Base station and method for resource allocation using localized and distributed resource blocks

A method for resource allocation, wherein resource comprising virtual resource blocks (VRBs) and physical resource blocks (PRBs), comprising:

• allocating VRBs of a localized type to user stations based on receipt of a channel quality indicator (CQI) received from the user stations;
• allocating VRBs of a distributed type to user stations based on non-receipt of a CQI;
• and
• transmitting downlink control information (DCI) carried on a physical-downlink control channel (PDCCH) [using a bitmap] to indicate the VRBs that are allocated to each scheduled user station;
• wherein a PRB to which the VRBs are mapped comprises a number of consecutive OFDM symbols in the time domain and a number of consecutive OFDM subcarriers in the frequency domain of an OFDMA downlink subframe;
• providing a flag bit carried on the PDCCH to indicate to a scheduled user station whether the VRB allocation is of the localized type or the distributed type;
• wherein a size of a resource block group allocated to a user station corresponds to a CQI subband size;
• wherein for downlink transmissions using a normal length cyclic prefix, the PRB comprises seven consecutive OFDM symbols in the time domain and twelve consecutive OFDM subcarriers in the frequency domain, and
• wherein for downlink transmissions using an extended cyclic prefix, the PRB comprises six consecutive OFDM symbols in the time domain and twelve consecutive OFDM subcarriers in the frequency domain or three consecutive OFDM symbols in the time domain and twenty-four consecutive OFDM subcarriers in the frequency domain depending on a subcarrier frequency delta (Af).

A base station comprising processing circuitry configured to:

• allocate virtual resource blocks (VRBs) of a localized type to user stations based on receipt of a channel quality indicator (CQI) received from the user stations;
• allocate VRBs of a distributed type to user stations based on non-receipt of a CQI;
• transmit downlink control information (DCI) carried on a physical-downlink control channel (PDCCH) using a bitmap to indicate the VRBs that are allocated to each scheduled user station,
• the allocated VRBs being mapped to physical resource block s (PRBs);
• a PRB comprises a number of consecutive OFDM symbols in the time domain and a number of consecutive OFDM subcarriers in the frequency domain of an OFDMA downlink subframe, and wherein the base station is configured to provide a flag bit carried on the PDCCH to indicate to a scheduled user station whether the VRB allocation is of the localized type or the distributed type
• wherein a size of a resource block group allocated to a user station corresponds to a CQI subband size;
• wherein for downlink transmissions using a normal length cyclic prefix, the PRB comprises seven consecutive OFDM symbols in the time domain and twelve consecutive OFDM subcarriers in the frequency domain, and
• wherein for downlink transmissions using an extended cyclic prefix, the PRB comprises six consecutive OFDM symbols in the time domain and twelve consecutive OFDM subcarriers in the frequency domain or three consecutive OFDM symbols in the time domain and twenty-four consecutive OFDM subcarriers in the frequency domain depending on a subcarrier frequency delta (Af).