PUCCH resource management mechanism for coordinated multi-point operation

An apparatus, comprising

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following:
• receive, at a remote radio head, a message comprising an indication of a first set of control channel elements for an associated transmission from an access point to a first associated user equipment;
• and
• allocate, at least in part in response to the receiving, a second set of control channel elements for an associated transmission from the remote radio head to a second associated user equipment, wherein the second set of control channel elements are different from the first set of control channel elements.

A system comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the system to perform at least the following:
• allocate a first set of control channel elements for an associated transmission from an access point to an associated user equipment;
• transmit to a remote radio head, a message comprising an indication of the first set of control channel elements;
• receive, at the remote radio head, a message comprising the indication of the first set of control channel elements for the associated transmission from the access point to the first associated user equipment;
• and
• allocate, at least in part in response to the reception, a second set of control channel elements for an associated transmission from the remote radio head to a second associated user equipment, wherein the second set of control channel elements are different from the first set of control channel elements.