IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,244,427
Granted Patent B2
US 12,244,427 · App. 17/997,300 · Granted Mar 4, 2025

Multi-stage scheduling

Inventors: Karol Schober (Helsinki, FI); Kari Hooli (Oulu, FI); Esa Tiirola (Oulu, FI)
Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
H04L1/1854H04L1/1864
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,244,427
App. No.
17/997,300
Granted
Mar 4, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An apparatus comprising means for: receiving, in a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) in a first slot, first scheduling information for a data channel, wherein the first slot is separated by at least one first period of multiple slots from next first scheduling information; and receiving, in the PDCCH in at least one second slot, second scheduling information for the data channel, wherein the at least one second slot is delayed with respect to the first slot by one or more slots and is received within the first period of multiple slots after the first slot, wherein the first scheduling information in the first slot points to at least the second scheduling information; and wherein the second scheduling information is related to at least one hybrid automatic request (HARQ) process for the data channel.

Claims (76)

1. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform:

receiving, in a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) in a first slot, first scheduling information for a data channel, wherein the first slot is separated by at least one first period of multiple slots from next first scheduling information; and

receiving, in the PDCCH in at least one second slot, second scheduling information for the data channel, wherein the at least one second slot is delayed with respect to the first slot by one or more slots and is received within the first period of multiple slots after the first slot,

wherein the first scheduling information in the first slot points to at least the second scheduling information,

wherein the first scheduling information is related to at least one hybrid automatic request (HARQ) process for the data channel, and

wherein the second scheduling information is related to at least one HARQ process for the data channel.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first scheduling information and the second scheduling information is configured to enable at least two HARQ processes for the data channel, wherein the two HARQ processes are non-overlapping in a time domain.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first scheduling information and the second scheduling information in combination enable:

receiving first data in a slot of the data channel during the at least one first period;

receiving second data in a different slot of the data channel during the at least one first period; and

transmitting a HARQ reply for the first data separately to transmitting a HARQ reply for the second data.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first scheduling information and the second scheduling information in combination enable:

transmitting first data in a slot of the data channel during the at least one first period; and

transmitting second data in a different slot of the data channel during the at least one first period.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first scheduling information is configured to allocate one or more early HARQ processes before reception of second scheduling information and wherein the second scheduling information is configured to assist allocation of one or more later HARQ processes at or after reception of the second scheduling information.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the reception in the PDCCH is with a subcarrier spacing of 480 kHz, 960 kHz, 1920 kHz or greater.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to, in response to received control signaling, enable remote control of one or more of:

the at least one first period duration;

a content of the first scheduling information;

a pointer in frequency and/or time, to at least the second scheduling information;

a timing of the first slots comprising first scheduling information;

a number of second slots, within the first period, comprising second scheduling information;

a content of second scheduling information;

a timing of second slots comprising second scheduling information

timing of HARQ replies; or

enabling early HARQ processes before reception of second scheduling information.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to be configured as user equipment or mobile equipment of a radio access network.

9. A system, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the system at least to perform:

transmitting, in a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) in a first slot, first scheduling information for a data channel, wherein the first slot is separated by at least one first period of multiple slots from next first scheduling information; and

transmitting, in the PDCCH in at least one second slot, second scheduling information for the data channel, wherein the at least one second slot is delayed with respect to the first slot by one or more slots and is received within the first period of multiple slots after the first slot,

wherein the first scheduling information in the first slot points to at least the second scheduling information,

wherein the first scheduling information is related to at least one hybrid automatic request (HARQ) process for the data channel, and

wherein the second scheduling information is related to at least one HARQ process for the data channel.

10. The system as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the system at least to control one or more of:

the at least one first period duration;

a content of the first scheduling information;

a pointer in frequency and/or time, to at least the second scheduling information;

a timing of the first slots comprising first scheduling information;

a number of second slots, within the first period, comprising second scheduling information;

a content of second scheduling information;

a timing of second slots comprising second scheduling information

timing of HARQ replies; or

enabling early HARQ processes before reception of second scheduling information.

11. The system as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the second scheduling information is based on information that was not available at the time of transmitting the first scheduling information.

12. The system as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the system to be configured as a base station for a radio access network.

13. A method, comprising:

receiving, at an apparatus, in a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) in a first slot, first scheduling information for a data channel, wherein the first slot is separated by at least one first period of multiple slots from next first scheduling information; and

receiving, at the apparatus, in the PDCCH in at least one second slot, second scheduling information for the data channel, wherein the at least one second slot is delayed with respect to the first slot by one or more slots and is received within the first period of multiple slots after the first slot,

wherein the first scheduling information in the first slot points to at least the second scheduling information,

wherein the first scheduling information is related to at least one hybrid automatic request (HARQ) process for the data channel, and

wherein the second scheduling information is related to at least one HARQ process for the data channel.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13 , wherein at least one of the first scheduling information and the second scheduling information is configured to enable at least two HARQ processes for the data channel, wherein the two HARQ processes are non-overlapping in the time domain.

15. The method as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the first scheduling information and the second scheduling information in combination enable:

receiving first data in a slot of the data channel during the at least one first period;

receiving second data in a different slot of the data channel during the at least one first period; and

transmitting a HARQ reply for the first data separately to transmitting a HARQ reply for the second data.

