Method and apparatus in a telecommunications network
According to the present invention, a receiving node of a telecommunications network ( 20 ) (e.g. a radio base station ( 22 ) in uplink, or a mobile terminal ( 24 ) in downlink) transmits a single acknowledgement message to a transmitting node (e.g. a mobile terminal ( 24 ) in uplink, or a radio base station ( 22 ) in downlink) in respect of signals received over a plurality of frequency-aggregated carriers (component carriers) ( 10 ) between the transmitting and receiving nodes. If all signals are decoded correctly in the receiving node, a positive acknowledgement message (ACK) is sent to the transmitting node; if not all signals are decoded correctly, a negative acknowledgement message (NACK) is sent, or no acknowledgement message is sent. In this way, a single acknowledgement message can be sent for signals received over multiple carriers. The acknowledgement message can have the same format as legacy standards (for example, as specified in Release 8 of the 3GPP specifications), providing compatibility with existing equipment. The number of messages is also reduced compared with the straightforward approach of transmitting individual acknowledgement messages per component carrier.
1. A method in a receiving node of a telecommunications network, said receiving node being configured to receive data from a sending node of the telecommunications network over frequency-aggregated component carriers, said method comprising:
receiving information indicating a number of frequency-aggregated component carriers in a first plurality of frequency-aggregated component carriers over which data is being sent, or is to be sent, to the receiving node;
determining whether data is successfully received over all of said first plurality of component carriers based on the received information;
if data is successfully received over all of the first plurality of said component carriers, sending a single first positive acknowledgement message in respect of said first plurality of component carriers to said sending node; and
if data is not successfully received for one or more of said first plurality of component carriers, sending a single negative acknowledgement message, or sending no acknowledgement message, in respect of said first plurality of component carriers.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said information comprises the identities of the component carriers in said first plurality of component carriers.
3. A method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said information comprises a bitmap.
4. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said information is coded together with data received on each component carrier.
5. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said information is provided by way of one or more bits on respective LI/L2 control channels of one or more of said first plurality of component carriers.
6. A method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein said information is provided by way of one or more bits on respective L1/L2 control channels of each of said first plurality of component carriers.
7. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said information is provided by way of scrambling of the data on at least one component carrier of said first plurality of component carriers.
8. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said information is received complete on each component carrier of said first plurality of component carriers.
9. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said information is spread over more than one component carrier of said first plurality of component carriers.
10. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the information further indicates a second plurality of frequency-aggregated component carriers over which data is being sent, or is to be sent, to the receiving node; and
if data is successfully received over all of said second plurality of component carriers, sending a second single positive acknowledgement message in respect of said second plurality of component carriers to said sending node.
11. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the information further indicates a number of component carriers in a second plurality of frequency-aggregated component carriers over which data is being sent, or is to be sent, to the receiving node; and
wherein said single first positive acknowledgement message is further sent in respect of said second plurality of component carriers, and comprises a first bit related to said first plurality of component carriers, and a second bit related to said second plurality of component carriers.
12. A network node for use in a telecommunications network, the network node being configured to receive data from a sending node of the telecommunications network over frequency-aggregated component carriers, the network node comprising:
circuitry adapted to receive information indicating a number of frequency-aggregated component carriers in a first plurality of frequency-aggregated component carriers over which data is being sent, or is to be sent, to the network node;
a processor configured to decode data received over the first plurality of said component carriers, and to determine whether data is successfully received over all of said first plurality of component carriers based on the received information, and, if data is successfully received over all of said first plurality of component carriers, generating a single first positive acknowledgement message in respect of said first plurality of component carriers and, if data is not successfully received for one or more of said first plurality of component carriers, generating a single negative acknowledgement message, or generating no acknowledgement message, in respect of said first plurality of component carriers.
13. A network node as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the network node is a mobile terminal, and wherein the receiving means is a receiver.
14. A network node as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the network node is a radio base station, and wherein the receiving means is a scheduler.
15. A network node as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive said information indicating the number of frequency-aggregated component carriers in the first plurality of frequency-aggregated component carriers being sent by the sending node separately from data being sent over the first plurality of frequency-aggregated component carriers.
16. A method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising sending said information indicating the number of frequency-aggregated component carriers in the first plurality of frequency-aggregated component carriers from the sending node to the receiving node separately from data being sent over the first plurality of frequency-aggregated component carriers.
17. A method as claimed in claim 16 , further comprising:
including said information in resource allocation messages received at the receiving node; and
sending the resource allocation messages from the sending node to allocate frequency-aggregated component carriers in a downlink from the sending node to the receiving node.
18. A network node for use in a telecommunications network, the network node being configured to receive data from a sending node of the telecommunications network over frequency-aggregated component carriers, the network node being configured to:
receive information indicating a number of frequency-aggregated component carriers in a first plurality of frequency-aggregated component carriers over which data is being sent, or is to be sent, from the sending node to the network node;
determine whether the data is successfully received over all said first plurality of component carriers based on the received information;
if data is successfully received over all of said first plurality of component carriers, generate a single first positive acknowledgement message in respect of said first plurality of component carriers; and
if data is not successfully received for one or more of said first plurality of component carriers, generate a single negative acknowledgement message, or generate no acknowledgement message, in respect of said first plurality of component carriers.