Method and apparatus for multiple carrier utilization in wireless communications

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for multiple carrier utilization in wireless communications are disclosed. These methods include multiple carrier activation/deactivation, multiple carrier discontinuous transmission (DTX) and discontinuous reception (DRX) activation/deactivation and operations, and multiple carrier acknowledgment/negative acknowledgement feedback. The methods include provisions for joint multiple carrier activation and deactivation and joint DTX and DRX activation and deactivation of multiple carriers.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for activating/deactivating multiple secondary carriers, the method comprising:
 sending an order comprising a combination of three order type bits and a combination of three order bits, wherein the combination of three order type bits and the combination of three order bits provide activation/deactivation information relating to a plurality of secondary carriers; and   receiving channel quality indicator (CQI) feedback, wherein the CQI feedback comprises CQI feedback for an activated secondary carrier and does not include CQI feedback for a deactivated secondary carrier.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the combination of three order type bits is compatible with a two carrier configuration and a four carrier configuration. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of secondary carriers includes three secondary downlink carriers. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of secondary carriers includes at least three secondary downlink carriers and at least one secondary uplink carrier. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein if the order comprises more than three order bits or more than three order type bits, the additional bits are repurposed from a transport block size information field. 
     
     
         6 . A base station comprising:
 a processor configured to:
 send an order comprising a combination of three order type bits and a combination of three order bits, wherein the combination of three order type bits and the combination of three order bits provide activation/deactivation information relating to a plurality of secondary carriers; and 
 receive channel quality indicator (CQI) feedback, wherein the CQI feedback comprises CQI feedback for an activated secondary carrier and does not include CQI feedback for a deactivated secondary carrier. 
   
     
     
         7 . The base station of  claim 6 , wherein the combination of three order type bits is compatible with a two carrier configuration and a four carrier configuration. 
     
     
         8 . The base station of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of secondary carriers includes three secondary downlink carriers. 
     
     
         9 . The base station of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of secondary carriers includes at least three secondary downlink carriers and at least one secondary uplink carrier. 
     
     
         10 . The base station of  claim 6 , wherein if the order comprises more than three order bits or more than three order type bits, the additional bits are repurposed from a transport block size information field. 
     
     
         11 . A method for activating/deactivating multiple secondary carriers, the method comprising:
 receiving an order comprising a combination of order type bits and a combination of order bits, wherein the combination of order type bits and the combination of order bits provide activation/deactivation information relating to a plurality of secondary carriers;   determining from the order one of the following: at least one secondary carrier to activate and at least one secondary carrier to deactivate, a plurality of secondary carriers to activate, or a plurality of secondary carriers to deactivate; and   performing activation/deactivation based on the determination.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the combination of order type bits is compatible with a two carrier configuration and a four carrier configuration. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of secondary carriers comprises three secondary downlink carriers. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein if the order comprises more than three order bits or more than three order type bits, the additional bits are repurposed from a transport block size information field. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein activation/deactivation is performed on the plurality of secondary carriers based on the determination. 
     
     
         16 . A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) comprising:
 a processor configured to:
 receive an order comprising a combination of order type bits and a combination of order bits, wherein the combination of order type bits and the combination of order bits provide activation/deactivation information relating to a plurality of secondary carriers; 
 determine from the order one of the following: at least one secondary carrier to activate and at least one secondary carrier to deactivate, a plurality of secondary carriers to activate, or a plurality of secondary carriers to deactivate; and 
 perform activation/deactivation based on the determination. 
   
     
     
         17 . The WTRU of  claim 16 , wherein the combination of order type bits is compatible with a two carrier configuration and a four carrier configuration. 
     
     
         18 . The WTRU of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of secondary carriers includes three secondary downlink carriers. 
     
     
         19 . The WTRU of  claim 16 , wherein if the order comprises more than three order bits or more than three order type bits, the additional bits are repurposed from a transport block size information field. 
     
     
         20 . The WTRU of  claim 16 , wherein the processor further configured to perform activation/deactivation on the plurality of secondary carriers based on the determination.