Network node, method and computer program for unlicensed spectrum operation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11716634-B2
Application number	US-202217859737-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 7, 2022
Priority date	Dec 21, 2017
Publication date	Aug 1, 2023
Grant date	Aug 1, 2023

Abstract

A network node is arranged to provide communication at least in an unlicensed band where clear channel assessment, CCA, is required before transmissions. The unlicensed band comprises a plurality of carriers, or sets of carriers, defining channels. The network node is arranged to prepare code block groups comprising code blocks from transport blocks, which transport blocks each comprises a payload intended for a respective receiver, wherein each code block comprises a checksum enabling a hybrid automatic repeat request, HARQ, procedure on a per code block group basis, map the code block groups to a wideband signal comprising a consecutive set of channels on the carriers of the unlicensed band, assess whether the channels, respectively, are clear, and transmit the code block groups mapped on the channels which are clear and omit transmissions of code block groups mapped on channels that are not clear, wherein the assessment and the transmissions are performed within a first time interval, and transmit code blocks groups omitted to be transmitted using the HARQ procedure for retransmission prior receiving a non-acknowledgement, NAK, from a respective receiver of the code block group.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A network node arranged to provide communication at least in an unlicensed band where clear channel assessment (CCA) is required before transmissions, wherein the unlicensed band comprises a plurality of carriers, or sets of carriers, defining channels, the network node comprising:
a processor configured to:
prepare code block groups comprising code blocks from transport blocks, which transport blocks each comprises a payload intended for a respective receiver, wherein each code block comprises a checksum enabling a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) procedure on a per code block group basis;
map the code block groups to a wideband signal comprising a consecutive set of channels on the carriers of the unlicensed band;
assess whether the channels, respectively, are clear, and transmit the code block groups mapped on the channels which are clear and omit transmissions of code block groups mapped on channels that are not clear, wherein the assessment and the transmissions are performed within a first time interval; and
transmit code blocks groups omitted to be transmitted using the HARQ procedure for retransmission prior receiving a non-acknowledgement (NAK) from a respective receiver of the code block group.

2. The network node of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to retransmit the code block groups omitted to be transmitted due to the channel not being clear using a same redundancy version as the omitted transmission would have used.

3. The network node of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to map a transport block comprising code block groups for transmissions within the first time interval to channels which are determined by the CCA.

4. The network node of claim 1 , wherein the mapping of code block groups for a receiver comprises alignment of the code block groups to adjacent channels.

5. The network node of claim 4 , wherein the processor is configured to apply multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO), wherein the alignment of the code block groups is further based on used MIMO layers.

6. The network node of claim 4 , wherein the processor is configured to provide control signals to receivers about code block group alignment.

7. The network node of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to apply guard bands between the channels at initial mapping of the code block groups to the channels.

8. The network node of claim 7 , wherein the processor is configured to omit guard bands between adjacent clear channels at further transmissions when mapping of the code block groups to the channels when result of CCA is known for the first time interval.

9. The network node of claim 1 , wherein the mapping of the code block groups to a wideband signal comprises mapping in time and channel, and the network node is arranged to initially group code blocks into the code block groups time-wise for forming the code block groups, and then to map the code block groups on the channels.

10. A method performed by a network node which is arranged to provide communication at least in an unlicensed band where clear channel assessment (CCA) is required before transmissions, wherein the unlicensed band comprises a plurality of carriers, or sets of carriers, defining channels, the method comprising
preparing code block groups comprising code blocks from transport blocks, which transport blocks each comprises a payload intended for a respective receiver, wherein each code block comprises a checksum enabling a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) procedure on a per code block group basis;
mapping the code block groups to a wideband signal comprising a consecutive set of channels on the carriers of the unlicensed band;
assessing whether the channels, respectively, are clear, and transmitting the code block groups mapped on the channels which are clear and omitting transmissions of code block groups mapped on channels that are not clear, wherein the assessment and the transmissions are performed within a first time interval; and
transmitting code blocks groups omitted to be transmitted using the HARQ procedure for retransmission prior receiving a non-acknowledgement (NAK) from a respective receiver of the code block group.

11. The method of claim 10 , comprising retransmitting the code block groups omitted to be transmitted due to the channel not being clear using a same redundancy version as the omitted transmission would have used.

12. The method of claim 10 , comprising matching a transport block comprising code block groups for transmission within the first time interval to channels which are determined by the CCA.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the mapping of code block groups for a receiver comprises aligning the code block groups to adjacent channels.

14. The method of claim 13 , comprising applying multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO), wherein the aligning of the code block groups is further based on used MIMO layers.

15. The method of claim 13 , comprising providing control signals to receivers about code block group alignment.

16. The method of claim 10 , comprising applying guard bands between the channels at initial mapping of the code block groups to the channels.

17. The method of claim 16 , further arranged to omit guard bands between adjacent clear channels at further transmissions when mapping of the code block groups to the channels when result of CCA is known for the first time interval.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the mapping of the code block groups to a wideband signal comprises mapping in time and channel, and the method comprises initially grouping code blocks into the code block groups time-wise for forming the code block groups, and then mapping the code block groups on the channels.

19. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium computer program comprising instructions which, when executed on a processor of a network node, causes the network node to perform a method, wherein the network node is arranged to provide communication at least in an unlicensed band where clear channel assessment (CCA) is required before transmissions, wherein the unlicensed band comprises a plurality of carriers, or sets of carriers, defining channels, and wherein the method comprises:
preparing code block groups comprising code blocks from transport blocks, which transport blocks each comprises a payload intended for a respective receiver, wherein each code block comprises a checksum enabling a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) procedure on a per code block group basis;
mapping the code block groups to a wideband signal comprising a consecutive set of channels on the carriers of the unlicensed band;
assessing whether the channels, respectively, are clear, and transmitting the code block groups mapped on the channels which are clear and omitting transmissions of code block groups mapped on channels that are not clear, wherein the assessment and the transmissions are performed within a first time interval; and
transmitting code blocks groups omitted to be transmitted using the HARQ procedure for retransmission prior receiving a non-acknowledgement (NAK) from a respective receiver of the code block group.

Assignees

• Ericsson Telefon Ab L M

Inventors

• Alriksson Peter
• Do Tai
• Karaki Reem
• Nilsson Thomas

Classifications

• H04W16/14 Primary

  Spectrum sharing arrangements {between different networks} · CPC title

• H04B7/0413

  MIMO systems · CPC title

• H04L1/1812

  Hybrid protocols; Hybrid automatic repeat request [HARQ] · CPC title

• H04L1/1887 Primary

  Scheduling and prioritising arrangements · CPC title

• H04W74/0808

  using carrier sensing, e.g. carrier sense multiple access [CSMA] · CPC title