WO2015089833A1

WO2015089833A1 - Cross-carrier scheduling and acknowledgment transmission

Info

Publication number: WO2015089833A1
Application number: PCT/CN2013/090127
Authority: WO
Inventors: Haipeng Lei; Juejia Zhou
Original assignee: Nokia China Investment Co Ltd; Nokia Technologies Oy
Current assignee: Nokia China Investment Co Ltd; Nokia Technologies Oy
Priority date: 2013-12-20
Filing date: 2013-12-20
Publication date: 2015-06-25
Anticipated expiration: 2016-06-20

Abstract

Various communication systems may benefit from cross-carrier scheduling and acknowledgement transmission. For example, third generation partnership project (3GPP) long term evolution (LTE)-advanced (LTE-A) release 12 (Rel-12) may benefit from cross-carrier scheduling and hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) acknowledgment (HARQ-ACK) transmission for LTE time division duplex (TDD) -frequency division duplex (FDD) joint operation. According to certain embodiments, a method can include determining a number of consecutive subframes to schedule simultaneously in a secondary cell. The method can also include providing a scheduling counter in control information, wherein the scheduling counter is configured to indicate the number of consecutive subframes.

Description

CROSS-CARRIER SCHEDULING AND ACKNOWLEDGMENT

TRANSMISSION

BACKGROUND:

Field:

[0001] Various communication systems may benefit from cross-carrier scheduling and acknowledgement transmission. For example, third generation partnership project (3 GPP) long term evolution (LTE)-advanced (LTE- A) release 12 (Rel-12) may benefit from cross-carrier scheduling and hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) acknowledgment (HARQ-ACK) transmission for LTE time division duplex (TDD) - frequency division duplex (FDD) joint operation.

Description of the Related Art:

[0002] Currently, LTE supports duplex modes of both FDD and TDD. While the interworking mechanisms between LTE FDD and TDD have been specified, the behavior of terminals simultaneously connected to the network on two or more bands with different duplex modes has not been specified. Efficient TDD and FDD spectrum usage and utilization of different technologies jointly may be valuable in order to cope with increased throughput and capacity needs. LTE TDD-FDD joint operations, thus, may be fully utilized to improve system performance and user experience. In LTE FDD - TDD carrier aggregation (CA) deployment scenarios either TDD or FDD cell may be as PCell and therefore, support for generic LTE FDD- TDD CA would be needed.

[0003] Since LTE release 8 (Rel-8), the concrete HARQ timing and A/N generation are specified in LTE technical specification (TS) 36.213 as follows:

[0004] For TDD, the UE shall upon detection of a PDSCH transmission or a PDCCH indicating downlink SPS release within subframe(s) n - k , where k e K and K is defined in Table 10.1-1 intended for the UE and for which ACK/NACK response shall be provided, transmit the ACK/NACK response in UL subframe n.

Table 10.1-1 : Downlink association set index K : {k₀ , k_l , - - - k_M__l } for TDD

[0005] The entirety of LTE technical specification (TS) 36.213, including the portion reproduced above, is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

SUMMARY:

[0006] According to certain embodiments, a method can include determining a number of consecutive subframes to schedule simultaneously in a secondary cell. The method can also include providing a scheduling counter in control information, wherein the scheduling counter is configured to indicate the number of consecutive subframes.

[0007] In certain embodiments, a method can include obtaining a scheduling counter from control information, wherein the scheduling counter is configured to indicate a number of consecutive subframes to be scheduled simultaneously in a secondary cell. The method can also include determining the number of consecutive subframes that are scheduled in the secondary cell based on the scheduling counter.

[0008] An apparatus, according to certain embodiments, can include at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code. The at least one memory and the computer program code can be configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to determine a number of consecutive subframes to schedule simultaneously in a secondary cell. The at least one memory and the computer program code can also be configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to provide a scheduling counter in control information, wherein the scheduling counter is configured to indicate the number of consecutive subframes.

