Patent Publication Number: US-2023163874-A1

Title: Wireless device, a network node and methods therein for enabling and performing an uplink control channel transmission

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. Pat. Application No. 16/902,785, filed Jun. 16, 2020, which is a continuation of U.S. Pat. Application No. 16/374,497, filed Apr. 3, 2019, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,721,014, which is a continuation of U.S. Pat. Application No. 15/101,546, filed Jun. 3, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,284,329, which is a 35 U.S.C. § 371 national phase filing of International Application No. PCT/SE2016/050281, filed Apr. 5, 2016, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/145,538, filed Apr. 10, 2015, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     Embodiments herein relate to uplink control channel transmissions in a wireless communications network. In particular, embodiments herein relate to a wireless device and a method therein for performing an uplink control channel transmission in a serving cell in a wireless communications network. Also, embodiments herein relate to a network node and a method therein for enabling an uplink control channel transmission by a wireless device in a serving cell in a wireless communications network. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In today’s wireless communications networks a number of different technologies are used, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE-Advanced, Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), Global System for Mobile communications/Enhanced Data rate for GSM Evolution (GSM/EDGE), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax), or Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), just to mention a few possible technologies for radio communication. A wireless communications network comprises network nodes, i.e. base stations or radio base stations, providing radio coverage over at least one respective geographical area forming a cell. The cell definition may also incorporate frequency bands used for transmissions, which means that two different cells may cover the same geographical area but using different frequency bands. Wireless devices, also known as mobile stations, terminals, and/or User Equipment, UEs, are served in the cells by the respective network node and are communicating with respective network node. The wireless devices transmit data over an air or radio interface to the network nodes in uplink, UL, transmissions and the network nodes transmit data over an air or radio interface to the wireless devices in downlink, DL, transmissions. 
     Long Term Evolution, LTE, is a project within the 3rd Generation Partnership Project, 3GPP, to evolve the WCDMA standard. LTE provides advantages such as increased capacity, higher data peak rates and significantly improved latency. For example, the LTE specifications support downlink data peak rates up to 300 Mbps, uplink data peak rates of up to 75 Mbit/s and radio access network round-trip times of less than 10 ms. In addition, LTE supports scalable carrier bandwidths from 20 MHz down to 1.4 MHz and supports both Frequency Division Duplex, FDD, and Time Division Duplex, TDD, operation. 
     LTE is a Frequency Division Multiplexing technology wherein Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing, OFDM, is used in a DL transmission from a network node to a wireless device. Single Carrier - Frequency Domain Multiple Access, SC-FDMA, is used in an UL transmission from the wireless device to the network node. Services in LTE are supported in the packet switched domain. The SC-FDMA used in the UL is also referred to as Discrete Fourier Transform Spread, DFTS-OFDM. 
     The basic LTE downlink physical resource may thus be seen as a time-frequency grid as illustrated in  FIG.  1   , where each Resource Element, RE, corresponds to one OFDM subcarrier during one OFDM symbol interval. A symbol interval comprises a cyclic prefix, cp, which cp is a prefixing of a symbol with a repetition of the end of the symbol to act as a guard band between symbols and/or facilitate frequency domain processing. Frequencies f or subcarriers having a subcarrier spacing Δf are defined along an z-axis and symbols are defined along an x-axis. 
     In the time domain, LTE downlink transmissions are organized into radio frames of 10 ms, each radio frame comprising ten equally-sized subframes, #0 - #9, each with a T subframe = 1 ms of length in time as shown in  FIG.  2   . Furthermore, the resource allocation in LTE is typically described in terms of resource blocks, where a resource block corresponds to one slot of 0.5 ms in the time domain and 12 subcarriers in the frequency domain. Resource blocks are numbered in the frequency domain, starting with resource block 0 from one end of the system bandwidth. 
     DL and UL transmissions are dynamically scheduled. For example, in each DL subframe, the network node transmits control information about to or from which wireless device data is transmitted and upon which resource blocks the data is transmitted. The control information for a given wireless device is transmitted using one or multiple Physical Downlink Control Channels, PDCCH. Control information of a PDCCH is transmitted in the control region comprising the first n=1, 2, 3 or 4 OFDM symbols in each subframe, where n is the Control Format Indicator, CFI. Typically the control region may comprise many PDCCHs carrying control information to multiple wireless devices simultaneously. Similarly, in each uplink subframe, the wireless device may transmit control information using one or multiple Physical Uplink Control Channels, PUCCHs. 
     Carrier Aggregation 
     In LTE Release 10 standard, a Component Carrier, CC, bandwidth of up to 20 MHz is supported. This is the maximal carrier bandwidth for the earlier LTE Release 8 standard. Hence, an LTE Release 10 operation that is wider than 20 MHz is possible. To a wireless device of LTE Release 10 standard, this may appear as a number of LTE carriers. However, it may also be advantageous to assure that an efficient use of a wide carrier is also performed for legacy wireless devices, i.e. where legacy wireless devices may be scheduled in all parts of the wideband LTE Release 10 carrier. One way to do is by means of Carrier Aggregation, CA, as shown in  FIG.  3   . In the LTE Release 10 standard, up to 5 aggregated carriers is supported. Each carrier is limited in the Radio Frequency, RF, specifications to have one out of six bandwidths, namely, 6, 15, 25, 50, 75 or 100 RBs. These correspond to 1.4, 3, 5, 10, 15 and 20 MHz, respectively. 
     The number of aggregated CCs, as well as, the bandwidth of the individual CC may be different for UL and DL. A symmetric configuration refers to the case where the number of CCs in DL and UL are the same. An asymmetric configuration refers to the case where the number of CCs in DL and UL are different. Note that the number of CCs configured in the network node may be different from the number of CCs as seen by a wireless device. For example, a wireless device may support more DL CCs than UL CCs, even though the network node offers the same number of UL CCs and DL CCs. CCs may also be referred to as cells or serving cells. 
     Particularly, in an LTE network, the CCs aggregated by a wireless device may be denoted Primary Cell, PCell, and Secondary Cells, SCells. The term “serving cell” may comprise both a PCell and SCells. The PCell is wireless device specific and may be viewed as “more important”. That is because vital control signalling and other important signalling is typically handled via the PCell. The CC configured as the PCell is the primary CC, whereas all other CCs are secondary CCs. 
     During initial access a wireless device of LTE Release 10 standard acts similarly to a wireless device of LTE Release 8. For example, upon successful connection to the network a wireless device may, depending on its own capabilities and the networks capabilities, be configured with additional CCs in the UL and DL. This configuration may be based on Radio Resource Control, RRC, signalling. Because of heavy signalling and rather slow speed of the RRC signalling, a wireless device may be configured with multiple CCs, even though not all of the CCs are currently being used. If a wireless device is activated on multiple CCs, it follows that the wireless device has to monitor all DL CCs, e.g. for a Physical Downlink Control Channel, PDCCH, and Physical Downlink Shared Channel, PDSCH. This implies a wider receiver bandwidth, higher sampling rates, etc. This will result in higher power consumption by the wireless device. 
     SCell Activation and Deactivation 
     As mentioned, CA was introduced in LTE Release 10, and with that the concept of SCells, i.e. additional resources which could be activated or de-activated, i.e. configured or de-configured, when needed. Each SCell is configured with a SCelllndex, which is an identifier or a so-called Cell Index that is unique among all serving cells configured for a particular wireless device. The PCell always have Cell Index 0 and SCell may have a integer cell index of 1 to 7. 
     In LTE Release 8/9/10 standard, the network node and the wireless device use so called Medium Access, MAC, Control Elements, CEs, to exchange information, such as, for example, buffer status reports, power headroom reports, activation commands, etc. One of the areas where MAC CEs are used is for activation and de-activation of SCells. For example, an Activation/De-activation MAC CE is defined in section 6.1.3.8 in Release 10 of the LTE standard specification 3GPP TS 36.321. Here, the Activation/De-activation MAC CE comprises a single octet containing seven C-fields and one R-field. Each C-field corresponds to a specific SCelllndex and indicates whether the specific SCell is activated or de-activated. The wireless device will ignore all C-fields associated with cell indices not being configured. The Activation/De-activation MAC CE always indicates the activation status of all configured SCells, meaning that if the network node wants to activate a SCell it has to include all configured SCells, setting them to activated or de-activated even if their status has not changed. 
