Background
In a Long Term Evolution (LTE) system, a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) is transmitted in each radio subframe, and forms a Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) multiplexing relationship with a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH), as shown in fig. 1, where a control region is used for transmitting the PDCCH and a data region is used for transmitting the PDSCH. The PDCCH is transmitted through the first N Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbols of one downlink subframe, where N may be 1, 2, 3, or 4, and N-4 is only allowed to occur in a system with a system bandwidth of 1.4 MHz.
After receiving a Primary Synchronization Signal (PSS) and a Secondary Synchronization Signal (SSS), a terminal may complete initial cell search to obtain downlink synchronization and a cell identification code (cell ID). Receiving Master Information Block (MIB) information transmitted on a physical broadcast channel (PB CH) at a central 1.4MHz frequency band in a system bandwidth, thereby reading a system bandwidth, a system frame number, and a physical hybrid automatic repeat request (ARQ) indicator channel (PHICH) configuration. Based on the system bandwidth and the cell ID, the frequency domain resource location of a Physical Control Format Indicator Channel (PCFICH) can be determined, so that a Control Format Indicator (CFI) is received to determine the number of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbols occupied by a PDCCH, thereby determining the time-frequency resource used by the PDCCH. The specific time-frequency resource position of each PDCCH channel is completed through blind detection, thereby realizing PDCCH reception, and completing high-level signaling scheduling information reading such as System Information (SI) and corresponding information reception.
A control region for transmitting a PDCCH in the LTE system is formed by logically divided Control Channel Elements (CCEs), and mapping of the CCEs to Resource Elements (REs) is performed in a completely interleaved manner. The transmission of DCI is also based on CCE, and one DCI for one User Equipment (UE) may be transmitted in N consecutive CCEs, where N may take a value of 1, 2, 4, or 8 in an LTE system, which is referred to as CCE aggregation level (aggregation level).
The method comprises the steps that UE carries out PDCCH blind detection in a control region and searches whether a PDCCH which is sent to the UE exists, wherein the blind detection specifically comprises the following steps: decoding attempts are made on different DCI formats and CCE aggregation levels using a Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RNTI) of the UE, and if decoding is correct, it is determined to be DCI for the UE and received. In an LTE system, each downlink subframe of a UE in a Discontinuous Reception (DRX) state needs to perform blind detection on its control region and search for a PDCCH.
In order to achieve the goals of capacity expansion, frequency domain interference coordination, multi-antenna gain acquisition, and the like, LTE Release 11(Release 11, R11) performs DCI transmission in the PDSCH region, i.e., enhanced PDCCH (E-PDCCH). One solution is: and reserving the original PDCCH region and simultaneously transmitting the enhanced PDCCH in the PDSCH region of the downlink subframe.
As shown in fig. 2, the original PDCCH region still uses the original PDCCH resource using the existing transmission and reception technique, and this part of PDCCH region is called legacy PDCCH (original PDCCH) region. The enhanced PDCCH region may use a more advanced transmission and reception technique, for example, precoding is adopted during transmission, detection is performed based on a UE-specific reference signal (UERS) during reception, time-frequency resources other than the legacy PDCCH region are occupied for transmission, a part of resources of the original PDSCH is used, and multiplexing is achieved with the PDSCH in a frequency division manner, where the part of PDCCH region is referred to as an E-PDCCH region. Such a scheme in which the E-PDCCH and the PDSCH are multiplexed by Frequency Division Multiplexing (FDM) is called FDM E-PDCCH.
Under the condition that a legacy PDCCH region and an E-PDCCH region exist at the same time, if the terminal has the capacity of receiving the PDCCH and the E-PDCCH at the same time, the scheduling of system information and high-level signaling information related to the configuration of the E-PDCCH can be completed through the PDCCH, so that the transmission and the reception of the E-PDCCH are ensured. Such an E-PDCCH is referred to as a legacy PDCCH dependent E-PDCCH.
