Adaptive two-stage downlink control channel structure for code block group based fifth generation (5g) or other next generation systems

Abstract

An adaptive two-stage downlink control channel structure is utilized for control channel transmission with code block group (CBG) retransmission for 5G and other next generation wireless systems. In an aspect, the first stage of the two-stage downlink control channel structure utilizes a defined format (e.g., having a fixed length) and provides information that is employable to determine the length and/or coding scheme of the second stage. In another aspect, the second stage of the two-stage downlink control channel structure utilizes a variable length/size to indicate the CBGs that are scheduled to be retransmitted (e.g., by employing a variable length bitmap). As an example, the length/size is varied based on a length/size of a transport block, from which the CBGs have been generated.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 sending, by a user equipment comprising a processor, to network equipment, a feedback signal that indicates an error of a code block group of a group of code block groups received by the user equipment;   in response to the sending:
 receiving, by the user equipment, via a control channel during a first stage, first control data that is formatted in accordance with a first data structure having a first length that is fixed, and wherein the first control data comprises length data indicative of a third length of a transport block from which the group of code block groups was generated; and 
 receiving, by the user equipment, via the control channel during a second stage, second control data that is indicative of the code block group and is formatted in accordance with a second data structure having a second length that is adaptable. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second length of the second data structure is based on the first control data. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second control data comprises a bitmap comprising a flagged bit position corresponding to the code block group. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first control data comprises assignment data indicative of a resource block assignment employable for transfer of the code block group. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second control data is encoded using an encoding scheme selected based on the first control data. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising, in response to identifying that the second length of the second data structure satisfies a defined length criterion, determining, by the user equipment, that the second control data is encoded using a Reed-Muller code. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising, in response to identifying that the second length of the second data structure does not satisfy a defined length criterion, determining, by the user equipment, that the second control data is encoded using a polar code. 
     
     
         8 . A user equipment, comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:
 communicating, to network equipment, a feedback signal that indicates an error of a code block group of a group of code block groups received by the user equipment; 
 in response to the communicating:
 receiving, via a control channel during a first stage, first control data that is formatted in accordance with a first data structure having a first length that is fixed, and wherein the first control data comprises length data indicative of a third length of a transport block from which the group of code block groups was generated; and 
 receiving, via the control channel during a second stage, second control data that is indicative of the code block group and is formatted in accordance with a second data structure having a second length that is adaptable. 
 
   
     
     
         9 . The user equipment of  claim 8 , wherein the second length of the second data structure is adaptively determined based on the first control data. 
     
     
         10 . The user equipment of  claim 8 , wherein the second control data comprises a bitmap comprising a flagged bit position corresponding to the code block group. 
     
     
         11 . The user equipment of  claim 8 , wherein the first control data comprises assignment data indicative of a resource block assignment employable for transfer of the code block group. 
     
     
         12 . The user equipment of  claim 8 , wherein the second control data is encoded using an encoding scheme selected based on the first control data. 
     
     
         13 . The user equipment of  claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise, in response to determining that the second length of the second data structure satisfies a defined length criterion, determining that the second control data is encoded using a Reed-Muller encoding scheme. 
     
     
         14 . The user equipment of  claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise, in response to determining that the second length of the second data structure does not satisfy a defined length criterion, determining that the second control data is encoded using a polar encoding scheme. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a communication device, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:
 transmitting, to network equipment, a feedback signal that indicates an error of a code block group of a group of code block groups received by the communication device;   in response to the transmitting:
 receiving, via a control channel during a first stage, first control data that is formatted in accordance with a first data structure having a first length that is fixed, and wherein the first control data comprises length data indicative of a third length of a transport block from which the group of code block groups was generated; and 
 receiving, via the control channel during a second stage, second control data that is indicative of the code block group and is formatted in accordance with a second data structure having a second length that is configurable. 
   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the second length of the second data structure is configured based on the first control data. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the second control data comprises a bitmap comprising a flagged bit position corresponding to the code block group. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the first control data comprises assignment data indicative of a resource block assignment employable for transfer of the code block group. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the second control data is encoded using an encoding scheme selected based on the first control data. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 in response to ascertaining that the second length of the second data structure satisfies a defined length criterion, determining that the second control data is encoded using a Reed-Muller code scheme; and   in response to ascertaining that the second length of the second data structure does not satisfy the defined length criterion, determining that the second control data is encoded using a polar code scheme.