Signalling within a communication system

A method comprising:

• receiving an uplink data resource assignment at a user equipment, the uplink data resource assignment comprising sounding reference signal presence information;
• and
• sending uplink data from the user equipment based on the sounding reference signal presence information,
• wherein the uplink data resource assignment allocates frequency and time resources to the user equipment for use in uplink signalling,
• wherein the sounding reference signal presence information indicates whether or not a sounding reference signal is present in the frequency and time resources allocated to the user equipment, and
• wherein a frequency band allocated to the user equipment comprises a plurality of allocated data symbols and one of allocated data symbols is designated as a signal for sounding reference signalling.

An apparatus comprising:

• a resource allocation unit to prepare an uplink data resource assignment for a user equipment and to incorporate sounding reference signal presence information into the uplink data resource assignment;
• and
• a transmitter to send the uplink data resource assignment including the sounding reference signal presence information to the user equipment,
• wherein the uplink data resource assignment allocates frequency and time resources to the user equipment for use in uplink signalling,
• wherein the sounding reference signal presence information indicates whether or not a sounding reference signal is present in the frequency and time resources allocated to the user equipment, and
• wherein a frequency band allocated to the user equipment comprises a plurality of allocated data symbols and one of allocated data symbols is designated as a signal for sounding reference signalling.

An apparatus comprising:

• a receiver to receive an uplink data resource assignment comprising sounding reference signal presence information;
• and
• a transmitter to send uplink data based on the sounding reference signal presence information, the uplink data being sent on a resource allocated by the uplink data resource assignment,
• wherein the uplink data resource assignment allocates frequency and time resources to the apparatus for use in uplink signalling,
• wherein the sounding reference signal presence information indicates whether or not a sounding reference signal is present in the frequency and time resources allocated to the apparatus, and
• wherein a frequency band allocated to the apparatus comprises a plurality of allocated data symbols and one of allocated data symbols is designated as a signal for sounding reference signalling.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a computer program to control a computer to perform a method comprising:

• incorporating sounding reference signal presence information into an uplink data resource assignment for a user equipment;
• and
• sending the uplink data resource assignment including the sounding reference signal presence information to the user equipment,
• wherein the sounding reference signal presence information consists of a single bit in the uplink data resource assignment,
• wherein the uplink data resource assignment allocates frequency and time resources to the user equipment for use in uplink signalling,
• wherein the sounding reference signal presence information indicates whether or not a sounding reference signal is present in the frequency and time resources allocated to the user equipment, and
• wherein a frequency band allocated to the user equipment comprises a plurality of allocated data symbols and one of allocated data symbols is designated as a signal for sounding reference signalling.