Methods and apparatus for communicating control information

• US 20070149137A1
• Filed: 07/14/2006
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Li, Junyi, Jin, Hui, Richardson, Tom, Parizhisky, Vladimir
• Granted Patent: US 9,137,072 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/68
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0004 applied to control information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2602 Signal structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2627 Modulators
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/08 Closed loop power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/146 Uplink power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network

Abstract

In a first mode of dedicated control channel (DCCH) operation, a wireless terminal is allocated more segments than in a second mode. The wireless terminal uses different information bit to modulation symbol mapping in the different modes. On a per DCCH segment basis, the same number of modulation symbols are communicated in either mode but more information bits are conveyed in the second mode. Information bits for a DCCH segment are partitioned into two subsets. The two subsets are used to generate another set, each of the two subsets and the another set are input to the same mapping function to generate three equal size sets of modulation symbols which are transmitted via the DCCH segment. Uplink tone hopping is used such that one of the equal size sets of modulation symbols for the DCCH segment uses the same tone but a different set uses a different tone.

Claims

1. A method of operating a wireless terminal, comprising:

determining modulation symbols to be transmitted in accordance with a first information bit to modulation symbol mapping procedure when in a first mode of control channel operation; and

determining modulation symbols to be transmitted in accordance with a second information bit to modulation symbol mapping procedure when in a second mode of control channel operation.

2. The method of claim 1, said modulation symbols are modulation symbols transmitted on individual tones.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said first and second modes of operation are first and second dedicated control channel modes of operation.

4. The method of claim 3, where said first dedicated control channel mode of operation is a mode of operation in which said wireless terminal is dedicated a single logical tone of a dedicated control channel.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said single logical tone is tone hopped according to a tone hopping schedule.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said second dedicated control channel mode of operation is a split tone mode of operation in which said wireless terminal is dedicated a single logical tone of a dedicated control channel on a time shared basis, said dedicated logical tone being used in a time shared manner to the exclusion of at least one other wireless terminal which is dedicated said logical tone for periods of time which do not overlap the periods of time in which said logical tone are dedicated to said wireless terminal.

7. The method of claim 1,

wherein determining modulation symbols to be transmitted in accordance with a first information bit to modulation symbol mapping procedure when in a first mode of control channel operation includes:

generating X modulation symbols from M information bits where X is a positive integer greater than M; and

wherein determining modulation symbols to be transmitted in accordance with a second information bit to modulation symbol mapping procedure when in a second mode of control channel operation includes;

generating X modulation symbols from N information bits where X is a positive integer greater than N, and wherein N is greater than M.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein X is a multiple of three and M and N are even positive integers.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein, X is 21, M is 6 and N is 8.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising during both said first and second modes of operation,

transmitting X generated modulation symbols in individual control channel segments, the control channel segments used during both said first and second modes of operation being the same size.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein generating X modulation symbols from M information bits during said first mode of operation includes:

partitioning said M information bits into first and second subsets of information bits of equal size; and

generating a third set of bits as a function of said first and second subsets of bits, said third set of bits being the same size as said first and second subsets of bits.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said function includes performing a bit wise exclusive OR operation.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein generating X modulation symbols from M information bits during said first mode of operation further includes:

determining, for each of said first subset of information bits, second subset of information bits and third set of bits, using a first mapping function, an equal number of said X modulation symbols, the first mapping function used to determine each of said equal number of X modulation symbols being the same.

14. The method of claim 13,

wherein said first control channel mode of operation is a mode of operation in which said wireless terminal is dedicated a single logical tone of a control channel,

wherein said single logical tone is tone hopped according to a tone hopping schedule but remains the same for each period of time used to transmit one of said equal numbers of said X modulation symbols.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein generating X modulation symbols from N information bits during said second mode of operation includes:

partitioning said N information bits into fourth and fifth subsets of information bits of equal size; and

generating a sixth set of bits as a function of said fourth and fifth subsets of bits, said sixth set of bits being the same size as said fourth and fifth subsets of bits.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein generating X modulation symbols from N information bits during said second mode of operation further includes:

determining, for each of said fourth subset of information bits, fifth subset of information bits and sixth set of bits, using a second mapping function, an equal number of said X modulation symbols, the second mapping function used to determine each of said equal number of X modulation symbols being the same.

17. A wireless terminal, comprising:

a modulation symbol determination module for determining modulation symbols to be transmitted in accordance with a first information bit to modulation symbol mapping procedure when in a first mode of control channel operation and for determining modulation symbols to be transmitted in accordance with a second information bit to modulation symbol mapping procedure when in a second mode of control channel operation; and

a transmission module for transmitting modulation symbols determined by said modulation symbol determination module.

