Uplink control information transmissions/receptions in wireless networks

Abstract

A method and apparatus provide a user equipment (UE) configured to communicate with a plurality of carrier aggregation (CA) groups with at least a first CA group (CG1) and a second CA group (CG2). The UE includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to determine whether the UE is power-limited. The UE is scheduled to transmit acknowledged information in a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) to a cell of the CG1 and uplink control information (UCI), other than the acknowledgement information, in a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) to a cell of the CG2. The processing circuitry is also configured to, responsive to the UE being power-limited, prioritize the PUSCH for power allocation. The processing circuitry is also configured to transmit the PUSCH to the cell of the CG1.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication network, the UE comprising:
 a transceiver configured to transmit and receive signals; and 
 processing circuitry coupled to the transceiver and configuredto, when the UE is configured to communicate with a plurality of carrier aggregation (CA) groups with at least a first CA group (CG1) and a second CA group (CG2), based on an information to be communicated, to: 
 prioritize and allocate a transmission power between a master CA Group (MCG) and a secondary CA Group (SCG), 
 apply a priority tie-breaking to the prioritization and allocation;, and 
 transmit, via the transceiver, a first uplink control information (UCI) to a cell belonging to the CG1 and a second UCI to a cell belonging to CG2, 
 
 wherein: 
 when the first UCI and the second UCI comprise identical UCI types and when the CG1 is the MCG and the CG2 is the SCG, the processing circuitry is configured to apply a first power control formula for a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) on the cell belonging to the CG1 and a second power control formula for the PUSCH on the cell belonging to the CG2;, and 
 the PUSCH on the cell belonging to the CG1 is prioritized over the PUSCH on the cell belonging to the CG2, wherein each power control formula specifies a respective allocation of power for transmission to a respective cell. 
 
     
     
       2. The UE of  claim 1 , wherein, when the first UCI comprises a hybrid automatic-repeat-request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) and the second UCI does not include a HARQ-ACK, the processing circuitry is configured to apply a first power control formula for a HARQ-ACK transmission to the cell belonging to the CG1, and a second power control formula for a non-HARQ-ACK transmission cell belonging to the CG2,
 wherein the HARQ-ACK to the cell belonging to the CG1 is prioritized over a channel state information (CSI) to the cell belonging to the CG2, and  
 wherein each power control formula specifies a respective allocation of power for transmission to a respective cell. 
 
     
     
       3. The UE of  claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further comprised configured to:
 assign full power to a transmission to a cell in the MCG; and 
 assign zero power to a transmission to a cell in the SCG. 
 
     
     
       4. For use in a wireless communication network, an apparatus comprising:
 a user equipment (UE) configured to communicate with a plurality of carrier aggregation (CA) groups with at least a first CA group (CG1) and a second CA group (CG2);, the UE comprising processing circuitry configuredto:, based on an information to be communicated, to: 
 prioritize and allocate a transmission power between a master CA Group (MCG) and a secondary CA Group (SCG), and 
 transmit a first uplink control information (UCI) on a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) to a cell belonging to the CG1 and a second UCI on the PUSCH to a cell belonging to the CG2, 
 
 wherein, when the first UCI comprises a hybrid automatic-repeat-request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) and the second UCI does not include a HARQ-ACK and when the CG1 is the MCG and the CG2 is the SCG, the processing circuitry is configured to apply a first power control formula for a HARQ-ACK transmission to the cell belonging to the CG1, and a second power control formula for a non-HARQ-ACK transmission cell belonging to the CG2, 
 wherein the HARQ-ACK to the cell belonging to the CG1 is prioritized over a channel state information (CSI) to the cell belonging to the CG2, and  
 wherein each power control formula specifies a respective allocation of power for transmission to a respective cell. 
 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
 assign full power to a prioritized transmission to a cell in the MCG; and 
 assign remaining power to a non-prioritized transmission to a cell in the SCG. 
 
     
     
       6. The UE of  claim 4 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
 assign full power to a prioritized transmission to a cell in the MCG; and 
 assign zero power to a non-prioritized transmission to a cell in the SCG. 
 
