Abstract:
Methods and apparatus are provided for transmitting downlink control information in mobile communications system. A size of a downlink control information (DCI) format associated with an uplink transmission mode is determined and then compared with a size of a DCI format corresponding to a current downlink transmission mode. If the size of the DCI format associated with the uplink transmission mode is same as the size of the DCI format corresponding to the current downlink transmission mode, a bit is appended to the DCI format associated with the uplink transmission mode to differentiate the size of the DCI format associated with the uplink transmission mode from the size of the DCI format corresponding to the current downlink transmission mode.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/CN2012/074921, filed on Apr. 28, 2012, which claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 201110111367.7, filed on Apr. 29, 2011. The aforementioned applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present application relates to the field of mobile communications technologies, and in particular to a method and a device for transmitting and receiving control signaling. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    In a long term evolution (LTE) system, uplink and downlink transmission methods are determined by a base station. The base station notifies a terminal of an uplink and/or downlink transmission method through a downlink channel. A specific transmission method includes transmission mode (TM), resource allocation information, a modulation and coding scheme, and so on. Some transmission methods are notified in a semi-static way. For example, the TM is notified through higher layer signaling. Some transmission methods are notified in a dynamic way. For example, the resource allocation information and the modulation and coding scheme are notified through physical layer downlink control information (DCI). 
         [0004]    Different unlink or downlink TMs correspond to different DCI formats. For example, if a TM 4, that is, multi-antenna closed-loop multiplexing transmission mode, is used for LTE downlink transmission, the DCI format for notifying the corresponding transmission method is format 1A or format 2. For another example, if TM 2, that is, a multi-antenna transmission mode, is used for LTE uplink transmission, the DCI format for notifying the corresponding transmission method is format 0 or format 4. 
         [0005]    A terminal needs to detect a DCI format that may be on a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) through blind detection. For example, for downlink TM 4, DCI format 1A or DCI format 2 may be on the PDCCH; and for uplink TM 2, DCI format 0 or DCI format 4 may be on the PDCCH. If a base station configures TM 4 for downlink transmission and TM 2 for uplink transmission, DCI format 1A, format 2, format 0, or format 4 may be on the PDCCH. The terminal distinguishes DCI formats according to sizes of the DCI formats during the blind detection. For example, it is assumed that under a current configuration, the size of the format 1A is 30 bits, the size of format 2 is 34 bits, and the size of format 4 is 34 bits. If DCI with a length of 30 bits is detected during the blind detection, the terminal can determine that the current detected DCI format is the format 1A, and can interpret control information in the DCI according to a definition of format 1A. However, if DCI with a length of 34 bits is detected, the terminal cannot determine whether the DCI format is format 2 or format 4. As a result, the terminal cannot detect the DCI format correctly during the blind detection, and cannot obtain a correct uplink or downlink control transmission method. If a correct downlink control transmission method cannot be obtained, downlink data cannot be decoded correctly. If a correct uplink control transmission method cannot be obtained, uplink data cannot be transmitted correctly. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and a device for transmitting and receiving control signaling, through which various DCI formats may be distinguished from each other. Therefore, the DCI formats can be correctly and easily detected with a relative small overhead during blind detection. 
         [0007]    An embodiment of the present invention provides a method for transmitting control signaling. The method includes: 
         [0008]    determining an original size of a DCI format which is in a first group of DCI formats and is the format of DCI to be transmitted; 
         [0009]    determining, according to a current transmission configuration, a second group of DCI formats that can be used under the current transmission configuration; 
         [0010]    comparing a size of a DCI format in the second group with the original size of the DCI format in the first group, and appending, if the second group includes a DCI format that has a same size as a DCI format in the first group, a bit to the DCI format in the first group that has the same size as the DCI format in the second group, so that the size of the DCI format in the first group after the bit appending is different from that of the DCI format in the second group; and 
         [0011]    transmitting, according to the DCI format with the appended bit in the first group, the DCI to be transmitted. 
         [0012]    An embodiment of the present invention provides a method for receiving control signaling. The method includes: 
         [0013]    determining a size of DCI format 4; 
         [0014]    detecting, according to the determined size of the DCI format 4, the DCI that uses the DCI format 4, wherein 
         [0015]    the determining the size of the DCI format 4 includes: 
         [0016]    determining an original size of the DCI format 4; 
         [0017]    determining, according to a current downlink transmission mode, a DCI format corresponding to the downlink transmission mode; 
         [0018]    comparing a size of the DCI format corresponding to the downlink transmission mode with the original size of the DCI format 4, and if the DCI format corresponding to the downlink transmission mode and the DCI format 4 have the same size, appending a bit to the DCI format 4, so that the size of the DCI format 4 after the bit appending is different from that of the DCI format corresponding to the downlink transmission mode; and 
         [0019]    determining that the size of the DCI format 4 is the original size of the DCI format 4 plus the appended bit. 
         [0020]    An embodiment of the present invention provides a device for transmitting control signaling. The device includes: 
         [0021]    a first determining module, configured to determine an original size of a DCI format which is in a first group and is the format of DCI to be transmitted; 
         [0022]    a second determining module, configured to determine, according to a current transmission configuration, a second group of DCI formats that can be used under the current transmission configuration, and determine a size of the DCI format in the second group; 