     PUCCH Formats in LTE 
     In LTE Release 8 standard, PUCCH format 1/1a/1b and PUCCH format 2/2a/2b are supported for Scheduling Request, SR, Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest acknowledgement, HARQ-A/N, and periodic Channel State Information, CSI, reporting. The PUCCH resource is represented by a single scalar index, from which the phase rotation and the orthogonal cover sequence (only for PUCCH format 1/1a/1b) are derived. The use of a phase rotation of a cell-specific sequence together with orthogonal sequences provides orthogonally between different wireless devices in the same cell transmitting PUCCH on the same set of RBs. 
     In LTE Release 10 standard, PUCCH format 3 was introduced for CA for FDD and TDD, when there are multiple downlink transmissions, e.g. either on multiple carriers or multiple downlink subframes, but single uplink, e.g. either single carrier or single uplink subframe, for SR, HARQ-ACK, and/or CSI feedback. Similar to the other PUCCH formats, the PUCCH format 3 resource is also represented by a single scalar index from which the orthogonal sequence and the resource-block number may be derived. A length-5 orthogonal sequence is applied for PUCCH format 3 to support code multiplexing within one RB pair and a length-4 orthogonal sequence is applied for a shortened PUCCH. The PUCCH format 3 resource is determined according to higher layer configuration and a dynamic indication from the DL assignment. In detail, the Transmit Power Control, TPC, field in the Downlink Control Information, DCI, format of the corresponding PDCCH/EPDCCH is used to determine the PUCCH resource values from one of the four resource values configured by higher layers. For FDD, the TPC field corresponds to the PDCCH/EPDCCH for the scheduled secondary Scells. For TDD, the TPC field corresponds to the PDCCH/EPDCCH for the PCell with Downlink Assignment Index, DAI, value in the PDCCH/EPDCCH larger than ‘1’. A wireless device shall assume that the same PUCCH resource values are transmitted in each DCI format of the corresponding PDCCH/EPDCCH assignments. 
     In 3GPP, up to the Release 12 standard, the maximum number of downlink component carriers is 5. For HARQ-ACK feedback, PUCCH format 1b with channel selection and PUCCH format 3 have enough capability to feedback the HARQ-ACK for all configured carriers. However, in Release 13 standard, maximum 32 downlink carriers may be configured for one wireless device and hence at least one new PUCCH format will be introduced to carry more HARQ-ACK bits due to the aggregation of 32 DL CCs. 
     SUMMARY 
     It is an object of embodiments herein to improve uplink control channel transmissions in a wireless communications network. 
     According to a first aspect of embodiments herein, the object is achieved by a method performed by a wireless device for performing an uplink control channel transmission in a serving cell in a wireless communications network when the wireless device is configured with a set of serving cell(s) in the wireless communications network. The wireless device determines a number of serving cells of the set of serving cell(s) that are relevant to consider when performing the uplink control channel transmission in the serving cell. Also, the wireless device selects an uplink control channel format from a set of uplink control channel formats for uplink control channel transmissions based on the determined number of serving cells. Further, the wireless device performs the uplink control channel transmission in the serving cell using the selected uplink control channel format. 
     According to a second aspect of embodiments herein, the object is achieved by a wireless device for performing an uplink control channel transmission in a serving cell in a wireless communications network when the wireless device is configured with a set of serving cell(s) in the wireless communications network. The wireless device is configured to determine a number of serving cells of the set of serving cell(s) that are relevant to consider when performing the uplink control channel transmission in the serving cell, select an uplink control channel format from a set of uplink control channel formats for uplink control channel transmissions based on the determined number of serving cells, and perform the uplink control channel transmission in the serving cell using the selected uplink control channel format. 
     According to a third aspect of embodiments herein, the object is achieved by a method performed by a network node for enabling an uplink control channel transmission by a wireless device in a serving cell in a wireless communications network when the wireless device is configured with a set of serving cell(s) in the wireless communications network. The network node determines a set of uplink control channel formats for uplink control channel transmissions for the wireless device. Also, the network node transmits information indicating the determined set of uplink control channel formats for uplink control channel transmissions for the wireless device to the wireless device. 
     According to a fourth aspect of embodiments herein, the object is achieved by a network node for enabling an uplink control channel transmission by a wireless device in a serving cell in a wireless communications network when the wireless device is configured with a set of serving cell(s) in the wireless communications network. The network node is configured to determine a set of uplink control channel formats for uplink control channel transmissions for the wireless device, and to transmit information indicating the determined set of uplink control channel formats for uplink control channel transmissions for the wireless device to the wireless device. 
     According to a fifth aspect of embodiments herein, the object is achieved by a computer program, comprising instructions which, when executed on at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to carry out the method described above. According to a sixth aspect of embodiments herein, the object is achieved by a carrier containing the computer program described above, wherein the carrier is one of an electronic signal, optical signal, radio signal, or computer readable storage medium. 
     By determining a number of serving cells that are relevant to consider when performing an uplink control channel transmission, selecting an uplink control channel format based on the determined number of serving cells, and performing the uplink control channel transmission using the selected uplink control channel format, the wireless device may suitably select an uplink control channel format for the uplink control channel transmission in view of a relevant number of serving cells so as to avoid unnecessary control signalling overhead in the wireless communication network. This is because an unsuitable uplink control channel format for the uplink control channel transmission in view of the serving cells will result in unnecessary control signalling overhead. Thus, the uplink control channel transmission in the wireless communications network is improved. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Features and advantages of the embodiments will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art by the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG.  1    is a schematic block diagram of a LTE downlink physical resource, 
         FIG.  2    is a schematic overview depicting radio frames, 
         FIG.  3    is a schematic block diagram illustrating carrier aggregation, 
         FIG.  4    is a schematic block diagram illustrating embodiments of a wireless device and a network node in a wireless communications network, 
         FIG.  5    is a flowchart depicting embodiments of a method in a network node, 
         FIG.  6    is a flowchart depicting embodiments of a method in a wireless device, 
         FIG.  7    is a schematic block diagram depicting embodiments of a network node, 
         FIG.  8    is a schematic block diagram depicting embodiments of a wireless device. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The figures are schematic and simplified for clarity, and they merely show details which are essential to the understanding of the embodiments presented herein, while other details have been left out. Throughout, the same reference numerals are used for identical or corresponding parts or steps. 
       FIG.  4    shows an example of a wireless communications network  100  in which embodiments herein may be implemented. Although illustrated in  FIG.  1    as an LTE network, the wireless communications network  100  may be any wireless or radio communication system, such as, LTE-Advanced, Wideband Code-Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), Global System for Mobile communications/Enhanced Data rate for GSM Evolution (GSM/EDGE), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax), Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB) or GSM network, or other cellular network or system, such as, a future 5G wireless communication system. 
