Methods, apparatuses, system, and related computer program product for resource allocation

Abstract

Respective demodulation reference signals (DM RS) of a user bandwidth can be cyclically shifted with respect to each other. An uplink scheduling grant may include an index for a DM RS resource having a cyclic shift and an orthogonal cover code or interleaved frequency division multiple comb. A usage orthogonal cover or interleaved frequency division multiple comb may be configured using radio resource control message and may optionally be tied statically into DM RS resources. At least some of respective demodulation reference signals of the at least two user bandwidths may be mutually orthogonal.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method, comprising:
 cyclically shifting with respect to each other, demodulation reference signals of one user bandwidth,; and 
 generating resource block allocation for at least two terminals in such a manner that a first resource block allocation for one of the at least two terminals is different from a second resource block allocation for another of the at least two terminals; and 
 sending the resource block allocation generated, 
 wherein respective demodulation reference signals of at least two user bandwidths are mutually orthogonal based on at least one of an orthogonal cover code and a resource block-wise spreading code, 
 wherein different terminals can have either identical or different bandwidth allocation, and 
 wherein each of the at least two terminals has at least two user bandwidths and the resource block allocation designates at least one of the user bandwidths. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , comprising:
 generating resource block allocation for at least two terminals in such a manner that a first resource block allocation for one of the at least two terminals is different from a second resource block allocation for another of the at least two terminals; and   sending the resource block allocation generated.   
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein different terminals can have either identical or different bandwidth allocation, and   wherein each of the at least two terminals has at least two user bandwidths and the resource block allocation designates at least one of the user bandwidths.   
     
     
       4. The method according to claim  3  1, wherein the resource block allocation is mutually different and constitutes a fractional rank. 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the fractional rank is adjusted according to at least one current channel used by the at least two terminals. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 5 , wherein a first number of orthogonal demodulation reference signals having different overlapping bandwidth allocation is equal to or smaller than a second number of demodulation reference signal blocks in a transmission time interval. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the respective demodulation reference signals are mutually orthogonal based on interleaved frequency division multiple access. 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 7 , A method, comprising:
 cyclically shifting with respect to each other, demodulation reference signals of one user bandwidth, 
 wherein respective demodulation reference signals of at least two user bandwidths are mutually orthogonal based on at least one of an orthogonal cover code and a resource block-wise spreading code, 
 wherein the respective demodulation reference signals are mutually orthogonal based on interleaved frequency division multiple access, and 
 wherein a number of the respective demodulation reference signals is equal to an applied repetition factor. 
 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 8 , further comprising sending an uplink scheduling grant. 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein the uplink scheduling grant includes an index for a demodulation reference signal resource having a cyclic shift and an orthogonal cover code, and 
 wherein a usage orthogonal cover is configured using a radio resource control message. 
 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein the uplink scheduling grant includes an index for a demodulation reference signals resource having a cyclic shift and an orthogonal cover code, and 
 wherein a usage orthogonal cover or an interleaved frequency division multiple access comb is tied statically into demodulation reference signal resources. 
 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising receiving respective allocation requests from at least two terminals indicating required resources for an intended uplink transmission of the at least two terminals. 
     
     
       13. An apparatus, comprising:
 a sender cyclically shifting with respect to each other, demodulation reference signals of one user bandwidth,   said sender including:
 means for generating the demodulation reference signals, and 
 means for sending the demodulation reference signals over the one user bandwidth with the demodulation reference signals cyclically shifted with respect to each other, and 
   wherein respective demodulation reference signals are mutually orthogonal based on one of an orthogonal cover code and a resource block-wise spreading code.   
     
     
       14. The apparatus according to  claim 13 , further comprising means for sending an uplink scheduling grant. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the apparatus allocates resources for at least two terminals, and
 further comprising means for receiving respective allocation requests from the at least two terminals indicating required resources for an intended uplink transmission of the at least two terminals.   
     
     
       16. The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the apparatus performs multi bandwidth multi-user multiple input multiple output. 
     
     
       17. An apparatus allocating resource blocks for at least two terminals, comprising:
 means for generating resource block allocation for the at least two terminals with a first resource block allocation for one of the at least two terminals different from a second resource block allocation for another one of the at least two terminals; and   means for sending the resource block allocation generated by said generating means, and   wherein each of the at least two terminals is configured for at least two user bandwidths and said generating means generates the resource block allocation designating at least one of the two user bandwidths.   
     
