Method and apparatus of receiving different types of subframes in mobile communication system

Abstract

A method and base station in a wireless communication system are provided. The method includes transmitting, to a terminal, system information including information associated with a sub-frame configuration of multimedia broadcast multicast service single frequency network (MBSFN) sub-frames, determining a transmission mode of the terminal, the transmission mode indicating one of a first transmission mode and a second transmission mode, transmitting, to the terminal, dedicated message including configuration information of the determined transmission mode of the terminal, and transmitting, to the terminal, control information in a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) and data in a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) in a first sub-frame of the MBSFN sub-frames, if the terminal is configured in the first transmission mode.

Claims

1. A method by a base station in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: transmitting, to a terminal, system information including information associated with a sub-frame configuration of multimedia broadcast multicast service single frequency network (MBSFN) sub-frames; determining a transmission mode of the terminal, the transmission mode indicating one of a first transmission mode and a second transmission mode; transmitting, to the terminal, dedicated message including configuration information of the determined transmission mode of the terminal; and transmitting, to the terminal, control information in a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) and data in a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) in a first sub-frame of the MBSFN sub-frames, if the transmission mode of the terminal is the first transmission mode, wherein the first transmission mode supports transmission of the data in the PDSCH in the first sub-frame of the MBSFN sub-frames and the second transmission mode does not support the transmission of the data in the PDSCH in the first sub-frame of the MBSFN sub-frames.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the terminal skips receiving the control information in the PDCCH in the first sub-frame of the MBSFN sub-frames, if the transmission mode of the terminal is not the first transmission mode.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the dedicated message is included in a radio resource control (RRC) message.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising: transmitting the control information in the PDCCH and the data in the PDSCH in a second sub-frame of a non-MBSFN sub-frames, if the transmission mode of the terminal is the second transmission mode.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the terminal supports receiving the data in the PDSCH in the first sub-frame of the MBSFN sub-frames, if the transmission mode of the terminal is the first transmission mode.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the control information in the PDCCH in the first sub-frame of the MBSFN sub-frames is dedicated to the terminal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the data in the PDSCH in the first sub-frame of the MBSFN sub-frames is dedicated to the terminal.

8. A base station in a wireless communication system, the base station comprising: a transceiver configured to transmit and receive a signal; and a controller, coupled to the transceiver, configured to: transmit, via the transceiver, to a terminal, system information including information associated with a sub-frame configuration of multimedia broadcast multicast service single frequency network (MBSFN) sub-frames, determine a transmission mode of the terminal, the transmission mode indicating one of a first transmission mode and a second transmission mode, transmit, via the transceiver, to the terminal, dedicated message including configuration information of the determined transmission mode of the terminal, transmit, via the transceiver, to the terminal, control information in a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) and data in a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) in a first sub-frame of the MBSFN sub-frames, if the transmission mode of the terminal is the first transmission mode, wherein the first transmission mode supports transmission of the data in the PDSCH in the first sub-frame of the MBSFN sub-frames and the second transmission mode does not support the transmission of the data in the PDSCH in the first sub-frame of the MBSFN sub-frames.

9. The base station of claim 8, wherein receiving the control information in the PDCCH in the MBSFN sub-frames is skipped by the terminal, if the transmission mode of the terminal is not the first transmission mode.

10. The base station of claim 8, wherein the dedicated message is included in a radio resource control (RRC) message.

11. The base station of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to: transmit, via the transceiver, the control information in the PDCCH and the data in the PDSCH in a second sub-frame of a non-MBSFN sub-frames, if the transmission mode of the terminal is the second transmission mode.

12. The base station of claim 8, wherein the terminal supports receiving the data in the PDSCH in the first sub-frame of the MBSFN sub-frames, if the transmission mode of the terminal is the first transmission mode.

13. The base station of claim 8, wherein the control information in the PDCCH in the first sub-frame of the MBSFN sub-frames is dedicated to the terminal.

14. The base station of claim 8, wherein the data in the PDSCH in the first sub-frame of the MBSFN sub-frames is dedicated to the terminal.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a structure of a downlink frame used in the LTE system;

(2) FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the new terminal procedure in the method according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

(3) FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

(4) In the following, detailed description of well-known functions and structures incorporated herein may be omitted to avoid obscuring the subject matter of the present invention. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the accompanying drawings in detail.