     The wireless communications network  100  comprises a first network node  110 . The first network node  110  may e.g. be an eNB, eNodeB, or a Home Node B, a Home eNode B, femto Base Station (BS), pico BS or any other network unit capable to serve a wireless device in the wireless communications network  100 . The first network node  110  may also be e.g. a radio base station, a base station controller, a network controller, a relay node, a repeater, an access point (AP), a radio access point, a wireless access point, an Ultra-Dense Network/Software-Defined Network (UDN/SDN) radio access node, a node in distributed antenna system (DAS), a Remote Radio Unit (RRU) or a Remote Radio Head (RRH). Furthermore, the first network node  110  may comprise multiple antennas for wireless radio communication with wireless devices located within their coverage range; that is, the first network node  110  may use one or more of its respective antennas to provide radio coverage within its cell  115 . 
     In the example of  FIG.  3   , a wireless device  121  is located within the cell  115  and served by the first network node  110 . The wireless device  121  may e.g. be any kind of wireless device such as a mobile phone, a cellular phone, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a smart phone, a tablet, a sensor or actuator with wireless communication capabilities, a sensor or actuator connected to or equipped with a wireless device, a Machine Device (MD), a Machine-Type-Communication (MTC) device, a Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communication device, a Customer-Premises Equipment (CPE), a Laptop-Mounted Equipment (LME), a Laptop-Embedded Equipment (LEE), etc. 
     The wireless device  121  may also be served in the cells  116 ,  117 ,  118  in the wireless communications network  100 , i.e. as secondary cells or SCells. Together with the primary cell or PCell, i.e. cell  115 , these cells  116 ,  117 ,  118  may form or constitute the serving cells  115 ,  116 ,  117 ,  118  of the wireless device  121  in the wireless communications network  100 . 
     In some embodiments, the cells  116 ,  117 ,  118  may be provided by a second, a third and a fourth network node  111 ,  112 ,  113 . For example, as shown in the scenario depicted in  FIG.  3   , the second, third and fourth network node  111 ,  112 ,  113  may be RRUs or RRHs configured to communicate with, or be connected to, the network node  110 . The second, third and fourth network node  111 ,  112 ,  113  may also be configured to be controlled by the network node  110 . However, it should be noted that the cells  116 ,  117 ,  118  may also be provided and controlled by the network node  110  itself, e.g. using different frequency bands for each cell  116 ,  117 ,  118  and/or co-located antennas, etc. These embodiments are examples of when so-called intra-eNB carrier aggregation may be used. According to some embodiments, one or more of the second, third and fourth network node  111 ,  112 ,  113  may also, for example, be an eNB, eNodeB, or a Home Node B, a Home eNode B, femto Base Station (BS), pico BS or any other network unit capable to serve a wireless device in the wireless communications network  100 . For example, the first network node  110  may provide and control the cells  115 ,  116 , while another network node, e.g. the fourth network node  113  provide and control the cells  117 ,  118 . Then, these embodiments are examples of when so-called inter-eNB carrier aggregation may be used. 
     Furthermore, although embodiments below are described with reference to the scenario of  FIG.  3   , this scenario should not be construed as limiting to the embodiments herein, but merely as an example made for illustrative purposes. 
     As part of the developing of the embodiments described herein, it has been noticed that the amount of control signalling sent in an uplink control channel transmission, e.g. control information sent on a PUCCH, by a wireless device may vary in time on the basis of the amount of serving cells that are activated. Thus, if only one uplink control channel format, e.g. PUCCH format, is configured for uplink control channel transmissions in the wireless device, then that one uplink control channel format may not be always be suitable in terms of resource utilization depending on the amount of serving cells that are actually activated at a certain time instant. Furthermore, simply changing the uplink control channel format t for uplink control channel transmissions for a wireless device based on how many serving cells are activated may however not be feasible. This is because activation or de-activation of the serving cells for a wireless device may quickly be made on the MAC level, while RRC signalling for changing the uplink control channel format for uplink control channel transmissions for a wireless device is typically significantly slower. 
     This issue is addressed by the embodiments presented herein by dynamically selecting, in the wireless device, the uplink control channel format used for an uplink control channel transmission to suit the current need of control signalling due to the number of serving cells without having excessive signalling or delays. This is performed by determining a number of serving cells that are relevant to consider when performing an uplink control channel transmission, selecting an uplink control channel format, e.g. a PUCCH format, based on the determined number of serving cells, and performing the uplink control channel transmission using the selected uplink control channel format. By selecting a suitable uplink control channel format this way, unnecessary signalling overhead may be avoided in the wireless communication network. This is because using an unsuitable uplink control channel format for the uplink control channel transmission will consume unnecessary control signalling overhead. In addition, with this dynamic uplink control channel format selection, the PUCCH resources may be efficiently utilized. Thus, the uplink control channel transmission in the wireless communications network is improved. 
     In other words, according to the embodiments herein, a wireless device may receive information indicating two or more PUCCH formats for a serving cell and the wireless device may select which PUCCH format to use based on the number of serving cells which it classifies as relevant to consider for a PUCCH transmission on the serving cell. When the wireless device has selected the PUCCH format, the wireless device will perform the PUCCH transmission using the selected PUCCH format. 
     Example of embodiments of a method performed by a wireless device  121  for performing an uplink control channel transmission in a serving cell  115  in a wireless communications network  100  when the wireless device  121  is configured with a set of serving cell(s)  115 ,  116 ,  117 ,  118  in the wireless communications network  100 , will now be described with reference to the flowchart depicted in  FIG.  5   .  FIG.  5    illustrates an example of actions or operations which may be taken by the wireless device  121 . The method may comprise the following actions. 
     Action  501   
     Optionally, in some embodiments, the wireless device  121  may receive information indicating the set of uplink control channel formats for uplink control channel transmissions from a network node  110  in the wireless communications network  100 . The different uplink control channel formats in the set of uplink control channel formats may be suitable to different number of serving cells that are relevant to the wireless device  121 . 
     In some embodiments, the wireless device  121  may optionally also receive information indicating one or more criterions to be used by the wireless device  121  in determining a number of serving cells that are relevant to consider when performing uplink control channel transmissions in the serving cell  115 . In some embodiments, the wireless device  121  may optionally also receive information indicating one or more threshold values to be used by the wireless device  121  when selecting an uplink control channel format from a set of uplink control channel formats based on the determined number of serving cells that are relevant to consider when performing uplink control channel transmissions in the serving cell  115 . In some embodiments, the above information may be received by the wireless device  121  in one or more Radio Resource Control, RRC, messages. 
     Action  502   
     The wireless device  121  determines a number of serving cells of the set of serving cell(s)  115 ,  116 ,  117 ,  118  that are relevant to consider when performing the uplink control channel transmission in the serving cell  115 . 
     According to some embodiment, multiple criterions are presented below which may be used when determining a number of serving cells that are relevant to consider when performing uplink control channel transmissions in the serving cell  115 ; in other words, whether to consider a serving cell or not. Which one or more of these multiple criterions that is used by the wireless device  121  may be configured by the network node  110  as described in Action  501 , e.g. signalled to the wireless device  121  in an RRC message. 
     In some embodiments, the wireless device  121  may determine the number of serving cells that are relevant to consider when performing the uplink control channel transmission to be the number of serving cells in the set of serving cell(s)  115 ,  116 ,  117 ,  118  that are currently activated in the wireless device  121 . In other words, serving cells may be classed as relevant based on their activation status, i.e. based on whether the serving cell is activated or deactivated. If the serving cell is activated the serving cell would be a cell to consider as relevant, otherwise if the serving cell is deactivated it would not be a cell to consider as relevant. 
     In a first example, assume the network node  110  has indicated the following activation command to the wireless device  121 :
     {Serving cell  115 : Activated;   Serving cell  116 : Activated;   Serving cell  117 : De-activated;   Serving cell  118 : De-activated}.   

