Allocation of acknowledgement resources

A method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment, UE, the method comprising:

• at the host computer, providing user data;
• and
• at the host computer, initiating a transmission carrying the user data to the UE via a cellular network comprising the base station, wherein the UE:
• is configured with at least two physical uplink control channel opportunities, PUCCH opportunities, by semi-static signaling, each of the at least two PUCCH opportunities identifying uplink, UL, resources to be used for transmitting control information to the communication network;
• receives an assignment of radio resources to be used for receiving a downlink, DL, transmission from a network node of the communication network;
• receives an acknowledgement resource indication, ARI, indicating one of the configured at least two PUCCH opportunities to be used for transmitting control information associated with the DL transmission;
• and
• transmits the control information associated with the DL transmission to the network node on at least a subset of the UL resources identified by the indicated PUCCH opportunity,
• wherein the indicated PUCCH opportunity includes one or more of a PUCCH format, a PUCCH duration, a PUCCH payload size, or a PUCCH bandwidth,
• wherein the at least two PUCCH opportunities identify one or more of different PUCCH formats, different PUCCH durations, different PUCCH payload sizes, or different PUCCH bandwidths.

A method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment, UE, the method comprising:

• at the host computer, providing user data;
• and
• at the host computer, initiating a transmission carrying the user data to the UE via a cellular network comprising the base station, wherein the base station:
• obtains a configuration of at least two physical uplink control channel opportunities, PUCCH opportunities, each PUCCH opportunity identifying uplink, UL, resources to be used for receiving control information from user equipments in coverage of the communication network;
• signals the configuration semi-statically to the UE;
• assigns radio resources to be used for transmitting a downlink, DL, transmission to the UE;
• transmits an acknowledgement resource indication, ARI, to the UE, the ARI indicating one of the configured at least two PUCCH opportunities to be used for receiving control information associated with the DL transmission;
• and
• receives the control information from the UE on at least a subset of the indicated PUCCH opportunity,
• wherein a PUCCH opportunity includes one or more of a PUCCH format, a PUCCH duration, a PUCCH payload size, or a PUCCH bandwidth in which the control information is to be transmitted,
• wherein the at least two PUCCH opportunities identify one or more of different PUCCH formats, different PUCCH durations, different PUCCH payload sizes, or different PUCCH bandwidths.

A communication system including a host computer comprising:

• processing circuitry configured to provide user data;
• and
• a communication interface configured to forward the user data to a cellular network for transmission to a user equipment, UE,
• wherein the cellular network comprises a base station having a radio interface and processing circuitry, the base station's processing circuitry configured to:
• obtain a configuration of at least two physical uplink control channel opportunities, PUCCH opportunities, each PUCCH opportunity identifying uplink, UL, resources to be used for receiving control information from user equipments in coverage of the communication network;
• signal the configuration semi-statically to the UE;
• assign radio resources to be used for transmitting a downlink, DL, transmission to the UE;
• transmit an acknowledgement resource indication, ARI, to the UE, the ARI indicating one of the configured at least two PUCCH opportunities to be used for receiving control information associated with the DL transmission;
• and
• receive the control information from the UE on at least a subset of the indicated PUCCH opportunity,
• wherein a PUCCH opportunity includes one or more of a PUCCH format, a PUCCH duration, a PUCCH payload size, or a PUCCH bandwidth in which the control information is to be transmitted,
• wherein the at least two PUCCH opportunities identify one or more of different PUCCH formats, different PUCCH durations, different PUCCH payload sizes, or different PUCCH bandwidths.