Method and apparatus for enhancing control channel transmission

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses are provided that include enhancing decoding of multicast broadcast control communications, which can be of a relatively large size. A configuration message related to a broadcast channel structure can be received in multiple instances and/or segmented data units. A receiver can combine multiple instances and/or accumulate segmented data units to obtain and/or decode a control channel over which the configuration message is communicated. Communicating segmented data units of the configuration message can allow a broadcast station to utilize a lower data rate, more reliable modulation and coding scheme to encode the configuration message.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for decoding multicast broadcast control data in a wireless network, comprising:
 receiving a first control data signal in a first multicast control channel (MCCH) repetition period of a MCCH modification period;   receiving a second control data signal instance in a second MCCH repetition period of the MCCH modification period;   combining the first control data signal instance and the second control data signal instance to generate a combined signal; and   decoding the combined signal to acquire the MCCH.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving a third control data signal instance in a third MCCH repetition period of the MCCH modification period, wherein the combining further comprises combining the third control data signal instance with at least one of the first control data signal instance or the second control data signal instance to generate the combined signal. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising obtaining a configuration message for broadcast data from the MCCH. 
     
     
         4 . An apparatus for decoding multicast broadcast control data in a wireless network, comprising:
 means for receiving a first control data signal instance in a first multicast control channel (MCCH) repetition period and receiving a second control data signal instance in a second MCCH repetition period of a MCCH modification period;   means for combining the first control data signal instance and the second control data signal instance to generate a combined signal; and   means for decoding the combined signal to acquire the MCCH.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the means for receiving receives a third control data signal instance in a third MCCH repetition period of the MCCH modification period, and wherein the means for combining further combines the third control data signal instance with at least one of the first control data signal instance or the second control data signal instance to generate the combined signal. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising means for obtaining a configuration message for broadcast data from the MCCH. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:
 at least one processor configured to:
 receive a first control data signal instance in a first multicast control channel (MCCH) repetition period of a MCCH modification period; 
 receive a second control data signal instance in a second MCCH repetition period of the MCCH modification period; 
 combine the first control data signal instance and the second control data signal instance to generate a combined signal; and 
 decode the combined signal to acquire the MCCH; and 
   a memory coupled to the at least one processor.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to receive a third control data signal instance in a third MCCH repetition period of the MCCH modification period, and wherein the at least one processor combines the third control data signal instance with at least one of the first control data signal instance or the second control data signal instance to generate the combined signal. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to obtain a configuration message for broadcast data from the MCCH. 
     
     
         10 . A computer program product for receiving multicast broadcast data in a wireless network, comprising:
 a computer-readable medium, comprising:
 code for causing at least one computer to receive a first control data signal instance in a first multicast control channel (MCCH) repetition period of a MCCH modification period; 
 code for causing the at least one computer to receive a second control data signal instance in a second MCCH repetition period of the MCCH modification period; 
 code for causing the at least one computer to combine the first control data signal instance and the second control data signal instance to generate a combined signal; and 
 code for causing the at least one computer to decode the combined signal to acquire the MCCH. 
   
     
     
         11 . The computer program product of  claim 10 , wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the at least one computer to receive a third control data signal instance in a third MCCH repetition period of the MCCH modification period, and wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to combine further combines the third control data signal instance with at least one of the first control data signal instance or the second control data signal instance to generate the combined signal. 
     
     
         12 . The computer program product of  claim 10 , further comprising code for obtaining a configuration message for broadcast data from the MCCH. 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus for decoding multicast broadcast control data in a wireless network, comprising:
 a receiving component for receiving a first control data signal instance in a first multicast control channel (MCCH) repetition period and receiving a second control data signal instance in a second MCCH repetition period of a MCCH modification period;   a channel instance combining component for combining the first control data signal instance and the second control data signal instance to generate a combined signal; and   a modulation and coding scheme decoding component for decoding the combined signal to acquire the MCCH.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the receiving component receives a third control data signal instance in a third MCCH repetition period of a MCCH modification period, and wherein the channel instance combining component further combines the third control data signal instance with at least one of the first control data signal instance or the second control data signal instance to generate the combined signal. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising a configuration message obtaining component for obtaining a configuration message for broadcast data from the MCCH.