[0009] An apparatus, in certain embodiments, can include at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code. The at least one memory and the computer program code can be configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to obtain a scheduling counter from control information, wherein the scheduling counter is configured to indicate a number of consecutive subframes to be scheduled simultaneously in a secondary cell. The at least one memory and the computer program code can also be configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to determine the number of consecutive subframes that are scheduled in the secondary cell based on the scheduling counter.

[0010] According to certain embodiments, an apparatus can include means for determining a number of consecutive subframes to schedule simultaneously in a secondary cell. The apparatus can also include means for providing a scheduling counter in control information, wherein the scheduling counter is configured to indicate the number of consecutive subframes.

[0011] In certain embodiments, an apparatus can include means for obtaining a scheduling counter from control information, wherein the scheduling counter is configured to indicate a number of consecutive subframes to be scheduled simultaneously in a secondary cell. The apparatus can also include means for determining the number of consecutive subframes that are scheduled in the secondary cell based on the scheduling counter.

[0012] A non- transitory computer-readable medium, according to certain embodiments, can be encoded with instructions that, when executed in hardware, perform a process. The process can include determining a number of consecutive subframes to schedule simultaneously in a secondary cell. The process can also include providing a scheduling counter in control information, wherein the scheduling counter is configured to indicate the number of consecutive subframes.

[0013] A computer program product can, in certain embodiments, encode instructions for performing a process. The process can include obtaining a scheduling counter from control information, wherein the scheduling counter is configured to indicate a number of consecutive subframes to be scheduled simultaneously in a secondary cell. The process can also include determining the number of consecutive subframes that are scheduled in the secondary cell based on the scheduling counter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

[0014] For proper understanding of the invention, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0015] Figure 1 illustrates cross-carrier scheduling when a time division duplex cell is primary and a frequency division duplex cell is secondary.

[0016] Figure 2 illustrates an example for SCell DL scheduling, according to certain embodiments.

[0017] Figure 3 illustrates acknowledgment and negative acknowledgment generation and transmission according to certain embodiments.

[0018] Figure 4 illustrates a method according to certain embodiments.

[0019] Figure 5 illustrates a system according to certain embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION:

[0020] Certain embodiments may support LTE FDD - TDD CA deployment scenarios when either a TDD cell or an FDD cell is configured as the primary cell (PCell). These situations may involve a number of challenges.

[0021] When an FDD cell is configured as PCell and a TDD cell is configured as secondary cell (SCell), PCell can schedule SCell by any conventional cross-carrier scheduling method, since FDD PCell may have the most DL subframes in each radio frame, while TDD SCell can support up to 9 DL subframes including special subframe(s). However, when TDD cell is configured as PCell and FDD cell is configured as SCell, due to PCell having fewer DL subframes than SCell, some DL subframes in SCell may not conventionally be cross-carrier scheduled by PCell.

[0022] For example, when PCell is configured with TDD uplink (UL)/downlink (DL) configuration 0, up to 6 DL subframes in SCell cannot conventionally be scheduled. One example of such a situation is shown in Figure 1.

[0023] More particularly, Figure 1 illustrates cross-carrier scheduling when a TDD cell is configured to provide a primary component carrier (PCC) and an FDD cell is configured to provide a secondary component carrier (SCC). When PCell is configured with TDD UL/DL configuration 1, Sub frame 2, 3, 7 and 8 in SCell conventionally cannot be scheduled by PCell. This absence of scheduling can impact downlink performance. Similarly, when a PCell is configured with another TDD UL/DL configuration, at least one DL subframe in SCell conventionally cannot be scheduled.

[0024] Therefore, certain embodiments address SCell DL scheduling when PCell is configured with TDD and SCell is configured with FDD for TDD-FDD joint operation. Certain embodiments may, in view of such scheduling improvements, provide an improved DL peak data rate.

[0025] More particularly, certain embodiments provide a scheme for cross-carrier scheduling on FDD SCell by TDD PCell for LTE TDD-FDD joint operation when PCell is configured with TDD and SCell is configured with FDD. The details of certain embodiments can be summarized as follows.

