Method of sending feedback information in a fast automatic repeat request forming part of an overall wireless communication system

Abstract

A method of sending feedback information in a fast physical layer hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) for frequency division duplex communications that form an overall wireless communication system is described in which the received packets are acknowledged by transmitting feedback data to the sender, wherein the acknowledgement comprises the reservation of obtaining a plurality of slots in the uplink/downlink dedicated channel radio frame for the feedback data alone. It is also directed to the transmission of feedback data used in specified slots within each radio frame, wherein the first slot used is based upon the time offset between uplink and downlink channels, as well as based upon the time required for de-interleaving, de-ratematching, decoding and error checking. In an alternative embodiment, the method uses dedicated physical control channel (DPCCH) bits in at least some of the slots for transmitting such feedback data to the sender.

1. A method of sending feedback information in a fast hybrid automatic repeat request for frequency division duplex or time division duplex communication that form an overall wireless communication system having uplink traffic and downlink traffic transmitted in a plurality of slots forming a frame, comprising the steps of:
 receiving packets at a receiver, where the received packets are then de-interleaved, de-ratematched, decoded and monitored for error detection; and 
 acknowledging the received packets by transmitting feedback data to the a sender of the packets, said acknowledgement comprising the reservation of a plurality of slots in the uplink or downlink dedicated physical channel radio frame for the feedback data, so that the feedback data is sent in the fast hybrid automatic repeat request at a physical layer instead of a link layer. 
 
     
     
       2. A method according to  claim 1 , where there are N slots per frame and wherein the feedback data is transmitted in slots N 1  to N 2 −1 and the data in the uplink or downlink direction are transmitted in slots 1 to N 2 −1 and in slots N 2  to N, where N 1 >1 and N2>N 1 +1 N 2 >N 1 +1. 
     
     
       3. A method according to  claim 2 , wherein the value of N 1  is based upon the time offset between uplink and downlink channels as well as based upon the time required for de-interleaving, de-ratematching, decoding and cyclical redundancy checking. 
     
     
       4. A method according to  claim 3 , wherein the number of slots reserved for feedback data, (N fb =N 2 −N 1 ) is a function of the size of the feedback packet. 
     
     
       5. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the value of N 1  is based upon the time offset between uplink and downlink channels as well as based upon the time required for de-interleaving, de-ratematching, decoding and cyclical redundancy checking. 
     
     
       6. A method according to  claim 5 , wherein the number of slots reserved for feedback data, (N fb =N 2 −N 1 ) is a function of the size of the feedback packet. 
     
     
       7. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of slots in the uplink or downlink dedicated physical channel radio frame for the feedback data is used for the feedback/data only. 
     
     
       8. A method of sending feedback information in a fast automatic repeat request for frequency division duplex or time division duplex communication that form an overall wireless communication system having uplink traffic and downlink traffic, transmitted in a plurality of slots forming a frame, comprising the steps of:
 receiving packets at a receiver, where the received packets are then de-interleaved, de-ratematched, decoded and monitored for error detection; and 
 using less than all of the dedicated physical control channel (DPCCH) bits in at least some of the slots for transmitting the feedback data to the sender, so that the feedback data is sent in the fast hybrid automatic repeat request at the physical layer instead of a link layer. 
 
     
     
       9. A method according to  claim 8 , wherein if more than a few feedback bits are required, than the spreading factor (SF) of the DPCCH dedicated physical control channel is reduced, thereby creating more bits per time slot for use at least in part as feedback bits. 
     
     
       10. A method according to  claim 8 , wherein the feedback data to be transmitted to the sender is punctured into bits of the pilot, feedback (FBI) information or transmit power control (TPC) fields in at least one time slot. 
     
     
       11. A method according to  claim 8 , wherein the feedback data to be transmitted to the sender is punctured into bits of the transport format combination indicator (TFCI) field if the number of transport format combinations needed during the connection leaves part or whole of the TFCI transport format combination indicator field unused. 
     