     
     
       7. A system comprising:
 a user equipment (UE) configured to communicate with a plurality of carrier aggregation (CA) groups with at least a first CA group (CG1) and a second CA group (CG2);, the UE comprising processing circuitry configuredto:, based on an information to be communicated, to: 
 prioritize and allocate a transmission power between a master CA Group (MCG) and a secondary CA Group (SCG), 
 apply a priority tie-breaking to the prioritization and allocation;, and 
 transmit first uplink control information (UCI) to a cell belonging to the CG1 and transmit second UCI to a cell belonging to the CG2, 
 
 wherein, when the first UCI and the second UCI comprise identical UCI types and when the CG1 is the MCG and the CG2 is the SCG, the processing circuitry is configured to apply a first power control formula for a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) on the cell belonging to the CG1, and a second power control formula for the PUSCH on the cell belonging to the CG2, 
 wherein the PUSCH on the cell belonging to the CG1 is prioritized over the PUSCH on the cell belonging to the CG2, and  
 wherein each power control formula specifies a respective allocation of power for transmission to a respective cell. 
 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 7 , wherein:
 when the first UCI comprises a HARQ-ACK and the second UCI does not include HARQ-ACK, the processing circuitry is configured to apply a first power control formula for a HARQ-ACK communication to the cell belonging to the CG1 and a second power control formula for a non-HARQ-ACK communication to the cell belonging to the CG2; and 
 the HARQ-ACK communication to the cell belonging to the CG1 is prioritized over the non-HARQ-ACK communication to the cell belonging to the CG2 wherein each power control formula specifies a respective allocation of power for transmission to a respective cell. 
 
     
     
       9. A method for prioritizing transmissions and power allocations in a user equipment (UE) configured to communicate with a plurality of carrier aggregation (CA) groups with at least a first CA group (CG1) and a second CA group (CG2), the method comprising:
 prioritizing, according to an information type to be communicated, and allocating a transmission power between a master CA Group (MCG) and a secondary CA Group (SCG),;  
 applying a priority tie-breaking to the prioritization and allocation,;  
 transmitting a first uplink control information (UCI) to a cell belonging to the CG1 and a second UCI to a cell belonging to the CG2,; and 
 when the first UCI and the second UCI comprise identical UCI types and when the CG1 is the MCG and the CG2 is the SCG, applying a first power control formula for a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) transmission to the cell belonging to the CG1, and a second power control formula for the PUSCH transmission to the cell belonging to the CG2, 
 wherein the transmission to the cell belonging to the CG1 is prioritized over the transmission to the cell belonging to the CG2, and  
 wherein each power control formula specifies a respective allocation of power for transmission to a respective cell. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein, when the first UCI comprises a HARQ-ACK and the second UCI does not include HARQ-ACK, the method further comprising comprises applying a first power control formula for a HARQ-ACK communication to the cell belonging to the CG1, and a second power control formula for a non-HARQ-ACK communication to the cell belonging to the CG2,
 wherein the HARQ-ACK communication to the cell belonging to the CG1 is prioritized over the non-HARQ-ACK communication to the cell belonging to the CG2, and  
 wherein each power control formula specifies a respective allocation of power for transmission to a respective cell. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 assigning full power to a transmission to a cell in the MCG; and 
 assigning zero power to a transmission to a cell in the SCG. 
 
     
     
       12. A method for prioritizing transmissions and power allocations in a user equipment (UE) configured to communicate with a plurality of carrier aggregation (CA) groups with at least a first CA group (CG1) and a second CA group (CG2), the method comprising:
 prioritizing, according to an information type to be communicated, and allocating a transmission power between a master CA Group (MCG) and a secondary CA Group (SCG),;  
 transmitting a first uplink control information (UCI) on a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) to a cell belonging to the CG1 and a second UCI on the PUSCH to a cell belonging to the CG2,; and 
 when the first UCI comprises a hybrid automatic-repeat-request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) and the second UCI does not include a HARQ-ACK and when the CG1 is the MCG and the CG2 is the SCG, applying a first power control formula for a HARQ-ACK transmission to the cell belonging to the CG1, and a second power control formula for a non-HARQ-ACK transmission cell belonging to the CG2, 
 wherein the HARQ-ACK to the cell belonging to the CG1 is prioritized over a channel state information (CSI) to the cell belonging to the CG2, and  
 wherein each power control formula specifies a respective allocation of power for transmission to a respective cell. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 assigning full power to a prioritized transmission to a cell in the MCG; and 
 assigning remaining power to a non-prioritized one of the transmission to a cell in the SCG. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 assigning full power to a prioritized transmission to a cell in the MCG; and 
 assigning zero power to a non-prioritized transmission to a cell in the SCG. 
 
     
     
