Multi-band channel aggregation

Abstract

Multiple channels are aggregated. In an example embodiment, first data is transmitted on a first channel to a wireless device, and second data is simultaneously transmitted on a second channel to the wireless device. The first data and the second data are transmitted in a coordinated manner by aggregating the first channel and the second channel. Various example channel characteristics and combinations thereof are described. Different data allocation options for aggregated channels are described. Other alternative implementations are also presented herein.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A base station comprising:
 a processor configured to separate downlink data for a single service into at least a first portion of the downlink data and a second portion of the downlink data; and   a transmit unit;   the transmit unit and the processor are configured to transmit, to a wireless device, control data via control channels over at least a first communication channel or a second communication channel, the control data including a first assignment of downlink resources for the first communication channel and a second assignment of downlink resources for the second communication channel; wherein the first communication channel and the second communication channel have different carrier frequencies; wherein the first assignment of downlink resources indicates assigned orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDM) subcarriers of the first communication channel and the second assignment of downlink resources indicates assigned OFDM subcarriers of the second communication channel; and   the transmit unit and the processor are further configured to transmit, to the wireless device, the first portion of the downlink data on at least a portion of the assigned OFDM subcarriers of the first communication channel and to transmit the second portion of the downlink data on at least a portion of the assigned OFDM subcarriers of the second communication channel; wherein some of the first portion of the downlink data is transmitted at least in part simultaneously on the first communication channel with the second portion of the downlink data transmitted on the second communication channel.   
     
     
         2 . The base station of  claim 1  wherein the transmit unit and the processor are further configured to transmit, to the wireless device, the first portion of the downlink data and the second portion of the downlink data with automatic repeat request (ARQ) sequence numbers, wherein the ARQ sequence numbers enable the wireless device to combine the first portion of the downlink data with the second portion of the downlink data. 
     
     
         3 . The base station of  claim 1  wherein the first communication channel and the second communication channel are in different frequency bands. 
     
     
         4 . The base station of  claim 1  further comprising a receive unit; wherein the receive unit and the processor are configured to receive, from the wireless device, an indication that the wireless device is capable of channel aggregation. 
     
     
         5 . The base station of  claim 1  wherein the transmit unit and the processor are further configured to use a single medium access control (MAC) layer for processing the downlink data for transmission via both the first communication channel and the second communication channel. 
     
     
         6 . The base station of  claim 1  wherein the transmit unit and the processor are further configured to schedule transmission of the downlink data on a subframe basis. 
     
     
         7 . The base station of  claim 1  wherein some of the first portion of the downlink data is Frequency Division Duplexed (FDD) and some of the second portion of the downlink data is Time Division Duplexed (TDD). 
     
     
         8 . The base station of  claim 1 , wherein the base station corresponds to a first cell, and wherein the transmit unit and the processor are further configured coordinate transmission of the downlink data for the single service with additional downlink data for the single service that is transmitted from a second cell. 
     
     
         9 . The base station of  claim 1  wherein the transmit unit and the processor are further configured to transmit the control data via the first communication channel and not via the second communication channel. 
     
     
         10 . A method for use by a base station, the method comprising:
 separating downlink data for a single service into at least a first portion of the downlink data and a second portion of the downlink data;   transmitting, to a wireless device, control data via control channels over at least a first communication channel or a second communication channel, the control data including a first assignment of downlink resources for the first communication channel and a second assignment of downlink resources for the second communication channel; wherein the first communication channel and the second communication channel have different carrier frequencies; wherein the first assignment of downlink resources indicates assigned orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDM) subcarriers of the first communication channel and the second assignment of downlink resources indicates assigned OFDM subcarriers of the second communication channel; and   transmitting, to the wireless device, the first portion of the downlink data on at least a portion of the assigned OFDM subcarriers of the first communication channel and to transmit the second portion of the downlink data on at least a portion of the assigned OFDM subcarriers of the second communication channel; wherein some of the first portion of the downlink data is transmitted at least in part simultaneously on the first communication channel with the second portion of the downlink data transmitted on the second communication channel.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 transmitting, to the wireless device, the first portion of the downlink data and the second portion of the downlink data with automatic repeat request (ARQ) sequence numbers, wherein the ARQ sequence numbers enable the wireless device to combine the first portion of the downlink data with the second portion of the downlink data.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the first communication channel and the second communication channel are in different frequency bands. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising receiving, from the wireless device, an indication that the wireless device is capable of channel aggregation. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising using a single medium access control (MAC) layer for processing the downlink data for transmission via both the first communication channel and the second communication channel. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising scheduling transmission of the downlink data on a subframe basis. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10  wherein some of the first portion of the downlink data is Frequency Division Duplexed (FDD) and some of the second portion of the downlink data is Time Division Duplexed (TDD). 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the downlink data for the single service is transmitted from a first cell, and wherein the method further comprises coordinating transmission of the downlink data for the single service with additional downlink data for the single service that is transmitted from a second cell. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising transmitting the control data via the first communication channel and not via the second communication channel.