16. The method as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the first scheduling information and the second scheduling information in combination enable:

transmitting first data in a slot of the data channel during the at least one first period; and

transmitting second data in a different slot of the data channel during the at least one first period.

17. The method as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the first scheduling information is configured to allocate one or more early HARQ processes before reception of second scheduling information and wherein the second scheduling information is configured to assist allocation of one or more later HARQ processes at or after reception of the second scheduling information.

18. The method as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the reception in the PDCCH is with a subcarrier spacing of 480 kHz, 960 kHz, 1920 kHz or greater.

19. The method as claimed in claim 13 , in response to received control signaling, enabling remote control of one or more of:

the at least one first period duration;

a content of the first scheduling information;

a pointer in frequency and/or time, to at least the second scheduling information;

a timing of the first slots comprising first scheduling information;

a number of second slots, within the first period, comprising second scheduling information;

a content of second scheduling information;

a timing of second slots comprising second scheduling information

timing of HARQ replies; or

enabling early HARQ processes before reception of second scheduling information.

20. The method as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the apparatus is a user equipment or mobile equipment of a radio access network.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 27, 2022
From: SCHOBER, KAROL; TIIROLA, ESA; HOOLI, KARI
To: NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
Reel/Frame 061563/0603 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 20174684 · May 14, 2020 · regional
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230171041A1 · Jun 1, 2023
References Cited (41)
US 10396940B1 · Nammi et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20110141928A1 · Shin et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110216713A1 · Kim et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20140211710A1 · Guan · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 20180014298A1 · Sun et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180103485A1 · Jiang et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20190045533A1 · Chatterjee et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190181988A1 · Gao · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20200036483A1 · Aijaz · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200266937A1 · Khoshnevisan · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20210352631A1 · Fan · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20220104185A1 · Moon · 2022 [cited by examiner]
CN 103024807A · 2013 [cited by applicant]
CN 105391527A · 2016 [cited by applicant]
CN 109152004A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
CN 110121852A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
CN 110519021A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
CN 110892665A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
CN 111247825A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
EP 2747476A1 · 2014 [cited by applicant]
WO 2008156414A2 · 2008 [cited by applicant]
WO 2009131037A1 · 2009 [cited by applicant]
WO 2017065666A1 · 2017 [cited by applicant]
WO 2018060759A1 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
WO 2019138499A1 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
WO 2019222922A1 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
WO 2020032743A1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
Office Action received for corresponding Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-569006, dated Dec. 19, 2023, 4 pages of Office Action and 5 pages of summary and translation available. [cited by applicant]
“On multi-stage physical DL control”, 3GPP TSG RAN1 WG Meeting #88, R1-1702224, Agenda item: 8.1.3.1.5, Intel Corporation, Feb. 13-18, 2017, pp. 1-2. [cited by applicant]
Office action received for corresponding Chinese Patent Application No. 202180034594.6, dated Mar. 28, 2024, 15 pages of office action and No. page of translation available. [cited by applicant]
“HARQ and scheduling enhancements for NR-U”, 3GPP TSG-RAN WG1 Meeting #97, R1-1907456, Agenda item: 7.2.2.2.3, Ericsson, May 13-17, 2019, pp. 1-14. [cited by applicant]
“Remaining issues on NR-U HARQ scheduling and feedback”, 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 #98bis, R1-1910596, Agenda item: 7.2.2.2.3, Nokia, Oct. 14-20, 2019, 16 pages. [cited by applicant]
Notice of Allowance received for corresponding Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-569006, dated May 28, 2024, 3 pages of Notice of Allowance and no page of translation available. [cited by applicant]
Office Action received for corresponding Indian Patent Application No. 202247071101, dated Apr. 21, 2023, 7 pages. [cited by applicant]
“New SID: Study on supporting NR from 52.6GHz to 71 GHz”, 3GPP TSG RAN Meeting #86, RP-193259, Agenda: 9.1.1, Intel Corporation, Dec. 9-12, 2019, 3 pages. [cited by applicant]
“3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; NR; Physical channels and modulation (Release 16)”, 3GPP TS 38.211, V16.0.0, Dec. 2019, pp. 1-129. [cited by applicant]
“Offline Discussion on on Two-Stage DCI”, 3GPP TSG-RAN WG1 #88, R1-1703863, Agenda: 8.1.3.1.5, Ericsson, Feb. 13-17, 2017, pp. 1-2. [cited by applicant]
“Mechanisms for efficient operation for MUST”, 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 #85, R1-164436, Agenda: 6.2.4.2, Qualcomm Incorporated, May 23-27, 2016, pp. 1-4. [cited by applicant]
Extended European Search Report received for corresponding European Patent Application No. 20174684.9, dated Oct. 28, 2020, 8 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report and Written Opinion received for corresponding Patent Cooperation Treaty Application No. PCT/EP2021/059766, dated Jun. 17, 2021, 10 pages. [cited by applicant]
Office action received for corresponding Chinese Patent Application No. 202080101604.9, dated Apr. 26, 2024, 9 pages of office action and no page of translation available. [cited by applicant]