Indication of uplink semi-persistent scheduling explicit release using a downlink physical downlink control channel

1. A method for acknowledging a semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) resource release, comprising:

receiving an SPS resource release signal over a physical downlink control channel in a Downlink Control Information (DCI) format 1A, the signal including an indicator that indicates that the signal pertains to at least one of an uplink resource release and a downlink resource release,

wherein the indicator is included in a data field in the signal, and

wherein the data field is at least one of:

a Localized/Distributed Assignment Flag field; and

a ‘TPC Command for PUCCH’ field.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

sending an acknowledgement to confirm receipt of the signal.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein, when the data field is the Localized/Distributed Assignment Flag field, the indicator is set to “0” to indicate the downlink resource release, and the indicator is set to “1” to indicate the uplink resource release.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein, when the data field is the Localized/Distributed Assignment Flag field, the indicator is set to “1” to indicate the downlink resource release, and the indicator is set to “0” to indicate the uplink resource release.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein, when the data field is the ‘TPC Command for PUCCH’ field, the indicator is set to “00” to indicate the downlink resource release, and the indicator is set to “11” to indicate the uplink resource release.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein, when the data field is the ‘TPC Command for PUCCH’ field, the indicator is set to “11” to indicate the downlink resource release, and the indicator is set to “00” to indicate the uplink resource release.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein, when the data field is the ‘TPC Command for PUCCH’ field, the indicator indicates both downlink resource release and uplink resource release.

8. A user equipment (UE) comprising:

a processor configured to receive an SPS resource release signal over a physical downlink control channel in a Downlink Control Information (DCI) format 1A, the signal including an indicator that indicates that the signal pertains to at least one of an uplink resource release and a downlink resource release,

wherein the indicator is included in a data field in the signal, and

wherein the data field is at least one of:

a Localized/Distributed Assignment Flag field; and

a ‘TPC Command for PUCCH’ field.

9. The UE of claim 8 , wherein, when the data field is the Localized/Distributed Assignment Flag field, the indicator is set to “0” to indicate the downlink resource release, and the indicator is set to “1” to indicate the uplink resource release.

10. The UE of claim 8 , wherein, when the data field is the Localized/Distributed Assignment Flag field, the indicator is set to “1” to indicate the downlink resource release, and the indicator is set to “0” to indicate the uplink resource release.

11. The UE of claim 8 , wherein, when the data field is the ‘TPC Command for PUCCH’ field, the indicator is set to “00” to indicate the downlink resource release, and the indicator is set to “11” to indicate the uplink resource release.

12. The UE of claim 8 , wherein, when the data field is the ‘TPC Command for PUCCH’ field, the indicator is set to “11” to indicate the downlink resource release, and the indicator is set to “00” to indicate the uplink resource release.

13. The UE of claim 8 , wherein, when the data field is the ‘TPC Command for PUCCH’ field, the indicator indicates both downlink resource release and uplink resource release.

14. The UE of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to send an acknowledgement confirming receipt of the signal.

15. An access device comprising:

a processor configured to transmit an uplink SPS resource release message over a physical downlink control channel in a Downlink Control Information (DCI) format 1A,

wherein the message includes an indicator that indicates that the message pertains to an uplink resource release,

wherein the indicator is included in a data field in the resource release message, and

wherein the data field is at least one of:

a Localized/Distributed Assignment Flag field; and

a ‘TPC Command for PUCCH’ field.

16. The access device of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive an acknowledgement confirming receipt of the resource release message.

17. The access device of claim 15 , wherein, when the data field is the Localized/Distributed Assignment Flag field, the indicator is set to “0” to indicate a downlink resource release, and the indicator is set to “1” to indicate the uplink resource release.

18. The access device of claim 15 , wherein, when the data field is the Localized/Distributed Assignment Flag field, the indicator is set to “1” to indicate a downlink resource release, and the indicator is set to “0” to indicate the uplink resource release.

19. The access device of claim 15 , wherein, when the data field is the ‘TPC Command for PUCCH’ field, the indicator is set to “00” to indicate a downlink resource release, and the indicator is set to “11” to indicate the uplink resource release.

20. The access device of claim 15 , wherein, when the data field is the ‘TPC Command for PUCCH’ field, the indicator is set to “11” to indicate a downlink resource release, and the indicator is set to “00” to indicate the uplink resource release.

21. The access device of claim 15 , wherein, when the data field is the ‘TPC Command for PUCCH’ field, the indicator indicates both downlink resource release and uplink resource release.