18. The wireless terminal of claim 17, wherein said transmitter is an OFDM transmitter which transmits each of said modulation symbols on a single tone.

19. The wireless terminal of claim 17, wherein said first and second modes of operation are first and second dedicated control channel modes of operation, the wireless terminal further comprising:

a mode control mode for determining which one of said first and second modes of operation to operate in based on at least one signal received from a base station.

20. The wireless terminal of claim 19, wherein said first dedicated control channel mode of operation is a mode of operation in which said wireless terminal is dedicated a single logical tone of a dedicated control channel.

21. The wireless terminal of claim 20, further comprising:

a tone hopping module for determining, according to a tone hopping function, at different points in time, a physical tone corresponding to said single logical tone.

22. The wireless terminal of claim 20, wherein said second dedicated control channel mode of operation is a split tone mode of operation in which said wireless terminal is dedicated a single logical tone of a dedicated control channel on a time shared basis, said dedicated logical tone being used in a time shared manner to the exclusion of at least one other wireless terminal which is dedicated said logical tone for periods of time which do not overlap the periods of time in which said logical tone are dedicated to said wireless terminal.

23. The wireless terminal of claim 17,

wherein said modulation symbol determination module includes a first mode modulation symbol determination module for determining modulation symbols to be transmitted in accordance with a first information bit to modulation symbol mapping procedure which generates X modulation symbols from M information bits where X is a positive integer greater than M;

and

wherein said modulation symbol determination module includes a second mode modulation symbol determination module for determining modulation symbols to be transmitted in accordance with a second information bit to modulation symbol mapping procedure which generates X modulation symbols from N information bits where X is a positive integer greater than N, and wherein N is greater than M.

24. The wireless terminal of claim 23, wherein X is a multiple of three and M and N are even positive integers.

25. The wireless terminal of claim 23, further comprising:

a modulation symbol to transmission segment mapping module, for assigning each set of X generated modulation symbols to a control channel segment, the control channel segments used during both said first and second modes of operation being the same size.

26. The wireless terminal of claim 23, wherein the first mode modulation symbol determination module includes:

a first partitioning module for partitioning said M information bits into first and second subsets of information bits of equal size; and

a third set of bits generation module for generating a third set of bits as a function of said first and second subsets of bits, said third set of bits being the same size as said first and second subsets of bits.

27. The wireless terminal of claim 26, wherein said third set of bits generation module includes a bit wise exclusive OR operator for generating said third set of bits.

28. The wireless terminal of claim 26, wherein the first mode modulation symbol determination module further includes:

a first mapping function module for determining, for each of said first subset of information bits, second subset of information bits and third set of bits, using a first mapping function, an equal number of said X modulation symbols, the first mapping function used to determine each of said equal number of X modulation symbols being the same.

29. The wireless terminal of claim 28, wherein the second mode modulation symbol determination module includes:

a second module for partitioning said N information bits into fourth and fifth subsets of information bits of equal size; and

a sixth set of bits generation module for generating a sixth set of bits as a function of said fourth and fifth subsets of bits, said sixth set of bits being the same size as said fourth and fifth subsets of bits.

30. The wireless terminal of claim 29, wherein the second mode modulation symbol determination module further includes:

a second mapping function module for determining, for each of said fourth subset of information bits, fifth subset of information bits and sixth set of bits, using a second mapping function, an equal number of said X modulation symbols, the second mapping function used to determine each of said equal number of X modulation symbols being the same.

31. A wireless terminal, comprising:

means for determining modulation symbols to be transmitted in accordance with a first information bit to modulation symbol mapping procedure when in a first mode of control channel operation and for determining modulation symbols to be transmitted in accordance with a second information bit to modulation symbol mapping procedure when in a second mode of control channel operation; and

means for transmitting modulation symbols determined by said modulation symbol determination module.

32. The wireless terminal of claim 31, wherein said means for transmitting is an OFDM transmitter which transmits each of said modulation symbols on a single tone.

33. The wireless terminal of claim 31, wherein said first and second modes of operation are first and second dedicated control channel modes of operation, the wireless terminal further comprising:

means for determining which one of said first and second modes of operation to operate in based on at least one signal received from a base station.

34. The wireless terminal of claim 33, wherein said first dedicated control channel mode of operation is a mode of operation in which said wireless terminal is dedicated a single logical tone of a dedicated control channel.