     In this case, the wireless device  121  would then have two (2) serving cells that it considers relevant and two serving cells (2) which it does not consider relevant. In a second example, e.g. if the activation or de-activation status changes to the following:
     {Serving cell  115 : Activated;   Serving cell  116 : Activated;   Serving cell  117 : Activated;   Serving cell  118 : Activated}.   

     That is, the serving cell  117  and the serving  118  will get activated. In this case, the wireless device  121  would then have four (4) serving cells that it considers relevant and no serving cells (0) which it does not consider relevant. 
     In some embodiments, the wireless device  121  may determine the number of serving cells that are relevant to consider when performing the uplink control channel transmission to be the number of serving cells in the set of serving cell(s)  115 ,  116 ,  117 ,  118  that have been indicated to be activated by a network node  110  in the wireless communications network  100 . In other words, serving cells may be classed as relevant based on their activation status as determined by the network node  110 . 
     This may be advantageous since, while conventionally activation and de-activation of serving cells for a wireless device  121  is controlled by the network node  110  by using Activation/De-activation MAC CEs, there may also be a mechanism in the wireless device  121  which makes the wireless device  121  autonomously de-activate a serving cell if the wireless device  121  has not been scheduled on the serving cell for a certain predetermined or configured time period or time duration. For example, the wireless device  121  may be configured to de-activate a serving cell which it has not been scheduled on for the past two (2) seconds. To do this, the wireless device  121  may maintain a timer for each serving cell, except its PCell, i.e. cell  115  in the example of  FIG.  4   . The timer for a serving cell may be restarted every time the wireless device  121  is scheduled on the serving cell. If the timer for a serving cell expires, then the wireless device  121  may de-activate the serving cell. 
     Because of the fact that scheduling grants and assignments from the network node  110  may get lost, there may be times when there is a mismatch between when the network node  110  expects the wireless device  121  to autonomously de-activate a serving cell and when the wireless device  121  actually will de-activate a serving cell. This may, for example, occur when the network node  110  schedules the wireless device  121  on a serving cell and expects the wireless device  121  to keep the serving cell activated for another two seconds, i.e. its configured period of time, but when the wireless device  121  has actually missed the scheduling grant or assignment from the network node  110  and thus will de-activate the serving cell earlier than expected by the network node  110 . Furthermore, if the wireless device  121  were to change the uplink control channel format, e.g. the PUCCH format, when a serving cell gets de-activated by its respective timer in the wireless device  121 , then the network node  110  may not be prepared for the wireless device  121  applying the new uplink control channel format and a mismatch may occur. Therefore, to improve robustness in the wireless communications network  100 , the wireless device  121  may only select the uplink control channel format, e.g. PUCCH format, based on activation/de-activation MAC CEs from the network node  110 , i.e. the number of serving cells in the set of serving cell(s)  115 ,  116 ,  117 ,  118  that have been indicated to be activated by a network node  110  in the wireless communications network  100 . In other words, the wireless device  121  will in these embodiments not change the uplink control channel format if the wireless device  121  has autonomously de-activated a serving cell based on the timer. 
     In some embodiments, the wireless device  121  may determine the number of serving cells that are relevant to consider when performing the uplink control channel transmission to be the number of serving cells in the set of serving cell(s)  115 ,  116 ,  117 ,  118  that have been added, or configured, for the wireless device  121  by a network node  110  in the wireless communications network  100 . In other words, serving cells may be classed as relevant based on whether the serving cell is currently added or not. In this case, only if the serving cell has been added for the wireless device  121  it will be deemed relevant, otherwise it will not be deemed relevant. 
     It should be noted here that the terms “configured” or “de-configured” may be used interchangeably herein with the terms “added” or “removed”. This is because in the RRC specification wherein the procedure of configuration and de-configuration is described, it is sometimes said that cells are added instead of configured and removed instead of de-configured. However, their inherent meaning is the same. 
     One advantage of these embodiments is that the configuration or de-configuration status is fully controlled by the network node  110  and thus there is no risk of a mismatch between the understanding of the wireless device  121  of the number of configured cells for the wireless device  121  and the understanding of the network node  110  of the number of configured cells for the wireless device  121 . Hence, there is no risk for a mismatched uplink control channel format, e.g. the PUCCH format, between the wireless device  121  and network node  110 . 
     In some embodiments, the wireless device  121  may determine the number of serving cells that are relevant to consider when performing the uplink control channel transmission to be the number of serving cells in the set of serving cell(s)  115 ,  116 ,  117 ,  118  that the wireless device  121  have been scheduled on. In other words, a serving cell may be classed as relevant based on whether the wireless device  121  has been scheduled on the serving cell or not. In some embodiments, the wireless device  121  may determine whether the wireless device  121  has been scheduled on the serving cell or not based on one or more of a received DL assignment from the network node  110 , a semi-persistent scheduling configuration, and/or a dynamic scheduling signalling from the network node  110 . Alternatively, according to some embodiments, the wireless device  121  may determine the number of serving cells that are relevant to consider when performing the uplink control channel transmission to be the number of serving cells in the set of serving cell(s)  115 ,  116 ,  117 ,  118  that the wireless device  121  have been scheduled on within a determined period of time. This provides another possible way for the wireless device  121  to determine whether the wireless device  121  has been scheduled, e.g. by only considering a certain configured time period. This may advantageously ensure that even if the wireless device  121  misses or drops a scheduling grant or scheduling assignment, the wireless device  121  will not change the relevance of the serving cell directly. This is beneficial to avoid a mismatch between which uplink control channel format, e.g. the PUCCH format, the network node  110  expects the wireless device  121  to use and the uplink control channel format the wireless device  121  is actually using, when a large number of scheduling grants/assignment in a row gets lost. In fact, if this really should happen, then the network node  110  would anyway detect that some problem has occurred and may take action, such as, e.g. de-activating the serving cells for the wireless device  121 . Another advantage of this way of determining whether or not a serving cell is relevant or not in the wireless device  121  is that the uplink control channel format will be changed dynamically so that the optimal uplink control channel format is always selected based on how many serving cells are scheduled. Here, it should also be noted that the number of bits required to transmit a control channel transmission, such as, a PUCCH transmission, depends on the number of serving cells the transmission carries information for. This means that the more serving cells a control channel transmission carries information for, the more bits are needed for the control channel transmission. For example, to transmit a PUCCH transmission comprising information regarding 1 serving cell may be in the order of 4 bits, while a PUCCH transmission comprising information regarding 5 serving cells may be in the order of 20 bits. 
     In some embodiments, the wireless device  121  may determine the number of serving cells that are relevant to consider when performing the uplink control channel transmission to be the serving cell  115  in which the uplink control channel transmission is to be performed and one or more serving cells  116 ,  117 ,  118  that are mapped to the serving cell  115  in which the uplink control channel transmission is to be performed. In other words, serving cells may be classed as relevant based on mapping of uplink control channels, e.g. a PUCCH mapping. 
     As proposed in 3GPP, the network node  110  may configure and provide a mapping, i.e. information linking together, between each of the serving cells of the wireless device  121  and uplink control channel format, such as, e.g. PUCCHs. For example, assume that the wireless device  121  is configured with serving cells  115 ,  116 ,  117 ,  118 , but that a PUCCH is only configured for the serving cells  115 ,  117 . In this case, the serving cells  116 ,  118  may comprise a mapping to PUCCHs of the serving cells  115 ,  117 , respectively, as shown below:
     Serving cell  115 : PUCCH configured → Mapped to itself;   Serving cell  116 : No PUCCH configured → Mapped to serving cell  115 ;   Serving cell  117 : PUCCH configured → Mapped to itself;   Serving cell  118 : No PUCCH configured → Mapped to serving cell  115 .   

