IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,671,979
Granted Patent B2
US 11,671,979 · App. 17/157,778 · Granted Jun 6, 2023

Techniques for indicating downlink control information in multicast/broadcast wireless communications

Inventors: Le Liu (Fremont, CA); Alberto Rico Alvarino (San Diego, CA); Peter Gaal (San Diego, CA); Xiaoxia Zhang (San Diego, CA); Tao Luo (San Diego, CA); Prasad Reddy Kadiri (San Diego, CA); Ayan Sengupta (San Diego, CA); Kazuki Takeda (Tokyo, JP); Umesh Phuyal (San Diego, CA)
Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
H04W72/23H04L1/1812H04W4/06H04W72/044
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,671,979
App. No.
17/157,778
Filed
Jan 25, 2021
Granted
Jun 6, 2023
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2463
USPC
370/330
Abstract

Aspects described herein relate to indicating downlink control information (DCI) for multicast and/or broadcast (MB) communications using DCI formats that may be based on existing DCI formats and/or size for unicast communications, paging signals, system information signals, etc., or may include shortened formats without fields for information that may not be used in MB communications.

Claims (108)

1. A method for wireless communication, comprising:

receiving downlink control information (DCI) from a network node;

decoding, based at least in part on a radio network temporary identifier (RNTI) used to scramble the DCI, the DCI according to a DCI format defined for multicast and/or broadcast (MB) communications, wherein the DCI format includes one or more fields including one or more parameters for receiving the MB communications, wherein a size of the DCI format is the same as a size of a unicast DCI format defined for unicast physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) communications;

and

receiving, based on the one or more parameters, the MB communications.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more parameters are based on a configuration that is for multicast only, or is a dedicated configuration shared by unicast and multicast, or is a common configuration shared by unicast and multicast.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the one or more fields comprise a frequency domain resource assignment, wherein the one or more parameters comprise a number of resource blocks, and wherein the configuration is a downlink bandwidth part (BWP) configuration.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the one or more fields comprise a time domain resource assignment, wherein the one or more parameters comprise a time domain resource allocation for a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), and wherein the configuration is a PDSCH configuration.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the one or more fields comprise a resource indicator for physical uplink control channel (PUCCH), wherein the one or more parameters comprise a PUCCH resource set, and wherein the configuration is a PUCCH configuration.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the DCI format has one or more non-reserved fields as reserved bits.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the DCI format has one or more fields, specifically for MB communications, from reserved bits.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the one or more fields comprise a repetition number.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the DCI format is a fallback DCI format for cell (C)-RNTI, and wherein decoding the DCI according to the DCI defined format for MB communications is based on determining that the DCI is scrambled with a MB-RNTI or a group (G)-RNTI.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein a field for power control is modified to be reserved.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the DCI format is a fallback DCI format for paging (P)-RNTI or system information (SI)-RNTI, and wherein decoding the DCI according to the DCI defined format for MB communications is based on determining that the DCI is scrambled with a P-RNTI or an SI-RNTI and determining that the DCI format is modified include an indicator field to indicate whether the DCI is for MB communications.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the indicator field further indicates different types of MB services.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein a type of paging identity or a type of system information block is used in Radio Resource Control to indicate multicast control or data.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the DCI format is a non-fallback DCI format for cell (C)-RNTI, and wherein decoding the DCI according to the DCI defined format for MB communications is based on determining that the DCI is scrambled with a MB-RNTI.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein one or more fields for a second transport block, antenna ports, or sounding reference signal request are modified to be reserved.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein a flag in radio resource control or multicast control indicates whether one or more fields for hybrid automatic repeat request (HARM) acknowledgment are indicated in the DCI format.

17. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

a transceiver;

a memory configured to store instructions; and

one or more processors communicatively coupled with the memory and the transceiver, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

receive downlink control information (DCI) from a network node;

decode, based at least in part on a radio network temporary identifier (RNTI) used to scramble the DCI, the DCI according to a DCI format defined for multicast and/or broadcast (MB) communications, wherein the DCI format includes one or more fields including one or more parameters for receiving the MB communications, wherein a size of the DCI format is the same as a size of a unicast DCI format defined for unicast physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) communications;

receive, based on the one or more parameters, the MB communications.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the one or more parameters are based on a configuration that is for multicast only, or is a dedicated configuration shared by unicast and multicast, or is a common configuration shared by unicast and multicast.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the one or more fields comprise a frequency domain resource assignment, wherein the one or more parameters comprise a number of resource blocks, and wherein the configuration is a downlink bandwidth part (BWP) configuration.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the one or more fields comprise a time domain resource assignment, wherein the one or more parameters comprise a time domain resource allocation for a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), and wherein the configuration is a PDSCH configuration.

21. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the one or more fields comprise a resource indicator for physical uplink control channel (PUCCH), wherein the one or more parameters comprise a PUCCH resource set, and wherein the configuration is a PUCCH configuration.

22. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the DCI format has one or more non-reserved fields as reserved bits.

23. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the DCI format has one or more fields, specifically for MB communications, from reserved bits.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the one or more fields comprise a repetition number.

25. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the DCI format is a fallback DCI format for cell (C)-RNTI, and wherein the one or more processors are configured to decode the DCI according to the DCI defined format for MB communications based on determining that the DCI is scrambled with a MB-RNTI or a group (G)-RNTI.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 , wherein a field for power control is modified to be reserved.

27. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the DCI format is a fallback DCI format for paging (P)-RNTI or system information (SI)-RNTI, and wherein the one or more processors are configured to decode the DCI according to the DCI defined format for MB communications based on determining that the DCI is scrambled with a P-RNTI or an SI-RNTI and determining that the DCI format is modified to include an indicator field to indicate whether the DCI is for MB communications.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 , wherein the indicator field further indicates different types of MB services.

29. The apparatus of claim 27 , wherein a type of paging identity or a type of system information block is used in Radio Resource Control to indicate multicast control or data.

30. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the DCI format is a non-fallback DCI format for cell (C)-RNTI, and wherein the one or more processors are configured to decode the DCI according to the DCI defined format for MB communications based on determining that the DCI is scrambled with a MB-RNTI.

31. The apparatus of claim 30 , wherein one or more fields for a second transport block, antenna ports, or sounding reference signal request are modified to be reserved.

32. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein a flag in radio resource control or multicast control indicates whether one or more fields for hybrid automatic repeat request (HARM) acknowledgment are indicated in the DCI format.

33. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

means for receiving downlink control information (DCI) from a network node;

means for decoding, based at least in part on a radio network temporary identifier (RNTI) used to scramble the DCI, the DCI according to a DCI format defined for multicast and/or broadcast (MB) communications, wherein the DCI format includes one or more fields including one or more parameters for receiving the MB communications, wherein a size of the DCI format is the same as a size of a unicast DCI format defined for unicast physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) communications;

means for receiving, based on the one or more parameters, the MB communications.

34. The apparatus of claim 33 , wherein the one or more parameters are based on a configuration that is for multicast only, or is a dedicated configuration shared by unicast and multicast, or is a common configuration shared by unicast and multicast.

35. The apparatus of claim 34 , wherein the one or more fields comprise a frequency domain resource assignment, wherein the one or more parameters comprise a number of resource blocks, and wherein the configuration is a downlink bandwidth part (BWP) configuration.

36. The apparatus of claim 34 , wherein the one or more fields comprise a time domain resource assignment, wherein the one or more parameters comprise a time domain resource allocation for a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), and wherein the configuration is a PDSCH configuration.

37. The apparatus of claim 34 , wherein the one or more fields comprise a resource indicator for physical uplink control channel (PUCCH), wherein the one or more parameters comprise a PUCCH resource set, and wherein the configuration is a PUCCH configuration.

38. The apparatus of claim 33 , wherein the DCI format has one or more non-reserved fields as reserved bits.

39. The apparatus of claim 33 , wherein the DCI format has one or more fields, specifically for MB communications, from reserved bits.

40. The apparatus of claim 33 , wherein the DCI format is a fallback DCI format for cell (C)-RNTI, and wherein the means for decoding the DCI according to the DCI defined format for MB communications is based on determining that the DCI is scrambled with a MB-RNTI or a group (G)-RNTI.

41. The apparatus of claim 33 , wherein the DCI format is a fallback DCI format for paging (P)-RNTI or system information (SI)-RNTI, and wherein the means for decoding the DCI according to the DCI defined format for MB communications is based on determining that the DCI is scrambled with a P-RNTI or an SI-RNTI and determining that the DCI format is modified to include an indicator field to indicate whether the DCI is for MB communications.