35. The wireless terminal of claim 34, further comprising:

means for determining, according to a tone hopping function, at different points in time, a physical tone corresponding to said single logical tone.

36. The wireless terminal of claim 34, wherein said second dedicated control channel mode of operation is a split tone mode of operation in which said wireless terminal is dedicated a single logical tone of a dedicated control channel on a time shared basis, said dedicated logical tone being used in a time shared manner to the exclusion of at least one other wireless terminal which is dedicated said logical tone for periods of time which do not overlap the periods of time in which said logical tone are dedicated to said wireless terminal.

37. The wireless terminal of claim 31,

wherein said means for determining modulation symbols includes means for determining modulation symbols to be transmitted in accordance with a first information bit to modulation symbol mapping procedure which generates X modulation symbols from M information bits where X is a positive integer greater than M;

and

wherein said means for determining modulation symbols includes means for determining modulation symbols to be transmitted in accordance with a second information bit to modulation symbol mapping procedure which generates X modulation symbols from N information bits where X is a positive integer greater than N, and wherein N is greater than M.

38. The wireless terminal of claim 37, wherein X is a multiple of three and M and N are even positive integers.

39. The wireless terminal of claim 37, further comprising:

means for mapping modulation symbols to a transmission segment for assigning each set of X generated modulation symbols to a control channel segment, the control channel segments used during both said first and second modes of operation being the same size.

40. The wireless terminal of claim 37, wherein the means for determining modulation symbols to be transmitted in accordance with a first information bit to modulation symbol mapping procedure includes:

means for partitioning said M information bits into first and second subsets of information bits of equal size; and

means for generating a third set of bits as a function of said first and second subsets of bits, said third set of bits being the same size as said first and second subsets of bits.

41. The wireless terminal of claim 40, wherein said means for generating a third set of bits includes a bit wise exclusive OR operator for generating said third set of bits.

42. The wireless terminal of claim 40, wherein the means for determining modulation symbols to be transmitted in accordance with a first information bit to modulation symbol mapping procedure further includes:

means for determining, for each of said first subset of information bits, second subset of information bits and third set of bits, using a first mapping function, an equal number of said X modulation symbols, the first mapping function used to determine each of said equal number of X modulation symbols being the same.

43. The wireless terminal of claim 42, wherein the means for determining modulation symbols to be transmitted in accordance with a second information bit to modulation symbol mapping procedure includes:

means for partitioning said N information bits into fourth and fifth subsets of information bits of equal size; and

means for generating a sixth set of bits as a function of said fourth and fifth subsets of bits, said sixth set of bits being the same size as said fourth and fifth subsets of bits.

44. The wireless terminal of claim 43, wherein the means for determining modulation symbols to be transmitted in accordance with a second information bit to modulation symbol mapping procedure further includes:

means for determining, for each of said fourth subset of information bits, fifth subset of information bits and sixth set of bits, using a second mapping function, an equal number of said X modulation symbols, the second mapping function used to determine each of said equal number of X modulation symbols being the same.

45. A computer readable medium embodying machine executable instructions for controlling a wireless terminal to implement a method of operation, the method comprising:

determining modulation symbols to be transmitted in accordance with a first information bit to modulation symbol mapping procedure when in a first mode of control channel operation; and

determining modulation symbols to be transmitted in accordance with a second information bit to modulation symbol mapping procedure when in a second mode of control channel operation.

46. The computer readable medium of claim 45, wherein said modulation symbols are modulation symbols transmitted on individual tones.

47. The computer readable medium of claim 45, wherein said first and second modes of operation are first and second dedicated control channel modes of operation.

48. The computer readable medium of claim 47, where said first dedicated control channel mode of operation is a mode of operation in which said wireless terminal is dedicated a single logical tone of a dedicated control channel.

49. The computer readable medium of claim 48, wherein said single logical tone is tone hopped according to a tone hopping schedule.

50. The computer readable medium of claim 48, wherein said second dedicated control channel mode of operation is a split tone mode of operation in which said wireless terminal is dedicated a single logical tone of a dedicated control channel on a time shared basis, said dedicated logical tone being used in a time shared manner to the exclusion of at least one other wireless terminal which is dedicated said logical tone for periods of time which do not overlap the periods of time in which said logical tone are dedicated to said wireless terminal.