[0026] In an example embodiment, a scheduling counter (SC) can be contained in a PCell downlink control information (DO) format 1/1A/1B/1D/2/2A/2B/2C/2D for SCell downlink scheduling. The SC can be used to indicate the number of the following consecutive downlink subframes, including the current subframe, to be scheduled on SCell.

[0027] For example, when an SC value is equal to 1, only the current downlink subframe on SCell is scheduled. By contrast, when SC values are larger than 1 , this can indicate that the current downlink subframe and one or more following consecutive downlink subframes on SCell are simultaneously scheduled. The total number of simultaneously scheduled SCell downlink subframes can be equal to the current SC value.

[0028] In an example embodiment, the field of a HARQ process number can be used to indicate the HARQ process number of the first DL HARQ process in these consecutive subframes. The HARQ process number indication for each following DL consecutive subframe, within the scope of the SC, can be incremented by one. For example, if the SC is 4, then the HARQ process number for the first subframe can be as indicated by the field, the next consecutive subframe can have the HARQ process number plus one, and so on, with the fourth of the four consecutive subframes having a HARQ process number that is the original HARQ process number plus three.

[0029] In an example embodiment, for HARQ-ACK generation and transmission, various features can be implemented. For example, ten acknowledgement/negative acknowledgment (A/N) bits corresponding to each SCell DL subframe from, for example, subframe 9 in a current radio frame (N) to subframe 8 in a next radio frame (N+1). In one DL subframe, if no DL physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) is received or no semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) is received, the corresponding A/N bit can be mapped to discontinuous transmission (DTX). Thus, a device can generate 10 A/N bits in single-codeword transmission mode or two-codeword transmission mode with spatial bundling, or 20 A/N bits in two-codeword transmission mode without spatial bundling. The generated A/N bits for SCell can be concatenated with A/N bits for PCell and transmitted in for example, subframe 2 in the radio frame (N+2) by PUCCH format 3 on PCell.

[0030] In an example embodiment, downlink assignment index (DAI) fields in the PDCCH typically assigned for scheduled PDSCH or PDCCH indicating SPS release can instead be used as SC to indicate the number of the following consecutive downlink subframes, including the current subframe, to be scheduled on SCell. The UE can assume that the same physical resource block (PRB) and modulation and coding scheme (MCS) used in the SCell DL subframes within the scope limited by the SC.

[0031] In an example embodiment, the transmit power control (TPC) fields in the PDCCH typically assigned for scheduled PDSCH or PDCCH indicating SPS release sent from subframe 9 in the current radio frame to subframe 8 in next radio frame can instead be used to indicate the PUCCH resource value from one of the four resource values configured by higher layers. The UE can assume that the same TPC is transmitted on all PDCCH assigned for scheduled PDSCH or PDCCH indicating SPS release sent from subframe 9 in the current radio frame to subframe 8 in next radio frame for PUCCH resource indication.

[0032] At UE side, upon detection of PDCCH assigned for scheduled SCell PDSCH, the UE can initially detect the SC. The UE can then receive the current and following consecutive downlink subframes on SCell indicated by SC.

[0033] Additionally, whether the scheduling counter is contained in PCell DL grant signaling can be configured and signaled by a high layer. In this way, the UE can clearly and unambiguously know the existence of an SC indication.

[0034] One example of an implementation is shown in Figure 2. Thus, figure 2 illustrates an example for SCell DL scheduling, according to certain embodiments. [0035] Assuming PCell is configured with TDD UL/DL configuration 1 and SCell is FDD, the number of PCell UL subframes can be equal to 4. Correspondingly, DL subframes in SCell with same subframe number as PCell UL subframes may not be able to be scheduled by PCell. For example, 5 in this case DL subframes 2, 3, 7 and 8 in SCell may not be able to be scheduled by PCell configured with TDD UL/DL configuration 1.

