Coding technique for multi-stage control information

A radio access node for a cellular communications network to transmit multi-stage downlink control information, the radio access node comprising:

• one or more transmitters;
• and
• one or more processors operable to:
• transmit, via the one or more transmitters, a first part of the multi-stage downlink control information in a first Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing, OFDM, symbol;
• and
• transmit, via the one or more transmitters, a second part of the multi-stage downlink control information in a second OFDM symbol that is subsequent to the first OFDM symbol;
• wherein Cyclic Redundancy Check, CRC, bits are attached to the first part of the multi-stage downlink control information and/or CRC bits are attached to the second part of the multi-stage downlink control information:
• wherein:
• transmitting the first part of the multi-stage downlink control information in the first OFDM symbol comprises:
• encoding the first part of the multi-stage downlink control information to provide a first plurality of coded bits;
• and
• transmitting the first plurality of coded bits in the first OFDM symbol;
• and
• transmitting the second part of the multi-stage downlink control information in the second OFDM symbol comprises:
• encoding the second part of the multi-stage downlink control information using a polar encoder that uses the first part of the multi-stage downlink control information as frozen bits to provide a second plurality of coded bits;
• and
• transmitting the second plurality of coded bits in the second OFDM symbol.

A method of operation of a wireless device in a cellular communications network to receive multi-stage downlink control information, comprising:

• receiving a first part of the multi-stage downlink control information in a first Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing, OFDM, symbol;
• and
• receiving a second part of the multi-stage downlink control information in a second OFDM symbol that is subsequent to the first OFDM symbol;
• wherein Cyclic Redundancy Check, CRC, bits are attached to the first part of the multi-stage downlink control information and/or CRC bits are attached to the second part of the multi-stage downlink control information;
• wherein:
• receiving the first part of the multi-stage downlink control information in the first OFDM symbol comprises:
• the first part of the multi-stage downlink control information being encoded to provide a first plurality of coded bits;
• and
• receiving the first plurality of coded bits in the first OFDM symbol;
• and
• receiving the second part of the multi-stage downlink control information in the second OFDM symbol comprises:
• the second part of the multi-stage downlink control information being encoded using a polar encoder that uses the first part of the multi-stage downlink control information as frozen bits to provide a second plurality of coded bits;
• and
• receiving the second plurality of coded bits in the second OFDM symbol.

A wireless device for a cellular communications network to receive multi-stage downlink control information, the comprising:

• one or more receivers;
• and
• one or more processors operable to:
• receive a first part of the multi-stage downlink control information in a first Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing, OFDM, symbol;
• and
• receive a second part of the multi-stage downlink control information in a second OFDM symbol that is subsequent to the first OFDM symbol;
• wherein Cyclic Redundancy Check, CRC, bits are attached to the first part of the multi-stage downlink control information and/or CRC bits are attached to the second part of the multi-stage downlink control information;
• wherein:
• receiving the first part of the multi-stage downlink control information in the first OFDM symbol comprises:
• the first part of the multi-stage downlink control information being encoded to provide a first plurality of coded bits;
• and
• receiving the first plurality of coded bits in the first OFDM symbol;
• and
• receiving the second part of the multi-stage downlink control information in the second OFDM symbol comprises:
• the second part of the multi-stage downlink control information being encoded using a polar encoder that uses the first part of the multi-stage downlink control information as frozen bits to provide a second plurality of coded bits;
• and
• receiving the second plurality of coded bits in the second OFDM symbol.

A method of operation of a radio access node in a cellular communications network to transmit multi-stage downlink control information, comprising:

• transmitting a first part of the multi-stage downlink control information in a first Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing, OFDM, symbol;
• and
• transmitting a second part of the multi-stage downlink control information in a second OFDM symbol that is subsequent to the first OFDM symbol;
• wherein Cyclic Redundancy Check, CRC, bits are attached to the first part of the multi-stage downlink control information and/or CRC bits are attached to the second part of the multi-stage downlink control information;
• wherein:
• transmitting the first part of the multi-stage downlink control information in the first OFDM symbol comprises:
• attaching first CRC bits to the first part of the multi-stage downlink control information to provide a first sequence of bits comprising the first part of the multi-stage downlink control information and the first CRC bits;
• encoding the first sequence of bits to provide a first plurality of coded bits;
• and
• transmitting the first plurality of coded bits in the first OFDM symbol;
• and
• transmitting the second part of a multi-stage downlink control information in the second OFDM symbol comprises:
• attaching second CRC bits to the second part of the multi-stage downlink control information to provide a second sequence of bits comprising the second part of the multi-stage downlink control information and the second CRC bits;
• encoding the second sequence of bits using a polar encoder that uses the first part of the multi-stage downlink control information and the first CRC bits as frozen bits to provide a second plurality of coded bits;
• and
• transmitting the second plurality of coded bits in the second OFDM symbol.