On one hand, with the rapid development of Machine Type Communication (MTC) services, the traditional sensor network faces more and more limitations and challenges, and it is urgently needed to combine the sensor network and the mobile communication network to exert the characteristics of wide mobile communication coverage, high reliability, small transmission delay, and the like. In order to meet the requirement of the MTC service, the LTE subsequent evolution system considers optimizing the system and the transmission technology, so as to adapt to the characteristics that the MTC terminal supports fewer radio frequency bands, smaller bandwidth processing capability, simpler multi-antenna processing capability, more flexible throughput capability and buffering capability, simpler mobility, only supports a PS domain, and the like.
The bandwidth-limited terminal cannot receive the PDCCH transmitted in full bandwidth and cannot receive the DCI transmitted on the legacy PDCCH, and thus cannot receive the system information and the high-level signaling information scheduled by the legacy PDCCH. Obviously, the E-PDCCH technology relying on legacy PDCCH cannot realize support for bandwidth-limited MTC terminals.
On the other hand, in order to improve the spectrum utilization efficiency and ensure the coverage of the hot spot region, in consideration of the unique advantages of the non-backward compatible carrier in the aspects of spectrum efficiency improvement, interference suppression under a heterogeneous network, energy saving and the like, a new application scenario and a detailed design scheme of the non-backward compatible carrier are further researched in the LTE-advanced release-11(LTE evolution version 11) stage. An extension carrier is a non-backward compatible carrier, and there is no legacy PDCCH on the extension carrier. The E-PDCCH technique relying on legacy PDCCH also cannot support such carriers to operate independently of other carriers.
Detailed Description
The embodiment of the invention provides a method and a device for transmitting an enhanced downlink control channel, which allocate time-frequency resources for an E-PDCCH according to a preset search space in a preset time-frequency resource range in a subframe, so that a terminal can acquire the possible time-frequency resources used by the E-PDCCH after receiving an MIB transmitted by a PBCH, thereby performing blind detection on the corresponding time-frequency resources and receiving the DCI on the E-PDCCH. As shown in fig. 3, a method for transmitting an enhanced downlink control channel according to an embodiment of the present invention includes:
step S301, the terminal determines to receive the E-PDCCH;
and step S302, the terminal carries out blind detection according to a preset search space in the determined E-PDCCH time-frequency resource range so as to receive the E-PDCCH.
Because the E-PDCCH is transmitted by using the time-frequency resource in the set range, the terminal can perform blind detection according to the preset search space in the determined E-PDCCH time-frequency resource range under the condition of not receiving the legacy PDCCH, thereby realizing the reception of the E-PDCCH.
In step S301, the terminal determines to receive the E-PDCCH, which specifically includes:
and the terminal determines to receive the E-PDCCH according to the received information field for indicating the configuration of the E-PDCCH, wherein the information field is used for indicating that the E-PDCCH transmission mode of the terminal is E-PDCCH transmission which does not depend on legacy PDCCH. Wherein, the information field for indicating the configuration of the enhanced downlink control channel E-PDCCH may be set in the MIB transmitted by PBCH.
The information field is typically 1-bit information, for example, 0 indicates that the system does not support legacy PDCCH-independent E-PDCCH transmission, and 1 indicates that the system supports legacy PDCCH-independent E-PDCCH transmission.
When the system does not support E-PDCCH transmission independent of legacy PDCCH, the terminal does not receive the E-PDCCH; when the system supports E-PDCCH transmission which does not depend on legacy PDCCH, the terminal with the E-PDCCH receiving capability can receive the E-PDCCH according to the E-PDCCH transmission method provided by the embodiment of the invention.
In the embodiment of the invention, the preset search space can be a public search space or a contracted search space according to actual conditions.
Specifically, from the time domain scope, the determined E-PDCCH time domain resource scope may be: the L1 ~ L2 OFDM symbols in the sub-frame, wherein:
l1 may be a fixed value set in advance, for example, the value L1 may be set to 4, and in this case, the E-PDCCH starting OFDM symbol number L is 3, and L starts from 0.