51. The computer readable medium of claim 45, further embodying machine executable instructions for controlling the wireless terminal to perform the steps of:

generating X modulation symbols from M information bits where X is a positive integer greater than M as part of said step of determining modulation symbols to be transmitted in accordance with a first information bit to modulation symbol mapping procedure when in a first mode of control channel operation; and

generating X modulation symbols from N information bits where X is a positive integer greater than N, and wherein N is greater than M as part of said step of determining modulation symbols to be transmitted in accordance with a second information bit to modulation symbol mapping procedure when in a second mode of control channel operation.

52. A method of operating a base station, comprising:

storing information indicating the mode of control channel operation in which wireless terminals are operating;

recovering modulation symbols communicated using a first information bit to modulation symbol mapping procedure when said modulation symbols are received from a wireless terminal operating in a first mode of control channel operation; and

recovering modulation symbols communicated using a second information bit to modulation symbol mapping procedure when said modulation symbols are received from a wireless terminal operating in a second mode of control channel operation.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein said modulation symbols are modulation symbols transmitted on individual tones.

54. The method of claim 52, wherein said first and second modes of operation are first and second dedicated control channel modes of operation.

55. The method of claim 54, where said first dedicated control channel mode of operation is a mode of operation in which a wireless terminal is dedicated a single logical tone of a dedicated control channel.

56. The method of claim 55, further comprising:

determining tones assigned to individual wireless terminals for use at different points in time in accordance with an uplink tone hopping function.

57. The method of claim 55, wherein said second dedicated control channel mode of operation is a split tone mode of operation in which wireless terminals are dedicated a single logical tone of a dedicated control channel on a time shared basis, said dedicated logical tone being used in a time shared manner to the exclusion of at least one other wireless terminal which is dedicated said logical tone for periods of time which do not overlap the periods of time in which said logical tone are dedicated to said wireless terminal.

58. The method of claim 52,

wherein recovering modulation symbols communicated in accordance with a first information bit to modulation symbol mapping procedure when in a first mode of control channel operation includes performing the inverse of:

generating X modulation symbols from M information bits where X is a positive integer greater than M; and

wherein recovering modulation symbols communicated in accordance with a second information bit to modulation symbol mapping procedure when in a second mode of control channel operation includes performing the inverse of;

generating X modulation symbols from N information bits where X is a positive integer greater than N, and wherein N is greater than M.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein X is a multiple of three and M and N are even positive integers.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein X is 21, M is 6 and N is 8.

61. A base station, comprising:

means for storing information indicating the mode of control channel operation in which wireless terminals are operating;

means for recovering modulation symbols communicated using a first information bit to modulation symbol mapping procedure when said modulation symbols are received from a wireless terminal operating in a first mode of control channel operation; and

means for recovering modulation symbols communicated using a second information bit to modulation symbol mapping procedure when said modulation symbols are received from a wireless terminal operating in a second mode of control channel operation.

62. The base station of claim 61, wherein said modulation symbols are modulation symbols transmitted on individual tones.

63. The base station of claim 61, wherein said first and second modes of operation are first and second dedicated control channel modes of operation.

64. The base station of claim 63, where said first dedicated control channel mode of operation is a mode of operation in which a wireless terminal is dedicated a single logical tone of a dedicated control channel.

65. The base station of claim 64, further comprising:

tone hopping means for determining tones assigned to individual wireless terminals for use at different points in time.

66. The base station of claim 64, wherein said second dedicated control channel mode of operation is a split tone mode of operation in which wireless terminals are dedicated a single logical tone of a dedicated control channel on a time shared basis, said dedicated logical tone being used in a time shared manner to the exclusion of at least one other wireless terminal which is dedicated said logical tone for periods of time which do not overlap the periods of time in which said logical tone are dedicated to said wireless terminal.

67. The base station of claim 61,

wherein said means for recovering modulation symbols communicated in accordance with a first information bit to modulation symbol mapping procedure when in a first mode of control channel operation includes means for performing the inverse of:

generating. X modulation symbols from M information bits where X is a positive integer greater than M; and

wherein said means for recovering modulation symbols communicated in accordance with a second information bit to modulation symbol mapping procedure when in a second mode of control channel operation includes means for performing the inverse of;

generating X modulation symbols from N information bits where X is a positive integer greater than N, and wherein N is greater than M.

68. The base station of claim 67, wherein X is a multiple of three and M and N are even positive integers.

69. The base station of claim 68, wherein X is 21, M is 6 and N is 8.

70. A base station, comprising:

a memory including stored information indicating the mode of control channel operation in which wireless terminals are operating;

a first modulation symbol recovery module for recovering modulation symbols communicated using a first information bit to modulation symbol mapping procedure when said modulation symbols are received from a wireless terminal operating in a first mode of control channel operation; and

a second modulation symbol recovery module recovering modulation symbols communicated using a second information bit to modulation symbol mapping procedure when said modulation symbols are received from a wireless terminal operating in a second mode of control channel operation.

