Method and apparatus for carrier assignment, configuration and switching for multicarrier wireless communications

A method for multicarrier wireless communications comprising:

• receiving, by a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), configuration information for a set of downlink (DL) carriers and a set of uplink (UL) carriers;
• configuring, by the WTRU, the set of DL carriers and the set of UL carriers according to the configuration information;
• transmitting, by the WTRU, UL communications over at least one UL carrier from the configured set of UL carriers;
• receiving, by the WTRU, DL communications over at least one DL carrier from the configured set of DL carriers;
• receiving, by the WTRU, instructions to switch the UL communications to a new UL carrier;
• switching, by the WTRU, the UL communications from the at least one UL carrier to the new UL carrier according to the instructions;
• and
• continuing, by the WTRU, to receive the DL communications over the at least one DL carrier.

A method for multicarrier wireless communications comprising:

• receiving, by a wireless transmit/receive unit, configuration information for a set of downlink (DL) carriers and a set of uplink (UL) carriers;
• configuring, by the WTRU, the set of DL carriers and the set of UL carriers according to the configuration information;
• transmitting, by the WTRU, UL communications over at least one UL carrier from the configured set of UL carriers;
• receiving, by the WTRU, DL communications over at least one DL carrier from the configured set of DL carriers;
• receiving, by the WTRU, instructions to switch the DL communications to a new DL carrier;
• switching, by the WTRU, the DL communications from the at least one DL carrier to the new DL carrier according to the instructions;
• and
• continuing, by the WTRU, to receive the UL communications over the at least one UL carrier.

A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) configured for multicarrier wireless communications comprising:

• a receiver configured to receive first configuration information for a set of downlink (DL) carriers and a set of uplink (UL) carriers;
• a processor configured to configure the set of DL carriers and the set of UL carriers according to the first configuration information;
• the receiver is further configured to receive second configuration information for assigning an UL primary carrier;
• the processor is further configured to configure the UL primary carrier according to the second configuration information;
• the receiver is further configured to receive messages over the configured set of DL carriers;
• and
• a transmitter configured to transmit control information for the configured set of DL carriers over a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) only on the UL primary carrier.

A WTRU for multicarrier wireless communications comprising:

• a receiver configured to receive configuration information for a set of downlink (DL( carriers and a set of uplink (UK) carriers
• a processor configured to configure the set of DL carriers and the set of UL carriers according to the configuration information;
• a transmitter configured to transmit UL communications over at least one UL carrier from the configured set of UL carriers;
• the receiver is further configured to receive DL communications over at least one DL carrier form the configured set of DL carriers;
• the receiver is further configured to receive instructions to switch the UL communications to a new UL carrier;
• the WTRU configured to switch the UL communications from the at least one UL carrier to the new UL carrier according to the instructions;
• and
• the receiver is further configured to continue to receive the DL communications over the at least one DL carrier.

A WTRU for multicarrier wireless communications comprising:

• a receiver configured to receive configuration information for a set of downlink (DL) carriers and a set of uplink (UL) carriers;
• a processor configured to configure the set of DL carriers and the set of UL carriers according to the configuration information;
• a transmitter configured to transmit UL communications over at least one UL carrier from the configured set of UL carriers;
• the receiver is further configured to receive DL communications over at least one DL carrier from the configured set of DL carriers;
• the receiver is further configured to receive instructions to switch the DL communications to a new DL carrier;
• the WTRU configured to switch the DL communications from the at least one DL carrier to the new DL carrier according to the instructions;
• and
• the receiver is further configured to continue to receive the UL communications over the at least one UL carrier.