[0036] Therefore, in case of cross-carrier scheduling FDD SCell by TDD PCell, a scheduling counter (SC) can be contained in the PCell DCI format 1/1A/1B/1D/2/2A/2B/2C/2D for SCell downlink scheduling. The SC can be l o used to indicate the number of the following consecutive downlink subframes, including the current subframe, to be scheduled on SCell. A mapping table of SC value is shown in Table 1.

Table 1 - SC Value

[0037] As shown in Table 1, a SC may have a most significant bit (MSB) and a least significant bit (LSB) that encode a value. In the case illustrated in Table 1, the range of values is one to four, although other options are possible.

[0038] In this case, when the SC value is equal to 1 , only the current downlink subframe on SCell is scheduled. By contrast, when the SC values are larger than 1, this can mean the current downlink subframe and one or more following consecutive downlink subframes on SCell are simultaneously scheduled. The limitation on the total number of simultaneously scheduled SCell downlink subframes is the current SC value. In other words, if the SC value is four, then an original subframe and three following consecutive subframes can be simultaneously scheduled.

[0039] Regarding the HARQ process, the field of the HARQ process number can be used to explicitly indicate the HARQ process number of the first DL HARQ process in these consecutive subframes. The HARQ process number indication for each following DL consecutive subframe can be implicitly indicated, namely that the HARQ process number of each of these consecutive subframes can correspond to that of the preceding subframe plus one.

[0040] Hence, in Figure 2, for SCell DL scheduling, SCell DL subframe 0 can be cross-carrier scheduled by PCell DL subframe 0 with SC value (SCV) equal to "1". Moreover, SCell DL subframes 1, 2 and 3 can be simultaneously cross-carrier scheduled by PCell DL subframe 1 with SC value equal to "3".

[0041] On the other hand, considering that the PDCCH capacity in a special subframe may be limited and there may be slow channel variation in small cells, for example in Pico cells or Femto cells, the SC can also be used even so that some SCell DL subframes can be cross-carrier scheduled by several PCell DL subframes.

[0042] As example in Figure 2, SCell DL subframe 5, 6, 7 and 8 can be simultaneously cross-carrier scheduled by PCell DL subframe 5 with SC value equal to "4". This can also be true when PCell is configured with TDD UL/DL configuration 0. In such case, SC value can be set to 4 in order to schedule the SCell DL subframe 2, 3 and 4 whose corresponding subframe in PCell are consecutive uplink.

[0043] Figure 3 illustrates A/N generation and transmission according to certain embodiments. As shown in Figure 3, for HARQ-ACK generation and transmission, ten A/N bits corresponding to each SCell DL subframe from subframe 9 in the current radio frame (N) to subframe 8 in the next radio frame (N+l) can be concatenated. When no DL PDCCH is received or no SPS PDSCH is received, a corresponding A/N bit can be mapped to DTX. Thus, 10 A/N bits can be generated in single-codeword transmission mode or two-codeword transmission mode with spatial bundling. Likewise, 20 A/N bits can be generated in two-codeword transmission mode without spatial bundling.

[0044] The generated A/N bits for SCell can be concatenated with A/N bits for PCell. The concatenated bits can then be transmitted in subframe 2 in the appropriate radio frame (N+2) by PUCCH format 3 on PCell.

[0045] DAI fields in the PDCCH typically assigned for scheduled PDSCH or PDCCH indicating SPS release can instead be reused as SC to indicate the number of the following consecutive downlink subframes, including the current subframe, to be scheduled on SCell. As mentioned above, the UE can assume that same PRB and MCS used in the SCell DL subframes within the scope limited by SC. Alternatively, two new bits can be introduced as SC.

[0046] TPC fields in the PDCCH typically assigned for scheduled PDSCH or PDCCH indicating SPS release sent from subframe 9 in the current radio frame to subframe 8 in next radio frame can instead be used to indicate the PUCCH resource value from one of the four resource values configured by, for example, higher layers. The UE can assume that the same TPC is transmitted on all PDCCH assigned for scheduled PDSCH or PDCCH indicating SPS release sent from subframe 9 in the current radio frame to subframe 8 in next radio frame for PUCCH resource indication.

