# US 10,374,777 B2 · Control signaling in a shared communication medium > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,374,777 B2 - Document ID: US10374777B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/249,954 - Filed: 2016-08-29 - Published: 2017-03-30 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-08-31 - Assignees: QUALCOMM Incorporated - Applicants: QUALCOMM Incorporated - Inventors: Tamer Adel Kadous; Chirag Sureshbhai Patel; Ahmed Kamel Sadek; Nachiappan Valliappan; Tao Luo; Alexei Yurievitch Gorokhov - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10374777B2 ## CPC - H04L 5/0055: {Physical resource allocation for ACK/NACK (for physical mapping arrangements in ARQ protocols H04L1/1861)} - H04L 5/0094: {Indication of how sub-channels of the path are allocated} - H04L 5/001: {the frequencies being arranged in component carriers} - H04L 5/0039: {Frequency-contiguous, i.e. with no allocation of frequencies for one user or terminal between the frequencies allocated to another} - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract Techniques for communication are disclosed. A method may include selecting from a subframe two or more resource elements for control signaling, wherein the subframe includes a plurality of symbol periods and each symbol period includes a plurality of resource elements, wherein the selected two or more resource elements are associated with a concurrent symbol period, and transmitting a resource allocation message to an access terminal, wherein the resource allocation message indicates that the selected two or more resource elements are allocated for control signaling. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of communication, comprising: selecting from a subframe two or more resource elements for control signaling, wherein the subframe includes a plurality of symbol periods and each symbol period includes a plurality of resource elements, wherein the selected two or more resource elements are concurrent resource elements included in a same symbol period; and transmitting a resource allocation message to an access terminal, wherein the resource allocation message indicates that the selected two or more resource elements are allocated for control signaling, wherein the selected two or more resource elements are resource elements of a shared communication medium shared by the access terminal operating in a first radio access technology (RAT) and by at least one other device operating in a second RAT different from the first RAT. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein each resource element of the plurality of resource elements is associated with one tone of a plurality of tones, the selected two or more resource elements including a first resource element associated with a first tone of the plurality of tones and a second resource element associated with a second tone different from the first tone. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, the first resource element being associated with a first resource block and the second resource element being associated with a second resource block different from the first resource block. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, the first resource block being separated from the second resource block by at least one unselected resource block that is not selected for control signaling. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein each of the first resource block and the second resource block is a long-term evolution (LTE) resource block that includes seven successive symbol periods and twelve adjacent tones. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the same symbol period associated with the selected two or more resource elements includes less than five percent of a total number of symbol periods within a radio frame, wherein the remaining symbol periods do not include any resource elements that are allocated for control signaling. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, from the access terminal, uplink control signaling on the selected two or more resource elements. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising, in response to the receiving of the uplink control signaling: selecting for downlink control signaling two or more subsequent resource elements from a subsequent subframe, wherein the selected two or more subsequent resource elements are concurrent resource element included in a subsequent symbol period; and transmitting downlink control signaling using the selected two or more subsequent resource elements. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the downlink control signaling includes an acknowledgement (ACK). ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: selecting from the subframe one or more successive resource elements for control signaling, wherein the one or more successive resource elements are included in one or more successive symbol periods to the symbol period in which the selected two or more resource elements are included; and wherein the resource allocation message indicates that the selected two or more resource elements and the one or more successive resource elements are allocated for control signaling. ### Claim 11 An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; at least one memory coupled to the at least one processor, the at least one processor and at least one memory being configured to: select from a subframe two or more resource elements for control signaling, wherein the subframe includes a plurality of symbol periods and each symbol period includes a plurality of resource elements, wherein the selected two or more resource elements are concurrent resource elements included in a same symbol period; and a transceiver, the transceiver being configured to: transmit a resource allocation message to an access terminal, wherein the resource allocation message indicates that the selected two or more resource elements are allocated for control signaling, wherein the selected two or more resource elements are resource elements of a shared communication medium shared by the access terminal operating in a first radio access technology (RAT) and by at least one other device operating in a second RAT different from the first RAT. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein each resource element of the plurality of resource elements is associated with one tone of a plurality of tones, the selected two or more resource elements including a first resource element associated with a first tone of the plurality of tones and a second resource element associated with a second tone different from the first tone. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, the first resource element being associated with a first resource block and the second resource element being associated with a second resource block different from the first resource block. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13, the first resource block being separated from the second resource block by at least one unselected resource block that is not selected for control signaling. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13, wherein each of the first resource block and the second resource block is a long-term evolution (LTE) resource block that includes seven successive symbol periods and twelve adjacent tones. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the same symbol period associated with the selected two or more resource elements includes less than five percent of a total number of symbol periods within a radio frame, wherein the remaining symbol periods do not include any resource elements that are allocated for control signaling. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the transceiver is further configured to: receive, from the access terminal, uplink control signaling on the selected two or more resource elements. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17, wherein, in response to the receiving of the uplink control signaling, the at least one processor and the at least one memory are further configured to: select for downlink control signaling two or more subsequent resource elements from a subsequent subframe, wherein the selected two or more subsequent resource elements are concurrent resource elements included in a subsequent symbol period; and transmit downlink control signaling using the selected two or more subsequent resource elements. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the downlink control signaling includes an acknowledgement (ACK). ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein: the at least one processor and at least one memory being further configured to select from the subframe one or more successive resource elements for control signaling, wherein the one or more successive resource elements are included in one or more successive symbol periods to the symbol period in which the selected two or more resource elements are included; and the resource allocation message indicates that the selected two or more resource elements and the one or more successive resource elements are allocated for control signaling. ### Claim 21 An apparatus, comprising: means for selecting from a subframe two or more resource elements for control signaling, wherein the subframe includes a plurality of symbol periods and each symbol period includes a plurality of resource elements, wherein the selected two or more resource elements are concurrent resource elements included in a same symbol period; and means for transmitting a resource allocation message to an access terminal, wherein the resource allocation message indicates that the selected two or more resource elements are allocated for control signaling, wherein the selected two or more resource elements are resource elements of a shared communication medium shared by the access terminal operating in a first radio access technology (RAT) and by at least one other device operating in a second RAT different from the first RAT. ### Claim 22 A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising at least one instruction for causing a computer or processor to perform operations, comprising: code for selecting from a subframe two or more resource elements for control signaling, wherein the subframe includes a plurality of symbol periods and each symbol period includes a plurality of resource elements, wherein the selected two or more resource elements are concurrent resource elements included in a same symbol period; and code for transmitting a resource allocation message to an access terminal, wherein the resource allocation message indicates that the selected two or more resource elements are allocated for control signaling, wherein the selected two or more resource elements are resource elements of a shared communication medium shared by the access terminal operating in a first radio access technology (RAT) and by at least one other device operating in a second RAT different from the first RAT. ### Claim 23 A method of communication, comprising: receiving a resource allocation message from an access point, wherein the resource allocation message indicates that two or more resource elements from a subframe are selected for control signaling, wherein the subframe includes a plurality of symbol periods and each symbol period includes a plurality of resource elements, wherein the indicated two or more resource elements are concurrent resource elements included in a same symbol period; and transmitting uplink control signaling on the indicated two or more resource elements, wherein the selected two or more resource elements are resource elements of a shared communication medium shared by the access point operating in a first radio access technology (RAT) and by at least one other device operating in a second RAT different from the first RAT. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein each resource element of the plurality of resource elements is associated with one tone of a plurality of tones, the selected two or more resource elements including a first resource element associated with a first tone of the plurality of tones and a second resource element associated with a second tone different from the first tone. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, the first resource element being associated with a first resource block and the second resource element being associated with a second resource block different from the first resource block. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, the first resource block being separated from the second resource block by at least one unselected resource block that is not selected for control signaling. ### Claim 27 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein each of the first resource block and the second resource block is a long-term evolution (LTE) resource block that includes seven successive symbol periods and twelve adjacent tones. ### Claim 28 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the same symbol period associated with the selected two or more resource elements includes less than five percent of a total number of symbol periods within a radio frame, wherein the remaining symbol periods do not include any resource elements that are allocated for control signaling. ### Claim 29 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, further comprising: receiving, from the access point, downlink control signaling on the selected two or more resource elements. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The method of claim 29, wherein the downlink control signaling includes an acknowledgement (ACK). ### Claim 31 An apparatus, comprising: means for receiving a resource allocation message from an access point, wherein the resource allocation message indicates that two or more resource elements from a subframe are selected for control signaling, wherein the subframe includes a plurality of symbol periods and each symbol period includes a plurality of resource elements, wherein the indicated two or more resource elements are concurrent resource elements included in a same symbol period; and means for transmitting uplink control signaling on the indicated two or more resource elements, wherein the selected two or more resource elements are resource elements of a shared communication medium shared by the access point operating in a first radio access technology (RAT) and by at least one other device operating in a second RAT different from the first RAT. ### Claim 32 A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising at least one instruction for causing a computer or processor to perform operations, comprising: code for receiving a resource allocation message from an access point, wherein the resource allocation message indicates that two or more resource elements from a subframe are selected for control signaling, wherein the subframe includes a plurality of symbol periods and each symbol period includes a plurality of resource elements, wherein the indicated two or more resource elements are concurrent resource elements included in a same symbol period; and code for transmitting uplink control signaling on the indicated two or more resource elements, wherein the selected two or more resource elements are resource elements of a shared communication medium shared by the access point operating in a first radio access technology (RAT) and by at least one other device operating in a second RAT different from the first RAT. ### Claim 33 An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; at least one memory coupled to the at least one processor, the at least one processor and at least one memory being configured to receive a resource allocation message from an access point, wherein the resource allocation message indicates that two or more resource elements from a subframe are selected for control signaling, wherein the subframe includes a plurality of symbol periods and each symbol period includes a plurality of resource elements, wherein the indicated two or more resource elements are concurrent resource elements included in a same symbol period; and a transceiver, the transceiver being configured to transmit uplink control signaling on the indicated two or more resource elements, wherein the selected two or more resource elements are resource elements of a shared communication medium shared by the access point operating in a first radio access technology (RAT) and by at least one other device operating in a second RAT different from the first RAT. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The apparatus of claim 33, wherein each resource element of the plurality of resource elements is associated with one tone of a plurality of tones, the selected two or more resource elements including a first resource element associated with a first tone of the plurality of tones and a second resource element associated with a second tone different from the first tone. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The apparatus of claim 34, the first resource element being associated with a first resource block and the second resource element being associated with a second resource block different from the first resource block. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The apparatus of claim 35, the first resource block being separated from the second resource block by at least one unselected resource block that is not selected for control signaling. ### Claim 37 (depends on 35) The apparatus of claim 35, wherein each of the first resource block and the second resource block is a long-term evolution (LTE) resource block that includes seven successive symbol periods and twelve adjacent tones. ### Claim 38 (depends on 33) The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the same symbol period associated with the selected two or more resource elements includes less than five percent of a total number of symbol periods within a radio frame, wherein the remaining symbol periods do not include any resource elements that are allocated for control signaling. ### Claim 39 (depends on 33) The apparatus of claim 33, further comprising: receiving, from the access point, downlink control signaling on the selected two or more resource elements. ### Claim 40 (depends on 39) The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the downlink control signaling includes an acknowledgement (ACK).