L1 may also be set according to the system bandwidth, for example, when the number of PRBs included in the system bandwidth is less than or equal to 10, L1 is 5, and when the number of E-PDCCH start OFDM symbols is 4, and when the number of PRBs included in the system bandwidth is greater than 10, L1 is 4, and when the number of E-PDCCH start OFDM symbols is 3.
L2 is usually a predetermined fixed value, for example, in a normal subframe of a normal Cyclic Prefix (CP), the value of L2 may be set to 7, which means that E-PDCCH is transmitted in the first 1 slot of a subframe, and the value of L2 may also be set to 14, which means that E-PDCCH is transmitted in 2 slots of a subframe; in the normal subframe of the extended CP, the value of L2 may be set to 6, indicating that the E-PDCCH is transmitted in the first 1 slot of one subframe, and the value of L2 may also be set to 12, indicating that the E-PDCCH is transmitted in 2 slots of one subframe; in the special subframe, L2 depends on the number of OFDM symbols included in DwPTS, and the E-PDCCH time domain range ends with an ending symbol of a downlink pilot time slot (DwPTS).
When the terminal needs to receive the E-PDCCH scrambled with a system information-radio network temporary identifier (SI-RNTI) and used for scheduling system information block type 1(system information block1, SIB1), blind detection and reception may be further performed in a preset subframe. For example, it may be configured that the E-PDCCH is transmitted in subframe 5 of an even radio frame, and a radio frame with SFN mod 8 ═ 0 is first transmitted, where SFN is the system frame number, and is obtained by receiving MIB information transmitted by PBCH.
Further, from the view of the frequency domain range, the determined E-PDCCH frequency domain resource range may be: m PRBs are pre-agreed in the subframe, M is a pre-agreed fixed value or a value indicated by an enhanced physical control format indicator channel E-PCFICH, and the value of M is preferably taken from [3, 6], and the value of M can be usually set to 4.
Furthermore, the pre-agreed M PRBs can be dispersed in the whole system bandwidth range in the frequency domain, and this design is directed to the situation that the system does not support terminals with fewer radio frequency bands and smaller bandwidth processing capability; the pre-agreed M PRBs may also be distributed in the frequency domain within a smaller bandwidth range than the system bandwidth, which depends on the minimum bandwidth processing capability allowed by the system, and this design is for the case where the system supports terminals with less radio frequency bands and less bandwidth processing capability.
In general, the position of the 1 st PRB, starting from the low frequency, of the pre-agreed M PRBs is determined by a cell identifier, or by a virtual cell identifier, or by a cell identifier and a subframe number, or by a virtual cell identifier and a subframe number, wherein the cell identifier or the virtual cell identifier may be obtained by receiving a synchronization signal.
The predetermined M PRBs may be consecutive, or may have a set frequency domain interval, specifically, the fixed frequency domain interval may be determined according to a bandwidth, for example, the fixed frequency domain interval isWherein,the number of PRBs included in the system bandwidth or the maximum reception bandwidth supported by the terminal,representing the largest integer no greater than x, or the fixed frequency domain spacing may be set toRepresents the largest integer not greater than x, and if M is greater than or equal to 4, the fixed inter-frequency interval is 1, and each PRB is substantially continuous.
Further, the terminal may also determine, within the E-PDCCH time-frequency resource range, a resource unit that does not transmit the E-PDCCH, specifically:
the terminal determines that resource units occupied by Common Reference Signals (CRSs) are not used for E-PDCCH transmission in an E-PDCCH time-frequency resource range, and the port number of the CRSs is consistent with the port number of the CRSs used by PBCH;
the terminal can also determine that a resource unit occupied by a user-specific reference signal (UERS) is not used for E-PDCCH transmission in an E-PDCCH time-frequency resource range, and the number of the UERS ports is consistent with the number of the UERS ports used by the E-PDCCH;
the terminal may further determine that, in the E-PDCCH time-frequency resource range, resource units occupied by the channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) with zero power and non-zero power under the CSI-RS maximum configuration set are not used for E-PDCCH transmission. Or, the terminal may determine that there is no resource unit occupied by the zero-power or non-zero-power CSI-RS within the E-PDCCH time-frequency resource range.
