Expanded signaling capability for network element, user equipment and system

Abstract

Several mobile station identifiers are allocated to one mobile station, one for each of a plurality of possible signalling channel structures, parameters, or both. When receiving the signalling channels, the mobile station searches for all identifiers allocated for it in the received signalling channels. When it finds one that matches, it may for instance check a mapping table (agreed at the connection setup between mobile station and the network by RRC signalling) to determine what this identifier means. The signalling channel structure, parameters, or both, used in the transmission may be implicitly or explicitly indicated by the identifier. The mobile station (User Equipment) should monitor the signalling channels in the normal way. Instead of looking for only one identifier, however, the mobile station should monitor several identifiers belonging to it.

1 . Method comprising:
 receiving, in user equipment, radio signalling from a radio access network over a wireless interface concerning parameters needed to recover data in a data channel arriving after said signalling wherein said signalling is distinguishable by a user equipment identifier for said user equipment having assigned thereto multiple user equipment identifiers, and   carrying out a downlink carrier assignment in said user equipment according to said signalling for receiving said data channel in said user equipment.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , using explicit signalling where a user equipment identifier in said signalling explicitly indicates the downlink carrier on which the user equipment should receive said data channel. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , using implicit signalling where a channelization code is used for said signalling to indicate the downlink carrier on which the user equipment should receive said data channel. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user equipment identifier in the signalling is used to indicate physical layer related parameters other than the downlink carrier assignment. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the physical layer related parameter is a hybrid automatic repeat request process identifier. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the physical layer related parameter is indicative of whether the data channel carries control or data. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the physical layer related parameter is indicative of whether the transmitted signal in the data channel is a first transmission or a retransmission of transport blocks. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein several user equipment identifiers are allocated to one user equipment to indicate some parameters. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user equipment identifier is used to indicate the carrier. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user equipment identifier is used to indicate a hybrid automatic repeat request process. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user equipment identifier is used to indicate control or data. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user equipment identifier is used to indicate whether a transmission is a first transmission or a retransmission. 
   
   
       13 . Apparatus, comprising:
 user equipment receiver, responsive to radio signalling from a radio access network over a wireless interface wherein said signalling is indicative of parameters needed to recover data in a data channel arriving after said signalling wherein said signalling is distinguishable by a user equipment identifier for said user equipment having assigned thereto multiple user equipment identifiers; and   a signal processor for carrying out a downlink carrier assignment in said user equipment according to said signalling for receiving said data channel in said user equipment.   
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , using explicit signalling where a user equipment identifier in said signalling explicitly indicates the downlink carrier on which the user equipment should receive said data channel. 
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , using implicit signalling where a channelization code is used for said signalling to indicate the downlink carrier on which the user equipment should receive said data channel. 
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the user equipment identifier in the signalling is used to indicate physical layer related parameters other than the downlink carrier assignment. 
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the physical layer related parameter is a hybrid automatic repeat request process identifier. 
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the physical layer related parameter is indicative of whether the data channel carries control or data. 
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the physical layer related parameter is indicative of whether the transmitted signal in the data channel is a first transmission or a retransmission of transport blocks. 
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein several user equipment identifiers are allocated to one user equipment to indicate some parameters. 
   
   
       21 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the user equipment identifier is used to indicate the carrier. 
   
   
       22 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the user equipment identifier is used to indicate a hybrid automatic repeat request process. 
   
   
       23 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the user equipment identifier is used to indicate control or data. 
   
   
       24 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the user equipment identifier is used to indicate whether a transmission is a first transmission or a retransmission. 
   
   
       25 . Apparatus, comprising:
 means for receiving in user equipment radio signalling from a radio access network over a wireless interface concerning parameters needed to recover data in a data channel arriving after said signalling wherein said signalling is distinguishable by a user equipment identifier for said user equipment having assigned thereto multiple user equipment identifiers; and   means for carrying out a downlink carrier assignment in said user equipment according to said signalling for receiving said data channel in said user equipment.   
   
   
       26 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , using explicit signalling where a user equipment identifier in said signalling explicitly indicates the downlink carrier on which the user equipment should receive said data channel. 
   
   
       27 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , using implicit signalling where a channelization code is used for said signalling to indicate the downlink carrier on which the user equipment should receive said data channel. 
   
   
       28 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the user equipment identifier in the signalling is used to indicate physical layer related parameters other than the downlink carrier assignment. 
   
   
       29 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the physical layer related parameter is a hybrid automatic repeat request process identifier. 
   
   
       30 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the physical layer related parameter is indicative of whether the data channel carries control or data. 
   
   
       31 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the physical layer related parameter is indicative of whether the transmitted signal in the data channel is a first transmission or a retransmission of transport blocks. 
   
   
       32 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein several user equipment identifiers are allocated to one user equipment to indicate some parameters. 
   
   
       33 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the user equipment identifier is used to indicate the carrier. 
   
   
       34 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the user equipment identifier is used to indicate a hybrid automatic repeat request process. 
   
   
       35 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the user equipment identifier is used to indicate control or data. 
   
   
       36 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the user equipment identifier is used to indicate whether a transmission is a first transmission or a retransmission. 
   
