Method, base station and user equipment for subframe configuration in time division duplex system

1. A method, comprising:

determining, by a base station, a subframe number of a flexible subframe;

sending, by the base station, a higher layer signaling that indicates the subframe number of the flexible subframe;

determining, by the base station, a feature of the flexible subframe identified by the subframe number, wherein the feature of the flexible subframe indicates whether the flexible subframe is uplink or downlink; and

sending, by the base station, the same downlink control information to at least two terminal devices via a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) within a common search space, wherein the downlink control information indicates the feature of the flexible subframe, the downlink control information is scrambled by a radio network temporary identifier (RNTI), and the RNTI used to scramble the downlink control information is the same for each terminal device of the at least two terminal devices.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

determining channel and signal configuration of the flexible subframe; and

sending, to the at least two terminal devices, the channel and signal configuration via the PDCCH and/or a second higher layer signaling.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

sending the subframe number of the flexible subframe via a second higher layer signaling to the at least two terminal devices.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the downlink control information further comprises cyclic redundancy check (CRC) information.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the downlink control information is sent in a periodic manner to the at least two terminal devices.

6. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a terminal device, a higher layer signaling that indicates a subframe number of a flexible subframe;

receiving, by the terminal device, downlink control information from a base station via a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) within a common search space, wherein the downlink control information indicates a feature of the flexible subframe, wherein the feature of flexible subframe indicates whether the flexible subframe is uplink or downlink, wherein the downlink control information is scrambled by a radio network temporary identifier (RNTI), and the RNTI used to scramble the downlink control information is the same for at least two terminal devices; and

obtaining, by the terminal device, the feature of the flexible subframe identified by the subframe number according to the downlink control information.

7. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising:

receiving channel and signal configuration via the PDCCH and/or a second higher layer signaling.

8. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising:

receiving the subframe number of the flexible subframe via a second higher layer signaling.

9. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the downlink control information further comprises cyclic redundancy check (CRC) information.

10. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the downlink control information is received by the terminal device a periodic manner.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a transmitter for sending information,

wherein:

the processor is configured to determine a subframe number of a flexible subframe;

the transmitter is configured to send a higher layer signaling that indicates the subframe number of the flexible subframe;

the processor is configured to determine a feature of the flexible subframe identified by the subframe number, wherein the feature of the flexible subframe indicates whether the flexible subframe is uplink or downlink; and

the transmitter is configured to send downlink control information to at least two terminal devices via a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) within a common search space, wherein the downlink control information indicates the feature of the flexible subframe, the downlink control information is scrambled by a radio network temporary identifier (RNTI), and the RNTI used to scramble the downlink control information is the same for each terminal device of the at least two terminal devices.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 ,

wherein the processor is further configured to determine channel and signal configuration of the flexible subframe; and

wherein the transmitter is further configured to send, to the at least two terminal devices, the channel and signal configuration via the PDCCH and/or a second higher layer signaling.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the transmitter is further configured to send the subframe number of the flexible subframe via a second higher layer signaling to the at least two terminal devices.

14. The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the downlink control information further comprises cyclic redundancy check (CRC) information.

15. The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the downlink control information is sent to the at least two terminal devices in a periodic manner.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

receiver configured to:

receive a higher layer signaling that indicates a subframe number of a flexible subframe; and

receive downlink control information via a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) within a common search space, wherein the downlink control information indicates a feature of the flexible subframe, the downlink control information is scrambled by a radio network temporary identifier (RNTI), and the RNTI used to scramble to the downlink control information is the same for each terminal device of at least two terminal devices; and

a processor configured to obtain the feature of the flexible subframe identified by the subframe number according to the downlink control information, wherein the feature of the flexible subframe indicates that the flexible subframe is uplink or downlink.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the receiver is further configured to receive channel and signal configuration via the PDCCH and/or a second higher layer signaling.

18. The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the receiver is further configured to receive the subframe number of the flexible subframe via a second higher layer signaling.

19. The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the downlink control information further comprises cyclic redundancy check (CRC) information.

20. The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the downlink control information is received by at least two terminal devices in a periodic manner.

21. A non-transitory machine-readable medium having stored thereon a computer program comprising at least one code section for distributing data, the at least one code section being executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform acts of:

determining a subframe number of a flexible subframe;

sending a higher layer signaling that indicates the subframe number of the flexible subframe;

determining a feature of the flexible subframe identified by the subframe number, wherein the feature of the flexible subframe indicates whether the flexible subframe is uplink or downlink; and

sending downlink control information to at least two terminal devices via a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) within a common search space, wherein the downlink control information indicates the feature of the flexible subframe, the downlink control information is scrambled by a radio network temporary identifier (RNTI), and the RNTI used to scramble the downlink control information is the same for each terminal device of the at least two terminal devices.

22. A non-transitory machine-readable medium having stored thereon a computer program comprising at least one code section for distributing data, the at least one code section being executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform acts of:

receiving a higher layer signaling that indicates a subframe number of a flexible subframe;

receiving downlink control information from a base station via a first physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) within a common search space, wherein the downlink control information indicates a feature of flexible subframe, the downlink control information is scrambled by a radio network temporary identifier (RNTI), and the RNTI used to scramble the downlink control information is the same for each terminal device of at least two terminal devices; and

obtaining the feature of the flexible subframe identified by the subframe number according to the downlink control information, wherein the feature of the flexible subframe indicates that the flexible subframe is uplink or downlink.