Multipurpose downlink control information bit fields

A method for wireless communication, comprising:

• identifying, at a base station, a first type of control information to transmit to a user equipment (UE) in a downlink control information (DCI) message having a DCI format;
• generating the DCI message for transmitting the first type of control information;
• utilizing at least one bit field in the DCI message to provide an indication corresponding to the first type of control information, wherein the indication provided by the at least one bit field is different from an indication provided by a respective bit field in another DCI message having the DCI format for a second type of control information;
• and
• transmitting the DCI message to the UE and scrambling cyclic redundancy check (CRC) bits attached to the DCI message using a radio network temporary identifier (RNTI) corresponding to the first type of control information,
• wherein the indication of the at least one bit field comprises a first indication and the RNTI comprises a first RNTI when the first type of control information is identified and the indication comprises a second indication and the RNTI comprises a second RNTI when the second type of control information is identified, and wherein the first RNTI comprises a channel dependent RNTI and the second RNTI comprise a UE dependent RNTI.

An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

• a processor,
• memory in electronic communication with the processor;
• and
• instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to:
• monitor a control channel for downlink control information (DCI) from a base station;
• receive a DCI message having a DCI format in the control channel, wherein cyclic redundancy check (CRC) bits are attached to the DCI message and wherein the CRC bits are scrambled based on a radio network temporary identifier (RNTI);
• interpret at least one bit field in the DCI message based at least in part on the RNTI, wherein interpreting the at least one bit field of the DCI message of the DCI format comprise interpreting the at least one bit field in the DCI message as a first indication when the RNTI comprises a first RNTI and interpreting the at least one bit field in the DCI message as a second indication when the RNTI comprises a second RNTI that is different from the first RNTI, wherein the first RNTI comprises a channel dependent RNTI and the second RNTI comprise a UE dependent RNTI;
• and
• communicate with the base station based at least in part on interpreting the at least one bit field in the DCI message.

An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

• a processor,
• memory in electronic communication with the processor;
• and
• instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to:
• identify, at a base station, a first type of control information to transmit to a user equipment (UE) in a downlink control information (DCI) message having a DCI format;
• generate the DCI message for transmitting the first type of control information;
• utilize at least one bit field in the DCI message to provide an indication corresponding to the first type of control information, wherein the indication provided by the at least one bit field is different from an indication provided by a respective bit field in another DCI message having the DCI format for a second type of control information;
• and
• transmit the DCI message to the UE and scrambling cyclic redundancy check (CRC) bits attached to the DCI message using a radio network temporary identifier (RNTI) corresponding to the first type of control information,
• wherein the indication of the at least one bit field comprises a first indication and the RNTI comprises a first RNTI when the first type of control information is identified and the indication comprises a second indication and the RNTI comprises a second RNTI when the second type of control information is identified, and wherein the first RNTI comprises a channel dependent RNTI and the second RNTI comprise a UE dependent RNTI.