(5) In the present disclosure, the description is directed to the LTE system for convenience purpose.

(6) There are several releases of LTE and among them the legacy Rel-8 and Rel-9 do not support PDSCH reception in MBSFN subframe. Accordingly, the legacy terminal does not attempt decoding PDCCH for receiving Downlink Control Information (DCI) including PDSCH scheduling information for receiving PDSCH in MBSFN subframe.

(7) In the Rel-10 or later system, however, it is allowed to transmit PDSCH in MBSFN subframe. In this case, unlike the legacy terminal which takes no action for MBSFN subframe because it cannot receive PDSCH in MBSFN subframe, the new terminal has to take an action for receiving PDSCH to acquire DCI including scheduling information for receiving PDSCH in MBSFN subframe. In the following description, new terminal denotes an LTE Rel-10 terminal, i.e. the terminal capable of receiving PDSCH in MBSFN subframes.

(8) FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the new terminal procedure in the method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(9) The new version terminal receives a downlink frame structure in System Information Block broadcast by a base station at step 203. The downlink frame structure is transmitted in the form of a bitmap indicating positions of MBSFN subframes.

(10) Next, the terminal receives information on whether the base station supports PDSCH over MBSFN subframe at step 205. The PDSCH over MBSFN subframe supportability can be broadcasted in the system information of the base station or transmitted to the individual terminals through respective control messages. The PDSCH over MBSFN subframe supportability information can be transmitted in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message explicitly with a newly defined indicator or implicitly with a legacy information (e.g. predefined channel configuration information, transmission mode information, etc.). Steps 203 and 250 can be performed in opposite order. In the case of legacy network or legacy base station, the supportability information on PDSCH over MBSFN is not transmitted. If no supportability information on PDSCH over MBSFN is received, the UE assumes that the base station does not support PDSCH of MBSFN.

(11) If it is determined at step 207 that PDSCH over MBSFN subframe is supported, the UE receives PDCCH including DCI, at step 209, for receiving PDSCH in MBSFN subframes based on the information received at step 205.

(12) If it is determined at step 207 that PDSCH over MBSFN subframe is not supported or if no supportability information on PDSCH over MBSFN subframe is received, the terminal takes no action for receiving PDSCH in MBSFN subframe. In this case, the terminal does not perform any operation for receiving PDSCH.

(13) FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(14) The terminal communicates data with higher layer 305 and transmits/receives control messages through a control message processor 207. The terminal multiplexes the control signals or data by means of the multiplexer/demultiplexer 303 and transmits the multiplex result by means of the transceiver 301 under the control of the controller 309. The terminal demultiplexes the physical signal received by the transceiver 301, by means of the multiplexer/demultiplexer 303, and transfers the demultiplexed signals to the higher layer 305 or control message processor 307 under the control of the controller 309.

(15) In the present disclosure, the terminal receives MBSFN subframe configuration information broadcasted by the base station and receives the supportability information on PDSCH over MBSFN subframe through broadcast or unicast. Such a control message is received, the control message processor 307 transfers to the controller 309 the information on whether each subframe is normal or MBSFN subframe and whether PDSCH over MBSFN subframe is supported in order to determine whether to receive PDCCH for receiving PDSCH at every subframe. That is, if PDSCH over MBSFN subframe is supported, the terminal performs operation for receiving PDSCH even in MBSFN subframes and, otherwise PDSCH over MBSFN subframe is not supported, performs no action for receiving PDSCH in MBSFN subframes.

(16) Although the block diagram of the terminal is directed to the case where the function blocks are responsible for different functions, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the controller 309 may perform the functions of the control message processor 307.

(17) In the disclosed method, the network notifies the new version terminal whether it supports PDSCH over MBSFN subframe so as to avoid unnecessary reception operation for receiving PDSCH over MBSFN subframe, resulting in reduction of power consumption.

(18) Although exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail hereinabove with specific terminology, this is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and not intended to be limiting of the invention. While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.