Interlaces allocation and indication

An apparatus to be used in an evolved Node B (eNB) in a mobile communication network to communicate with a user equipment (UE), comprising:

• a memory storing instructions;
• and
• processing circuitry to execute the instructions stored in the memory to:
• generate an assignment of one or more interlaces to the UE within a cell managed by the eNB, wherein the one or more interlaces are selected from a total number of interlaces of a block-interleaved frequency division multiple access (“B-IFDMA”) waveform within a system bandwidth;
• and
• indicate the assignment by a bit string including one or more bits;
• wherein each interlace of the total number of interlaces has an index, the bit string is an encoding of an assignment selected from a set of assignments, and the assignment of the set of assignments is indicated by an index of a starting interlace of the one or more interlaces and a number of consecutive interlaces being assigned to the UE.

One or more non-transitory computer-readable media having instructions that, when executed, cause an evolved Node B (“eNB”) in a mobile communication network to communicate with a user equipment (UE), to:

• generate an assignment of one or more interlaces to the UE within a cell managed by the eNB, wherein the one or more interlaces are selected from a total number of interlaces, an interlace of the total number of interlaces includes multiple equally spaced resource blocks spanning within a system bandwidth;
• indicate the assignment by a bit string including one or more bits;
• and transmit the bit string to the UE;
• wherein each interlace of the total number of interlaces has an index, the bit string is an encoding of an assignment selected from a set of assignments, and the assignment of the set of assignments is indicated by an index of a starting interlace of the one or more interlaces and a number of consecutive interlaces being assigned to the UE.

A method comprising:

• identifying, by a user equipment (UE), one or more bits to provide an indication of an assignment of a plurality of interlaces of a block-interleaved frequency division multiple access (B-IFDMA) waveform by an evolved Node B (eNB);
• decoding, by the UE, the one or more bits to determine the plurality of interlaces;
• and
• communicating, by the UE, with the eNB using the plurality of interlaces;
• wherein the plurality of interlaces are assigned from a set of total number of interlaces, each interlace of the set of total number of interlaces has an index, the one or more bits are an encoding of an assignment selected from a set of assignments, and the assignment of the set of assignments is indicated by an index of a starting interlace of the plurality of interlaces and a number of consecutive interlaces being assigned to the UE.