Method and apparatus for rebalancing the sizes of the downlink (DL) association sets for component carriers having different time division duplex subframe configurations

An apparatus comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one memory including computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform:
• determining downlink (DL), subframes that are included in a DL association set for each of a plurality of component carriers;
• in an instance in which a number of acknowledgement (/ACK)/negative acknowledgement (NACK) bits corresponding to the DL subframes included in the DL association sets for respective component carriers differ by at least a predetermined amount, modifying the number of ACK/NACK bits corresponding to the DL subframes that are included in the DL association set for at least one of the respective component carriers by changing the number of DL subframes that are included in the DL association set for the at least one component carrier;
• and
• causing transmission of ACK/NACK bits in accordance with the DL association set, as modified via the respective component carriers.

A method comprising:

• determining downlink (DL) subframes that are included in a DL association set for each of a plurality of component carriers;
• in an instance in which a number of acknowledgement (ACK)/negative acknowledgement (NACK) bits corresponding to the DL subframes included in the DL association sets for respective component carriers differ by at least a predetermined amount, modifying the number of ACK/NACK bits corresponding to the DL subframes that are included in the DL association set for at least one of the respective component carriers by changing the number of DL subframes that are included in the DL association set for the at least one component carrier;
• and
• receiving signals via the respective component carriers including ACK/NACK bits in accordance with the DL association set, as modified.

An apparatus comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one memory including computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform:
• determining downlink (DL) subframes that are included in a DL association set for each of a plurality of component carriers;
• in an instance in which a number of acknowledgment (ACK)/negative acknowledgement (NACK) bits corresponding to the DL subframes included in the DL association sets for respective component carriers differ by at least a predetermined amount, modifying the number of ACK/NACK bits corresponding to the DL subframes that are included in the DL association set for at least one of the respective component carriers by changing the number of DL subframes that are included in the DL association set for the at least one component carrier;
• and
• receiving signals via the respective component carriers including ACK/NACK bits in accordance with the DL association set, as modified.