     
       12. A method of sending feedback information in a fast hybrid automatic repeat request for frequency division duplex or time division duplex communication that form an overall wireless communication system having uplink traffic and downlink traffic transmitted in a plurality of slots forming a frame, comprising the steps of:
 receiving packets at a receiver, where the received packets are then de-interleaved, de-ratematched, decoded and monitored for error detection; and 
 acknowledging the received packets by transmitting feedback data in a feedback channel to the a sender of the packets, wherein a space or gap for the feedback channel is generated in the same manner as a channel is generated for compressed mode, so that the feedback data is sent in the fast hybrid automatic repeat request at a physical layer instead of a link layer. 
 
     
     
       13. A method according to  claim 12 , wherein the feedback channel is generated by puncturing into fields. 
     
     
       14. A method according to  claim 13 , wherein the fields are control fields. 
     
     
       15. A method according to  claim 14 , wherein the fields are control fields and/or data fields. 
     
     
       16. A method according to  claim 13 , wherein the feedback data can be delayed and therefore presented in a later frame. 
     
     
       17. A method according to  claim 12 , wherein the feedback channel can be generated by higher layer scheduling. 
     
     
       18. A method of sending feedback data in a fast hybrid automatic repeat request within a wireless communication system, comprising:
 receiving packets at a receiver, where the received packets are then de-interleaved, de-ratematched, decoded and monitored for error detection: and   acknowledging the received packets by transmitting an acknowledgement to a sender of the packets,   wherein the acknowledgement comprises full or partial reservation of an at least one slot in an uplink or a downlink dedicated physical channel radio frame for a feedback data, and   wherein the feedback data of the acknowledgement is contained in the at least one slot reserved fully or partially for said acknowledgement, so that the feedback data is sent in the fast hybrid automatic repeat request at the a physical layer instead of a link layer.   
     
     
       19. A method according to claim 18, where there are N slots per radio frame and wherein the feedback data is transmitted in slots N 1  to N 2 −1 and the data in the uplink or downlink direction are transmitted in slots N 2  to N, and N 2 >N 1 +1. 
     
     
       20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the value of N 1  is based upon the time offset between uplink and downlink channels as well as based upon the time required for de-interleaving, de-ratematching, decoding and cyclical redundancy checking. 
     
     
       21. A method according to claim 20, wherein the number of slots reserved for feedback data, N fb =N 2 −N 1 , is a function of the size of the feedback data. 
     
     
       22. The method of claim 19, wherein N is less than or equal to fifteen. 
     
     
       23. The method of claim 19, wherein the feedback data is transmitted in one of the slots forming the dedicated physical channel. 
     
     
       24. The method of claim 19, wherein N 1 >1, and wherein the data in the uplink or downlink direction are also transmitted in slots 1 to N 1 −1. 
     
     
       25. A method according to claim 18, wherein the value of N 1  is based upon the time offset between uplink and downlink channels as well as based upon the time required for de-interleaving, de-ratematching, decoding and cyclical redundancy checking. 
     
     
       26. A method according to claim 25, wherein the number of slots reserved for feedback data N fb =N 2 −N 1 , is a function of the size of the feedback data. 
     
     
       27. A method according to claim 18, wherein the at least one slot in the uplink or downlink dedicated physical channel radio frame for the feedback data is used for the feedback data only. 
     
     
       28. A method according to claim 18, wherein the uplink or downlink dedicated physical channel is an uplink or a downlink dedicated physical control channel. 
     
     
       29. A method according to claim 28, wherein said partial reservation of the at least one slot comprises using less than all of the dedicated physical control channel bits in the at least one slot for transmitting the feedback data to the sender. 
     
     
       30. A method according to claim 29, wherein if more than a few feedback bits are required, then the spreading factor of the dedicated physical control channel is reduced, thereby creating more bits per time slot for use at least in part as feedback bits. 
     
     
       31. A method according to claim 29, wherein the feedback data to be transmitted to the sender is punctured into bits of the pilot, feedback or transmit power control fields in the at least one time slot. 
     