     In this case, it may thus be irrelevant whether the serving cells  117 ,  118  are active, configured, and/or scheduled when selecting the PUCCH format for serving cell  115 , e.g. such as described in Action  503 . Therefore, the wireless device  121  may here only take in to account the serving cells which are mapped to the serving cell in which the uplink control channel transmission is to be performed. For example, serving cell  116  when performing the uplink control channel transmission in the serving cell  115 , or serving cell  118  when performing the uplink control channel transmission in the serving cell  117 . In other words, the serving cells  115 ,  116  are irrelevant when selecting the PUCCH format for the serving cell  117 , since the serving cells  115 ,  116  are not mapped to serving cell  117 . And likewise, the serving cells  117 ,  118  are irrelevant when selecting PUCCH format for the serving cell  115  since the serving cells  117 ,  118  are not mapped to the serving cell  115 . 
     It should also be noted that any of the above mentioned embodiments for determining which of the serving cells  115 ,  116 ,  117 ,  118  that may be classed as relevant to consider when performing uplink control channel transmissions in the serving cell  115  may be combined in various ways, e.g. the serving cells may be classed as relevant based on a combination of activation status, configuration status and scheduling status. For example, if the PUCCH format is to be selected for the serving cell  115 , then the wireless device  121  may select the PUCCH format for the serving cell  115  based on e.g. the number of activated serving cells which are mapped to the serving cell  115 . Alternatively, the wireless device  121  may select the PUCCH format for the serving cell  115  based on e.g. the number of configured serving cells which are mapped to the serving cell  115  or the number of scheduled serving cells which are mapped to the serving cell  115 . 
     Action  503   
     After determining the number of serving cells in Action  502 , the wireless device  121  selects an uplink control channel format from a set of uplink control channel formats for uplink control channel transmissions based on the determined number of serving cells. 
     In some embodiments, the uplink control channel format for the uplink control channel transmission is selected from the set of uplink control channel formats based on one or more threshold values for the determined number of serving cells. As described in Action  501 , these may be provided by the network node  110 . 
     When the wireless device  121  selects the uplink control channel format, i.e. the PUCCH format, for the uplink control channel transmissions in the serving cell  115 , the wireless device  121  will use the determined number of serving cells as described in the previous Action  502 , i.e. the number of serving cells that are relevant to consider when performing the uplink control channel transmission in the serving cell  115 . For example, if the determined number of serving cells is higher than a threshold value, then the wireless device  121  may select one PUCCH format from the set of uplink control channel formats, otherwise the wireless device  121  may select another PUCCH format from the set of uplink control channel formats. According to another example, if the threshold value for selecting a certain PUCCH format is five (5) serving cells, then the wireless device  121  may select this PUCCH format only if the determined number of serving cells indicates up to five (5) serving cells, otherwise the wireless device  121  may select another PUCCH format. 
     It should be noted that this is also applicable for more than one threshold value and more than two PUCCH formats. For example, in case the wireless device  121  has a set of uplink control channel formats comprising three (3) possible PUCCH formats, the wireless device  121  may also apply threshold values such that: a first PUCCH format is selected when the determined number of serving cells is less than X number of serving cells, a second PUCCH format is selected when the determined number of serving cells is between X+1 and Y number of serving cells, and a third PUCCH format is selected when the determined number of serving cells is higher than Y+1 number of serving cells. X and Y here being real numbers. 
     In some embodiments, the uplink control channel format for the uplink control channel transmission is selected from the set of uplink control channel formats further based on the existence of and/or the length of a periodic Channel State Information, CSI, in the wireless device  121 . This means that the wireless device  121  may select, for example, a PUCCH format, based on the determined number of serving cells, as well as, the existence and/or the length of periodic CSI. 
     For example, if the number of determined number of serving cells is below a threshold value, and there is no periodic CSI, then the wireless device  121  may select one PUCCH format; otherwise, i.e. in case there is a periodic CSI, the wireless device 12 may select another PUCCH format. According to another example, if the number of determined serving cells is below a threshold value, and the number of P-CSI bits is also below a threshold value, then the wireless device  121  may select one PUCCH format; otherwise, i.e. in case the number of P-CSI bits is above a threshold value, the wireless device 12 may select another PUCCH format. 
     Action  504   
     The wireless device  121  then performs the uplink control channel transmission in the serving cell  115  using the selected uplink control channel format. 
     In some embodiments, the uplink control channel transmission in the serving cell  115  using the selected uplink control channel format is performed according to one or more of the following: at the beginning of the next subsequent subframe in the wireless communications network  100 ; at the beginning of the next subsequent radio frame in the wireless communications network  100 ; according to information received from a network node  110  in the wireless communications network  100 , e.g. in a MAC message wherein the MAC message indicates that the wireless device  121  should perform a reselection of the PUCCH format; upon or after the expiry of a timer for switching the uplink control channel format for uplink control channel transmissions; and at a fixed or predetermined time instant. This means that the time for switching the uplink control channel format,e.g. the PUCCH format, may be suitably performed at different points in time depending on implementation. 
     One advantage of changing the uplink control channel format, e.g. the PUCCH format, after a certain time period instead of directly, e.g. directly when a criterion suggests so, is that for some selection criterions the PUCCH format may beneficially be changed quickly and for some selection criterions may be prone to mismatch between the selected PUCCH format by the wireless device  121  and the PUCCH format which the network node  110  is expecting the wireless device  121  to apply. For example, if the wireless device  121  is applying the selection based on scheduled cells, the wireless device  121  may miss a scheduling grant and/or scheduling assignment and in this case, apply a PUCCH format with room for fewer serving cells than the network node  110  expects the wireless device  121  to apply. 
     In some embodiments, the uplink control channel transmission in the serving cell  115  using the selected uplink control channel format is performed based on the configuration of the serving cell  115 . This means that the time for switching the uplink control channel format, e.g. the PUCCH format, may depend on the configuration of the serving cell  115  on which the PUCCH is to be transmitted, such as, e.g. the time instant for switching the PUCCH format may be different for PUCCH on a FDD cell and on a TDD cell. 
     Example of embodiments of a method performed by a network node  110  for enabling an uplink control channel transmission by a wireless device  121  in a serving cell  115  in a wireless communications network  100  when the wireless device  121  is configured with a set of serving cell(s)  115 ,  116 ,  117 ,  118  in the wireless communications network  100 , will now be described with reference to the flowchart depicted in  FIG.  6   .  FIG.  6    illustrates an example of actions or operations which may be taken by the network node  110 . The method may comprise the following actions. 
     Action  601   
     The network node  110  determines a set of uplink control channel formats for uplink control channel transmissions for the wireless device  121 . The different uplink control channel formats in the set of uplink control channel formats may be suitable to different amount of serving cells that are relevant to the wireless device  121 . 