[0047] At the UE side, upon detection of PDCCH assigned for scheduled SCell PDSCH, the UE can first detect the SC. Then, the UE can receive the current and following consecutive downlink subframes on the SCell as indicated by the SC.

[0048] Additionally, the fact of whether the scheduling counter is contained in PCell DL grant signaling can be configured and signaled by a high layer. In this way, the UE can be informed of the existence of an SC indication.

[0049] Various embodiments may provide different benefits and/or advantages. For example, certain embodiments may provide the benefit associated with TDD-FDD joint operation. Moreover, certain embodiments may permit systems to reach peak data rate.

[0050] Figure 4 illustrates a method according to certain embodiments. As shown in Figure 4, the method can include, at 410, determining a number of consecutive subframes to schedule simultaneously in a secondary cell downlink. The method can include, at 420, providing a scheduling counter in downlink control information. Downlink control information can be one example of control information that is configured to control scheduling. The scheduling counter can be configured to indicate the number of consecutive subframes.

[0051] The method can further include, at 430, indicating a hybrid automatic repeat request process number of a first downlink hybrid automatic repeat request process in the consecutive subframes.

[0052] The scheduling counter can be provided in a downlink assignment indicator field in a physical downlink control channel assigned for scheduled physical downlink shared channel or physical downlink control channel indicating semi-persistent scheduling release.

[0053] The method can additionally include, at 440, providing a physical uplink control channel resource value in a transmit power control field in a physical downlink control channel.

[0054] The method can also include, at 405, initiating signaling to a user equipment to indicate that the scheduling counter is or will be contained in primary cell downlink grant signaling. This initiating can immediately lead to signaling of the indication that the scheduling counter is or will be contained in the PCell downlink grant signaling.

[0055] The method can further include, at 450, a user equipment receiving the signaling that the SC is being used or will be used. Moreover, the method can include, at 460, obtaining a scheduling counter from downlink control information. The scheduling counter can be configured to indicate a number of consecutive subframes to be scheduled simultaneously in a secondary cell downlink.

[0056] The method can also include, at 470, the user equipment determining the number of consecutive subframes that are scheduled in the secondary cell downlink based on the scheduling counter.

[0057] The method can further include, at 480, obtaining the hybrid automatic repeat request process number of the first downlink hybrid automatic repeat request process in the consecutive subframes. Moreover, the method can include, at 485, incrementing the hybrid automatic repeat request process number by one for each next consecutive subframe of the consecutive subframes.

[0058] The method can include, at 490, concatenating acknowledgment/ negative acknowledgment bits for each secondary cell downlink subframe. The method can further include, at 495, further concatenating the acknowledgment/negative acknowledgment bits for each secondary cell downlink subframe with acknowledgment/negative acknowledgment bits for a primary cell. The method can additionally include, at 497, transmitting the acknowledgment/negative acknowledgment bits for each secondary cell downlink subframe and the acknowledgment/negative acknowledgment bits for the primary cell on the primary cell.

[0059] Figure 5 illustrates a system according to certain embodiments of the invention. It should be understood that each block of the flowchart of Figure 4 and any combination thereof may be implemented by various means or their combinations, such as hardware, software, firmware, one or more processors and/or circuitry. In one embodiment, a system may include several devices, such as, for example, network element 510 and user equipment (UE) or user device 520. The system may include more than one UE 520 and more than one network element 510, although only one of each is shown for the purposes of illustration. A network element can be an access point, a base station, an eNode B (eNB), server, host or any of the other network elements discussed herein. Each of these devices may include at least one processor or control unit or module, respectively indicated as 514 and 524. At least one memory may be provided in each device, and indicated as 515 and 525, respectively. The memory may include computer program instructions or computer code contained therein. One or more transceiver 516 and 526 may be provided, and each device may also include an antenna, respectively illustrated as 517 and 527. Although only one antenna each is shown, many antennas and multiple antenna elements may be provided to each of the devices. Other configurations of these devices, for example, may be provided. For example, network element 510 and UE 520 may be additionally configured for wired communication, in addition to wireless communication, and in such a case antennas 517 and 527 may illustrate any form of communication hardware, without being limited to merely an antenna. Likewise, some network elements 510 may be solely configured for wired communication, and such cases antenna 517 may illustrate any form of wired communication hardware, such as a network interface card.

