Method of aligning physical channels for uplink transmission

A method of multiplexing a plurality of physical channels for uplink transmission, comprising:

• aligning first and second physical channels based on a timing offset that aligns subframes of a shared control channel (SCCH) with a start of a plurality of subframes of a common control channel that is used as a timing reference for all physical channels received in the downlink or physical channels to be transmitted in the uplink, the timing offset representing a processing time required at a user equipment to decode a subframe of the shared control channel;
• transmitting said first and second channels in the uplink at a time instant different than a time of uplink transmission for a third physical channel, such that none of subframes of said first and second channels transmitted in the uplink overlap with uplink transmission of a subframe of said third channel;
• and
• code multiplexing said first and second physical channels with additional physical channels other than said third physical channel at said different time instant to generate a code-multiplexed signal to be used for uplink transmission, said first and second channels including a control channel and a data channel, said timing offset preventing said control channel from being transmitted in the uplink at a same time as said third channel.

A method of avoiding an increase in peak-to-average power ratio if multiplexing a plurality of physical channels for uplink transmission, comprising:

• aligning first and second physical channels based on a timing offset that aligns subframes of a shared control channel (SCCH) with a start of a plurality of subframes of a common control channel that is used as a timing reference for all physical channels received in the downlink or physical channels to be transmitted in the uplink, the timing offset representing a processing time required at a user equipment to decode a subframe of the shared control channel;
• multiplexing said first and second channels;
• and
• transmitting said first and second channels in the uplink at a time instant different than a time of uplink transmission for a third physical channel, such that none of subframes of said first and second channels transmitted in the uplink overlap with uplink transmission of a subframe of said third channel, said first and second channels including a control channel and a data channel, said timing offset preventing said control channel from being transmitted in the uplink at a same time as said third channel.