Method and arrangement in a telecommunication system

Abstract

The downlink control channels in a control region of each downlink subframe in a telecommunication system are divided into at least one common subset of the downlink control channels and a plurality of group subsets of the downlink control channels, such that the common subset or each common subset will be decoded by every user equipment, and each group subset will be decoded only by a limited group of user equipments. Resource assignment messages for a user equipment can then be transmitted on a downlink control channel of the relevant group subset, to avoid the need for messages to be decoded by a large number of UEs that will not act on them, while broadcast messages can be transmitted on a downlink control channel of the relevant common subset, to avoid the need for messages to be transmitted many times.

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         21 . A method comprising:
 determining, by a user equipment, a division of Physical Downlink Control Channels (PDCCHs) into at least one common subset of the PDCCHs and a plurality of group subsets of the PDCCHs, the common subset of the PDCCHs being PDCCHs which all user equipments in a cell try to decode;   determining a starting location for a relevant group subset of the PDCCHs based, at least in part, on a Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RNTI) of the user equipment; and   decoding the PDCCHs forming the common subset of the PDCCHs or each common subset of the PDCCHs and decoding only the PDCCHs of the relevant group subset of the PDCCHs.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the PDCCHs are comprised in a control region of each downlink subframe. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of group subsets of the PDCCHs correspond with a particular number of PDCCHs. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising determining the number of PDCCHs that correspond with the plurality of group subsets of the PDCCHs. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the decoding only the PDCCHs of the relevant group subset of the PDCCHs is based, at least in part, on the determined number of PDCCHs that correspond with the plurality of group subsets of the PDCCHs. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising determining that the number of PDCCHs corresponding with the plurality of group subsets of PDCCHs is above a threshold value. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the determination of the starting location for the relevant group subset of the PDCCHs is performed based, at least in part, on the determination that the number of PDCCHs corresponding with the plurality of group subsets of PDCCHs is above the threshold value. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the number of PDCCHs is associated with an aggregation level. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising determining the aggregation level associated with the number of PDCCHs. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the determination of the starting location for the relevant group subset of the PDCCHs is performed based, at least in part, at least in part, on the determined aggregation level associated with the number of PDCCHs. 
     
     
         31 . A user equipment, comprising:
 at least one radio frequency interface; and   at least one processor configured to, working with the radio frequency interface, cause the user equipment to perform at least the following:   determining, by a user equipment, a division of Physical Downlink Control Channels (PDCCHs) into at least one common subset of the PDCCHs and a plurality of group subsets of the PDCCHs, the common subset of the PDCCHs being PDCCHs which all user equipments in a cell try to decode;   determining a starting location for a relevant group subset of the PDCCHs based, at least in part, on a Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RNTI) of the user equipment; and   decoding the PDCCHs forming the common subset of the PDCCHs or each common subset of the PDCCHs and decoding only the PDCCHs of the relevant group subset of the PDCCHs.   
     
     
         32 . The user equipment of  claim 31 , wherein the PDCCHs are comprised in a control region of each downlink subframe. 
     
     
         33 . The user equipment of  claim 31 , wherein the plurality of group subsets of the PDCCHs correspond with a particular number of PDCCHs. 
     
     
         34 . The user equipment of  claim 33 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to, working with the radio frequency interface, cause the user equipment to perform determining the number of PDCCHs that correspond with the plurality of group subsets of the PDCCHs. 
     
     
         35 . The user equipment of  claim 34 , wherein the decoding only the PDCCHs of the relevant group subset of the PDCCHs is based, at least in part, on the determined number of PDCCHs that correspond with the plurality of group subsets of the PDCCHs. 
     
     
         36 . The user equipment of  claim 33 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to, working with the radio frequency interface, cause the user equipment to perform determining that the number of PDCCHs corresponding with the plurality of group subsets of PDCCHs is above a threshold value. 
     
     
         37 . The user equipment of  claim 36 , wherein the determination of the starting location for the relevant group subset of the PDCCHs is performed based, at least in part, on the determination that the number of PDCCHs corresponding with the plurality of group subsets of PDCCHs is above the threshold value. 
     
     
         38 . The user equipment of  claim 33 , wherein the number of PDCCHs is associated with an aggregation level. 
     
     
         39 . The user equipment of  claim 38 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to, working with the radio frequency interface, cause the user equipment to perform determining the aggregation level associated with the number of PDCCHs. 
     
     
         40 . The user equipment of  claim 39 , wherein the determination of the starting location for the relevant group subset of the PDCCHs is performed based, at least in part, at least in part, on the determined aggregation level associated with the number of PDCCHs.