Communicating on a shared channel in a wireless network

1. A user equipment (UE) comprising:

a transceiver;

a processor, operatively coupled to the transceiver,

wherein the transceiver and the processor are configured to:

receive information indicating time slots that the UE is to monitor a plurality of first channels for control messages associated with a UE identification of the UE, the control messages including control messages that are used to allocate physical resources to the UE;

receive a second channel transmission in a time slot prior to at least one of the indicated time slots,

determine whether the second channel transmission has a monitoring indicator bit for the UE or uplink transmission information for the UE,

based on the second channel transmission having the uplink transmission information, send an uplink transmission based on the uplink transmission information,

based on the second channel transmission having the monitoring indication bit, the monitoring indication bit indicating that the UE is not to monitor the plurality of first channels in the at least one of the indicated time slots and the monitoring indication bit being a single bit;

receive a third channel transmission in a time slot prior to at least another one of the indicated time slots, the third channel transmission indicating that the UE is to monitor for the plurality of first channels in the at least another one of the indicated time slots; and

monitor for the plurality of first channels in the at least another one of the indicated time slots based on the received third channel transmission.

2. The UE of claim 1 wherein the transceiver and the processor are further configured to receive information indicating resources within the indicated time slots to receive the first channels.

3. The UE of claim 1 wherein the at least another one of the indicated time slots includes resources used for shared channel transmissions.

4. The UE of claim 1 wherein the monitored first channels have a control channel identifier and the transceiver and the processor are further configured to receive configuration information including a plurality of control channel identifiers, the plurality of control channel identifiers are associated with different resources.

5. The UE of claim 4 wherein the received configuration information is received in a system information message.

6. The UE of claim 1 wherein based on the received second channel transmission, the UE turns its receiver off for the at least one of the indicated time slots.

7. The UE of claim 1 wherein the uplink transmission information indicates that the UE is to retransmit a prior uplink transmission.

8. A method for us by a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:

receiving information indicating time slots that the UE is to monitor a plurality of first channels for control messages associated with a UE identification of the UE, the control messages including control messages that are used to allocate physical resources to the UE;

receiving a second channel transmission in a time slot prior to at least one of the indicated time slots,

determining whether the second channel transmission has a monitoring indicator bit for the UE or uplink transmission information for the UE,

based on the second channel transmission having the uplink transmission information, sending an uplink transmission based on the uplink transmission information,

based on the second channel transmission having the monitoring indication bit, the monitoring indication bit indicating that the UE is not to monitor the plurality of first channels in the at least one of the indicated time slots and the monitoring indication bit being a single bit;

receiving a third channel transmission in a time slot prior to at least another one of the indicated time slots, the third channel transmission indicating that the UE is to monitor for the plurality of first channels in the at least another one of the indicated time slots; and

monitoring for the plurality of first channels in the at least another one of the indicated time slots based on the received third channel transmission.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising receiving information indicating resources within the indicated time slots to receive the first channels.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the at least another one of the indicated time slots includes resources used for shared channel transmissions.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the monitored first channels have a control channel identifier are configured to receive configuration information including a plurality of control channel identifiers, the plurality of control channel identifiers are associated with different resources.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the received configuration information is received in a system information message.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein based on the received second channel transmission, the UE turns its receiver off for the at least one of the indicated time slots.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the uplink transmission information indicates that the UE is to retransmit a prior uplink transmission.

15. A network node comprising:

a transceiver;

a processor, operatively coupled to the transceiver,

wherein the transceiver and the processor are configured to:

transmit information indicating time slots that a user equipment (UE) is to monitor a plurality of first channels for control messages associated with a UE identification of the UE, the control messages including control messages that are used to allocate physical resources to the UE;

transmit a second channel transmission in a time slot prior to at least one of the indicated time slots, wherein the second channel transmission has a monitoring indicator bit for the UE or uplink transmission information for the UE,

based on the second channel transmission having the uplink transmission information, receive an uplink transmission based on the uplink transmission information,

based on the second channel transmission having the monitoring indication bit, the monitoring indication bit indicating that the UE is not to monitor the plurality of first channels in the at least one of the indicated time slots and the monitoring indication bit being a single bit;

transmit a third channel transmission in a time slot prior to at least another one of the indicated time slots, the third channel transmission indicating that the UE is to monitor for the plurality of first channels in the at least another one of the indicated time slots; and

transmit a control message to the UE on the plurality of first channels in the at least another one of the indicated time slots.

16. The network node of claim 15 wherein the transceiver and the processor are further configured to transmit information indicating resources within the indicated time slots.

17. The network node of claim 15 wherein the at least another one of the indicated time slots includes resources used for shared channel transmissions.

18. The network node of claim 15 wherein the monitored first channels have a control channel identifier and the transceiver and the processor are further configured to transmit configuration information including a plurality of control channel identifiers, the plurality of control channel identifiers are associated with different resources.

19. The network node of claim 18 wherein the transmitted configuration information is transmitted in a system information message.

20. The network node of claim 15 wherein the uplink transmission information indicates that the UE is to retransmit a prior uplink transmission.