Semi-static resource allocation to support coordinated multipoint (CoMP) transmission in a wireless communication network

1. A method for wireless communication, comprising:

determining a semi-static configuration comprising resource elements available to a set of cells to send a Coordinated MultiPoint (CoMP) transmission to a user equipment (UE), wherein the available resource elements are determined based on a maximum number of time division multiplexed (TDM) control symbols determined for all cells in the set; and

sending data on the available resource elements to the UE for the CoMP transmission.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

sending information indicative of the semi-static configuration to the UE, wherein the semi-static configuration is valid for a plurality of subframes in which the CoMP transmission is sent.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the maximum number of TDM control symbols for all cells in the set is determined based on a requested maximum number of TDM control symbols from each cell in the set.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

sending up to the maximum number of TDM control symbols in each subframe in which the CoMP transmission is sent.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the semi-static configuration further comprises

determining resource elements used for cell-specific reference signals by the cells in the set, and

determining the available resource elements based further on the resource elements used for the cell-specific reference signals.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

sending a cell-specific reference signal multiplexed with the data for the CoMP transmission, wherein the cells in the set transmit cell-specific reference signals aligned in time and frequency on a single set of resource elements.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cells in the set are assigned cell identities (IDs) that map to a single set of resource elements for cell-specific reference signals.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of sets of cells are predefined, each set including cells with cell identities (IDs) that map to a single set of resource elements for cell-specific reference signals, and wherein the set of cells is one of the plurality of sets of cells.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of cells is among a larger group of cells using a common set of resource elements for cell-specific reference signals.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

sending a UE-specific reference signal for the CoMP transmission, wherein the cells in the set transmit UE-specific reference signals aligned in time and frequency on a single set of resource elements to the UE.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

scrambling the UE-specific reference signal based on a scrambling code assigned to the set of cells for the UE.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sending data comprises sending the data on the available resource elements in a data zone of a multicast/broadcast single frequency network (MBSFN) subframe to the UE for the CoMP transmission, wherein the MBSFN subframe includes no cell-specific reference signals in the data zone.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sending data comprises sending the data on the available resource elements in a blank subframe to the UE for the CoMP transmission, wherein the blank subframe includes no cell-specific reference signals and no control information for other UEs.

14. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

means for determining a semi-static configuration comprising resource elements available to a set of cells to send Coordinated MultiPoint (CoMP) transmission to a user equipment (UE), wherein the available resource elements are determined based on a maximum number of time division multiplexed (TDM) control symbols determined for all cells in the set; and

means for sending data on the available resource elements to the UE for the CoMP transmission.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising:

means for sending information indicative of the semi-static configuration to the UE, wherein the semi-static configuration is valid for a plurality of subframes in which the CoMP transmission is sent.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the means for determining the semi-static configuration further comprises

means for determining resource elements used for cell-specific reference signals by the cells in the set, and

means for determining the available resource elements based further on the resource elements used for the cell-specific reference signals.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising:

means for sending a cell-specific reference signal multiplexed with the data for the CoMP transmission, wherein the cells in the set transmit cell-specific reference signals aligned in time and frequency on a single set of resource elements.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising:

means for sending a UE-specific reference signal for the CoMP transmission, wherein the cells in the set transmit UE-specific reference signals aligned in time and frequency on a single set of resource elements to the UE.

19. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the maximum number of TDM control symbols for all cells in the set is determined based on a requested maximum number of TDM control symbols from each cell in the set.

20. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the means for sending are operative to send up to the maximum number of TDM control symbols in each subframe in which the CoMP transmission is sent.

21. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the means for sending data are operative to send the data on the available resource elements in a data zone of a multicast/broadcast single frequency network (MBSFN) subframe to the UE for the CoMP transmission, wherein the MBSFN subframe includes no cell-specific reference signals in the data zone.

22. The method of claim 14 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to send the data on the available resource elements in a blank subframe to the UE for the CoMP transmission, wherein the blank subframe includes no cell-specific reference signals and no control information for other UEs.

23. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

at least one processor configured to determine a semi-static configuration comprising resource elements available to a set of cells to send Coordinated MultiPoint (CoMP) transmission to a user equipment (UE), wherein the available resource elements are determined based on a maximum number of time division multiplexed (TDM) control symbols determined for all cells in the set, and to control sending data on the available resource elements to the UE for the CoMP transmission.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to control sending information indicative of the semi-static configuration to the UE, and wherein the semi-static configuration is valid for a plurality of subframes in which the CoMP transmission is sent.

25. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine resource elements used for cell-specific reference signals by the cells in the set, and to determine the available resource elements based further on the resource elements used for the cell-specific reference signals.

26. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to control sending a cell-specific reference signal multiplexed with the data for the CoMP transmission, and wherein the cells in the set transmit cell-specific reference signals aligned in time and frequency on a single set of resource elements.

27. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to control sending a UE-specific reference signal for the CoMP transmission, and wherein the cells in the set transmit UE-specific reference signals aligned in time and frequency on a single set of resource elements to the UE.

28. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the maximum number of TDM control symbols for all cells in the set is determined based on a requested maximum number of TDM control symbols from each cell in the set.

29. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to control sending up to the maximum number of TDM control symbols in each subframe in which the CoMP transmission is sent.

30. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to control sending the data on the available resource elements in a data zone of a multicast/broadcast single frequency network (MBSFN) subframe to the UE for the CoMP transmission, wherein the MBSFN subframe includes no cell-specific reference signals in the data zone.

31. The method of claim 23 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to control sending the data on the available resource elements in a blank subframe to the UE for the CoMP transmission, wherein the blank subframe includes no cell-specific reference signals and no control information for other UEs.

32. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising:

code for causing at least one computer to determine a semi-static configuration comprising resource elements available to a set of cells to send Coordinated MultiPoint (CoMP) transmission to a user equipment (UE), wherein the available resource elements are determined based on a maximum number of time division multiplexed (TDM) control symbols determined for all cells in the set, and

code for causing the at least one computer to control sending data on the available resource elements to the UE for the CoMP transmission.