# US 9,883,501 B2 · Method and system for signaling transmission layers for single user and multi user MIMO > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,883,501 B2 - Document ID: US9883501B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/946,371 - Filed: 2015-11-19 - Published: 2016-03-17 - Granted: 2018-01-30 - Earliest claimed: 2009-06-19 - Assignees: BlackBerry Limited - Applicants: BlackBerry Limited - Inventors: Hua Xu; Yongkang Jia; Zhijun Cai; Youn Hyoung Heo; Andrew Mark Earnshaw; Mo-Han Fong; Sean Michael McBeath; Robert Mark Harrison - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9883501B2 ## CPC - H04W 72/23: in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal - H04B 7/0413: MIMO systems - H04L 5/0023: {Time-frequency-space} - H04L 5/0048: {Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver (allocation of control signalling H04L5/0053; use of control signalling H04L5/0091)} - H04L 5/0051: {of dedicated pilots, i.e. pilots destined for a single user or terminal} - H04L 5/0094: {Indication of how sub-channels of the path are allocated} - H04W 72/0466: {the resource being a scrambling code} - H04B 7/0452: Multi-user MIMO systems - H04B 7/0469: {taking special antenna structures, e.g. cross polarized antennas into account} - H04W 52/143: {Downlink power control} - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - H04B: TRANSMISSION - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A method and system to signal transmission layers or dedicated reference signal ports to be used in a multiple input multiple output system, the method including providing a downlink control signal containing information for transmission layers or dedicated reference signal ports utilized, the dedicated reference signal ports being associated with the transmission layers; and using the information to demodulate data on each transmission layer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An eNodeB of a multiple input multiple output ‘MIMO’ system, comprising: a processor; a communications subsystem; wherein the processor and the communications subsystem cooperate to execute instructions that cause transmission of a downlink control information ‘DCI’ message identifying, to a user equipment ‘UE’, a selected combination of one or more transmission layers selected by the eNodeB for a data transmission to the UE, each transmission layer associated with a dedicated reference signal ‘DRS’ port; wherein the DCI comprises first information indicating a number of transport blocks and second information indicating an index value and; wherein the index value identifies the selected combination from within a first plurality of combinations when the first information indicates a first number of transport blocks, and from within a second plurality of combinations when the first information indicates a second number of transport blocks. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The eNodeB of claim 1 wherein the first information and the second information support multiple-user MIMO transmissions. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The eNodeB of claim 1 wherein a scrambling code is associated with the index value. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The eNodeB of claim 1 wherein the eNodeB is capable of at least one of long term evolution ‘LTE’ operations and LTE-advanced operations. ### Claim 5 A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processor of an eNodeB, cause transmission of a downlink control information ‘DCI’ message identifying, to a user equipment ‘UE’, a selected combination of one or more transmission layers selected by the eNodeB for a data transmission to the UE, each transmission layer associated with a dedicated reference signal ‘DRS’ port; wherein the DCI comprises first information indicating a number of transport blocks and second information indicating an index value and; wherein the index value identifies the selected combination from within a first plurality of combinations when the first information indicates a first number of transport blocks, and from within a second plurality of combinations when the first information indicates a second number of transport blocks. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5 wherein the first information and the second information support multiple-user MIMO transmissions. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5 wherein a scrambling code is associated with the index value. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5 wherein the instructions cause the eNodeB to perform the transmission of DCI during at least one of long term evolution ‘LTE’ operations and LTE-advanced operations. ### Claim 9 A user equipment ‘UE’ comprising: a processor; a communications subsystem; wherein the processor and the communications subsystem cooperate to execute instructions that cause receipt of a downlink control information ‘DCI’ message identifying, to a user equipment ‘UE’, a selected combination of one or more transmission layers selected by the eNodeB for a data transmission layer to the UE, each transmission layer associated with a dedicated reference signal ‘DRS’ port; wherein the DCI comprises first information indicating a number of transport blocks and second information indicating an index value and; wherein the index value identifies the selected combination from within a first plurality of combinations when the first information indicates a first number of transport blocks, and from within a second plurality of combinations when the first information indicates a second number of transport blocks. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The UE of claim 9 wherein the first information and the second information support multiple-user MIMO transmissions. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The UE of claim 9 wherein a scrambling code is associated with the index value. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The UE of claim 9 wherein the instructions cause the UE to perform the receipt of DCI during at least one of long term evolution ‘LTE’ operations and LTE-advanced operations. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The UE of claim 9 wherein the instruction further cause the UE to utilize at least one of said transport blocks and said dedicated reference signal ports based on the information contained in the DCI. ### Claim 14 A method at an eNodeB, comprising: transmitting to a user equipment ‘UE’ a downlink control information ‘DCI’ message identifying a selected combination of one or more transmission layers selected by the eNodeB for a data transmission to the UE, each transmission layer associated with a dedicated reference signal ‘DRS’ port; wherein the DCI comprises first information indicating a number of transport blocks and second information indicating an index value and; wherein the index value identifies the selected combination from within a first plurality of combinations when the first information indicates a first number of transport blocks, and from within a second plurality of combinations when the first information indicates a second number of transport blocks. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein the first information and the second information support multiple-user MIMO transmissions. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein a scrambling code is associated with the index value. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein the eNodeB is capable of at least one of long term evolution ‘LTE’ operations and LTE-advanced operations. ### Claim 18 A method at a user equipment ‘UE’, comprising: receiving, from an eNodeB, a downlink control information ‘DCI’ message identifying a selected combination of one or more transmission layers selected by the eNodeB for a data transmission to the UE, each transmission layer associated with a dedicated reference signal ‘DRS’ port; wherein the DCI comprises first information indicating a number of transport blocks and second information indicating an index value and; wherein the index value identifies the selected combination from within a first plurality of combinations when the first information indicates a first number of transport blocks, and from within a second plurality of combinations when the first information indicates a second number of transport blocks. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 wherein the first information and the second information support multiple-user MIMO transmissions. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 wherein a scrambling code is associated with the index value. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 wherein the receiving of the DCI is during at least one of long term evolution ‘LTE’ operations and LTE-advanced operations. ### Claim 22 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 further comprising utilizing at least one of said transport blocks and said dedicated reference signal ports based on the information contained in the DCI.