Methods and apparatuses for controlling timing of feedback transmissions
There is disclosed a method for controlling the timing of feedback transmissions by a communication device ( 80 ) communicating over a communication link ( 70 ), wherein the communication link supports a retransmission scheme. The method comprises transmitting ( 42 ) a feedback timing indicator, FTI, wherein the indicator is selected from a set of indicators.
1. A method performed by one communication device for controlling the timing of feedback transmissions from another communication device over a communication link, wherein the communication link supports a retransmission scheme, and wherein the method comprises:
transmitting, in at least one of a slot and a subframe, a feedback timing indicator (FTI) and data, wherein a format of the data is based on the FTI, and wherein the FTI is selected from a set of indicators and indicates that retransmission feedback is requested within the same at least one of a slot and a subframe; and
receiving, in the same at least one of a slot and a subframe, retransmission feedback related to the transmitted data.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the selection of the FTI is based on scheduling information.
3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the scheduling information comprises at least one of:
a multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) stream,
a number of MIMO streams,
a transport block size of a data packet,
a retransmission buffer size,
available resource blocks of the communication link,
a Frequency Bandwidth of the communication link,
a Frequency Bandwidth of the scheduled transmission,
a channel coding configuration of the transmission, and
a Traffic Type.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the format of the data is based on the retransmission feedback being requested in the same at least one of a slot and a subframe.
5. A communication device configured to control the timing of feedback transmissions from another communication device over a communication link, wherein the communication link supports a retransmission scheme, and wherein the communication device comprises:
communication circuitry configured for sending and receiving transmissions; and
processing circuitry operatively associated with the communication circuitry and configured to:
transmit, within at least one of a slot and a subframe, a feedback timing indicator (FTI) and data, wherein a format of the data is based on the FTI, and wherein the FTI is selected from a set of indicators and indicates that retransmission feedback is requested within the same at least one of a slot and a subframe; and
receive, in the same at least one of a slot and a subframe, retransmission feedback related to the transmitted data.
6. The communication device according to claim 5 , wherein the selection of the FTI is based on scheduling information.
7. The communication device according to claim 6 , wherein the scheduling information comprises at least one of:
a number of multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) streams,
a transport block size of a data packet,
a retransmission buffer size,
available resource blocks of the communication link,
a Frequency Bandwidth of the communication link,
a Frequency Bandwidth of the scheduled transmission,
a channel coding configuration of the transmission, and
a Traffic Type.
8. The communication device according to claim 5 , wherein the format of the data is based on the retransmission feedback being requested in the same at least one of a slot and a subframe.
9. A method performed by a communication device for transmitting retransmission feedback to another communication device over a communication link, wherein the communication link supports a retransmission scheme, and wherein the method comprises:
receiving, in at least one of a slot and a subframe, a feedback timing indicator (FTI) and data, the FTI indicating that retransmission feedback is requested in the same at least one of a slot and a subframe, and a format of the data being based on the FTI; and
in response to the FTI, transmitting retransmission feedback for the data in the same at least one of a slot and a subframe.
10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the format of the data is based on the retransmission feedback being requested in the same at least one of a slot and a subframe.
11. A communication device configured to transmit retransmission feedback to another communication device over a communication link, wherein the communication link supports a retransmission scheme, and wherein the communication device comprises:
communication circuitry configured for sending and receiving transmissions; and
processing circuitry operatively associated with the communication circuitry and configured to:
receive, in at least one of a slot and a subframe, a feedback timing indicator (FTI) and data, the FTI indicating that retransmission feedback is requested in the same at least one of a slot and a subframe, and a format of the data being based on the FTI; and
in response to the FTI, transmit retransmission feedback for the data in the same at least one of a slot and a subframe.
12. The communication device according to claim 11 , wherein the format of the data is based on the retransmission feedback being requested in the same at least one of a slot and a subframe.