     
       18. The apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein said generating means generates the first and second resource block allocations mutually different with a fractional rank. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein said generating means adjusts the fractional rank according to at least one current channel used by the at least two terminals. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus according to any one of  claim 19 , wherein said generating means and said sending means operate based on respective demodulation reference signals of the at least two user bandwidths being mutually orthogonal. 
     
     
       21. The apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein a first number of the demodulation reference signals is equal to or smaller than a second number of demodulation reference signal blocks in a transmission time interval. 
     
     
       22. The apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the respective demodulation reference signals are mutually orthogonal based on interleaved frequency division multiple access. 
     
     
       23. The apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein a number of the demodulation reference signals is equal to an applied repetition factor. 
     
     
       24. The apparatus according to  claim 23 , further comprising means for sending an uplink scheduling grant. 
     
     
       25. The apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein the uplink scheduling grant is included in a radio resource control message, and includes a cyclic shift and an orthogonal cover code. 
     
     
       26. The apparatus according to  claim 24 ,
 wherein the uplink scheduling grant includes at least one of an index for a demodulation reference signal resource having a cyclic shift and an orthogonal cover code or an interleaved frequency division multiple access comb, and   wherein at least one of a usage orthogonal cover and the interleaved frequency division multiple access comb is configured using a radio resource control message.   
     
     
       27. The apparatus according to any  claim 26 , wherein the uplink scheduling grant is included in a radio resource control message, and includes the cyclic shift and an orthogonal comb position. 
     
     
       28. The apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein at least one of the usage orthogonal cover and an interleaved frequency division multiple access component is tied statically into demodulation reference signal resources. 
     
     
       29. The apparatus according to  claim 28 , further comprising means for receiving respective allocation requests from the at least two terminals indicating required resources for an intended uplink transmission of the at least two terminals. 
     
     
       30. The apparatus according to  claim 29 , wherein the apparatus performs multi bandwidth multi-user multiple input multiple output. 
     
     
       31. The apparatus according to  claim 29 , wherein the at least two terminals are user equipment. 
     
     
       32. The apparatus according to  claim 29 , wherein the apparatus is one of a base station and a radio resource controller. 
     
     
       33. The apparatus according to  claim 29 , wherein the apparatus is user equipment. 
     
     
       34. The apparatus according to  claim 33 , wherein the apparatus is implemented in one of a chipset and a module. 
     
     
       35. A method, comprising at least one of:
 receiving an uplink scheduling grant including at least one of a cyclic shift, an orthogonal cover code, an index for a demodulation reference signal resource having a cyclic shift, and an orthogonal cover code or an interleaved frequency division multiple access comb; and   receiving a resource block allocations, including a first resource block allocation for one of at least two terminals that is different from a second resource block allocation for another one of the at least two terminals, and allocating resource blocks for the one of the at least two terminals.   
     
     
       36. An apparatus allocating resource blocks for one of at least two terminals, comprising
 at least one of:
 means for generating demodulation reference signals of one user bandwidth with respective demodulation reference signals cyclically shifted with respect to each other, and 
 means for using the demodulation reference signals generated; and 
 means for receiving a resource block allocation for one of the at least two terminals that is different from another resource block allocation for another one of the at least two terminals, and 
 means for allocating the resource blocks for the one of the at least two terminals, and 
   wherein respective demodulation reference signals of at least two user bandwidths are mutually orthogonal based on at least one of an orthogonal cover code and a resource block-wise spreading code, and   wherein each of the at least two terminals is configured for the at least two user bandwidths and means for allocating the resource blocks allocates the resource block for at least one of the two user bandwidths.   
     
     
       37. The apparatus according to  claim 36 , wherein the apparatus performs multi bandwidth multi-user multiple input multiple output. 
     
     
       38. The apparatus according to  claim 36 , wherein the at least two terminals are user equipment. 
     
     
       39. The apparatus according to  claim 38 , wherein the apparatus is implemented as a chipset or module. 
     
     
       40. A system, comprising:
 a sender cyclically shifting with respect to each other, demodulation reference signals of one user bandwidth; and   at least two apparatuses allocating resource blocks, each including at least one of:
 means for generating demodulation reference signals of one user bandwidth with respective demodulation reference signals cyclically shifted with respect to each other; and 
 means for receiving a resource block allocation that is different from another resource block allocation for another one of the at least two apparatuses and for allocating the resource blocks. 
   
