Forward and reverse shifting selective harq combining scheme for ofdma systems

An apparatus for wireless communication with a hybrid automatic repeat-request (HARQ) mechanism, comprising:

• first means for generating HARQ combined signal data at a first location along a reception processing path;
• second means for generating the HARQ combined signal data at a second location along the reception processing path different from the first location;
• means for selecting the first means for use in generating first HARQ combined signal data based on signal data for a first received HARQ transmission in a channel and for selecting second means for use in generating second HARQ combined signal data based on signal data for a second HARQ transmission in the channel;
• and
• means for storing the first or the second HARQ combined signal data.

A processor for wireless communication with a hybrid automatic repeat-request (HARQ) mechanism, the processor executing operations comprising:

• receiving a first HARQ transmission in a channel;
• selecting a first combiner for use in generating first HARQ combined signal data based on signal data for the first HARQ transmission;
• receiving a second HARQ transmission in the channel;
• and
• selecting a second combiner for use in generating second HARQ combined signal data based on signal data for the second HARQ transmission, wherein the first and second combiners are located at different locations along a reception processing path.

A mobile device, comprising:

• a first combiner at a first location along a reception processing path;
• a second combiner at a second location along the reception processing path different from the first location;
• control logic configured to select the first combiner to generate first hybrid automatic repeat-request (HARQ) combined signal data based on signal data for a first received HARQ transmission in a channel and to select the second combiner to generate second HARQ combined signal data based on signal data for a second received HARQ transmission in the channel;
• at least one buffer for storing the first or the second HARQ combined signal data;
• and
• a receiver front end for receiving the first and second HARQ transmissions in the channel.

A computer-program product for processing data for wireless communication with a hybrid automatic repeat-request (HARQ) mechanism comprising a computer readable medium having a set of instructions stored thereon, the set of instructions being executable by one or more processors and the set of instructions comprising:

• first instructions for generating HARQ combined signal data at a first location along a reception processing path;
• second instructions for generating the HARQ combined signal data at a second location along the reception processing path different from the first location;
• instructions for selecting the first instructions for use in generating first HARQ combined signal data based on signal data for a first received HARQ transmission in a channel and for selecting second instructions for use in generating second HARQ combined signal data based on signal data for a second HARQ transmission in the channel;
• and
• instructions for storing the first or the second HARQ combined signal data.

A method for interpreting hybrid automatic repeat-request (HARQ) transmissions in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

• receiving a first HARQ transmission in a channel;
• selecting a first combiner for use in generating first HARQ combined signal data based on signal data for the first HARQ transmission;
• receiving a second HARQ transmission in the channel;
• and
• selecting a second combiner for use in generating second HARQ combined signal data based on signal data for the second HARQ transmission, wherein the first and second combiners are located at different locations along a reception processing path.