# US 2021/0242964 A1 · Device and method for supporting harq > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0242964 A1 - Document ID: US20210242964A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/237,867 - Filed: 2021-04-22 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2018-10-22 - Assignees: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Shimon SHILO; Leonid EPSTEIN; Yaron BEN-ARIE; Ezer MELZER - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210242964A1 ## CPC - H04L 1/0041: {Arrangements at the transmitter end} - H04L 1/0045: {Arrangements at the receiver end} - H04L 1/0047: {Decoding adapted to other signal detection operation (in conjunction with sequence estimation or equalization H04L25/03286)} - H04L 1/0059: {Convolutional codes} - H04L 1/007: {Unequal error protection (for format H04L1/0078; for codes per se H03M13/35)} - H04L 1/0072: {Error control for data other than payload data, e.g. control data} - H04L 1/1812: Hybrid protocols; Hybrid automatic repeat request [HARQ] - H04L 1/1819: {with retransmission of additional or different redundancy} - H04L 1/1845: {Combining techniques, e.g. code combining} - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract The present invention relates to HARQ, particularly for IEEE 802.11, i.e. Wi-Fi. The invention proposes a transmitting device for supporting such HARQ, in which the order of scrambling and encoding is changed compared to the conventional transmitter. Likewise the invention proposes a receiving device for supporting such HARQ, in which the order of descrambling and decoding is changed compared to the conventional receiver. In particular, the transmitting device is configured to encode at least one data unit using Forward Error Correction (FEC) coding, scramble the encoded data unit based on a scrambling seed, provide an indication of the scrambling seed that is separate from the scrambled and encoded data unit, and transmit the indication of the scrambling seed and then the scrambled and encoded data unit to a receiving device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Transmitting device (100) for supporting Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request, HARQ, the transmitting device (100) being configured to: encode at least one data unit (101) using Forward Error Correction, FEC, coding (102), scramble the encoded data unit (103) based on a scrambling seed (104), provide an indication (105) of the scrambling seed (104) that is separate from the scrambled and encoded data unit (106), and transmit the indication (105) of the scrambling seed (104) and then the scrambled and encoded data unit (106) to a receiving device (300). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Transmitting device (100) according to claim 1, configured to: encode and/or modulate the indication (105) of the scrambling seed (104) separately from the at least one data unit (101). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) Transmitting device (100) according to claim 1, configured to: include the indication (105) of the scrambling seed (104) in a physical layer, PHY, preamble. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) Transmitting device (100) according to claim 1, configured to: include the indication (105) of the scrambling seed (104) in a Signal A, SIG-A, field or Signal B, SIG-B, field. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) Transmitting device (100) according to claim 1, configured to: define the indication (105) of the scrambling seed (104) based on predetermined bits of one or more signaling fields. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) Transmitting device (100) according to claim 1, configured to: encode the indication (105) of the scrambling seed (104) using a Binary Convolution Code, BCC. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) Transmitting device (100) according to claim 1, configured to: encode the indication (105) of the scrambling seed (104) using a block code. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) Transmitting device (100) according to claim 7, configured to: encode the indication (105) of the scrambling seed (104) using a Hadamard code as a generator matrix (500). ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) Transmitting device (100) according to claim 1, configured to modulate the indication (105) of the scrambling seed (104) using Binary Phase Shift Keying, BPSK. ### Claim 10 Receiving device (300) for supporting Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request, HARQ, the receiving device (300) being configured to: receive from a transmitting device (100) an indication (105) of a scrambling seed (104) and then at least one scrambled and encoded data unit (106) that is separate from the indication (105) of the scrambling seed (104), descramble the scrambled and encoded data unit (106) based on the scrambling seed (104) determined from the indication (105) of the scrambling seed (104), and decode the encoded data unit (103) using Forward Error Correction, FEC, decoding (301). ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) Receiving device (300) according to claim 10, configured to: send to the transmitting device (100) an Acknowledge, ACK, and/or a Not Acknowledge, NACK, message, regarding at least one data unit (101) that was correctly and/or incorrectly decoded, receive from the transmitting device (100), if decoding of at least one data unit (101) failed, a further indication (105) of a scrambling seed (104) and then a scrambled and encoded retransmission of the failed data unit (101) that is separate from the further indication (105) of the scrambling seed (104), descramble the scrambled and encoded retransmission of the failed data unit (101) based on a scrambling seed (104) determined from the further indication (105) of the scrambling seed (104), decode the encoded retransmission of the failed data unit using Forward Error Correction, FEC, decoding, (301) and soft combine the retransmission of the failed data unit (101) with the previously received failed data unit (101). ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) Receiving device (300) according to claim 10, configured to: decode and/or demodulate a received indication (105) of a scrambling seed (104) separately from a received scrambled and encoded data unit (106). ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) Receiving device (300) according to claim 10, configured to: derive an indication (105) of a scrambling seed (104) from predetermined bits of one or more signaling fields received from the transmitting device (100). ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) Receiving device (300) according to claim 10, configured to: extract an indication (105) of a scrambling seed (104) from a physical layer, PHY, preamble, particularly from a Signal A, SIG-A, field or Signal B, SIG-B, field, received from the transmitting device (100). ### Claim 15 Method (200) for supporting Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request, HARQ, the method comprising: encoding (201) at least one data unit (101) using Forward Error Correction, FEC, coding (102), scrambling (202) the encoded data unit (103) based on a scrambling seed (104), providing (203) an indication (105) of the scrambling seed (104) that is separate from the scrambled and encoded data unit (106), and transmitting (204) the indication (105) of the scrambling seed (104) and then the scrambled and encoded data unit (106). ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) Transmitting method (200) according to claim 15, comprising: encoding and/or modulating the indication (105) of the scrambling seed (104) separately from the at least one data unit (101). ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) Transmitting method (200) according to claim 15, comprising: including the indication (105) of the scrambling seed (104) in a physical layer, PHY, preamble, particularly in a Signal A, SIG-A, field or Signal B, SIG-B, field. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) Transmitting method (200) according to claim 15, comprising: defining the indication (105) of the scrambling seed (104) based on predetermined bits of one or more signaling fields. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) Transmitting method (200) according to claim 15, comprising: encoding the indication (105) of the scrambling seed (104) using a Binary Convolution Code, BCC. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) Transmitting method (200) according to claim 15, comprising: encoding the indication (105) of the scrambling seed (104) using a block code.