     
       32. A method according to claim 29, wherein the feedback data to be transmitted to the sender is punctured into bits of the transport format combination indicator field if the number of transport format combinations needed during the connection leaves part or whole of the transport format combination indicator field unused. 
     
     
       33. The method according to claim 18, wherein the feedback channel is generated for compressed mode, by puncturing or higher layer scheduling. 
     
     
       34. A method according to claim 33, wherein the feedback channel is generated by puncturing into fields. 
     
     
       35. A method according to claim 34, wherein the fields are control fields. 
     
     
       36. A method according to claim 35, wherein the fields are control fields and/or data fields. 
     
     
       37. A method according to claim 34, wherein the feedback data can be delayed and therefore presented in a later frame. 
     
     
       38. A method according to claim 33, wherein the feedback channel can be generated by higher layer scheduling. 
     
     
       39. The method of claim 18, wherein the reservation of the at least one slot entails taking capacity from data traffic or control traffic in order to provide the feedback data. 
     
     
       40. The method of claim 18, wherein other data is transmitted in remaining slots or parts of slots. 
     
     
       41. The method of claim 18, wherein the error detection comprises cyclical redundancy checking. 
     
     
       42. The method of claim 18, wherein rate matching is combined with feedback data. 
     
     
       43. The method according to claim 18, wherein the uplink or downlink dedicated physical channel is an uplink or a downlink dedicated physical data channel. 
     
     
       44. The method of claim 18, wherein the acknowledgment having the feedback data is required by the hybrid automatic repeat request. 
     
     
       45. The method of claim 18, wherein the feedback in the dedicated physical channel is uplinked in response to a downlink transmission. 
     
     
       46. The method of claim 18, wherein the method is for frequency division duplex or time division duplex communication. 
     
     
       47. A system for sending feedback data in a fast hybrid automatic repeat request within a wireless communication network, the system comprising:
 a receiver for receiving packets, wherein the received packets are then de-interleaved, de-ratematched, decoded and monitored for error detection:   a transmitter for acknowledging the received packets by transmitting an acknowledgement to a sender of the packets,   wherein the acknowledgement comprises full or partial reservation of the at least one slot in an uplink or a downlink dedicated physical channel radio frame for a feedback data, and   wherein the feedback data of the acknowledgement is contained in a at least one slot reserved fully or partially for said acknowledgement, so that the feedback data is sent in the fast hybrid automatic repeat request at the a physical layer instead of a link layer.   
     
     
       48. A mobile terminal for utilizing feedback data in a fast hybrid automatic repeat request within a wireless communication network, the mobile terminal comprising:
 a receiver for receiving packets, wherein the received packets are then de-interleaved, de-ratematched, decoded and monitored for error detection;   a transmitter for acknowledging the received packets by transmitting an acknowledgement to a sender of the packets,   wherein the acknowledgement comprises full or partial reservation of a at least one slot in an uplink or a downlink dedicated physical channel radio frame for the feedback data, and   wherein the feedback data of the acknowledgement is contained in the at least one slot reserved fully or partially for said acknowledgement, so that the feedback data is sent in the fast hybrid automatic repeat request at the a physical layer instead of a link layer.   
     
     
       49. A network element for utilizing feedback information in a fast hybrid automatic repeat request within a wireless communication, the network element comprising:
 a receiver for receiving packets, wherein the received packets are then de-interleaved, de-ratematched, decoded and monitored for error detection;   a transmitter for acknowledging the received packets by transmitting an acknowledgement to a sender of the packets,   wherein the acknowledgement comprises full or partial reservation of the at least one slot in an uplink or a downlink dedicated physical channel radio frame for a feedback data, and   wherein the feedback data of the acknowledgement is contained in the at least one slot reserved fully or partially for said acknowledgement, so that the feedback data is sent in the fast hybrid automatic repeat request at a physical layer instead of a link layer.   
     
     
       50. The network element of claim 49, wherein the network element is a base station or a radio network controller.