Method for transmission of unicast control in broadcast/multicast transmission time intervals
View Patent ↗Embodiments of the invention provide methods for maximizing the bandwidth utilization in the uplink of a communication system supporting time division multiplexing between unicast and multicast/broadcast communication modes during transmission time intervals in the downlink of a communication system. This is accomplished by multiplexing at least unicast control signaling for UL scheduling assignments in TTIs supporting the multicast/broadcast communication mode. Moreover, multiplexing of unicast control signaling can also be accomplished by splitting a symbol of the multicast/broadcast TTI into two shorter symbols with the first of these two shorter symbols carrying at least unicast control signaling and the second of these shorter symbols carrying multicast/broadcast signaling.
1. A method to schedule a data transmission from a User Equipment (UE) wherein said scheduling occurs in a multicast/broadcast Transmission Time Interval (TTI), said method comprising:
receiving at the UE multicast/broadcast data in a multicast/broadcast transmission time interval (TTI), wherein unicast signaling is multiplexed with said multicast/broadcast data, and wherein said unicast signaling comprises only unicast control signaling and unicast pilot signaling; and
transmitting from said UE unicast data signaling in a TTI in response to the reception of said unicast control signaling in said multicast/broadcast TTI.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said unicast control signaling provides scheduling assignments for data signal transmission.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said unicast control signaling provides timing control or power control information.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein said UE adjusts its signal transmission power or its signal transmission timing in response to said timing control or power control information, respectively.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said unicast pilot signaling is transmitted with priority to multicast/broadcast signaling at the beginning of said multicast/broadcast TTI.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said multicast/broadcast TTI comprises of symbols and said unicast control signaling is multiplexed with multicast broadcast signaling in the same symbol.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said multicast/broadcast TTI comprises of symbols and said unicast control signaling and multicast broadcast signaling are multiplexed in different symbols.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said communication system employs the OFDMA transmission method.
9. A User Equipment (UE) configured to schedule a data transmission wherein said scheduling occurs in a multicastibroadcast Transmission Time Interval (TTI), said UE including:
a receiver configured to receive multicast/broadcast data in a multicast/broadcast transmission time interval (TTI), wherein unicast signaling is multiplexed with said multicast/broadcast data, and wherein said unicast signaling comprises only unicast control signaling and unicast pilot signaling; and
a transmitter configured to send unicast data signaling in a TTI in response to said received unicast control signaling in said multicast/broadcast TTI.
10. The UE of claim 9 , wherein said unicast control signaling provides scheduling assignments for data signal transmission.
11. The UE of claim 9 , wherein said unicast control signaling provides timing control or power control information.
12. The UE of claim 11 , wherein said UE adjusts its signal transmission power or its signal transmission timing in response to said timing control or power control information, respectively.
13. The UE of claim 9 , wherein said unicast pilot signaling is transmitted with priority to multicast/broadcast signaling at the beginning of said multicastibroadcast TTI.
14. The UE of claim 9 , wherein said multicast/broadcast TTI comprises of symbols and said unicast control signaling is multiplexed with multicast/broadcast signaling in the same symbol.
15. The UE of claim 9 , wherein said multicast/broadcast TTI comprises of symbols and said unicast control signaling and multicast/broadcast signaling are multiplexed in different symbols.
16. The UE of claim 9 , wherein said communication system employs the OFDMA transmission method.
17. A method, comprising:
receiving at a UE multicast/broadcast data in a multicast/broadcast transmission time interval (TTI), wherein unicast signaling is multiplexed with said multicast/broadcast data, and wherein said unicast signaling comprises only unicast control signaling and unicast pilot signaling; and
transmitting from said UE unicast data signaling in a TTI in response to the reception of said unicast control signaling in said multicast/broadcast TTI.
18. An apparatus, comprising:
a receiver configured to receive multicast/broadcast data in a multicast/broadcast transmission time interval (TTI), wherein unicast signaling is multiplexed with said multicast/broadcast data, and wherein said unicast signaling comprises only unicast control signaling and unicast pilot signaling; and
a transmitter configured to send unicast data signaling in a TTI in response to said received unicast control signaling in said multicast/broadcast TTI.