An embodiment of the present invention further provides a method for transmitting an enhanced downlink control channel on a network side, as shown in fig. 4, including:
step S401, when the enhanced downlink control channel E-PDCCH needs to be sent, allocating time-frequency resources for the E-PDCCH according to a preset search space in a preset time-frequency resource range in a subframe;
step S402, E-PDCCH is sent to the terminal.
Further, an information field for indicating the configuration of the enhanced downlink control channel E-PDCCH may be sent to the terminal, where the information field is used to indicate that the E-PDCCH transmission mode of the terminal is E-PDCCH transmission independent of legacy PDCCH. Therefore, the terminal can conveniently recognize whether the system supports E-PDCCH transmission independent of legacy PDCCH, and when the system does not support E-PDCCH transmission independent of legacy PDCCH, the terminal does not receive the E-PDCCH; when the system supports E-PDCCH transmission which does not depend on legacy PDCCH, the terminal with the E-PDCCH receiving capability can receive the E-PDCCH according to the E-PDCCH transmission method provided by the embodiment of the invention.
The information field for indicating the configuration of the enhanced downlink control channel E-PDCCH may be set in the MIB transmitted by the PBCH.
Specifically, from the time domain scope, the preset E-PDCCH time domain resource scope is as follows: the L1 ~ L2 OFDM symbols in the sub-frame, wherein:
l1 may be a fixed value set in advance, for example, the value L1 may be set to 4, and in this case, the E-PDCCH starting OFDM symbol number L is 3, and L starts from 0.
L1 may also be set according to the system bandwidth, for example, when the number of PRBs included in the system bandwidth is less than or equal to 10, L1 is 5, and when the number of E-PDCCH start OFDM symbols is 4, and when the number of PRBs included in the system bandwidth is greater than 10, L1 is 4, and when the number of E-PDCCH start OFDM symbols is 3.
L2 is usually a predetermined fixed value, for example, in a normal subframe of a normal Cyclic Prefix (CP), the value of L2 may be set to 7, which means that E-PDCCH is transmitted in the first 1 slot of a subframe, and the value of L2 may also be set to 14, which means that E-PDCCH is transmitted in 2 slots of a subframe; in the normal subframe of the extended CP, the value of L2 may be set to 6, indicating that the E-PDCCH is transmitted in the first 1 slot of one subframe, and the value of L2 may also be set to 12, indicating that the E-PDCCH is transmitted in 2 slots of one subframe; in the special subframe, L2 depends on the number of OFDM symbols contained in DwPTS, and the E-PDCCH Time domain range ends with the ending symbol of Downlink Pilot Time Slot (DwPTS).
When the E-PDCCH which is scrambled by the SI-RNTI and used for scheduling the SIB1 is transmitted, time-frequency resources in a preset subframe can be allocated to the E-PDCCH which is scrambled by the SI-RNTI and used for scheduling the SIB1, so that the terminal can perform blind detection and reception of the E-PDCCH in the preset subframe.
Further, from the view of the frequency domain range, the preset E-PDCCH frequency domain resource range may be: m PRBs are pre-agreed in the subframe, M is a pre-agreed fixed value or a value indicated by an enhanced physical control format indicator channel E-PCFICH, and the value of M is preferably taken from [3, 6], and the value of M can be usually set to 4.
Furthermore, the pre-agreed M PRBs can be dispersed in the whole system bandwidth range in the frequency domain, and this design is directed to the situation that the system does not support terminals with fewer radio frequency bands and smaller bandwidth processing capability; the pre-agreed M PRBs may also be distributed in the frequency domain within a smaller bandwidth range than the system bandwidth, which depends on the minimum bandwidth processing capability allowed by the system, and this design is for the case where the system supports terminals with less radio frequency bands and less bandwidth processing capability.
