Method, system, and apparatus for radio communications

1. A radio communication method for first and second radio communication apparatuses to communicate with each other by using a plurality of frequency bands including first and second frequency bands, the method comprising:

determining, by the first radio communication apparatus, whether to use one frequency band or more than one frequency band to transmit a first control signal and a second control signal, based on bandwidths of the first and second frequency bands and transmission mode of each of the first and second frequency bands in which communication is performed, the first control signal carrying information to be used in communication performed with the first frequency band, the second control signal carrying information to be used in communication performed with the second frequency band;

transmitting, by the first radio communication apparatus, the first and second control signals by using one or more of the frequency bands depending on a result of the determining;

selecting, by the second radio communication apparatus, common candidates for signal length that are applicable to both the first control signal and second control signal, based on the bandwidths of the first and second frequency bands, when the first and second control signals are transmitted with one frequency band; and

detecting, by the second radio communication apparatus, the first and second control signals by attempting signal extraction from received signals with each of the common candidates for the signal length;

wherein the determining by the first radio communication apparatus determines to use one frequency band to transmit both the first and second control signals when the first frequency band and the second frequency band are equal in terms of the bandwidth and the transmission mode.

2. The radio communication method according to claim 1 , wherein the determining by the first radio communication apparatus includes:

identifying a control signal format corresponding to the transmission mode of each of the first and second frequency bands, and

assigning the first and second control signals, in preference to other control signals, to one frequency band for transmission thereof, when the first frequency band and the second frequency band are equal in terms of the bandwidth and the control signal format.

3. The radio communication method according to claim 1 , wherein the determining by the first radio communication apparatus includes:

identifying a control signal format corresponding to the transmission mode of each of the first and second frequency bands, and

assigning the first and second control signals, in preference to other control signals, to one frequency band for transmission thereof, when the first frequency band and the second frequency band are equal in terms of the bandwidth and possible signal lengths defined in the control signal formats.

4. The radio communication method according to claim 1 , wherein the determining by the first radio communication apparatus includes:

selecting a plurality of candidates for the signal length that correspond to combinations of the bandwidth and transmission mode, and

assigning the first and second control signals, in preference to other control signals, to one frequency band for transmission thereof, when the first and second frequency bands share a common candidate for the signal length.

5. The radio communication method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

selecting, by the first radio communication apparatus, which method to use in preference to others, from among a plurality of methods to determine whether to use one frequency band or more than one frequency band to transmit the first and second control signals, depending on the bandwidths and transmission modes of the first and second frequency band.

6. The radio communication method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

configuring, by the first radio communication apparatus, a single frequency band so as to transmit the first and second control signals in preference to others, when the first and second frequency bands are equal in the bandwidth.

7. The radio communication method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

sending information from the first radio communication apparatus to the second radio communication apparatus to indicate associations between the first and second frequency bands and frequency bands used to transmit the first and second control signals;

wherein the detecting detects the first and second control signals based on the information sent from the first radio communication apparatus.

8. A radio communications system in which communication is performed with a plurality of frequency bands including first and second frequency bands, the radio communications system comprising:

a first radio communication apparatus including:

a first control unit that determines whether to use one frequency band or more than one frequency band to transmit a first control signal and a second control signal, based on bandwidths of the first and second frequency bands and transmission mode of each of the first and second frequency bands in which communication is performed, the first control signal carrying information to be used in communication performed with the first frequency band, the second control signal carrying information to be used in communication performed with the second frequency band, and

a transmission unit that transmits the first and second control signals by using one or more of the frequency bands depending on a determination result of the first control unit; and

a second radio communication apparatus including:

a second control unit that selects common candidates for signal length that are applicable to both the first control signal and second control signal, based on the bandwidths of the first and second frequency bands, when the first and second control signals are transmitted with one frequency band, and

a signal processing unit that detects the first and second control signals by attempting signal extraction from received signals with each of the common candidates for the signal length;

wherein the first control unit determines to use one frequency band to transmit both the first and second control signals when the first frequency band and the second frequency band are equal in terms of the bandwidth and the transmission mode.

9. A radio communication apparatus that communicates with another radio communication apparatus by using a plurality of frequency bands including first and second frequency bands, the radio communication apparatus comprising:

a control unit that determines whether to use one frequency band or more than one frequency band to transmit a first control signal and a second control signal, based on bandwidths of the first and second frequency bands and transmission mode of each of the first and second frequency bands in which communication is performed, the first control signal carrying information to be used in communication performed with the first frequency band, the second control signal carrying information to be used in communication performed with the second frequency band; and

a transmission unit that transmits the first and second control signals by using one or more of the frequency bands depending on a determination result of the control unit;

wherein the control unit determines to use one frequency band to transmit both the first and second control signals when the first frequency band and the second frequency band are equal in terms of the bandwidth and the transmission mode.

10. A radio communication apparatus that communicates with another radio communication apparatus by using a plurality of frequency bands including first and second frequency bands, the radio communication apparatus comprising:

a reception unit that receives signals including first and second control signals that are transmitted with one frequency band to deliver information to be used in communication performed with the first and second frequency bands;

a control unit that selects common candidates for signal length that are applicable to both the first control signal and second control signal, based on bandwidths of the first and second frequency bands; and

a signal processing unit that detects the first and second control signals by attempting signal extraction from the received signals with each of the common candidates for the signal length;

wherein said another radio communication apparatus determines to use one frequency band to transmit both the first and second control signals when the first frequency band and the second frequency band are equal in terms of bandwidth and transmission mode of each of the first and second frequency bands in which communication is performed.

11. A radio communications system in which communication is performed with a plurality of frequency bands including first and second frequency bands, the radio communications system comprising:

a first radio communication apparatus including:

a first control unit that determines at least one frequency band to transmit a first control signal and a second control signal, the first control signal carrying information to be used in communication performed with the first frequency band, the second control signal carrying information to be used in communication performed with the second frequency band, and

a transmission unit that transmits the first and second control signals by using the determined at least one frequency band depending on a determination result of the first control unit; and

a second radio communication apparatus including:

a second control unit that selects candidates for signal lengths that are applicable to the first control signal and the second control signal, based on bandwidths of the first and second frequency bands, and

a signal processing unit that detects the first and second control signals by attempting signal extraction from received signals with each of the candidates for the signal lengths.

12. The radio communication system according to claim 11 , wherein:

the first control unit in the first radio communication apparatus controls transmission of information to the second radio communication apparatus to indicate associations between the first and second frequency bands and frequency bands used to transmit the first and second control signals, and

the signal processing unit in the second communication apparatus detects the first and second control signals based on the information sent from the first radio communication apparatus.