Method and apparatus with enhanced control messages and search space

A method of receiving control information by a user equipment (UE1), comprising:

• receiving a configuration of a subframe from a base station;
• blind decoding a first enhanced physical downlink control channel (EPDCCH) of the subframe to receive first control information specific to the UE1, wherein the first control information is formatted according to downlink control information (DCI) format 1A with CRC scrambled by a cell radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI), the first EPDCCH corresponding to a first set of resource blocks configured by a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message;
• blind decoding a second enhanced physical downlink control channel (EPDCCH) of the subframe to receive second control information common to the UE1 and at least another user equipment (UE2), wherein the second control information has a DCI format with CRC scrambled by a second type of RNTI different than the C-RNTI, the second EPDCCH corresponding to a second set of resource blocks configured by the RRC message;
• and
• blind decoding a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) of the subframe to receive third control information, wherein the third control information is formatted according to DCI format 1A with CRC scrambled by a system information radio network temporary identifier (SI-RNTI).

A method of communication between a base station and a plurality of user equipments (UE), comprising:

• the base station forming a subframe;
• generating first Downlink Control Information (DCI) comprising control information specific to a first UE (UE1), wherein the first control information has a DCI format with CRC scrambled by a first type of radio network temporary identifier (RNTI);
• generating second DCI comprising second control information common to UE1 and at least a second user equipment (UE2), wherein the second control information has a DCI format with CRC scrambled by a second type of RNTI different than the first type of RNTI;
• generating third DCI comprising third control information wherein the third control information is formatted according to DCI format 1A with CRC scrambled by a system information radio network temporary identifier (SI-RNTI);
• mapping the first DCI into a first Enhanced Physical Downlink Control Channel (EPDCCH) of the subframe, the first EPDCCH corresponding to a first set of resource blocks configured by a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message;
• mapping the second DCI into a second EPDCCH of the subframe, the second EPDCCH corresponding to a second set of resource blocks configured by the RRC message;
• mapping third control information into a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) of the subframe;
• and
• transmitting the subframe to UE1 and UE2.

A user equipment (UE1), configured to:

• receive a configuration of a subframe from a base station;
• blind decode a first enhanced physical downlink control channel (EPDCCH) of the subframe to receive first control information specific to the UE1, wherein the first control information is formatted according to downlink control information (DCI) format 1A with CRC scrambled by a cell radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI), the first EPDCCH corresponding to a first set of resource blocks configured by a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message;
• blind decode a second enhanced physical downlink control channel (EPDCCH) of the subframe to receive second control information common to the UE1 and at least another user equipment (UE2), wherein the second control information has a DCI format with CRC scrambled by a second type of RNTI different than the C-RNTI, the second EPDCCH corresponding to a second set of resource blocks configured by the RRC message;
• and
• blind decode a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) of the subframe to receive third control information, wherein the third control information is formatted according to DCI format 1A with CRC scrambled by a system information radio network temporary identifier (SI-RNTI).