[0060] Transceivers 516 and 526 may each, independently, be a transmitter, a receiver, or both a transmitter and a receiver, or a unit or device that may be configured both for transmission and reception. The transmitter and/or receiver may also be implemented as a remote radio head which is not located in the device itself, but in a mast, for example. It should also be appreciated that according to a liquid or flexible radio concept, the operations and functionalities may be performed in different entities, such as nodes, hosts or servers, in a flexible manner. In other words, division of labor may vary case by case. One or more functionalities may also be implemented as a virtual application that is as software that can run on a server.

[0061] A user device or user equipment may be a mobile station (MS) such as a mobile phone or smart phone or multimedia device, a computer, such as a tablet, provided with wireless communication capabilities, personal data or digital assistant (PDA) provided with wireless communication capabilities, portable media player, digital camera, pocket video camera, navigation unit provided with wireless communication capabilities or any combinations thereof.

[0062] In an exemplary embodiment, an apparatus, such as a node or user device, may include means for carrying out embodiments described above in relation to Figure 4.

[0063] Processors 514 and 524 may be embodied by any computational or data processing device, such as a central processing unit (CPU), digital signal processor (DSP), application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), digitally enhanced circuits, or comparable device or a combination thereof. The processors may be implemented as a single controller, or a plurality of controllers or processors.

[0064] For firmware or software, the implementation may include modules or unit of at least one chip set, for example, procedures, functions, and so on. Memories 515 and 525 may independently be any suitable storage device, such as a non-transitory computer-readable medium. A hard disk drive (HDD), solid state drive (SSD), random access memory (RAM), flash memory, or other suitable memory may be used. The memories may be combined on a single integrated circuit as the processor, or may be separate therefrom. Furthermore, the computer program instructions may be stored in the memory and which may be processed by the processors can be any suitable form of computer program code, for example, a compiled or interpreted computer program written in any suitable programming language. The memory or data storage entity may be internal but may also be external or a combination thereof, such as in the case when additional memory capacity is obtained from a service provider. The memory may be fixed or removable. [0065] The memory and the computer program instructions may be configured, with the processor for the particular device, to cause a hardware apparatus such as network element 510 and/or UE 520, to perform any of the processes described above (see, for example, Figure 4). Therefore, in certain embodiments, a non-transitory computer-readable medium may be encoded with computer instructions or one or more computer program (such as added or updated software routine, applet or macro) that, when executed in hardware, may perform a process such as one of the processes described herein. Computer programs may be coded by a programming language, which may be a high-level programming language, such as objective-C, C, C++, C#, Java, or the like, or a low-level programming language, such as a machine language, or assembler. Alternatively, certain embodiments of the invention may be performed entirely in hardware.

[0066] Furthermore, although Figure 5 illustrates a system including a network element 510 and a UE 520, embodiments of the invention may be applicable to other configurations, and configurations involving additional elements, as illustrated and discussed herein. For example, multiple user equipment devices and multiple network elements may be present, or other nodes providing similar functionality, such as nodes that combine the functionality of a user equipment and an access point, such as a relay node.

[0067] The above examples relate SCell DL scheduling. However, a similar method can be applied for SCell UL scheduling. Thus, it should be understood that the above examples illustrate only some of the many possible embodiments.