     
     
       41. A computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program that when executed controls a computer to perform a method comprising:
 cyclically shifting with respect to each other, demodulation reference signals of one user bandwidth.   
     
     
       42. A computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program that when executed controls a computer to perform a method comprising at least one of:
 receiving an uplink scheduling grant including at least one of a cyclic shift, an orthogonal cover code, an index for a demodulation reference signal resource having a cyclic shift, and an orthogonal cover code or an interleaved frequency division multiple access comb; and   receiving a resource block allocations, including a first resource block allocation for one of at least two terminals that is different from a second resource block allocation for another one of the at least two terminals, and allocating resource blocks for the one of the at least two terminals.   
     
     
       43. A method comprising:
 a user equipment (UE) receiving an uplink scheduling grant including an index for a demodulation reference signal (DM RS) resource, the DM RS resource comprising a cyclic shift and an orthogonal cover code;   the UE cyclically shifting a zero-autocorrelation code by the cyclic shift to obtain a first signal;   the UE encoding the first signal over two consecutive time slots of a subframe using the orthogonal cover code to obtain a second signal; and   the UE transmitting the second signal.   
     
     
       44. The method of claim 43, wherein a usage of the orthogonal cover code is configured using a radio resource control (RRC) message received from a network. 
     
     
       45. The method of claim 43, wherein the orthogonal cover code has a length of 2. 
     
     
       46. The method of claim 45, wherein the orthogonal cover code is selected from the set {[1, 1], [1, −1]}. 
     
     
       47. The method of claim 43, further comprising the UE sending an uplink request prior to receiving the uplink scheduling grant. 
     
     
       48. The method of claim 43, wherein the uplink scheduling grant includes an allocation of resource blocks for the UE. 
     
     
       49. A method comprising:
 generating, at a base station (BS), a first uplink scheduling grant having a first index indicating a first demodulation reference signal (DM RS) resource, the first DM RS resource comprising a cyclic shift applicable to a zero-autocorrelation code and an orthogonal cover code;   sending the first uplink scheduling grant to a first user equipment (UE) in a network communication system;   receiving, following the sending, one or more first uplink signals from the first UE, at least one of the first uplink signals having at least one subframe including two consecutive time slots, each of the two consecutive time slots including a respective first DM RS corresponding to the zero-autocorrelation code cyclically shifted by the cyclic shift and encoded by the orthogonal cover code.   
     
     
       50. The method of claim 49, wherein the first uplink scheduling grant includes an allocation of resource blocks for the first UE. 
     
     
       51. The method of claim 49 further comprising:
 generating, at the BS, a second uplink scheduling grant having a second index indicating a second demodulation reference signal (DM RS) resource, the second DM RS comprising a second cyclic shift applicable to a second zero-autocorrelation code and a second orthogonal cover code;   sending the second uplink scheduling grant to a second UE in the network communication system; and   receiving, at the BS, one or more second uplink signals from the second UE, at least one of the second uplink signals having at least one subframe including two consecutive time slots, each of the two consecutive time slots including a respective second DM RS corresponding to the second zero-autocorrelation code cyclically shifted by the second cyclic shift and encoded by the second orthogonal cover code.   
     
     
       52. The method of claim 49, wherein the orthogonal cover code is of length 2. 
     
     
       53. The method of claim 52, wherein the orthogonal cover code is selected from the set {[1, 1], [1, −1]}. 
     
     
       54. The method of claim 53, further comprising demodulating the at least one first uplink signal based on at least one of said respective first DM RS of the at least one subframe. 
     
     
       55. The method of claim 54, wherein the demodulating is based on the cyclic shift and the orthogonal cover code. 
     
     
       56. The method of claim 54, wherein the demodulating is based on each respective first DM RS of the two consecutive time slots. 
     
     
       57. The method of claim 49 further comprising sending, by the BS, a radio resource control (RRC) message in the network communication system, the RRC message being adapted to configure use of the orthogonal cover code by the first UE. 
     
     
       58. The method of claim 57, wherein the RRC message is further adapted to configure use of the cyclic shift by the first UE. 
     
     
       59. The method of claim 49, further comprising receiving, at the BS, a first resource allocation request prior to sending the first uplink scheduling grant. 
     
     
       60. The method of claim 59, wherein said first resource allocation request is an uplink request.