Method and apparatus for allocating resources of a control channel in a mobile communication system using orthogonal frequency division multiplexing

An apparatus for transmitting a downlink control channel in a mobile communication system using Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM), the apparatus comprising:

• a controller for allocating a plurality of Resource Element (RE) groups to available resources in the downlink control channel in a time first manner, wherein the available resources are divided into a two-dimensional frequency/time structure, and wherein, during allocation, a time index is increased from an initial value up to a predetermined value in a given frequency index, before increasing to a next frequency index and resetting the time index to the initial value;
• a mapper for mapping the downlink control channel to REs;
• and
• a transmitter for transmitting downlink control information via the mapped downlink control channel;
• wherein each of the plurality of RE groups comprises four REs, and each RE group has a single time index.

A method for receiving a downlink control channel in a mobile communication system using Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM), the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving the downlink control channel comprising a plurality of Resource Element (RE) groups;
• and
• demapping downlink control information from the received downlink control channel;
• wherein each of the plurality of RE groups comprises four REs, and each RE group has a single time index;
• and
• wherein the plurality of RE groups are allocated to available resources in the downlink control channel in a time first manner, wherein the available resources are divided into a two-dimensional frequency/time structure, and wherein, during allocation, a time index is increased from an initial value up to a predetermined value in a given frequency index, before increasing to a next frequency index and resetting the time index to the initial value.

An apparatus for receiving a downlink control channel in a mobile communication system using Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM), the apparatus comprising:

• a receiver for receiving the downlink control channel;
• a demapper for demapping downlink control information from the received downlink control channel;
• and
• a controller for identifying that the control channel comprises a plurality of Resource Element (RE) groups that are allocated to available resources in the downlink control channel in a time first manner, wherein the available resources are divided into a two-dimensional frequency/time structure, and wherein, during allocation, a time index is increased from an initial value up to a predetermined value in a given frequency index, before increasing to a next frequency index and resetting the time index to the initial value;
• wherein each of the plurality of RE groups comprises four REs, and each RE group has a single time index.