Network node user device and methods thereof

Abstract

A network node and a user device are provided. The network node comprises: a processor configured to allocate a plurality of Physical Resource Blocks (PRBs) for a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) having a PUCCH format defined for two or more PRBs, wherein the allocated plurality of PRBs are associated with a user device; a transceiver configured to signal allocation information to the user device, wherein the allocation information comprises a frequency location and a number of allocated plurality of PRBs. The user device comprises: a processor configured to determine uplink control information for one or more network nodes; a transceiver configured to transmit the uplink control information in a PUCCH to the one or more network nodes, wherein a plurality of PRBs are allocated for the PUCCH and wherein the PUCCH has a PUCCH format defined for two or more PRBs.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A network node for a wireless communication system, the network node comprising:
 a processor configured to allocate a plurality of Physical Resource Blocks (PRBs) for a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) having a PUCCH format defined for two or more PRBs, wherein the plurality of PRBs are associated with a user device; and   a transceiver configured to signal allocation information to the user device,   wherein the allocation information comprises:
 a frequency location; 
 a number of PRBs in the plurality of PRBs; and 
 at least one of a modulation type and a modulation level for the plurality of PRBs, wherein at least one of the frequency location and the number of PRBs in the plurality of PRBs is jointly encoded with at least one of the modulation type and the modulation level. 
   
     
     
         2 . The network node according to  claim 1 , wherein at least two PRBs of the plurality of PRBs are contiguously located in a frequency domain and within the same time slot. 
     
     
         3 . The network node according to  claim 1 , wherein at least two PRBs of the plurality of PRBs are located at the same frequency and within different contiguous time slots. 
     
     
         4 . The network node according to  claim 1 , wherein the allocation information is signalled as physical layer signalling in a downlink control channel, or as higher layer signalling, or as a combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The network node according to  claim 1 , wherein the allocation information is signalled as indices or bitmaps. 
     
     
         6 . The network node according to  claim 5 , wherein the allocation information is signalled as indices, and wherein each index is associated with a set of PRBs contiguously located in a frequency domain and configured by higher layers. 
     
     
         7 . The network node according to  claim 6 , wherein there are at least two sets of PRBs having different sizes. 
     
     
         8 . The network node according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the transceiver is further configured to receive uplink control information in the PUCCH from the user device in response to signalling the allocation information.   
     
     
         9 . A user device for a wireless communication system, the user device comprising:
 a processor configured to determine uplink control information for one or more network nodes;   a transceiver configured to:
 transmit the uplink control information in a Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) to the one or more network nodes, wherein a plurality of Physical Resource Blocks (PRBs) are allocated to the user device for the PUCCH, and wherein the PUCCH has a PUCCH format defined for two or more PRBs; 
 receive allocation information from the one or more network nodes in physical layer signalling, or in higher layer signalling, or in a combination thereof; and 
 transmit the uplink control information in the PUCCH according to the allocation information; 
   wherein the allocation information comprises:
 a frequency location; 
 a number of PRBs in the plurality of PRBs; and 
 at least one of a modulation type and a modulation level for the plurality of PRBs, wherein at least one of the frequency location and the number of PRBs in the plurality of PRBs is jointly encoded with at least one of the modulation type and the modulation level. 
   
     
     
         10 . The user device according to  claim 9 , wherein at least two PRBs of the plurality of PRBs are contiguously located in a frequency domain and within the same time slot. 
     
     
         11 . The user device according to  claim 9 , wherein at least two PRBs of the plurality of PRBs are located at the same frequency and within different contiguous time slots. 
     
     
         12 . The user device according to  claim 9 , wherein the allocation information is signalled as indices or bitmaps. 
     
     
         13 . The user device according to  claim 12 , wherein the allocation information is signalled as indices, and wherein each index is associated with a set of PRBs contiguously located in a frequency domain and configured by higher layers. 
     
     
         14 . A method for a wireless communication system, the method comprising:
 allocating a plurality of Physical Resource Blocks (PRBs) for a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) having a PUCCH format defined for two or more PRBs, wherein the plurality of PRBs are associated with a user device;   signalling allocation information to the user device,   wherein the allocation information comprises:
 a frequency location; 
 a number of PRBs in the plurality of PRBs; and 
 at least one of a modulation type and a modulation level for the plurality of PRBs, wherein at least one of the frequency location and the number of PRBs in the plurality of PRBs is jointly encoded with at least one of the modulation type and the modulation level. 
   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein at least two PRBs of the plurality of PRBs are:
 contiguously located in a frequency domain and within the same time slot; or   located at the same frequency and within different contiguous time slots.   
     
     
         16 . A method for a wireless communication system, the method comprising:
 determining uplink control information for one or more network nodes;   transmitting the uplink control information in a Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) to the one or more network nodes, wherein a plurality of Physical Resource Blocks (PRBs) are allocated for the PUCCH, and wherein the PUCCH has a PUCCH format defined for two or more PRBs;   receiving allocation information from the one or more network nodes in physical layer signalling, or in higher layer signalling, or in a combination thereof; and   transmitting the uplink control information in the PUCCH according to the allocation information;   wherein the allocation information comprises:
 a frequency location; 
 a number of PRBs in the plurality of PRBs; and 
 at least one of a modulation type and a modulation level for the plurality of PRBs, wherein at least one of the frequency location and the number of PRBs in the plurality of PRBs is jointly encoded with at least one of the modulation type and the modulation level. 
   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein at least two PRBs of the plurality of PRBs are contiguously located in a frequency domain and within the same time slot. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein at least two PRBs of the plurality of PRBs are located at the same frequency and within different contiguous time slots. 
     
     
         19 . A non-transitory computer readable medium including a computer program with a computer readable program code for performing the method according to  claim 14  when the computer program runs on a computer. 
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer readable medium including a computer program with a computer readable program code for performing the method according to  claim 16  when the computer program runs on a computer.