# US 10,374,748 B2 · Device and method for HARQ ACK/NACK bits transmission > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,374,748 B2 - Document ID: US10374748B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/571,200 - Filed: 2016-02-25 - Published: 2018-09-13 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-05-15 - Assignees: NEC Corporation - Applicants: NEC Corporation - Inventors: Kengo Oketani - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10374748B2 ## CPC - H04L 27/26035: {Maintenance of orthogonality, e.g. for signals exchanged between cells or users, or by using covering codes or sequences (using different training sequence per antenna H04B7/0684; code allocation H04J13/16)} - H04L 1/0002: {by adapting the transmission rate} - H04L 1/0068: {by puncturing} - H04L 1/1812: Hybrid protocols; Hybrid automatic repeat request [HARQ] - H04L 1/1861: {Physical mapping arrangements (for ACK signaling see also H04L5/0053)} - H04L 5/0016: {Time-frequency-code} - H04L 5/0055: {Physical resource allocation for ACK/NACK (for physical mapping arrangements in ARQ protocols H04L1/1861)} - H04L 5/0098: {Signalling of the activation or deactivation of component carriers, subcarriers or frequency bands} - H04L 25/03866: {using scrambling} - H04L 27/2602: {Signal structure} - H04W 28/04: Error control - H04W 28/065: {using assembly or disassembly of packets} - H04W 72/04: Wireless resource allocation - H04W 72/21: in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network - H04L 5/001: {the frequencies being arranged in component carriers} - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A wireless terminal (1) is configured, when a plurality of hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) ACK/NACK bits corresponding to a plurality of downlink component carriers (DL CCs) configured in the wireless terminal (1) are transmitted on a single physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) on a single uplink component carrier (UL CC), to change a spreading rate to be applied to time-domain spreading of a plurality of modulation symbols generated from the plurality of HARQ ACK/NACK bits, depending on the number of the plurality of DL CCs or the number of the plurality of HARQ ACK/NACK bits. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A wireless terminal comprising: a wireless transceiver configured to wirelessly communicate with a base station; and at least one processor coupled to the wireless transceiver, wherein the at least one processor is configured, when a plurality of hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) ACK/NACK bits corresponding to a plurality of downlink component carriers (DL CCs) configured in the wireless terminal are transmitted on a single physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) on a single uplink component carrier (UL CC), to change, depending on the number of the plurality of DL CCs or the number of the plurality of HARQ ACK/NACK bits, a spreading rate to be applied to time-domain spreading of a plurality of modulation symbols generated from the plurality of HARQ ACK/NACK bits, wherein the at least one processor is configured to selectively perform a plurality of time-domain spreading operations including first and second time-domain spreading operations to change the spreading rate, depending on the number of the plurality of DL CCs or the number of the plurality of HARQ ACK/NACK bits, the first time-domain spreading operation includes performing time-domain spreading on a single data block at a spreading rate of 2n (n is an integer) by using a first length-2n spreading code sequence, wherein the single data block is to be mapped to predetermined 2n single-carrier FDMA (SC-FDMA) symbols within a single slot in accordance with a PUCCH format used to transmit the plurality of HARQ ACK/NACK bits, and the second time-domain spreading operation includes preforming time-domain spreading on two data blocks at a spreading rate of n by using a second length-n spreading code sequence consisting of n elements of the first spreading code sequence and a third length-n spreading code sequence consisting of the remaining n elements of the first spreading code sequence, wherein the two data blocks is to be mapped to the predetermined 2n SC-FDMA symbols within the single slot in accordance with the PUCCH format. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The wireless terminal according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of time-domain spreading operations further includes a third time-domain spreading operation, wherein the third time-domain spreading operation includes performing time-domain spreading on 2n data blocks at a spreading rate of 1 by using 2n length-1 spreading code sequences each consisting of a respective one of the 2n elements of the first spreading code sequence, wherein the 2n data blocks is to be mapped to the predetermined 2n SC-FDMA symbols within the single slot in accordance with the PUCCH format. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The wireless terminal according to claim 2, wherein the first spreading code sequence is orthogonal to a fourth length-2n spreading code sequence used by another wireless terminal, the second spreading code sequence is orthogonal to a spreading code sequence consisting of corresponding n elements of the fourth spreading code sequence, and the third spreading code sequence is orthogonal to a spreading code sequence consisting of remaining n elements of the fourth spreading code sequence. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The wireless terminal according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined 2n SC-FDMA symbols do not include a last SC-FDMA symbol within the slot. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The wireless terminal according to claim 4, wherein the last SC-FDMA symbol is used to transmit a reference signal (RS) symbol. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The wireless terminal according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to receive, from the base station, signaling explicitly or implicitly indicating the spreading rate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The wireless terminal according to claim 6, wherein the implicit indication of the spreading rate is performed by configuring one or more secondary component carriers in the wireless terminal. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The wireless terminal according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to adjust transmission power of the PUCCH depending on whether a sounding reference signal (SRS) is transmitted in a slot in which the PUCCH is transmitted, wherein the adjustment of the transmission power of the PUCCH is performed by adding a first offset to the transmission power of the PUCCH when the SRS is transmitted in the slot in which the PUCCH is transmitted, and the at least one processor is configured to receive signaling indicating the first offset from the base station. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The wireless terminal according to claim 8, wherein the first offset is indicated per spreading rate. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The wireless terminal according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to adjust transmission power of the PUCCH depending on the spreading rate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The wireless terminal according to claim 10, wherein the adjustment of the transmission power of the PUCCH depending on the spreading rate is performed by adding a second offset corresponding to the spreading rate to the transmission power of the PUCCH, and the at least one processor is configured to receive signaling indicating the second offset from the base station. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The wireless terminal according to claim 1, wherein the first spreading code sequence is orthogonal to a fourth length-2n spreading code sequence used by another wireless terminal, and the second spreading code sequence is orthogonal to a spreading code sequence consisting of corresponding n elements of the fourth spreading code sequence. ### Claim 13 A method in a wireless terminal, the method comprising: when a plurality of hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) ACK/NACK bits corresponding to a plurality of downlink component carriers (DL CCs) configured in the wireless terminal are transmitted on a single physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) on a single uplink component carrier (UL CC), changing, depending on the number of the plurality of DL CCs or the number of the plurality of HARQ ACK/NACK bits, a spreading rate to be applied to time-domain spreading of a plurality of modulation symbols generated from the plurality of HARQ ACK/NACK bits, wherein the changing includes selectively perform a plurality of time-domain spreading operations including first and second time-domain spreading operations to change the spreading rate, depending on the number of the plurality of DL CCs or the number of the plurality of HARQ ACK/NACK bits, the first time-domain spreading operation includes performing time-domain spreading on a single data block at a spreading rate of 2n (n is an integer) by using a first length-2n spreading code sequence, wherein the single data block is to be mapped to predetermined 2n single-carrier FDMA (SC-FDMA) symbols within a single slot in accordance with a PUCCH format used to transmit the plurality of HARQ ACK/NACK bits, and the second time-domain spreading operation includes preforming time-domain spreading on two data blocks at a spreading rate of n by using a second length-n spreading code sequence consisting of n elements of the first spreading code sequence and a third length-n spreading code sequence consisting of the remaining n elements of the first spreading code sequence, wherein the two data blocks is to be mapped to the predetermined 2n SC-FDMA symbols within the single slot in accordance with the PUCCH format. ### Claim 14 A base station, comprising: a wireless transceiver configured to wirelessly communicate with a wireless terminal; and at least one processor coupled to the wireless transceiver, wherein the at least one processor is configured to receive, from the wireless terminal, a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) transmitted in accordance with a PUCCH format, and the PUCCH format enables the wireless terminal, when a plurality of hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) ACK/NACK bits corresponding to a plurality of downlink component carriers (DL CCs) configured in the wireless terminal are transmitted on a single physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) on a single uplink component carrier (UL CC), to change a spreading rate to be applied to time-domain spreading of a plurality of modulation symbols generated from the plurality of HARQ ACK/NACK bits, depending on the number of the plurality of DL CCs or the number of the plurality of HARQ ACK/NACK bits, wherein the changing of the spreading rate includes selectively perform a plurality of time-domain spreading operations including first and second time-domain spreading operations to change the spreading rate, depending on the number of the plurality of DL CCs or the number of the plurality of HARQ ACK/NACK bits, the first time-domain spreading operation includes performing time-domain spreading on a single data block at a spreading rate of 2n (n is an integer) by using a first length-2n spreading code sequence, wherein the single data block is to be mapped to predetermined 2n single-carder FDMA (SC-FDMA) symbols within a single slot in accordance with a PUCCH format used to transmit the plurality of HARQ ACK/NACK bits, and the second time-domain spreading operation includes performing time-domain spreading on two data blocks at a spreading rate of n by using a second length-n spreading code sequence consisting of n elements of the first spreading code sequence and a third length-n spreading code sequence consisting of the remaining n elements of the first spreading code sequence, wherein the two data blocks is to be mapped to the predetermined 2n SC-FDMA symbols within the single slot in accordance with the PUCCH format. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The base station according to claim 14, wherein the plurality of time-domain spreading operations further includes a third time-domain spreading operation, wherein the third time-domain spreading operation includes performing time-domain spreading on 2n data blocks at a spreading rate of 1 by using 2n length-1 spreading code sequences each consisting of a respective one of the 2n elements of the first spreading code sequence, wherein the 2n data blocks is to be mapped to the predetermined 2n SC-FDMA symbols within the single slot in accordance with the PUCCH format. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The base station according to claim 14, wherein the first spreading code sequence is orthogonal to a fourth length-2n spreading code sequence used by another wireless terminal, and the second spreading code sequence is orthogonal to a spreading code sequence consisting of corresponding n elements of the fourth spreading code sequence. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The base station according to claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is configured to transmit, to the wireless terminal, signaling explicitly or implicitly indicating the spreading rate. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The base station according to claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is configured to transmit signaling indicating a first offset to the wireless terminal, and the first offset enables the wireless terminal to adjust transmission power of the PUCCH depending on whether a sounding reference signal (SRS) is transmitted in a slot in which the PUCCH is transmitted. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The base station according to claim 18, wherein the first offset is indicated per spreading rate. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The base station according to claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is configured to transmit signaling indicating a second offset to the wireless terminal, and the second offset enables the wireless terminal to adjust transmission power of the PUCCH depending on the spreading rate.