Low bandwidth machine type communication in a long term evolution network

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and system for enabling machine type communication in a long term evolution (LTE) network environment. In one embodiment, a Physical (PHY) layer of an LTE protocol stack maps data bits in resource elements of a logical channel to resource elements of a physical channel. The PHY layer identifies the data bits intended for legacy devices but mapped to a first set of resource elements of machine type communication (MTC) devices and the data bits intended for the MTC device but mapped to the second set of resource elements of the legacy devices. Accordingly, the PHY layer remaps the data bits intended for the legacy devices to the second set of resource elements and the data bits intended for the MTC devices to the first set of resource elements prior to transmission.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method performed by a terminal in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:
 receiving, from a base station, a master information block (MIB) including first information for identifying a common control region in which a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) is to be received; and   receiving, from the base station, a system information message including second information for identifying a common search space,   wherein a frequency region of the common control region is within a bandwidth of a cell and includes consecutive physical resource blocks (PRBs), and   wherein a time region of the common control region is within three orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) modulation scheme is applied for the common control region. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the PDCCH is for scheduling the system information message. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the system information message further includes third information for identifying a random access channel (RACH) region. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 transmitting, to the base station, a signal on the RACH region; and   receiving, from the base station, a message for configuring one or more bandwidths in the bandwidth of the cell.   
     
     
         6 . A method performed by a base station in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:
 transmitting, to a terminal, a master information block (MIB) including first information for identifying a common control region in which a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) is to be transmitted; and   transmitting, to the terminal, a system information message including second information for identifying a common search space,   wherein a frequency region of the common control region is within a bandwidth of a cell and includes consecutive physical resource blocks (PRBs), and   wherein a time region of the common control region is within three orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein a quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) modulation scheme is applied for the common control region. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the PDCCH is for scheduling the system information message. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the system information message further includes third information for identifying a random access channel (RACH) region. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 receiving, from the terminal, a signal on the RACH region; and   transmitting, to the terminal, a message for configuring one or more bandwidths in the bandwidth of the cell.   
     
     
         11 . A terminal in a wireless communication system, the terminal comprising:
 a transceiver; and   a controller coupled with the transceiver and configured to:   receive, from a base station, a master information block (MIB) including first information for identifying a common control region in which a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) is to be received, and   receive, from the base station, a system information message including second information for identifying a common search space,   wherein a frequency region of the common control region is within a bandwidth of a cell and includes consecutive physical resource blocks (PRBs), and   wherein a time region of the common control region is within three orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols.   
     
     
         12 . The terminal of  claim 11 , wherein a quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) modulation scheme is applied for the common control region. 
     
     
         13 . The terminal of  claim 11 , wherein the PDCCH is for scheduling the system information message. 
     
     
         14 . The terminal of  claim 11 , wherein the system information message further includes third information for identifying a random access channel (RACH) region. 
     
     
         15 . The terminal of  claim 14 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 transmit, to the base station, a signal on the RACH region, and   receive, from the base station, a message for configuring one or more bandwidths in the bandwidth of the cell.   
     
     
         16 . A base station in a wireless communication system, the base station comprising:
 a transceiver; and   a controller coupled with the transceiver and configured to:   transmit, to a terminal, a master information block (MIB) including first information for identifying a common control region in which a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) is to be transmitted, and   transmit, to the terminal, a system information message including second information for identifying a common search space,   wherein a frequency region of the common control region is within a bandwidth of a cell and includes consecutive physical resource blocks (PRBs), and   wherein a time region of the common control region is within three orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols.   
     
     
         17 . The base station of  claim 16 , wherein a quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) modulation scheme is applied for the common control region. 
     
     
         18 . The base station of  claim 16 , wherein the PDCCH is for scheduling the system information message. 
     
     
         19 . The base station of  claim 16 , wherein the system information message further includes third information for identifying a random access channel (RACH) region. 
     
     
         20 . The base station of  claim 19 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 receive, from the terminal, a signal on the RACH region, and   transmit, to the terminal, a message for configuring one or more bandwidths in the bandwidth of the cell.