False positive detection in NB-IoT downlink control channel based on effective and scheduled code rate

A method for reducing false positive detection in a narrowband internet-of-things (NB-IoT) downlink control channel, the method comprising the following steps:

• synchronizing user equipment (UE) to a base station and exchanging a data transmission via a downlink narrowband physical downlink shared channel (NPDSCH) or an uplink narrowband physical uplink shared channel (NPUSCH), whereas downlink control information (DCI) pertaining to downlink or uplink data transmission is signaled to the UE by the base station via a narrowband physical downlink control channel (NPDCCH), wherein
• calculating an effective code rate of NPDCCH that is used in receiving downlink grant, resulting in a value CRNPDCCH,
• calculating a scheduled code rate of NPDSCH or NPUSCH, resulting in a value CRNPDSCH or CRNPUSCH,
• calculating a ratio between the effective code rate CRNPDCCH and the scheduled code rate CRNPDSCH or CRNPUSCH, resulting in a result x,
• comparing the result x with pre-defined upper and lower bounds,
• dropping and not processing further the result x as false positive detection if the result x violates the pre-defined bounds.