Method and system for signaling transmission layers for single user and multi user MIMO
A method and system to signal transmission layers or dedicated reference signal ports to be used in a multiple input multiple output system, the method including providing a downlink control signal containing information for transmission layers or dedicated reference signal ports utilized, the dedicated reference signal ports being associated with the transmission layers; and using the information to demodulate data on each transmission layer.
1. A method performed by a network element of a multiple input multiple output ‘MIMO’ system, the method comprising:
transmitting control information to a User Equipment (UE), the control information comprising a control channel field and an indication of a number of transport blocks; when the indication indicates a first number of transport blocks, using a layer combination or associated combination of dedicated reference signal ports based on a first mapping of the control channel field;
when the indication indicates a second number of transport blocks, using the layer combination or associated combination of dedicated reference signal ports based on a second mapping of the control channel field; and
wherein each of the first mapping and the second mapping define a plurality of layer combinations or associated combinations of dedicated reference signals ports.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the control information supports multiple-user MIMO transmissions.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein a scrambling code is associated with the control channel field.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network element is an eNodeB capable of at least one of long term evolution (‘LTE’) operations and LTE-advanced operations.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the control channel field always consists of a same number of bits.
6. A network element of a multiple output ‘MIMO’ system, comprising:
a processor configured to execute instruction that cause transmission of control information to a User Equipment (UE), the control information comprising a control channel field and an indication of a number of transport blocks;
wherein when the indication indicates a first number of transport blocks, a layer combination or associated combination of dedicated reference signal ports is selected based on a first mapping of the control channel field;
wherein when the indication indicates a second number of transport blocks, the layer combination or associated combination of dedicated reference signal ports is selected based on a second mapping of the control channel field; and
wherein each of the first mapping and the second mapping define a plurality of layer combinations or associated combinations of dedicated reference signals ports.
7. The network element of claim 6 wherein the control information supports multiple-user MIMO transmissions.
8. The network element of claim 6 wherein a scrambling code is associated with the control channel field.
9. The network element of claim 6 wherein the network element is an eNodeB capable of at least one of long term evolution (‘LTE’) operations and LTE-advanced operations.
10. The network element of claim 6 , wherein the control channel field always consists of a same number of bits.
11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processor of a network element, cause the processor to:
transmit control information to a User Equipment (UE), the control information comprising a control channel field and an indication of a number of transport blocks;
wherein when the indication indicates a first number of transport blocks, a layer combination or associated combination of dedicated reference signal ports is selected based on a first mapping of the control channel field;
wherein when the indication indicates a second number of transport blocks, the layer combination or associated combination of dedicated reference signal ports is selected based on a second mapping of the control channel field; and
wherein each of the first mapping and the second mapping define a plurality of layer combinations or associated combinations of dedicated reference signals ports.
12. A method at a user equipment, the method comprising:
receiving control information, the control information comprising a control channel field and an indication of a number of transport blocks;
when the indication indicates a first number of transport blocks, a layer combination or associated combination of dedicated reference signal ports is selected based on a first mapping of the control channel field;
when the indication indicates a second number of transport blocks, the layer combination or associated combination of dedicated reference signal ports is selected based on a second mapping of the control channel field; and
wherein each of the first mapping and the second mapping define a plurality of layer combinations or associated combinations of dedicated reference signals ports.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the control information supports multiple-user MIMO transmissions.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein a scrambling code is associated with the control channel field.
15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the control channel field always consists of a same number of bits.
16. A user equipment ‘UE’ comprising:
a processor configured to execute instructions that cause the UE to:
receive control information, the control information comprising a control channel field and an indication of a number of transport blocks;
when the indication indicates a first number of transport blocks, a layer combination or associated combination of dedicated reference signal ports is selected based on a first mapping of the control channel field; and
when the indication indicates a second number of transport blocks, the layer combination or associated combination of dedicated reference signal ports is selected based on a second mapping of the control channel field;
wherein each of the first mapping and the second mapping define a plurality of layer combinations or associated combinations of dedicated reference signals ports.
17. The UE of claim 16 , wherein the control information supports multiple-user MIMO transmissions.
18. The UE of claim 16 , wherein a scrambling code is associated with the control channel field.
19. The UE of claim 16 , wherein the control channel field always consists of a same number of bits.
20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processor of a user equipment (UE), cause the processor to:
receive control information, the control information comprising a control channel field and an indication of a number of transport blocks;
when the indication indicates a first number of transport blocks, a layer combination or associated combination of dedicated reference signal ports is selected based on a first mapping of the control channel field; and
when the indication indicates a second number of transport blocks, the layer combination or associated combination of dedicated reference signal ports is selected based on a second mapping of the control channel field;
wherein each of the first mapping and the second mapping define a plurality of layer combinations or associated combinations of dedicated reference signals ports.