Multiple Uplink Control Channel Transmission with Reduced Cubic Metric

Abstract

It is determined that there are X uplink control channel resources available for uplink signaling. Each of those X uplink control channel resources are sub-channelized into a plurality of sub-channels that each defines a unique time instant or point in time. For each of Y units of control information there is selected a unique combination of one of the sub-channels and a modulation (X and Y are each integers greater than one). The Y units of control information are sent on the X uplink control channel resources according to the respectively selected combinations. By example the uplink resources may be an ACK/NAK/DTX bit on a of one of the sub-channels and a modulation PUCCH. In one example the sub-channels are individual slots of a PUCCH. In another example the sub-channels are the reference-signal part and the data part of a single PUCCH slot.

1 . An apparatus comprising:
 at least one processor; and   at least one memory storing computer program instructions;   in which the at least one memory, with the computer program instructions, is configured with the at least one processor to cause the apparatus at least to:   determine that there are X uplink control channel resources available for uplink signaling;   sub-channelize each of the X uplink control channel resources into a plurality of sub-channels that each defines a unique time instant;   select for each of Y units of control information a unique combination of one of the sub-channels and a modulation, in which X and Y are each integers greater than one; and   send the Y units of control information on the X uplink control channel resources according to the respectively selected combinations.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , in which the plurality of sub-channels comprise a data part and a reference signal part of an individual slot. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , in which the plurality of sub-channels comprise different slots, and the slots are adjacent to one another. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , in which the uplink control channel resources are PUCCH format 1a or 1b resources, and the number of sub-channels is equal to twice the number X of the plurality of available PUCCH resources. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 4 , in which Y=2X. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , in which the uplink signaling is at least one of ACK, NAK and DTX signaling, and each of the units of control information is one bit. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , in which each modulation is associated in the at least one memory with pairs/groups of uplink resources, and the modulation is determined by accessing the at least one memory using the available uplink resources. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , in which the apparatus comprises a user equipment operating in a LTE system. 
     
     
         9 . A method comprising:
 determining that there are X uplink control channel resources available for uplink signaling;   sub-channelizing each of the X uplink control channel resources into a plurality of sub-channels that each defines a unique time instant;   selecting for each of Y units of control information a unique combination of one of the sub-channels and a modulation, in which X and Y are each integers greater than one; and   sending the Y units of control information on the X uplink control channel resources according to the respectively selected combinations.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , in which the plurality of sub-channels comprise a data part and a reference signal part of an individual slot. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 9 , in which the plurality of sub-channels comprise different slots, and the slots are adjacent to one another. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 9 , in which the uplink control channel resources are PUCCH format 1a or 1b resources, and the number of sub-channels is equal to twice the number X of the plurality of available PUCCH resources. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , in which Y=2X. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 9 , in which the uplink signaling is at least one of ACK, NAK and DTX signaling, and each of the units of control information is one bit. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 9 , in which each modulation is associated in a computer readable memory with pairs/groups of uplink resources, and the modulation is determined by accessing the computer readable memory using the available uplink resources. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 9 , executed by a user equipment operating in a LTE system. 
     
     
         17 . A computer readable memory storing computer program instructions which when executed by at least one processor result in actions comprising:
 determining that there are X uplink control channel resources available for uplink signaling;   sub-channelizing each of the X uplink control channel resources into a plurality of sub-channels that each defines a unique time instant;   selecting for each of Y units of control information a unique combination of one of the sub-channels and a modulation, in which X and Y are each integers greater than one; and   sending the Y units of control information on the X uplink control channel resources according to the respectively selected combinations.   
     
     
         18 . The computer readable memory according to  claim 17 , in which the plurality of sub-channels comprise a data part and a reference signal part of an individual slot. 
     
     
         19 . The computer readable memory according to  claim 17 , in which the plurality of sub-channels comprise different slots, and the slots are adjacent to one another. 
     
     
         20 . The computer readable memory according to  claim 17 , in which:
 the uplink control channel resources are PUCCH format 1a or 1b resources;   the number of sub-channels is equal to twice the number X of the plurality of available PUCCH resources;   the uplink signaling is at least one of ACK, NAK and DTX signaling; and each of the units of control information is one bit.