Method and an apparatus for improving a determination of HARQ-ACK messages in a wireless communications system

A receiver for a wireless communication system configured to determine a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) transmission signal;

• the receiver comprising:
• a soft decoder for:
• receiving soft bits from a wireless communication physical channel uplink signal, said received soft bits comprising or being deemed to comprise HARQ Log-Likelihood Ratios (LLRs);
• and
• soft decoding said HARQ LLRs to output a hard Acknowledgement/Negative-Acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) decision;
• a HARQ LLR processing module for flipping said HARQ LLRs by flipping signs of the soft bits of said HARQ LLRs using an expected bit pattern for said hard ACK/NACK decision such that the flipped HARQ LLRs map to a same constellation point or points if the physical channel uplink signal contains an ACK or NACK transmission signal;
• and
• a decision module configured to directly or indirectly use said flipped HARQ LLRs to determine if the physical channel uplink signal contains an ACK or NACK transmission signal or to determine if the physical channel uplink signal comprises discontinuous transmission (DTX).

A method for determining a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) discontinuous transmission condition (DTX);

• the method comprising the steps of:
• receiving soft bits from a wireless communication physical channel uplink signal, said received soft bits being deemed to comprise HARQ Log-Likelihood Ratios (LLRs);
• soft decoding said HARQ LLRs to output a hard ACK/NACK decision;
• flipping said HARQ LLRs by flipping signs of the soft bits of said HARQ LLRs using an expected bit pattern for said hard Acknowledgement/Negative-Acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) decision such that the flipped HARQ LLRs map to a same constellation point or points if the physical channel uplink signal contains an ACK or NACK transmission signal to output flipped HARQ samples, each comprising two flipped HARQ LLRs;
• and
• using said outputted flipped HARQ samples to determine if the physical channel uplink signal comprises DTX.

A receiver for a wireless communication system configured to determine a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) discontinuous transmission condition (DTX);

• the receiver comprising:
• a soft decoder for:
• receiving soft bits from a wireless communication physical channel uplink signal, said received soft bits comprising or being deemed to comprise HARQ Log-Likelihood Ratios (LLRs);
• and
• soft decoding said HARQ LLRs to output a hard Acknowledgement/Negative-Acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) decision;
• and
• a HARQ LLR processing module for flipping said HARQ LLRs by flipping signs of the soft bits of said HARQ LLRs using an expected bit pattern for said hard ACK/NACK decision such that the flipped HARQ LLRs map to a same constellation point or points if the physical channel uplink signal contains an ACK or NACK transmission signal to output flipped HARQ samples, each comprising two flipped HARQ LLRs;
• and using said outputted flipped HARQ samples to determine if the physical channel uplink signal comprises DTX.