messages are monitored in a search space specific to the mobile device.

48. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the EPDCCH messages are monitored in a search space common to two or more mobile devices.

49. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing code for wireless communications, the code comprising instructions executable by a processor to:

monitor for downlink control messages in a set of downlink subframes, wherein at least one subframe in the set of downlink subframes is configured for physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) messages and at least one subframe in the set of downlink subframes is configured for enhanced physical downlink control channel (EPDCCH) messages;

index enhanced control channel elements (ECCEs) across each subframe in the set of downlink subframes, wherein the ECCEs are indexed in a continuous manner across each subframe in the set of downlink subframes including subframes for which PDCCH is monitored and subframes for which EPDCCH is monitored, and wherein the ECCE indexing is based on a total number of subframes in the set of downlink subframes;

receive a downlink control message in at least one subframe in the set of downlink subframes, the downlink control message comprising an EPDCCH message;

determine an ECCE index associated with the received downlink control message comprising the EPDCCH message;

identify uplink control channel resources based at least in part on the determined ECCE index; and

transmit an acknowledgement/negative acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) indication associated with the received downlink control message comprising the EPDCCH message on the identified uplink control channel resources.

50. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 49, wherein the instructions for transmitting the ACK/NACK indication are executable by the processor to:

transmit the ACK/NACK indication in a single uplink subframe, the single uplink subframe being a common uplink subframe for each of the subframes in the set of downlink subframes.

51. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 49, wherein the instructions for indexing the ECCEs are executable by the processor to:

increment an index value for each ECCE within a subframe of the set of downlink subframes.

52. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 49, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

receive a configuration for a plurality of EPDCCH resource sets, each EPDCCH resource set comprising two or more physical resource block (PRB) pairs, wherein the instructions for indexing the ECCEs are executable by the processor to index the ECCEs associated with each EPDCCH resource set separately.

53. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 49, wherein each subframe in the set of downlink subframes comprises one of the PDCCH messages or the EPDCCH messages.

54. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 49, wherein each subframe in the set of downlink subframes comprises an EPDCCH message.

55. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 49, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

index control channel elements (CCEs) across each subframe in the set of downlink subframes, wherein the CCEs are indexed in a continuous manner across each subframe in the set of downlink subframes;

receive a downlink control message in at least one subframe in the set of downlink subframes, the downlink control message comprising a PDCCH message;

determine a CCE index associated with the received downlink control message comprising the PDCCH message;

identify uplink control channel resources based at least in part on the determined CCE index; and

transmit an ACK/NACK indication for the received downlink control message comprising the PDCCH message on the identified uplink control channel resources.

56. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 49, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

identify an ECCE index associated with each EPDCCH message.

57. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 49, wherein the wireless communications are performed in a wireless communication system that comprises a time division duplexed (TDD) long term evolution (LTE) system.