Method and apparatus for transmitting/receiving ACK/NACK in mobile communication system

1. A method for multiplexing and transmitting an ACKnowledgment/Negative ACKnowledgment (ACK/NACK) as a result of use of a Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest (HARQ) scheme by a Node B in an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) system, the method comprising the steps of:

scheduling User Equipments (UEs);

grouping the scheduled UEs so that UEs having ACK/NACK transmitting power within a predetermined range belong to one group, and setting up scheduling channels for each UE group;

transmitting scheduling channel signals to the UEs via scheduling channels set up for each UE group; and

transmitting ACK/NACKs to respective UEs of a UE group, the ACK/NACKs being transmitted to the UE group, in a frequency band for the UE group among frequency bands differently allocated to respective UE groups, in accordance with a CDM (Code Division Multiplex) scheme, wherein a code index of an ACK/NACK transmitted in the frequency band is set up to be identical to an index of the scheduling channels set up for UEs belonging to the one UE group.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the scheduling channels set up for UEs belonging to the one group are set up so as to have a Modulation and Coding Selection (MCS) level within a predetermined range.

3. A Node B apparatus for multiplexing and transmitting an ACK/NACK resulting from use of an HARQ in an OFDMA system, the apparatus comprising:

a scheduler for scheduling UEs;

a scheduling channel creation unit for creating scheduling channel signals regarding the scheduled UEs to be transmitted via scheduling channels;

a scheduling channel determination unit for grouping the scheduled UEs so that UEs having ACK/NACK transmitting power within a predetermined range belong to one group, and for setting up scheduling channels for UEs belonging to each group;

an ACK/NACK creation unit for determining if data transmitted from the UEs have errors and creating a corresponding ACK/NACK;

an ACK/NACK resource setup unit for determining a code used to transmit the created ACK/NACK to each UE belonging to a UE group, the ACK/NACK being transmitted to the UE group, in a frequency band for the UE group among frequency bands differently allocated to respective UE groups, wherein the ACK/NACK resource setup unit is adapted to set up a code index of an ACK/NACK transmitted in the frequency band to be identical to an index of the scheduling channels set up for UEs belonging to the one UE group; and

a transmitter for transmitting the ACK/NACK to each UE by using the determined code in the frequency band for the UE group in accordance with a CDM scheme.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the scheduling channel determination unit comprises:

a scheduling channel MCS determination unit for setting up the scheduling channels so as to have an MCS level within a predetermined range, the scheduling channels having been set for UEs belonging to the one group; and

a scheduling channel index determination unit for determining an index of each scheduling channel belonging to a scheduling channel group of scheduling channels having an MCS level set up within the predetermined range.

5. A method for receiving a multiplexed ACK/NACK as a result of use of an HARQ by a UE in an OFDMA system, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a scheduling signal via a scheduling channel allocated from a Node B; and

receiving an ACK/NACK corresponding to the scheduling channel among ACK/NACKs transmitted in a frequency band indicated by the scheduling signal in accordance with a CDM scheme, wherein the received ACK/NACK has a code index set up to be identical to an index of the scheduling channel.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the scheduling channel is allocated to UEs, the scheduling channel having been set up so that an MCS level is in a predetermined range, transmitting power of an ACK/NACK transmitted from the Node B to the UEs being in a predetermined range.

7. A UE apparatus for receiving a multiplexed ACK/NACK as a result of use of an HARQ in an OFDMA system, the apparatus comprising:

a scheduling channel decision unit for confirming if a scheduling signal has been received via a scheduling channel allocated from a Node B;

a receiver for receiving a scheduling signal from the Node B together with an ACK/NACK corresponding to the scheduling channel among ACK/NACKs transmitted in a frequency band indicated by the scheduling signal in accordance with a CDM scheme, wherein the receiver is adapted to receive an ACK/NACK having a code index identical to a channel index decided by the scheduling channel decision unit under control of the demultiplexer;

a demultiplexer for determining a frequency band and a code for receiving the ACK/NACK, controlling the receiver so as to receive the ACK/NACK by using the determined frequency band and code, and demultiplexing signals received via the receiver; and

an ACK/NACK decision unit for deciding whether an ACK/NACK of the demultiplexed signals is an ACK or a NACK.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the scheduling channel is allocated to UEs, the scheduling channel having been set up so that an MCS level is in a predetermined range, transmitting power of an ACK/NACK transmitted from the Node B to the UEs being in a predetermined range, and the scheduling channel decision unit is adapted to decide an MCS level of the scheduling channel corresponding to the received scheduling signal and an index of the scheduling channel and to transmit the MCS level and the index to the demultiplexer.