Method for implicit conveying of uplink feedback information

An apparatus in a data receiving party for conveying feedback reports for data received from a data sending party in a wireless connection, comprising:

• a resource obtaining circuit configured to obtain allocation information about a plurality of feedback resources available for transmitting feedback reports, wherein said feedback resources are associated with different feedback information codes that the data receiving party can use to convey implicit feedback information on received data;
• a selecting circuit configured to select a feedback resource from the plurality of feedback resources available, the selected feedback resource assigned to a feedback information code that corresponds to one or more feedback reports on said received data;
• and
• a sending circuit configured to send explicit feedback information on the selected feedback resource to the data sending party to indicate implicit feedback information different from the explicit feedback information.

A method implemented by a network node for obtaining feedback reports from a terminal for data transmitted to the terminal from the network node in a wireless connection, the method comprising:

• providing allocation information to the terminal about a plurality of feedback resources available for transmitting explicit feedback information, wherein said feedback resources are associated with different feedback information codes that the terminal can use to convey implicit feedback information on received data that is different than the explicit feedback information;
• receiving feedback information for said transmitted data from the terminal on a feedback resource selected by the terminal;
• and
• detecting one or more feedback reports based on the feedback information code assigned to the selected feedback resource.

An apparatus in a network node for obtaining feedback reports from a terminal for data transmitted to the terminal from the network node in a wireless connection, comprising:

• a resource providing circuit configured to provide allocation information to the terminal about a plurality of feedback resources available for transmitting explicit feedback information, wherein said feedback resources are associated with different feedback information codes that the terminal can use to convey implicit feedback information on received data that is different than the explicit feedback information;
• a receiving circuit configured to receive feedback information for said transmitted data from the terminal on a feedback resource selected by the terminal;
• and
• a detecting circuit configured to detect one or more feedback reports based on the feedback information code assigned to the selected feedback resource.

A method implemented by a data receiving party for conveying feedback information from the data receiving party for data received from a data sending party in a wireless connection, the method comprising:

• receiving, via the wireless connection, allocation information about a plurality of feedback resources available for conveying feedback information;
• selecting a feedback resource from the plurality of feedback resources and a feedback bit pattern from a plurality of feedback bit patterns, the selected feedback resource and the selected feedback bit pattern jointly identifying a selected one of a plurality of feedback codes regarding the data, the plurality of feedback codes comprising:
• a first feedback code in which at least two bits are the same;
• and
• a second feedback code in which at least two bits are different;
• and
• sending, via the wireless connection, the selected feedback bit pattern on the selected feedback resource to convey the selected feedback code regarding the data to the data sending party;
• wherein sending the selected feedback bit pattern indicates explicit feedback information to the data sending party;
• wherein sending the selected feedback bit pattern on the selected feedback resource indicates implicit feedback information;
• and
• wherein the implicit feedback information is different from the explicit feedback information.

An apparatus in a data receiving party for conveying feedback information for data received from a data sending party in a wireless connection, the apparatus comprising:

• a resource obtaining circuit configured to receive, via the wireless connection, allocation information about a plurality of feedback resources available for conveying feedback information;
• a selecting circuit configured to select a feedback resource from the plurality of feedback resources and a feedback bit pattern from a plurality of feedback bit patterns, the selected feedback resource and the selected feedback bit pattern jointly identifying a selected one of a plurality of feedback codes regarding the data, the plurality of feedback codes comprising:
• a first feedback code in which at least two bits are the same;
• and
• a second feedback code in which at least two bits are different;
• and
• a sending circuit configured to send the selected feedback bit pattern on the selected feedback resource to convey the selected feedback code regarding the data to the data sending party;
• wherein sending the selected feedback bit pattern indicates explicit feedback information to the data sending party;
• wherein sending the selected feedback bit pattern on the selected feedback resource indicates implicit feedback information;
• and
• wherein the implicit feedback information is different from the explicit feedback information.

A method implemented by a network node for receiving, via a wireless connection, feedback information from a terminal for data transmitted to the terminal from the network node via the wireless connection, the method comprising:

• sending, via the wireless connection, allocation information to the terminal about a plurality of feedback resources available for conveying feedback information;
• receiving, from the terminal via the wireless connection, a selected feedback bit pattern on a selected feedback resource, the selected feedback bit pattern being selected by the terminal from a plurality of feedback bit patterns and the selected feedback resource being selected by the terminal from the plurality of feedback resources, the selected feedback bit pattern and the selected feedback resource jointly identifying a selected one of a plurality of feedback codes regarding the data, the plurality of feedback codes comprising:
• a first feedback code in which at least two bits are the same;
• and
• a second feedback code in which at least two bits are different;
• and
• detecting the selected feedback code from the plurality of feedback codes based on the selected feedback bit pattern and the selected feedback resource;
• wherein receiving the selected feedback bit pattern indicates explicit feedback information to the network node;
• wherein receiving the selected feedback bit pattern on the selected feedback resource indicates implicit feedback information;
• and
• wherein the implicit feedback information is different from the explicit feedback information.

An apparatus in a network node for receiving, via a wireless connection, feedback information from a terminal for data transmitted to the terminal from the network node via the wireless connection, the apparatus comprising:

• a resource providing circuit configured to send, via the wireless connection, allocation information to the terminal about a plurality of feedback resources available for conveying feedback information;
• a receiving circuit configured to receive, from the terminal via the wireless connection, a selected feedback bit pattern on a selected feedback resource, the selected feedback bit pattern being selected by the terminal from a plurality of feedback bit patterns and the selected feedback resource being selected by the terminal from the plurality of feedback resources, the selected feedback bit pattern and the selected feedback resource jointly identifying a selected one of a plurality of feedback codes regarding the data, the plurality of feedback codes comprising:
• a first feedback code in which at least two bits are the same;
• and
• a second feedback code in which at least two bits are different;
• and
• a detecting circuit configured to detect the selected feedback code from the plurality of feedback codes based on the selected feedback bit pattern and the selected feedback resource;
• wherein receiving the selected feedback bit pattern indicates explicit feedback information to the network node;
• wherein receiving the selected feedback bit pattern on the selected feedback resource indicates implicit feedback information;
• and
• wherein the implicit feedback information is different from the explicit feedback information.