In general, the position of the 1 st PRB, starting from the low frequency, of the pre-agreed M PRBs is determined by a cell identifier, or by a virtual cell identifier, or by a cell identifier and a subframe number, or by a virtual cell identifier and a subframe number, wherein the cell identifier or the virtual cell identifier may be obtained by receiving a synchronization signal.
The predetermined M PRBs may be consecutive, or may have a set frequency domain interval, specifically, the fixed frequency domain interval may be determined according to a bandwidth, for example, the fixed frequency domain interval isWherein,for maximum number of PRBs contained in system bandwidth or terminal supportThe bandwidth is received, and the bandwidth is received,representing the largest integer no greater than x, or the fixed frequency domain spacing may be set toRepresents the largest integer not greater than x, and if M is greater than or equal to 4, the fixed inter-frequency interval is 1, and each PRB is substantially continuous.
Further, in order to facilitate the terminal to determine the resource units not transmitting the E-PDCCH within the time-frequency resource range of the E-PDCCH, the time-frequency resource may be allocated according to one or more of the following methods:
in the E-PDCCH time-frequency resource range, resource units occupied by CRS are not used for E-PDCCH transmission, and the number of CRS ports is consistent with the number of CRS ports used by PBCH;
in the E-PDCCH time-frequency resource range, resource units occupied by UERS are not used for E-PDCCH transmission, and the number of the UERS ports is consistent with the number of the UERS ports used by the E-PDCCH;
and in the E-PDCCH time-frequency resource range, resource units occupied by the CSI-RS with zero power and non-zero power under the CSI-RS maximum configuration set are not used for E-PDCCH transmission. Or no zero power or non-zero power CSI-RS is sent in the E-PDCCH time frequency resource range.
An embodiment of the present invention further provides a device for transmitting an enhanced downlink control channel, where the device may be specifically a user equipment, and as shown in fig. 5, the device includes:
a determining unit 501, configured to determine to receive an E-PDCCH;
a receiving unit 502, configured to perform blind detection according to a preset search space within the determined E-PDCCH time-frequency resource range to receive the E-PDCCH.
The determining unit 501 is specifically configured to:
and determining to receive the E-PDCCH according to a received information field for indicating the configuration of the E-PDCCH of the enhanced downlink control channel, wherein the information field is used for indicating that the transmission mode of the E-PDCCH of the terminal is E-PDCCH transmission independent of legacy PDCCH. Wherein, the information field for indicating the configuration of the enhanced downlink control channel E-PDCCH may be set in the MIB transmitted by PBCH.
Specifically, the determined E-PDCCH time domain resource range is as follows: the L1 ~ L2 OFDM symbols in the sub-frame, wherein:
l1 is a fixed value set in advance, or L1 is a value set according to the system bandwidth;
l2 is a predetermined fixed value.
The receiving unit 502 is further configured to:
the E-PDCCH for scheduling system information block type 1SIB1 scrambled with a system information radio network temporary identifier SI-RNTI is received in a preset subframe.
Specifically, the determined frequency domain resource range of the E-PDCCH is as follows: m PRBs agreed in advance in the subframe, wherein M is an agreed fixed value or a value indicated by an enhanced physical control format indicator channel E-PCFICH.
The receiving unit 502 is further configured to:
and determining that resource units occupied by a common reference signal CRS are not used for E-PDCCH transmission in an E-PDCCH time-frequency resource range, and the port number of the CRS is consistent with the port number of the CRS used by PBCH.
The receiving unit 502 is further configured to:
and determining that the resource units occupied by the UE RS are not used for E-PDCCH transmission in the E-PDCCH time-frequency resource range, and the number of the UERS ports is consistent with the number of the UERS ports used by the E-PDCCH.
The receiving unit 502 is further configured to:
and determining that resource units occupied by the CSI-RS with zero power and non-zero power under the CSI-RS maximum configuration set are not used for E-PDCCH transmission in the E-PDCCH time-frequency resource range.
The receiving unit 502 is further configured to:
and determining that the resource unit occupied by the CSI-RS does not exist in the E-PDCCH time frequency resource range.