       15. A method for prioritizing a transmissions and power allocations in a user equipment (UE) configured to communicate with a plurality of carrier aggregation (CA) groups with at least a first CA group (CG1) and a second CA group (CG2), the method comprising:
 prioritizing, according to an information type to be communicated, and allocating a transmission power between a master CA Group (MCG) and a secondary CA Group (SCG); 
 applying a priority tie-breaking to the prioritization and allocation; 
 transmitting a first uplink control information (UCI) in a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) to a cell belonging to the CG1 and a second UCI on the PUSCH to a cell belonging to the CG2; 
 transmitting a first hybrid automatic-repeat-request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) in a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) to a cell belonging to the CG1 and a second HARQ-ACK on a PUCCH to a cell belonging to CG2; and 
 when the first UCI and the second UCI comprise identical UCI types and when the CG1 is MCG and the CG2 is the SCG, the processing circuitry is configured to apply applying a first power control formula for the physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) on the cell belonging to the CG1 and a second power control formula for the PUSCH on the cell belonging to the CG2, 
 wherein the PUSCH on the cell belonging to the CG1 is prioritized over the PUSCH on the cell belonging to the CG2, and  
 wherein each power control formula specifies a respective allocation of power for transmission to a respective cell. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 assigning full power to a prioritized a transmission to a cell in the MCG; and 
 assigning remaining power to a non-prioritized a transmission to a cell in the SCG. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 assigning full power to a prioritized a transmission to a cell in the MCG; and 
 assigning zero power to a non-prioritized a transmission to a cell in the SCG. 
 
     
     
       18. A user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, the UE comprising:
 a transceiver configured to transmit or receive signals; and   a processor coupled with the transceiver and configured to allocate power to uplink channel transmissions according to a priority order when the UE operates with carrier aggregation (CA) and a total transmit power for the uplink channel transmissions would exceed a maximum transmission power that is a linear value,   wherein the priority order is defined such that:
 an uplink channel transmission with a hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) is prioritized over an uplink channel transmission with channel state information (CSI), and 
 an uplink channel transmission with CSI is prioritized over an uplink channel transmission without HARQ-ACK or CSI, and 
   wherein an uplink channel transmission in a cell associated with a primary cell group (PCG) is prioritized over an uplink channel transmission in a cell associated with a secondary cell group (SCG) when the uplink channel transmission in the cell associated with PCG and the uplink channel transmission in the cell associated with the SCG are of a same priority.   
     
     
       19. The UE of  claim 18 , wherein an uplink channel transmission of a primary serving cell (Pcell) is prioritized over an uplink channel transmission of a secondary serving cell (Scell) when the uplink channel transmission of the Pcell and the uplink channel transmission of the Scell are of a same priority. 
     
     
       20. The UE of  claim 18 , where a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) transmission in a primary serving cell (Pcell) of a primary cell group (PCG) is prioritized over a PUCCH transmission in a primary serving cell (Pcell) of a secondary cell group (SCG) when the PUCCH transmission of the PCG and the PUCCH transmission of the SCG are of a same priority. 
     
     
       21. The UE of  claim 18 , where the priority order is defined regardless of whether an uplink channel transmission is a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) or a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH). 
     
     
       22. The UE of  claim 18 , wherein the priority order is further defined such that:
 an uplink channel transmission with HARQ-ACK or a scheduling request (SR) is prioritized over an uplink channel transmission with uplink control information other than HARQ-ACK/SR.   
     
     
       23. The UE of  claim 18 , wherein the processor is further configured to allocate a transmission power to an uplink channel transmission with a higher priority order, and allocate a remaining power to a remaining uplink channel transmission. 
     
     
       24. A method of operating an user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:
 allocating power to uplink channel transmissions according to a priority order when the UE operates with carrier aggregation (CA) and a total transmit power for the uplink channel transmissions would exceed a maximum transmission power that is a linear value; and   transmitting uplink signals of the uplink channel transmissions,   wherein the priority order is defined such that:
 an uplink channel transmission with hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) is prioritized over an uplink channel transmission with channel state information (CSI), and 
 an uplink channel transmission with CSI is prioritized over an uplink channel transmission without HARQ-ACK or CSI, and 
   wherein an uplink channel transmission in a cell associated with a primary cell group (PCG) is prioritized over an uplink channel transmission in a cell associated with a secondary cell group (SCG) when the uplink channel transmission in the cell associated with PCG and the uplink channel transmission in the cell associated with the SCG are of a same priority.   
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 24 , wherein an uplink channel transmission of a primary serving cell (Pcell) is prioritized over an uplink channel transmission of a secondary serving cell (Scell) when the uplink channel transmission of the Pcell and the uplink channel transmission of the Scell are a same priority. 
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 24 , where a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) transmission in a primary serving cell (Pcell) of a primary cell group (PCG) is prioritized over a PUCCH transmission in a primary serving cell (Pcell) of a secondary cell group (SCG) when the PUCCH transmission of the PCG and the PUCCH transmission of the SCG are of a same priority. 
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 24 , where the priority order is defined regardless of whether an uplink channel transmission is a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) or a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH). 
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 24 , wherein the priority order is further defined such that:
 an uplink channel transmission with HARQ-ACK or a scheduling request (SR) is prioritized over an uplink channel transmission with uplink control information other than HARQ-ACK/SR.   
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 24 , wherein allocating the power to the uplink channel transmissions comprises:
 allocating a transmission power to an uplink channel transmission with a higher priority order; and   allocating a remaining power to a remaining uplink channel transmission.