[0068] One having ordinary skill in the art will readily understand that the invention as discussed above may be practiced with steps in a different order, and/or with hardware elements in configurations which are different than those which are disclosed. Therefore, although the invention has been described based upon these preferred embodiments, it would be apparent to those of skill in the art that certain modifications, variations, and alternative constructions would be apparent, while remaining within the spirit and scope of the invention. In order to determine the metes and bounds of the invention, therefore, reference should be made to the appended claims.

[0069] GLOSSARY

[0070] 3 GPP Third generation partnership project

[0071] ACK Acknowledgment

[0072] A/N ACK/NACK

[0073] ASIC Application specific integrated circuit

[0074] CA Carrier aggregation

[0075] CPU Central processing unit

[0076] CSI Channel state information

[0077] DCI Downlink control information

[0078] DL Downlink

[0079] DSP Digital signal processor

[0080] DTX Discontinuous transmission

[0081] eNB evolved Node B

[0082] FDD Frequency division duplex

[0083] FPGA Field programmable gate array

[0084] HARQ Hybrid automatic repeat request

[0085] HDD Hard disk drive

[0086] LSB Least significant bit

[0087] LTE Long term evolution

[0088] LTE-A LTE-advanced

[0089] MS Mobile station

[0090] MSB Most significant bit

[0091] NACK Negative acknowledgment

[0092] PCC Primary component carrier

[0093] PCell Primary cell [0094] PCFICH Physical control format indicator channel

[0095] PDA Personal digital assistant

[0096] PDCCH Physical downlink control channel

[0097] PDSCH Physical downlink shared channel

[0098] PLD Programmable logic device

[0099] PUCCH Physical uplink control channel

[0100] PUSCH Physical uplink shared channel

[0101] RAM Random access memory

[0102] RRC Radio resource control

[0103] Release Rel

[0104] SC Scheduling counter

[0105] SCC Secondary component carrier

[0106] SCell Secondary cell

[0107] SF Subframe

[0108] SPS Semi-persistent scheduling

[0109] SSD Solid state drive

[0110] TDD Time division duplex

[0111] TS Technical specification

[0112] UE User equipment

[0113] UL Uplink

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A method, comprising:

determining a number of consecutive subframes to schedule simultaneously in a secondary cell; and

providing a scheduling counter in control information, wherein the scheduling counter is configured to indicate the number of consecutive subframes.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

indicating a hybrid automatic repeat request process number of a first downlink hybrid automatic repeat request process in the consecutive subframes.

3. The method of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the scheduling counter is provided in a downlink assignment indicator field in a physical downlink control channel assigned for scheduled physical downlink shared channel or physical downlink control channel indicating downlink semi-persistent scheduling release.

4. The method of any of claims 1-3, further comprising:

providing a physical uplink control channel resource index in a transmit power control field in a physical downlink control channel.

5. The method of any of claims 1-4, further comprising:

initiating signaling to a user equipment to indicate that the scheduling counter is or will be contained in primary cell downlink grant signaling.

6. A method, comprising:

obtaining a scheduling counter from control information, wherein the scheduling counter is configured to indicate a number of consecutive subframes to be scheduled simultaneously in a secondary cell; and

determining the number of consecutive subframes that are scheduled in the secondary cell based on the scheduling counter.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

obtaining a hybrid automatic repeat request process number of a first downlink hybrid automatic repeat request process in the consecutive subframes.

8. The method of claim 6 or claim 7, further comprising:

incrementing the hybrid automatic repeat request process number by one for each next consecutive subframe of the consecutive subframes.

9. The method of any of claims 6-8, further comprising:

concatenating acknowledgment/negative acknowledgment bits for each secondary cell downlink subframe.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

further concatenating the acknowledgment/negative acknowledgment bits for each secondary cell downlink subframe with acknowledgment/negative acknowledgment bits for a primary cell; and

transmitting the acknowledgment/negative acknowledgment bits for each secondary cell downlink subframe and the acknowledgment/negative acknowledgment bits for the primary cell on the primary cell.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code,

wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to determine a number of consecutive subframes to schedule simultaneously in a secondary cell; and

provide a scheduling counter in control information, wherein the scheduling counter is configured to indicate the number of consecutive subframes.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to indicate a hybrid automatic repeat request process number of a first downlink hybrid automatic repeat request process in the consecutive subframes.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 or claim 12, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to provide the scheduling counter in a downlink assignment indicator field in a physical downlink control channel assigned for scheduled physical downlink shared channel or physical downlink control channel indicating downlink semi-persistent scheduling release.

