Method and apparatus for transmitting physical signals

1. A method for operating a base station comprising:

transmitting physical reference signals precoded at a physical layer, and

transmitting via a physical channel semi-static decoding information for use in physical layer decoding of said physical reference signals;

wherein said decoding information is incorporated into one or more data units at a layer higher than the physical layer;

wherein one or more physical reference signals are transmitted in a single sub-frame for use in physical layer decoding of a physical channel in a plurality of sub-frames, and

wherein the decoding information uses a bitmap to indicate an identity of a sub-frame in which said one or more physical reference signals can be found.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising sending the indication of the identity of the sub-frame in which said one or more physical reference signals can be found.

3. A base station comprising:

at least one processor; and

a transmitter, coupled to the processor configured to

transmit physical reference signals at a physical layer;

transmit via a physical channel semi static decoding information for use in physical layer decoding of said physical reference signals,

wherein said decoding information is incorporated into one or more data units at a layer higher than the physical layer, wherein one or more physical reference signals are transmitted in a single sub-frame for use in physical layer decoding of a physical channel in a plurality of sub-frames, and wherein the decoding information uses a bitmap to indicate an identity of a sub-frame in which said one or more physical reference signals can be found.

4. A base station comprising:

a processor and memory including computer program code, wherein the memory and the computer program are configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus at least to

transmit physical reference signals preceded at a physical layer, and transmit via a physical channel decoding information for use in physical layer decoding of said physical signals, wherein said decoding information is incorporated into one or more data units at a layer higher than the physical layer, and wherein one or more physical reference signals are transmitted in a single sub-frame for use in physical layer decoding of a physical channel in a plurality of sub-frames, and wherein the decoding information uses a bitmap to indicate an identity of a sub-frame in which said one or more physical reference signals can be found.

5. A method for operating a user equipment comprising:

configuring a physical layer to decode reference signals precoded at a physical layer using semi-static decoding information received via a physical channel precoded at the physical layer to decode said reference signals at the physical layer, wherein said decoding information is extracted from one or more data units at a layer higher than the physical layer; and

receiving physical reference signals precoded at the physical layer, wherein one or more physical reference signals are received in a single sub-frame for use in physical layer decoding of a physical channel in a plurality of sub-frames, and wherein the decoding information uses a bitmap to indicate an identity of a sub-frame in which said one or more physical reference signals can be found.

6. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising receiving an indication of the identity of the sub-frame in which said one or more physical reference signals are located.

7. A user equipment comprising:

a processor configured to decode reference signals precoded at a physical layer use semi-static decoding information received via a physical channel precoded at the physical layer to decode said reference signals at the physical layer, wherein said decoding information is extracted from one or more data units at a layer higher than the physical layer; and

a receiver coupled to the processor and configured to receive physical reference signals precoded at the physical layer, wherein one or more physical reference signals are received in a single sub-frame for use in physical layer decoding of a physical channel in a plurality of sub-frames, and wherein the decoding information uses a bitmap to indicate an identity of a sub-frame in which said one or more physical reference signals can be found.

8. A user equipment comprising:

a processor and memory including computer program code, wherein the memory and the computer program are configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus at least to configure a physical layer to decode reference signals precoded at a physical layer; use semi-static decoding information received via a physical channel precoded at the physical layer to decode said reference signals at the physical layer, wherein said decoding information is extracted from one or more data units at a layer higher than the physical layer; and receive physical reference signals precoded at the physical layer, wherein one or more physical reference signals are received in a single sub-frame for use in physical layer decoding of a physical channel in a plurality of sub-frames, and wherein the decoding information uses a bitmap to indicate an identity of a sub-frame in which said one or more physical reference signals can be found.

9. A system comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit physical reference signals precoded at a physical layer, and transmit via a physical channel semi-static decoding information for use in physical layer decoding of said physical signals, wherein said decoding information is incorporated into one or more data units at a layer higher than the physical layer, wherein one or more physical reference signals are transmitted in a single sub-frame for use in physical layer decoding of a physical channel in a plurality of subframes; and

a receiver configured to configure a physical layer to decode reference signals precoded at a physical layer; and use said semi-static decoding information to decode said reference signals at the physical layer, and receive physical reference signals precoded at the physical layer, wherein one or more physical reference signals are received in a single sub-frame for use in physical layer decoding of a physical channel in a plurality of sub-frames, and wherein the decoding information uses a bitmap to indicate an identity of a sub-frame in which said one or more physical reference signals can be found.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the decoding information includes information for physical layer decoding of a multi-antenna transmission.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said layer higher than the physical layer is a radio resource control layer.

12. The method according to claim 1 , where the physical channel includes data for relaying to a user equipment via a wireless interface.

13. The base station according to claim 3 , wherein the decoding information includes information for physical layer decoding of a multi-antenna transmission.

14. The base station according to claim 3 , wherein said layer higher than the physical layer is a radio resource control layer.

15. The base station according to claim 3 , where the physical channel includes data for relaying to a user equipment via a wireless interface.

16. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the decoding information includes information for physical layer decoding of a multi-antenna transmission.

17. The system according to claim 9 , wherein said layer higher than the physical layer is a radio resource control layer.

18. The system according to claim 9 , where the physical channel includes data for relaying to a user equipment via a wireless interface.

19. A non-transitory computer program product comprising program code means which when loaded into a computer controls the computer to perform the method according to claim 1 .