# US 2017/0289975 A1 · Method and apparatus for allocating control channel candidates > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0289975 A1 - Document ID: US20170289975A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/623,188 - Filed: 2017-06-14 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-09-27 - Assignees: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Jianqin Liu; Jianghua Liu; Qiang Wu; Chi Gao - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170289975A1 ## CPC - H04W 72/23: in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal - H04L 5/0053: {Allocation of signalling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals} - H04W 72/04: Wireless resource allocation - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A method and an apparatus for allocating control channel candidates is provided, which can allocate control channel candidates at different aggregation levels to K ePDCCH sets and reduce complexity of blind detection performed by a UE. The method includes: determining K sets for transmitting a control channel, where each set in the K sets includes at least one physical resource block pair; and allocating control channel candidates at each aggregation level to at least one set in the K sets according to at least one of aggregation levels supported by the control channel to be transmitted, the number of control channel candidates corresponding to each aggregation level, the K sets for transmitting the control channel, and types of the sets. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for detecting a control channel, comprising: obtaining, by user equipment (UE), K sets configured for transmitting a control channel, wherein each of the K sets comprises at least one physical resource block pair, and K is an integer greater than 0; and detecting, by the UE, control channel candidates on at least one set of the K sets according to aggregation levels supported by the control channel, quantities of control channel candidates of the aggregation levels, the K sets configured for transmitting the control channel, and types of the K sets. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the types of the K sets comprise one or both of a localized transmission mode and a distributed transmission mode, and a quantity of sets of the localized transmission mode is KL, and a quantity of sets of the distributed transmission mode is KD, KL+KD=K, wherein KL and KD are integers greater than or equal to 0; and, the aggregation levels supported by the control channel comprise one or more of the following levels: an aggregation level supported by the localized transmission mode, an aggregation level supported by the distributed transmission mode, and an aggregation level supported by both the localized transmission mode and the distributed transmission mode. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein the UE detects the control channel candidates according to the following control channel candidate allocation: when KL is a positive integer and KD=0, all control channel candidates at the aggregation level supported by the localized transmission mode are allocated to at least one of the KL sets; or when KD is a positive integer and KL=0, all control channel candidates at the aggregation level supported by the distributed transmission mode are allocated to at least one of the KD sets; or when both KL and KD are positive integers, all control channel candidates at the aggregation level supported by both the localized transmission mode and the distributed transmission mode are allocated to at least one of the KL sets and at least one of the KD sets. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein the aggregation level supported by both the localized transmission mode and the distributed transmission mode comprises a first aggregation level and a second aggregation level, and wherein: at least one half of all control channel candidates at the first aggregation level supported by both the localized transmission mode and the distributed transmission mode are allocated to at least one of the KL sets; and at least one half of all control channel candidates at the second aggregation level supported by both the localized transmission mode and the distributed transmission mode are allocated to at least one of the KD sets. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4, wherein when the aggregation level supported by both the localized transmission mode and the distributed transmission mode comprises aggregation level 1, aggregation level 2, aggregation level 4, and aggregation level 8, the first aggregation level comprises aggregation level 1 and aggregation level 2, and the second aggregation level comprises aggregation level 4 and aggregation level 8. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4, wherein when the aggregation level supported by both the localized transmission mode and the distributed transmission mode comprises aggregation level 2, aggregation level 4, aggregation level 8, and aggregation level 16, the first aggregation level comprises aggregation level 2 and aggregation level 4, and the second aggregation level comprises aggregation level 8 and aggregation level 16. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein when both KL and KD are positive integers, all control channel candidates at the aggregation level supported by both the localized transmission mode and the distributed transmission mode are allocated to at least one of the KL sets and at least one of the KD sets, wherein: quantities of control channel candidates allocated to the KL sets and the KD sets are determined according to a ratio between quantities of sets used for the aggregation level in the KD sets and the KL sets; or quantities of control channel candidates allocated to the KL sets and the KD sets are determined according to a ratio between total quantities of physical resource blocks in sets used for the aggregation level in the KD sets and the KL sets; or a quantity of control channel candidates allocated to each of the KL sets and the KD sets is determined according to a ratio of a quantity of physical resource blocks of each set in sets used for the aggregation level in the KD sets and the KL sets. ### Claim 8 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein when KL is a positive integer and KD=0, or KD is a positive integer and KL=0: a quantity of control channel candidates allocated to each set in the KD sets or KL sets is determined according to a quantity of sets used for the aggregation level in KD or KL sets; or a quantity of control channel candidates allocated to each set in the KD sets or KL sets is determined according to a ratio of a quantity of physical resource blocks of each set in sets used for the aggregation level in KD or KL sets. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein: at an aggregation level, when a quantity of control channel candidates configured for the KL sets is greater than 1, a quantity of control channel candidates in each set is determined according to a quantity of physical resource blocks comprised in each set that can support the aggregation level in the KL sets or a quantity of sets that can support the aggregation level in the KL sets, wherein KL is greater than 1; or at an aggregation level, when a quantity of control channel candidates configured for the KD sets is greater than 1, a quantity of control channel candidates in each set is determined according to a quantity of physical resource blocks comprised in each set that can support the aggregation level in the KD sets or a quantity of sets that can support the aggregation level in the KD sets, wherein KD is greater than 1. ### Claim 10 An apparatus for detecting a control channel, comprising: a processor; and a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, wherein the non-transitory computer readable storage medium stores a program that, when executed by the processor, causes the apparatus to: obtain K sets configured for transmitting a control channel, wherein each of the K sets comprises at least one physical resource block pair, and K is an integer greater than 0; and detect control channel candidates on at least one set of the K sets according to aggregation levels supported by the control channel, quantities of control channel candidates of the aggregation levels, the K sets configured for transmitting the control channel, and types of the K sets. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the types of the K sets comprise one or both of a localized transmission mode and a distributed transmission mode, and a quantity of sets of the localized transmission mode is KL, and a quantity of sets of the distributed transmission mode is KD, KL+KD=K, wherein KL and KD are integers greater than or equal to 0; and the aggregation levels supported by the control channel comprise one or more of the following levels: an aggregation level supported by the localized transmission mode, an aggregation level supported by the distributed transmission mode, and an aggregation level supported by both the localized transmission mode and the distributed transmission mode. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the control channel candidates are detected according to the following control channel candidate allocation: when KL is a positive integer and KD=0, all control channel candidates at the aggregation level supported by the localized transmission mode are allocated to at least one of the KL sets; or when KD is a positive integer and KL=0, all control channel candidates at the aggregation level supported by the distributed transmission mode are allocated to at least one of the KD sets; or when both KL and KD are positive integers, all control channel candidates at the aggregation level supported by both the localized transmission mode and the distributed transmission mode are allocated to at least one of the KL sets and at least one of the KD sets. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the aggregation level supported by both the localized transmission mode and the distributed transmission mode comprises a first aggregation level and a second aggregation level, and wherein: at least one half of all control channel candidates at the first aggregation level supported by both the localized transmission mode and the distributed transmission mode are allocated to at least one of the KL sets; and at least one half of all control channel candidates at the second aggregation level supported by both the localized transmission mode and the distributed transmission mode are allocated to at least one of the KD sets. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein when the aggregation level supported by both the localized transmission mode and the distributed transmission mode comprises aggregation level 1, aggregation level 2, aggregation level 4, and aggregation level 8, the first aggregation level comprises aggregation level 1 and aggregation level 2, and the second aggregation level comprises aggregation level 4 and aggregation level 8. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein when the aggregation level supported by both the localized transmission mode and the distributed transmission mode comprises aggregation level 2, aggregation level 4, aggregation level 8, and aggregation level 16, the first aggregation level comprises aggregation level 2 and aggregation level 4, and the second aggregation level comprises aggregation level 8 and aggregation level 16. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein when both KL and KD are positive integers, all control channel candidates at the aggregation level supported by both the localized transmission mode and the distributed transmission mode are allocated to at least one of the KL sets and at least one of the KD sets, wherein quantities of control channel candidates allocated to the KL sets and the KD sets are determined according to a ratio between quantities of sets used for the aggregation level in the KD sets and the KL sets; or quantities of control channel candidates allocated to the KL sets and the KD sets are determined according to a ratio between total quantities of physical resource blocks in sets used for the aggregation level in the KD sets and the KL sets; or a quantity of control channel candidates allocated to each of the KL sets and the KD sets is determined according to a ratio of a quantity of physical resource blocks of each set in sets used for the aggregation level in the KD sets and the KL sets. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein when KL is a positive integer and KD=0, or KD is a positive integer and KL=0: a quantity of control channel candidates allocated to each set in the KD sets or KL sets is determined according to a quantity of sets used for the aggregation level in KD or KL sets; or a quantity of control channel candidates allocated to each set in the KD sets or KL sets is determined according to a ratio of a quantity of physical resource blocks of each set in sets used for the aggregation level in KD or KL sets. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein: at an aggregation level, when a quantity of control channel candidates configured for the KL sets is greater than 1, a quantity of control channel candidates in each set is determined according to a quantity of physical resource blocks comprised in each set that can support the aggregation level in the KL sets or a quantity of sets that can support the aggregation level in the KL sets, wherein KL is greater than 1; or at an aggregation level, when a quantity of control channel candidates configured for the KD sets is greater than 1, a quantity of control channel candidates in each set is determined according to a quantity of physical resource blocks comprised in each set that can support the aggregation level in the KD sets or a quantity of sets that can support the aggregation level in the KD sets, wherein KD is greater than 1.