Method for indicating the allocated resources for a HARQ message in a random access procedure for a low-complexity, narrowband terminal

1. A method of transmitting an acknowledgment message in a random access procedure in a mobile telecommunications system, the method comprising:

transmitting an uplink random access request;

responsive to the random access request, transmitting a downlink allocation message indicating downlink resources for sending a downlink message;

transmitting the downlink message using the resources indicated in the downlink allocation message;

responsive to receiving the downlink message, transmitting an uplink message; and

transmitting an acknowledgment message in respect of the uplink message and using one or more acknowledgment resources, wherein the one or more acknowledgment resources are identified based on at least one of the downlink allocation message, the downlink message and the uplink random access request, wherein the one or more acknowledgment resources are first implicitly identified to reduce the possible acknowledgment resources that can be used and subsequently a reduced explicit signaling indicates a precise acknowledgment resource from the implicitly identified acknowledgment resources.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the downlink message allocates one or more uplink resources for the transmission of the uplink message and wherein the uplink message is transmitted using the one or more uplink resources.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more acknowledgment resources are identified at least in part based on an acknowledgment resource indicator in the downlink allocation message.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more acknowledgment resources are identified at least in part based on a set of one or more resources used for transmitting the downlink allocation message.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more acknowledgment resources are identified at least in part based on an acknowledgment resource indicator in the downlink message.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more acknowledgment resources are identified at least in part based on a set of one or more resources used for transmitting the downlink message.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more acknowledgment resources are identified at least in part based on a set of one or more resources used for sending uplink random access request.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more acknowledgment resources are further identified at least in part based on an indication of one or more sets of resources for sending acknowledgment messages, the indication being included in a broadcasted message.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more acknowledgment resources are further identified at least in part based on a repetition level for the transmission of the acknowledgment message.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of a frequency band and a timing of the one or more acknowledgment resources is identified based on at least one of the downlink allocation message and the downlink message.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein, in the event that the acknowledgment message is for a negative acknowledgment, the acknowledgment message comprises

a negative acknowledgment without scheduling information for the uplink message retransmission or

a negative acknowledgment with scheduling information for the uplink message retransmission.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the downlink allocation message is a Downlink Control Information “DCI” message; and/or

the downlink message is a Random Access Response “RAR” message; and/or

the uplink message is for transmitting a Radio Resource Control “RRC” message for initiating a connection.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the acknowledgment message is for indicating one of a positive acknowledgment only, a negative acknowledgment only, or both a positive acknowledgment and negative acknowledgment.

14. A method of operating a terminal for receiving an acknowledgment message in a random access procedure in a mobile telecommunications system, the method comprising:

transmitting an uplink random access request;

receiving a downlink allocation message in response to the uplink random access request and indicating downlink resources for sending a downlink message;

receiving the downlink message using the resources indicated in the downlink allocation message;

responsive to receiving the downlink message, transmitting an uplink message via the transmitter; and

receiving, via the receiver, an acknowledgment message in respect of the uplink message and using one or more acknowledgment resources, wherein the one or more acknowledgment resources are identified based on at least one of the downlink allocation message and the downlink message, wherein the one or more acknowledgment resources are first implicitly identified to reduce the possible acknowledgment resources that can be used and subsequently a reduced explicit signaling indicates a precise acknowledgment resource from the implicitly identified acknowledgment resources.

15. A terminal for receiving an acknowledgment message in a random access procedure in a mobile telecommunications system, the terminal comprising a transmitter, a receiver and a controller, the controller being configured to:

transmit, via the transmitter, an uplink random access request;

receive, via the receiver, a downlink allocation message in response to the uplink random access request and indicating downlink resources for sending a downlink message;

receive, via the receiver, the downlink message using the resources indicated in the downlink allocation message;

responsive to receiving the downlink message, transmit an uplink message via the transmitter; and

receive, via the receiver, an acknowledgment message in respect of the uplink message and using one or more acknowledgment resources, wherein the one or more acknowledgment resources are identified based on at least one of the downlink allocation message and the downlink message, wherein the one or more acknowledgment resources are first implicitly identified to reduce the possible acknowledgment resources that can be used and subsequently a reduced explicit signaling indicates a precise acknowledgment resource from the implicitly identified acknowledgment resources.

16. The terminal of claim 15 wherein the controller is configure to identify, based on at least one of the received downlink allocation message and the received downlink message, the one or more acknowledgment resources.

17. The terminal of claim 15 wherein the receiver is configured to receive signals from a first frequency band and to receive, at any point in time, signals in a second frequency band with a bandwidth that does not exceed a bandwidth threshold, wherein the second frequency band is within the first frequency hand and wherein the bandwidth of the first frequency band exceeds the bandwidth threshold.