71. The base station of claim 70, wherein said modulation symbols are modulation symbols transmitted on individual tones.

72. The base station of claim 70, wherein said first and second modes of operation are first and second dedicated control channel modes of operation.

73. The base station of claim 72, where said first dedicated control channel mode of operation is a mode of operation in which a wireless terminal is dedicated a single logical tone of a dedicated control channel.

74. The base station of claim 73, further comprising a tone hopping module for determining tones assigned to individual wireless terminals for use at different points in time.

75. The base station of claim 73, wherein said second dedicated control channel mode of operation is a split tone mode of operation in which wireless terminals are dedicated a single logical tone of a dedicated control channel on a time shared basis, said dedicated logical tone being used in a time shared manner to the exclusion of at least one other wireless terminal which is dedicated said logical tone for periods of time which do not overlap the periods of time in which said logical tone are dedicated to said wireless terminal.

76. A computer readable medium embodying machine executable instructions for controlling a base station to implement a method of operation, the method comprising:

storing information indicating the mode of control channel operation in which wireless terminals are operating;

recovering modulation symbols communicated using a first information bit to modulation symbol mapping procedure when said modulation symbols are received from a wireless terminal operating in a first mode of control channel operation; and

recovering modulation symbols communicated using a second information bit to modulation symbol mapping procedure when said modulation symbols are received from a wireless terminal operating in a second mode of control channel operation.

77. The computer readable medium of claim 76, wherein said modulation symbols are modulation symbols transmitted on individual tones.

78. The computer readable medium of claim 76, wherein said first and second modes of operation are first and second dedicated control channel modes of operation.

79. The computer readable medium of claim 78, where said first dedicated control channel mode of operation is a mode of operation in which a wireless terminal is dedicated a single logical tone of a dedicated control channel.

80. The computer readable medium of claim 79, further embodying machine executable instructions for:

determining tones assigned to individual wireless terminals for use at different points in time in accordance with an uplink tone hopping function.

81. The computer readable medium of claim 79, wherein said second dedicated control channel mode of operation is a split tone mode of operation in which wireless terminals are dedicated a single logical tone of a dedicated control channel on a time shared basis, said dedicated logical tone being used in a time shared manner to the exclusion of at least one other wireless terminal which is dedicated said logical tone for periods of time which do not overlap the periods of time in which said logical tone are dedicated to said wireless terminal.

82. The computer readable medium of claim 76,

wherein recovering modulation symbols communicated in accordance with a first information bit to modulation symbol mapping procedure when in a first mode of control channel operation includes performing the inverse of:

generating X modulation symbols from M information bits where X is a positive integer greater than M; and

wherein recovering modulation symbols communicated in accordance with a second information bit to modulation symbol mapping procedure when in a second mode of control channel operation includes performing the inverse of;

generating X modulation symbols from N information bits where X is a positive integer greater than N, and wherein N is greater than M.

83. The computer readable medium of claim 82, wherein X is a multiple of three and M and N are even positive integers.

84. The computer readable medium of claim 83 wherein X is 21, M is 6 and N is 8.

85. An apparatus operable in a communication system, the apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to;

determine modulation symbols to be transmitted in accordance with a first information bit to modulation symbol mapping procedure when in a first mode of control channel operation; and

determine modulation symbols to be transmitted in accordance with a second information bit to modulation symbol mapping procedure when in a second mode of control channel operation.

86. The apparatus of claim 85, wherein said modulation symbols are modulation symbols transmitted on individual tones.

87. The apparatus of claim 85, wherein said first and second modes of operation are first and second dedicated control channel modes of operation.

88. An apparatus operable in a communication system, the apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to;

store information indicating the mode of control channel operation in which wireless terminals are operating;

recover modulation symbols communicated using a first information bit to modulation symbol mapping procedure when said modulation symbols are received from a wireless terminal operating in a first mode of control channel operation; and

recover modulation symbols communicated using a second information bit to modulation symbol mapping procedure when said modulation symbols are received from a wireless terminal operating in a second mode of control channel operation.

89. The apparatus of claim 88, wherein said modulation symbols are modulation symbols transmitted on individual tones.

90. The apparatus of claim 88, wherein said first and second modes of operation are first and second dedicated control channel modes of operation.