     In some embodiments, the network node  110  may also determine one or more criterions to be used by the wireless device  121  in determining a number of serving cells that are relevant to consider when performing uplink control channel transmissions in the serving cell  115 . In some embodiments, the network node  110  may further determine one or more threshold values to be used by the wireless device  121  when selecting an uplink control channel format from the set of uplink control channel formats based on the determined number of serving cells that are relevant to consider when performing uplink control channel transmissions in the serving cell  115 . 
     Action  602   
     After the determination in Action  601 , the network node  110  transmits information indicating the determined set of uplink control channel formats for uplink control channel transmissions for the wireless device  121  to the wireless device  121 . In some embodiments, the network node  110  may also transmit information indicating the one or more criterions to the wireless device  121 . In some embodiments, the network node  110  may further transmit information indicating the one or more threshold values to the wireless device  121 . In some embodiments, the transmission of the information, described above in this Action  602 , may be transmitted in one or more Radio Resource Control, RRC, messages. 
     To perform the method actions for performing an uplink control channel transmission in a serving cell  115  in a wireless communications network  100  when the wireless device  121  is configured with a set of serving cell(s)  115 ,  116 ,  117 ,  118  in the wireless communications network  100 , the wireless device  121  may comprise the following arrangement depicted in  FIG.  7   . 
       FIG.  7    shows a schematic block diagram of embodiments of the wireless device  121 . In some embodiments, the wireless device  121  may comprise a transmitting module  701 , a receiving module  702 , and a processor  710 . The transmitting module  701  may also be referred to as transmitter or transmitting unit, and the receiving module  702  may also be referred to as a receiver or receiving unit. 
     The processor  710  may also be referred to as processing module, processing unit or processing circuitry. The processor  710 , or a determining module  711  in the wireless device  121 , is configured to determine a number of serving cells of the set of serving cell(s)  115 ,  116 ,  117 ,  118  that are relevant to consider when performing the uplink control channel transmission in the serving cell  115 . The processor  710  is further configured to, or a selecting module  712  in the wireless device  121  is configured to, select an uplink control channel format from a set of uplink control channel formats for uplink control channel transmissions based on the determined number of serving cells. The processor  710  also controls the transmitter  701  and the receiver  702 . Optionally, the processor  710  may be said to comprise one or more of the transmitter  701  and the receiver  702 , and/or perform the function thereof as described below. The transmitter  701  is configured to perform the uplink control channel transmission in the serving cell  115  using the selected uplink control channel format. 
     In some embodiments, the processor  710 , or the determining module  711  in the wireless device  121 , may be further configured to determine the number of serving cells that are relevant to consider when performing the uplink control channel transmission to be one or more of the following: the number of serving cells in the set of serving cell(s)  115 ,  116 ,  117 ,  118  that are currently activated in the wireless device  121 ; the number of serving cells in the set of serving cell(s)  115 ,  116 ,  117 ,  118  that have been indicated to be activated by a network node ( 110 ) in the wireless communications network  100 ; the number of serving cells in the set of serving cell(s)  115 ,  116 ,  117 ,  118  that have been added, or configured, for the wireless device  121  by a network node  110  in the wireless communications network  100 ; the number of serving cells in the set of serving cell(s)  115 ,  116 ,  117 ,  118  that the wireless device  121  have been scheduled on; the number of serving cells in the set of serving cell(s)  115 ,  116 ,  117 ,  118  that the wireless device  121  have been scheduled on within a determined period of time; and the serving cell  115  in which the uplink control channel transmission is to be performed and one or more serving cells  116 ,  117 ,  118  that are mapped to the serving cell  115  in which the uplink control channel transmission is to be performed. 
     In some embodiments, the processor  710 , or the selecting module  712  in the wireless device  121 , may be further configured to select the uplink control channel format for the uplink control channel transmission from the set of uplink control channel formats based on one or more threshold values for the determined number of serving cells. In some embodiments, the processor  710 , or the selecting module  712  in the wireless device  121 , may be further configured to select the uplink control channel format for the uplink control channel transmission from the set of uplink control channel formats further based on the existence of and/or the length of a periodic Channel State Information, CSI, in the wireless device  121 . 
     In some embodiments, the transmitter  701  may be configured to perform the uplink control channel transmission in the serving cell  115  using the selected uplink control channel format according to one or more of the following: at the beginning of the next subsequent subframe in the wireless communications network  100 ; at the beginning of the next subsequent radio frame in the wireless communications network  100 ; according to information received from a network node  110  in the wireless communications network  100 ; upon or after the expiry of a timer for switching the uplink control channel format for uplink control channel transmissions, and at a fixed or predetermined time instant. In some embodiments, the transmitter  701  may be configured to perform the uplink control channel transmission in the serving cell  115  using the selected uplink control channel format based on the configuration of the serving cell  115 . 
     In some embodiments, the receiver  702  may be configured to receive information indicating the set of uplink control channel formats for uplink control channel transmissions from a network node  110  in the wireless communications network  100 . In some embodiments, the receiver  702  may be configured to optionally also receive information indicating one or more criteria to be used by the wireless device  121  in determining a number of serving cells that are relevant to consider when performing uplink control channel transmissions in the serving cell  115 . In some embodiments, the receiver  702  may be configured to further receive information indicating one or more threshold values to be used by the wireless device  121  when selecting an uplink control channel format from a set of uplink control channel formats based on the determined number of serving cells that are relevant to consider when performing uplink control channel transmissions in the serving cell  115 . In some embodiments, the receiver  702  may be configured to receive the information in one or more Radio Resource Control, RRC, messages. 
     The embodiments for performing an uplink control channel transmission in a serving cell  115  in a wireless communications network  100  when the wireless device  121  is configured with a set of serving cell(s)  115 ,  116 ,  117 ,  118  in the wireless communications network  100  may be implemented through one or more processors, such as, e.g. the processor  710  in the wireless device  121  depicted in  FIG.  7   , together with computer program code for performing the functions and actions of the embodiments herein. The program code mentioned above may also be provided as a computer program product, for instance in the form of a data carrier carrying computer program code or code means for performing the embodiments herein when being loaded into the processor  710  in the wireless device  121 . The computer program code may e.g. be provided as pure program code in the wireless device  121  or on a server and downloaded to the wireless device  121 . The carrier may be one of an electronic signal, optical signal, radio signal, or computer-readable storage medium, such as, e.g. electronic memories like a RAM, a ROM, a Flash memory, a magnetic tape, a CD-ROM, a DVD, a Blueray disc, etc. 
     The wireless device  121  may further comprise a memory  720 , which may be referred to or comprise one or more memory modules or units. The memory  720  may be arranged to be used to store executable instructions and data to perform the methods described herein when being executed in or by the processor  710  of the wireless device  121 . Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the processor  710  and the memory  720  described above may refer to a combination of analog and digital circuits, and/or one or more processors configured with software and/or firmware, e.g. stored in the memory  720 , that when executed by the one or more processors, such as, the processor  710 , cause the one or more processors to perform the method as described above. The processor  710  and the memory  720  may also be referred to as processing means. One or more of these processors, as well as the other digital hardware, may be included in a single application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or several processors and various digital hardware may be distributed among several separate components, whether individually packaged or assembled into a system-on-a-chip (SoC). 