14. The apparatus of any of claims 11-13, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to provide a physical uplink control channel resource index in a transmit power control field in a physical downlink control channel.

15. The apparatus of any of claims 11-14, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to initiate signaling to a user equipment to indicate that the scheduling counter is or will be contained in primary cell downlink grant signaling.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code,

wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to obtain a scheduling counter from control information, wherein the scheduling counter is configured to indicate a number of consecutive subframes to be scheduled simultaneously in a secondary cell; and

determine the number of consecutive subframes that are scheduled in the secondary cell based on the scheduling counter.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to obtain a hybrid automatic repeat request process number of a first downlink hybrid automatic repeat request process in the consecutive subframes.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 or claim 17, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to increment the hybrid automatic repeat request process number by one for each next consecutive subframe of the consecutive subframes.

19. The apparatus of any of claims 16-18, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to concatenate acknowledgment/negative acknowledgment bits for each secondary cell downlink subframe.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to

5 further concatenate the acknowledgment/negative acknowledgment bits for each secondary cell downlink subframe with acknowledgment/negative acknowledgment bits for a primary cell; and

transmit the acknowledgment/negative acknowledgment bits for each secondary cell downlink subframe and the acknowledgment/negative l o acknowledgment bits for the primary cell on the primary cell.

21. An apparatus, comprising:

means for determining a number of consecutive subframes to schedule simultaneously in a secondary cell; and

is means for providing a scheduling counter in control information, wherein the scheduling counter is configured to indicate the number of consecutive subframes.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

2 o means for indicating a hybrid automatic repeat request process number of a first downlink hybrid automatic repeat request process in the consecutive subframes.

23. The apparatus of claim 21 or claim 22, wherein the scheduling 25 counter is provided in a downlink assignment indicator field in a physical downlink control channel assigned for scheduled physical downlink shared channel or physical downlink control channel indicating downlink semi-persistent scheduling release.

24. The apparatus of any of claims 21-23, further comprising:

means for providing a physical uplink control channel resource index in a transmit power control field in a physical downlink control channel.

25. The apparatus of any of claims 21-24, further comprising:

means for initiating signaling to a user equipment to indicate that the scheduling counter is or will be contained in primary cell downlink grant signaling.

26. An apparatus, comprising:

means for obtaining a scheduling counter from control information, wherein the scheduling counter is configured to indicate a number of consecutive subframes to be scheduled simultaneously in a secondary cell; and means for determining the number of consecutive subframes that are scheduled in the secondary cell based on the scheduling counter.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising:

means for obtaining a hybrid automatic repeat request process number of a first downlink hybrid automatic repeat request process in the consecutive subframes.

28. The apparatus of claim 26 or claim 27, further comprising:

means for incrementing the hybrid automatic repeat request process number by one for each next consecutive subframe of the consecutive subframes.

29. The apparatus of any of claims 26-28, further comprising:

means for concatenating acknowledgment/negative acknowledgment bits for each secondary cell downlink subframe.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising:

means for further concatenating the acknowledgment/negative acknowledgment bits for each secondary cell downlink subframe with acknowledgment/negative acknowledgment bits for a primary cell; and

means for transmitting the acknowledgment/negative acknowledgment bits for each secondary cell downlink subframe and the acknowledgment/negative acknowledgment bits for the primary cell on the primary cell.

31. A non- transitory computer-readable medium encoded with instructions that, when executed in hardware, perform a process, the process comprising the method according to any of claims 1-10.

32. A computer program product encoding instructions for performing a process, the process comprising the method according to any of claims 1-10.