42. The apparatus of claim 33 , wherein the DCI format is a non-fallback DCI format for cell (C)-RNTI, and wherein the means for decoding the DCI according to the DCI defined format for MB communications is based on determining that the DCI is scrambled with a MB-RNTI.

43. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising code executable by one or more processors for wireless communications, the code comprising code for:

receiving downlink control information (DCI) from a network node;

decoding, based at least in part on a radio network temporary identifier (RNTI) used to scramble the DCI, the DCI according to a DCI format defined for multicast and/or broadcast (MB) communications, wherein the DCI format includes one or more fields including one or more parameters for receiving the MB communications, wherein a size of the DCI format is the same as a size of a unicast DCI format defined for unicast physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) communications;

and

receiving, based on the one or more parameters, the MB communications.

44. A method for wireless communication, comprising:

generating downlink control information (DCI) for multicast and/or broadcast (MB) communications using a DCI format defined for MB communications, wherein the DCI format includes one or more fields including one or more parameters for receiving the MB communications, wherein a size of the DCI format is the same as a size of a unicast DCI format defined for unicast physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) communications;

scrambling the DCI with a radio network temporary identifier (RNTI) that corresponds to MB communications;

transmitting the DCI; and

transmitting, based on one or more parameters in the DCI, the MB communications.

45. The method of claim 44 , wherein the one or more parameters are associated with one or more fields of the DCI format and are based on a configuration that is for multicast only, or is a dedicated configuration shared by unicast and multicast, or is a common configuration shared by unicast and multicast.

46. The method of claim 45 , wherein the one or more fields comprise a frequency domain resource assignment, wherein the one or more parameters comprise a number of resource blocks, and wherein the configuration is a downlink bandwidth part (BWP) configuration.

47. The method of claim 45 , wherein the one or more fields comprise a time domain resource assignment, wherein the one or more parameters comprise a time domain resource allocation for a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), and wherein the configuration is a PDSCH configuration.

48. The method of claim 45 , wherein the one or more fields comprise a resource indicator for physical uplink control channel (PUCCH), wherein the one or more parameters comprise a PUCCH resource set, and wherein the configuration is a PUCCH configuration.

49. The method of claim 44 , wherein the DCI format has one or more non-reserved fields as reserved bits.

50. The method of claim 44 , wherein generating the DCI includes specifying one or more fields, specifically for MB communications, from reserved bits.

51. The method of claim 50 , wherein the one or more fields comprise a repetition number.

52. The method of claim 44 , wherein the DCI format is a fallback DCI format for cell (C)-RNTI, and wherein scrambling the DCI with the RNTI includes scrambling the DCI with a MB-RNTI or a group (G)-RNTI.

53. The method of claim 52 , wherein a field for power control is modified to be reserved.

54. The method of claim 44 , wherein the DCI format is a fallback DCI format for paging (P)-RNTI or system information (SI)-RNTI, and wherein scrambling the DCI with the RNTI includes scrambling the DCI with a P-RNTI or an SI-RNTI, and wherein generating the DCI includes specifying an indicator field to indicate whether the DCI is for MB communications.

55. The method of claim 54 , wherein generating the DCI includes modifying the indicator field to further indicate different types of MB services.

56. The method of claim 54 , wherein a type of paging identity or a type of system information block is used in Radio Resource Control to indicate multicast control or data.

57. The method of claim 44 , wherein the DCI format is a non-fallback DCI format for cell (C)-RNTI, and wherein scrambling the DCI with the RNTI includes scrambling the DCI with a MB-RNTI.

58. The method of claim 57 , wherein generating the DCI includes modifying one or more fields for a second transport block, antenna ports, or sounding reference signal request to be reserved.

59. The method of claim 44 , wherein a flag in radio resource control or multicast control indicates whether one or more fields for hybrid automatic repeat request (HARM) acknowledgment are indicated in the DCI format.

60. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 43 , wherein the one or more parameters are based on a configuration that is for multicast only, or is a dedicated configuration shared by unicast and multicast, or is a common configuration shared by unicast and multicast.

61. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 60 , wherein the one or more fields comprise a frequency domain resource assignment, wherein the one or more parameters comprise a number of resource blocks, and wherein the configuration is a downlink bandwidth part (BWP) configuration.

62. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 60 , wherein the one or more fields comprise a time domain resource assignment, wherein the one or more parameters comprise a time domain resource allocation for a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), and wherein the configuration is a PDSCH configuration.

63. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 60 , wherein the one or more fields comprise a resource indicator for physical uplink control channel (PUCCH), wherein the one or more parameters comprise a PUCCH resource set, and wherein the configuration is a PUCCH configuration.

64. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 43 , wherein the DCI format has one or more non-reserved fields as reserved bits.

65. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

a transceiver;

a memory configured to store instructions; and

one or more processors communicatively coupled with the memory and the transceiver, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

generate downlink control information (DCI) for multicast and/or broadcast (MB) communications using a DCI format defined for MB communications, wherein the DCI format includes one or more fields including one or more parameters for receiving the MB communications, wherein a size of the DCI format is the same as a size of a unicast DCI format defined for unicast physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) communications;

scramble the DCI with a radio network temporary identifier (RNTI) that corresponds to MB communications;

transmit the DCI; and

transmit, based on one or more parameters in the DCI, the MB communications.

66. The apparatus of claim 65 , wherein the one or more parameters are associated with one or more fields of the DCI format and are based on a configuration that is for multicast only, or is a dedicated configuration shared by unicast and multicast, or is a common configuration shared by unicast and multicast.

67. The apparatus of claim 66 , wherein the one or more fields comprise a frequency domain resource assignment, wherein the one or more parameters comprise a number of resource blocks, and wherein the configuration is a downlink bandwidth part (BWP) configuration.

68. The apparatus of claim 66 , wherein the one or more fields comprise a time domain resource assignment, wherein the one or more parameters comprise a time domain resource allocation for a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), and wherein the configuration is a PDSCH configuration.

69. The apparatus of claim 66 , wherein the one or more fields comprise a resource indicator for physical uplink control channel (PUCCH), wherein the one or more parameters comprise a PUCCH resource set, and wherein the configuration is a PUCCH configuration.

70. The apparatus of claim 65 , wherein the DCI format has one or more non-reserved fields as reserved bits.

71. The apparatus of claim 65 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to generate the DCI at least in part by specifying one or more fields, specifically for MB communications, from reserved bits.

72. The apparatus of claim 71 , wherein the one or more fields comprise a repetition number.

73. The apparatus of claim 65 , wherein the DCI format is a fallback DCI format for cell (C)-RNTI, and wherein scrambling the DCI with the RNTI includes scrambling the DCI with a MB-RNTI or a group (G)-RNTI.

74. The apparatus of claim 73 , wherein a field for power control is modified to be reserved.

75. The apparatus of claim 65 , wherein the DCI format is a fallback DCI format for paging (P)-RNTI or system information (SI)-RNTI, and wherein scrambling the DCI with the RNTI includes scrambling the DCI with a P-RNTI or an SI-RNTI, and wherein generating the DCI includes specifying an indicator field to indicate whether the DCI is for MB communications.

76. The apparatus of claim 75 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to generate the DCI at least in part by modifying the indicator field to further indicate different types of multicast services.

77. The apparatus of claim 75 , wherein a type of paging identity or a type of system information block is used in Radio Resource Control to indicate multicast control or data.

78. The apparatus of claim 65 , wherein the DCI format is a non-fallback DCI format for cell (C)-RNTI, and wherein scrambling the DCI with the RNTI includes scrambling the DCI with a MB-RNTI.

79. The apparatus of claim 78 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to generate the DCI at least in part by modifying one or more fields for a second transport block, antenna ports, or sounding reference signal request to be reserved.

80. The apparatus of claim 65 , wherein a flag in radio resource control or multicast control indicates whether one or more fields for hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) acknowledgment are indicated in the DCI format.

Assignments (2)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE TITLE OF INVENTION INSIDE THE ASSIGNMENT DOCUMENT PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 055739 FRAME: 0428. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Dec 27, 2021
From: LIU, LE; RICO ALVARINO, ALBERTO; GAAL, PETER; ZHANG, XIAOXIA; LUO, TAO; KADIRI, PRASAD REDDY; SENGUPTA, AYAN; TAKEDA, KAZUKI; PHUYAL, UMESH
To: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 058587/0180 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 26, 2021
From: LIU, LE; RICO ALVARINO, ALBERTO; GAAL, PETER; ZHANG, XIAOXIA; LUO, TAO; KADIRI, PRASAD REDDY; SENGUPTA, AYAN; TAKEDA, KAZUKI; PHUYAL, UMESH
To: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 055739/0428 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62972516 · Feb 10, 2020
Related Publication 20210250918A1 · Aug 12, 2021