     From the above it may be seen that some embodiments may comprise a computer program product, comprising instructions which, when executed on at least one processor, e.g. the processor  710 , cause the at least one processor to carry out the method for performing an uplink control channel transmission in a serving cell  115  in a wireless communications network  100  when the wireless device  121  is configured with a set of serving cell(s)  115 ,  116 ,  117 ,  118  in the wireless communications network  100 . Also, some embodiments may further comprise a carrier containing said computer program product, wherein the carrier is one of an electronic signal, optical signal, radio signal, or computer-readable storage medium. 
     To perform the method actions for enabling an uplink control channel transmission by a wireless device  121  in a serving cell  115  in a wireless communications network  100  when the wireless device  121  is configured with a set of serving cell(s)  115 ,  116 ,  117 ,  118  in the wireless communications network  100 , the network node  110  may comprise the following arrangement depicted in  FIG.  8   . 
       FIG.  8    shows a schematic block diagram of embodiments of the network node  110 . In some embodiments, the network node  110  may comprise a transmitting module  801 , a receiving module  802 , and a processor  810 . The transmitting module  801  may also be referred to as transmitter or transmitting unit, and the receiving module  802  may also be referred to as a receiver or receiving unit. 
     The processor  810  may also be referred to as processing module, processing unit or processing circuitry. The processor  810 , or a determining module  811  in the wireless device  121 , is configured to determine a set of uplink control channel formats for uplink control channel transmissions for the wireless device  121 . The processor  810  may control the transmitter  801  and the receiver  802 . Optionally, the processor  810  may be said to comprise one or more of the transmitter  801  and the receiver  802 , and/or perform the function thereof as described below. The transmitter  801  is configured to transmit information indicating the determined set of uplink control channel formats for uplink control channel transmissions for the wireless device  121  to the wireless device  121 . 
     In some embodiments, the processor  810 , or the determining module  811  in the network node  110 , may be further configured to determine one or more criterions to be used by the wireless device  121  in determining a number of serving cells that are relevant to consider when performing uplink control channel transmissions in the serving cell  115 . In this case, the transmitter  801  may be configured to transmit information indicating the one or more criterions to the wireless device  121 . 
     In some embodiments, the processor  810 , or the determining module  811  in the network node  110 , may be further configured to determine one or more threshold values to be used by the wireless device  121  when selecting an uplink control channel format from the set of uplink control channel formats based on the determined number of serving cells that are relevant to consider when performing uplink control channel transmissions in the serving cell  115 . In this case, the transmitter  801  may be configured to transmit information indicating the one or more threshold values to the wireless device  121 . 
     In some embodiments, the transmitter  801  may be configured to transmit the information in one or more Radio Resource Control, RRC, messages. 
     The embodiments for enabling an uplink control channel transmission by a wireless device  121  in a serving cell  115  in a wireless communications network  100  when the wireless device  121  is configured with a set of serving cell(s)  115 ,  116 ,  117 ,  118  in the wireless communications network  100  may be implemented through one or more processors, such as, e.g. the processor  810  in the network node  110  depicted in  FIG.  8   , together with computer program code for performing the functions and actions of the embodiments herein. The program code mentioned above may also be provided as a computer program product, for instance in the form of a data carrier carrying computer program code or code means for performing the embodiments herein when being loaded into the processor  810  in the network node  110 . The computer program code may e.g. be provided as pure program code in the network node  110  or on a server and downloaded to the network node  110 . The carrier may be one of an electronic signal, optical signal, radio signal, or computer-readable storage medium, such as, e.g. electronic memories like a RAM, a ROM, a Flash memory, a magnetic tape, a CD-ROM, a DVD, a Blueray disc, etc. 
     The network node  110  may further comprise a memory  820 , which may be referred to or comprise one or more memory modules or units. The memory  820  may be arranged to be used to store executable instructions and data to perform the methods described herein when being executed in or by the processor  810  of the network node  110 . Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the processor  810  and the memory  820  described above may refer to a combination of analog and digital circuits, and/or one or more processors configured with software and/or firmware, e.g. stored in the memory  820 , that when executed by the one or more processors, such as, the processor  810 , cause the one or more processors to perform the method as described above. The processor  810  and the memory  820  may also be referred to as processing means. One or more of these processors, as well as the other digital hardware, may be included in a single application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or several processors and various digital hardware may be distributed among several separate components, whether individually packaged or assembled into a system-on-a-chip (SoC). 
     From the above it may be seen that some embodiments may comprise a computer program product, comprising instructions which, when executed on at least one processor, e.g. the processor  810 , cause the at least one processor to carry out the method for enabling an uplink control channel transmission by a wireless device  121  in a serving cell  115  in a wireless communications network  100  when the wireless device  121  is configured with a set of serving cell(s)  115 ,  116 ,  117 ,  118  in the wireless communications network  100 . Also, some embodiments may further comprise a carrier containing said computer program product, wherein the carrier is one of an electronic signal, optical signal, radio signal, or computer-readable storage medium. 
     The terminology used in the detailed description of the particular embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings is not intended to be limiting of the described wireless device  121 , network node  110  and methods therein which instead should be construed in view of the enclosed claims. 
     As used herein, the term “and/or” comprises any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. 
     Further, as used herein, the common abbreviation “e.g.”, which derives from the Latin phrase “exempli gratia,” may be used to introduce or specify a general example or examples of a previously mentioned item, and is not intended to be limiting of such item. 
     If used herein, the common abbreviation “i.e.”, which derives from the Latin phrase “id est,” may be used to specify a particular item from a more general recitation. The common abbreviation “etc.”, which derives from the Latin expression “et cetera” meaning “and other things” or “and so on” may have been used herein to indicate that further features, similar to the ones that have just been enumerated, exist. 
     As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to comprise also the plural forms as well, unless expressly stated otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “includes,” “comprises,” “including” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, actions, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, actions, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. 
     Unless otherwise defined, all terms comprising technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the described embodiments belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein. 
     The embodiments herein are not limited to the above described preferred embodiments. Various alternatives, modifications and equivalents may be used. Therefore, the above embodiments should not be construed as limiting. 
     
