Uplink transmission bandwidth control and support
Limited uplink bandwidth radio network devices ( 30 ) are supported on wide bandwidth uplink carriers by configuring and controlling the use of multiple control regions within the uplink carrier bandwidth. In some embodiments, the total bandwidth of the uplink carrier is divided into a plurality of sub-band portions, wherein at least one sub-band portion includes at least one control region nominally dedicated to the transmission of uplink control signaling. The control regions may be configured at one or both edges of sub-band portions, or elsewhere within a sub-band portions. Sub-band portions may share a control region. Radio network devices ( 30 ) are configured with a specified portion of the uplink carrier bandwidth for use for uplink transmission, which includes at least one control region. The specified portion may comprise an integer number of sub-band portions, or may span only part of one or more sub-band portions. Radio network devices ( 30 ) may be dynamically configured to allow or suppress data signaling in control regions.
1. A method, implemented by a radio network device operative in a wireless communication network, of transmitting uplink data and uplink control signaling to the network, the method comprising:
being configured to operate over a specified frequency portion of a full, continuous bandwidth of an uplink carrier, wherein the specified portion is less than the full carrier bandwidth;
transmitting uplink data and uplink control signaling within the specified portion for the full duration of a defined sub-frame in time; and
transmitting the uplink control signaling in at least one control region within the specified portion.
2. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the full, continuous bandwidth of the uplink carrier is logically divided into two or more sub-band portions, and wherein at least one sub-band portion includes at least one control region; and
wherein being configured to operate comprises, prior to transmitting uplink data or uplink control signaling, receiving, in a System Information message from a base station, information regarding the full, continuous bandwidth of the uplink carrier and identifying the sub-band portions.
3. The method claim 2 ,
further comprising, prior to receiving information identifying the sub-band portions, transmitting uplink bandwidth capability of the radio network device to the network; and
wherein the specified portion of the full, continuous bandwidth of the uplink carrier is the uplink bandwidth on which the radio network device is capable or configured to transmit.
4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:
receiving dynamic signaling indicating for which control regions, within the specified portion, the transmission of uplink data signaling should be suppressed; and
suppressing the transmission of uplink data signaling in the indicated control regions within the specified portion.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting uplink data and uplink control signaling over the specified portion of a full, continuous bandwidth of an uplink carrier comprises:
subtracting from the specified portion, at least part of a control region within the specified portion, yielding a reduced specified portion of the full, continuous bandwidth of the uplink carrier; and
transmitting uplink data within the reduced specified portion of the full, continuous bandwidth of the uplink carrier.
6. A radio network device operative in a wireless communication network, comprising:
one or more antennas;
a transceiver operatively connected to the antennas; and
processing circuitry operatively connected to the transceiver, and operative to cause the transceiver to
being configured to operate over a specified frequency portion of a full, continuous bandwidth of an uplink carrier, wherein the specified portion is less than the full carrier bandwidth;
transmit uplink data and uplink control signaling within the specified portion for the full duration of a defined sub-frame in time; and
transmit the uplink control signaling in at least one control region within the specified portion.
7. The radio network device of claim 6 , wherein
the full, continuous bandwidth of the uplink carrier is logically divided into two or more sub-band portions, and wherein at least one sub-band portion includes at least one control region; and
the processing circuitry is further operative to cause the transceiver to receive, in a System Information message from a base station, information regarding the full, continuous bandwidth of the uplink carrier and identifying the sub-band portions.
8. The radio network device of claim 7 , wherein
the processing circuitry is further operative to cause the transceiver to transmit uplink bandwidth capability of the radio network device to the network; and
the specified portion of the full, continuous bandwidth of the uplink carrier is the uplink bandwidth on which the radio network device is capable or configured to transmit.
9. The radio network device of claim 8 wherein the processing circuitry is further operative to cause the transceiver to:
receive dynamic signaling indicating for which control regions, within the specified portion, the transmission of uplink data signaling should be suppressed; and
suppress the transmission of uplink data signaling in the indicated control regions within the specified portion.
10. The radio network device of claim 6 wherein the processing circuitry is operative to cause the transceiver to transmit uplink data and uplink control signaling over the specified portion of a full, continuous bandwidth of an uplink carrier by
subtracting from the specified portion, at least part of a control region within the specified portion, yielding a reduced specified portion of the full, continuous bandwidth of the uplink carrier; and
causing the transceiver to transmit uplink data within the reduced specified portion of the full, continuous bandwidth of the uplink carrier.
11. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program instructions which, when executed by processing circuitry of a radio network device operative in a wireless communication network, causes the device to perform the steps of:
being configured to operate over a specified frequency portion of a full, continuous bandwidth of an uplink carrier, wherein the specified portion is less than the full carrier bandwidth;
transmitting uplink data and uplink control signaling within the specified portion for the full duration of a defined sub-frame in time; and
transmitting the uplink control signaling in at least one control region within the specified portion.
12. A method, implemented by a radio network node operative in a wireless communication network, of receiving uplink data and uplink control signaling from a radio network device, the method comprising:
configuring a radio network device to operate over a specified frequency portion of a full, continuous bandwidth of an uplink carrier, wherein the specified portion is less than the full carrier bandwidth;
receiving uplink data and uplink control signaling from the radio network device within the specified portion for the full duration of a defined sub-frame in time; and
receiving the uplink control signaling from the radio network device in at least one control region within the specified portion.
13. The method of claim 12 ,
wherein the full, continuous bandwidth of the uplink carrier is logically divided into two or more sub-band portions, and wherein at least one sub-band portion includes at least one control region; and
further comprising, prior to receiving uplink data or uplink control signaling, transmitting, in a System Information message, information regarding the full, continuous bandwidth of the uplink carrier and identifying the sub-band portions.
14. The method claim 13 ,
further comprising, prior to transmitting information identifying the sub-band portions, receiving uplink bandwidth capability of the radio network device; and
wherein the specified portion of the full, continuous bandwidth of the uplink carrier is the uplink bandwidth on which the radio network device is capable or configured to transmit.
15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:
transmitting to the radio network device dynamic signaling indicating for which control regions, within the specified portion, the transmission of uplink data signaling should be suppressed.
16. The method of claim 12 wherein receiving uplink data within the specified portion of a full, continuous bandwidth of an uplink carrier comprises:
receiving uplink data within a reduced specified portion of the full, continuous bandwidth of the uplink carrier;
wherein the reduced specified portion is determined by a radio network device subtracting from the specified portion of the full, continuous bandwidth of an uplink carrier, at least part of a control region within the specified portion, yielding the reduced specified portion of the full, continuous bandwidth of the uplink carrier.
17. A radio network node operative in a wireless communication network, comprising:
one or more antennas;
a transceiver operatively connected to the antennas; and
processing circuitry operatively connected to the transceiver, and operative to cause the transceiver to
configure a radio network device to operate over a specified frequency portion of a full, continuous bandwidth of an uplink carrier, wherein the specified portion is less than the full carrier bandwidth;
receive uplink data and uplink control signaling from the radio network device within the specified portion for the full duration of a defined sub-frame in time; and
receive the uplink control signaling from the radio network device in at least one control region within the specified portion.
18. The radio network node of claim 17 , wherein
the full, continuous bandwidth of the uplink carrier is logically divided into two or more sub-band portions, and wherein at least one sub-band portion includes at least one control region; and
the processing circuitry is further operative to cause the transceiver to transmit, in a System Information message, information regarding the full, continuous bandwidth of the uplink carrier and identifying the sub-band portions.
19. The radio network node of claim 18 , wherein
the processing circuitry is further operative to cause the transceiver to receive uplink bandwidth capability of the radio network device to the network; and
the specified portion of the full, continuous bandwidth of the uplink carrier is the uplink bandwidth on which the radio network device is capable or configured to transmit.
20. The radio network node of claim 19 wherein the processing circuitry further comprises causing the transceiver to:
transmit to the radio network device dynamic signaling indicating for which control regions, within the specified portion, the transmission of uplink data signaling should be suppressed.
21. The radio network node of claim 17 wherein the processing circuitry is operative to cause the transceiver to receive uplink data within the specified portion of a full, continuous bandwidth of an uplink carrier by
receiving uplink data within a reduced specified portion of the full, continuous bandwidth of the uplink carrier;
wherein the reduced specified portion is determined by a radio network device subtracting from the specified portion of the full, continuous bandwidth of an uplink carrier, at least part of a control region within the specified portion, yielding the reduced specified portion of the full, continuous bandwidth of the uplink carrier.
22. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program instructions which, when executed by processing circuitry of a radio network node operative in a wireless communication network, causes the node to perform the steps of:
configuring a radio network device to operate over a specified frequency portion of a full, continuous bandwidth of an uplink carrier, wherein the specified portion is less than the full carrier bandwidth;
receiving uplink data and uplink control signaling from the radio network device within the specified portion for the full duration of a defined sub-frame in time; and
receiving the uplink control signaling from the radio network device in at least one control region within the specified portion.