An embodiment of the present invention provides an enhanced downlink control channel transmission apparatus, which may be a network side device such as a base station, and as shown in fig. 6, the apparatus includes:
a resource allocation unit 601, configured to allocate, when the enhanced downlink control channel E-PDCCH needs to be sent, a time-frequency resource for the E-PDCCH according to a preset search space within a time-frequency resource range preset in a subframe;
a sending unit 602, configured to send the E-PDCCH to the terminal.
Wherein, the sending unit 602 is further configured to:
and sending an information field for indicating the configuration of the enhanced downlink control channel E-PDCCH to the terminal, wherein the information field is used for indicating that the E-PDCCH transmission mode of the terminal is E-PDCCH transmission independent of legacy PDCCH. Wherein, an information field for indicating the configuration of the enhanced downlink control channel E-PDCCH may be set in the MIB transmitted by the PBCH.
Specifically, the preset E-PDCCH time domain resource range is as follows: the L1 ~ L2 OFDM symbols in the sub-frame, wherein:
l1 is a fixed value set in advance, or L1 is a value set according to the system bandwidth;
l2 is a predetermined fixed value.
The resource allocation unit 601 is further configured to:
and allocating time-frequency resources in a preset subframe for the E-PDCCH which is scrambled by a system information radio network temporary identifier (SI-RNTI) and used for scheduling the system information block type 1SIB 1.
The preset E-PDCCH frequency domain resource range is as follows: m PRBs agreed in advance in the subframe, wherein M is an agreed fixed value or a value indicated by an enhanced physical control format indicator channel E-PCFICH.
The resource allocation unit 601 is further configured to:
and determining that resource units occupied by a common reference signal CRS are not used for E-PDCCH transmission in an E-PDCCH time-frequency resource range, and the port number of the CRS is consistent with the port number of the CRS used by PBCH.
The resource allocation unit 601 is further configured to:
and determining that the resource units occupied by the UE RS are not used for E-PDCCH transmission in the E-PDCCH time-frequency resource range, and the number of the UERS ports is consistent with the number of the UERS ports used by the E-PDCCH.
The resource allocation unit 601 is further configured to:
and determining that resource units occupied by the CSI-RS with zero power and non-zero power under the CSI-RS maximum configuration set are not used for E-PDCCH transmission in the E-PDCCH time-frequency resource range.
The resource allocation unit 601 is further configured to:
and determining that the CSI-RS with zero power and non-zero power is not sent in the E-PDCCH time frequency resource range.
The embodiment of the invention provides a method and a device for transmitting an enhanced downlink control channel, which allocate time-frequency resources for an E-PDCCH according to a preset search space in a preset time-frequency resource range in a subframe, so that a terminal can acquire the possible time-frequency resources used by the E-PDCCH after receiving an MIB transmitted by a PBCH, thereby performing blind detection on the corresponding time-frequency resources and receiving the DCI on the E-PDCCH. As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, embodiments of the present invention may be provided as a method, system, or computer program product. Accordingly, the present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects. Furthermore, the present invention may take the form of a computer program product embodied on one or more computer-usable storage media (including, but not limited to, disk storage, CD-ROM, optical storage, and the like) having computer-usable program code embodied therein.
The present invention is described with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each flow and/or block of the flow diagrams and/or block diagrams, and combinations of flows and/or blocks in the flow diagrams and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, embedded processor, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions specified in the flowchart flow or flows and/or block diagram block or blocks.
These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable memory that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture including instruction means which implement the function specified in the flowchart flow or flows and/or block diagram block or blocks.
These computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing the functions specified in the flowchart flow or flows and/or block diagram block or blocks.
While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described, additional variations and modifications in those embodiments may occur to those skilled in the art once they learn of the basic inventive concepts. Therefore, it is intended that the appended claims be interpreted as including preferred embodiments and all such alterations and modifications as fall within the scope of the invention.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, if such modifications and variations of the present invention fall within the scope of the claims of the present invention and their equivalents, the present invention is also intended to include such modifications and variations.