       
         
           
               
               
             
               
                 Abbreviations 
               
             
            
               
                 DAI 
                 Downlink Assignment Index 
               
               
                 DCI 
                 Downlink Control Information 
               
               
                 CA 
                 Carrier Aggregation 
               
               
                 CC 
                 Component Carrier 
               
               
                 CSI 
                 Channel State Information 
               
               
                 CQI 
                 Channel Quality Indicator 
               
               
                 DFTS-OFDM 
                 Discrete Fourier Transform Spread - OFDM 
               
               
                 DL 
                 Downlink 
               
               
                 EPDCCH 
                 Enhanced PDCCH 
               
               
                 FDD 
                 Frequency Division Duplex 
               
               
                 HARQ 
                 Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request 
               
               
                 LTE 
                 Long Term Evolution 
               
               
                 MAC 
                 Medium Access Control 
               
               
                 MAC CE 
                 MAC Control Element 
               
               
                 OFDM 
                 Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing 
               
               
                 PCell 
                 Primary Cell 
               
               
                 PDCCH 
                 Physical Downlink Control Channel 
               
               
                 PDSCH 
                 Physical Downlink Shared Channel 
               
               
                 PUCCH 
                 Physical Uplink Control Channel 
               
               
                 PUSCH 
                 Physical Uplink Shared Channel 
               
               
                 RE 
                 Resource Element 
               
               
                 RRC 
                 Radio Resource Control 
               
               
                 SCell 
                 Secondary Cell 
               
               
                 SC-FDMA 
                 Single Carrier - Frequency Domain Multiple Access 
               
               
                 SR 
                 Scheduling Request 
               
               
                 TDD 
                 Time Division Duplex 
               
               
                 TPC 
                 Transmit Power Control 
               
               
                 UE 
                 User Equipment 
               
               
                 UL 
                 Uplink