   
       37 . Method for execution in user equipment in a multi-carrier system, comprising:
 user equipment receiving a radio signal on a downlink, and   carrying out a fast downlink carrier assignment in said user equipment in said multi-carrier system in response to physical layer signaling in said radio signal received on said downlink.   
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 37 , using an explicit method where a user equipment identifier in a high speed shared control channel indicates the downlink carrier on which the user equipment should receive a high speed downlink shared channel. 
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 37 , using an implicit method where a channelization code is used for high speed shared control channel to indicate the downlink carrier on which user equipment should receive a high speed downlink shared channel. 
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 37  wherein the user equipment identifier in high speed shared control channel is used to indicate physical layer related parameters other than the downlink carrier. 
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 40  wherein the physical layer related parameter is a hybrid automatic repeat request process identifier. 
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 40  wherein the physical layer related parameter is indicative of whether the a high speed downlink shared channel carries control or data. 
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 40  wherein the physical layer related parameter is indicative of whether the transmitted signal in a high speed downlink shared channel is a first transmission or a retransmission of transport blocks. 
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein several user equipment identifiers are allocated to one user equipment to indicate some parameters. 
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the user equipment identifier is used to indicate the carrier. 
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the user equipment identifier is used to indicate a hybrid automatic repeat request process. 
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the user equipment identifier is used to indicate control or data. 
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the user equipment identifier is used to indicate whether a transmission is a first transmission or a retransmission. 
   
   
       49 . User equipment for use in a multi-carrier system, comprising:
 a receiver, responsive to a radio signal on a downlink; and   a signal processor for carrying out a fast downlink carrier assignment in said user equipment in said multi-carrier system according to physical layer signaling in said radio signal on said downlink.   
   
   
       50 . The apparatus of  claim 49 , wherein said signaling is explicit, wherein a user equipment identifier indicates the carrier on which the user equipment should receive a data channel. 
   
   
       51 . The apparatus of  claim 49 , wherein said signaling is implicit, wherein a channelization code is used for encoding the signalling to indicate the downlink carrier on which the user equipment should receive a data channel. 
   
   
       52 . The apparatus of  claim 49  wherein the user equipment identifier in signalling is used to indicate physical layer related parameters other than the downlink carrier. 
   
   
       53 . The apparatus of  claim 52  wherein the physical layer related parameter is a hybrid automatic repeat request process identifier. 
   
   
       54 . The apparatus of  claim 52  wherein the physical layer related parameter is indicative of whether the data channel carries control or data. 
   
   
       55 . The apparatus of  claim 52  wherein the physical layer related parameter is indicative of whether the transmitted signal in the data channel is a first transmission or a retransmission of transport blocks. 
   
   
       56 . The apparatus of  claim 49 , wherein several user equipment identifiers are allocated to one user equipment to indicate some parameters. 
   
   
       57 . The apparatus of  claim 49 , wherein the user equipment identifier is used to indicate the carrier. 
   
   
       58 . The apparatus of  claim 49 , wherein the user equipment identifier is used to indicate a hybrid automatic repeat request process. 
   
   
       59 . The apparatus of  claim 49 , wherein the user equipment identifier is used to indicate control or data. 
   
   
       60 . The apparatus of  claim 49 , wherein the user equipment identifier is used to indicate whether a transmission is a first transmission or a retransmission. 
   
   
       61 . User equipment for use in a multi-carrier system, comprising:
 means for receiving a radio signal on a downlink in user equipment, and   means for carrying out a fast downlink carrier assignment in said user equipment in said multi-carrier system by physical layer signaling in said radio signal on said downlink.   
   
   
       62 . The apparatus of  claim 61 , using an explicit method where a user equipment identifier in said signalling indicates the downlink carrier on which the user equipment should receive a data channel. 
   
   
       63 . The apparatus of  claim 61 , using an implicit method where a channelization code is used for signalling to indicate the downlink carrier on which user equipment should receive a data channel. 
   
   
       64 . The apparatus of  claim 61  wherein the user equipment identifier in the signalling is used to indicate physical layer related parameters other than the downlink carrier. 
   
   
       65 . The apparatus of  claim 64  wherein the physical layer related parameter is a hybrid automatic repeat request process identifier. 
   
   
       66 . The apparatus of  claim 64  wherein the physical layer related parameter is indicative of whether the data channel carries control or data. 
   
   
       67 . The apparatus of  claim 64  wherein the physical layer related parameter is indicative of whether the transmitted signal in the data channel is a first transmission or a retransmission of transport blocks. 
   
   
       68 . The apparatus of  claim 61 , wherein several user equipment identifiers are allocated to one user equipment to indicate some parameters. 
   
   
       69 . The apparatus of  claim 61 , wherein the user equipment identifier is used to indicate the carrier. 
   
   
       70 . The apparatus of  claim 61 , wherein the user equipment identifier is used to indicate a hybrid automatic repeat request process. 
   
   
       71 . The apparatus of  claim 61 , wherein the user equipment identifier is used to indicate control or data. 
   
   
       72 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein the user equipment identifier is used to indicate whether a transmission is a first transmission or a retransmission.