         [0023]    a processing module, configured to compare the size which is of the DCI format in the second group and determined by the second determining module with the original size which is of the DCI format in the first group and determined by the first determining module, and if the second group includes a DCI format that has a same size as a DCI format in the first group, append a bit to the DCI format which is in the first group and has the same size as the DCI format in the second group, so that the size of the DCI format after the bit appending in the first group is different from that of the DCI format in the second group; and 
         [0024]    a transmitting module, configured to transmit, according to the DCI format with the appended bit in the first group, wherein the DCI format with the appended bit in the first group is obtained by the processing module, the DCI to be transmitted. 
         [0025]    An embodiment of the present invention provides a device for receiving control signaling. The device includes: 
         [0026]    a determining module, configured to determine a size of downlink control information DCI format 4, including determining an original size of the DCI format 4; determining, according to a current downlink transmission mode, a DCI format corresponding to the downlink transmission mode; comparing a size of the DCI format corresponding to the downlink transmission mode with the original size of the DCI format 4, and if the DCI format corresponding to the downlink transmission mode and the DCI format 4 have the same size, appending a bit to the DCI format 4, so that a size of the DCI format 4 after the bit appending is different from that of the DCI format corresponding to the downlink transmission mode; and determining that the size of the DCI format 4 is the original size of the DCI format 4 plus the appended bit; and 
         [0027]    a detecting module, configured to detect, according to the determined size of the DCI format 4 by the determining module, DCI that uses the DCI format 4. 
         [0028]    It may be known from the foregoing technical solutions that, in the embodiments of the present invention, the second group of DCI formats corresponding to the current transmission configuration is determined according to the current transmission configuration, the size of a DCI format in the second group is compared with the original size of a DCI format in the first group. When the second group includes a DCI format that has a same size as a DCI format in the first group, a bit is appended to the corresponding DCI format in the first group that has the same size as the DCI format in the second group, so that the size of the DCI format in the second group is different from that of the compared DCI format in the first group. As a result, sizes of DCI formats corresponding to the current transmission configuration rather than DCI formats under all transmission configurations are differentiated. Therefore, the various DCI formats under the current transmission configuration may be easily distinguished with a relative small additional overhead. Therefore, the DCI formats can be correctly detected during blind detection. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0029]    To illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention more clearly, accompanying drawings for describing the embodiments are briefly introduced in the following. 
           [0030]      FIG. 1  is a schematic flowchart of a method according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0031]      FIG. 2  is a schematic flowchart of a method according to a second embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0032]      FIG. 3  is a schematic flowchart of a method according to a third embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0033]      FIG. 4  is a schematic flowchart of a method according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0034]      FIG. 5 . is a schematic structural diagram of a device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0035]      FIG. 6  is a schematic structural diagram of a device according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0036]    In order to make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         [0037]      FIG. 1  shows a schematic flowchart of a method according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The method includes: 
         [0038]    Step  11 : A base station determines an original size of a DCI format which is in a first group of DCI formats and is the format of DCI to be transmitted. 
         [0039]    The original size of the DCI format in the first group may be determined according to at least one of the following items: uplink and downlink duplex configuration, such as frequency division duplex (FDD); system bandwidth; cross-carrier scheduling configuration; the number of transmit antennas; and transmission in a single cell or in multiple cells. 
         [0040]    The size of a certain DCI format varies under different configurations. Tables 1-3 show the sizes of format 2, format 2C, and format 4 under various configurations respectively in the situation of FDD and a 1.4 Mbit/s bandwidth. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
                   
                 Size of 
               
               
                   
                   
                 the DCI 
               
               
                   
                   
                 format 
               
               
                   
                   
                 under a 
               
               
                   
                   
                 1.4 Mbit/s 
               
               
                 DCI type 
                 Parameter configuration 
                 bandwidth 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 Format 2 
                 Cross-carrier 
                 Downlink transmission with 
                 34 
               
               
                   
                 scheduling 
                 two transmit antennas 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Downlink transmission with 
                 37 
               
               
                   
                   
                 four transmit antennas 
               
               
                   
                 No cross-carrier 
                 Downlink transmission with 
                 31 
               
               
                   
                 scheduling 
                 two transmit antennas 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Downlink transmission with 
                 34 
               
               
                   
                   
                 four transmit antennas 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                 TABLE 2 
               
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 Size of DCI 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 format under a 
               
               
                   
                 DCI type 
                 Parameter configuration 
                 1.4 Mbit/s bandwidth 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 Format 2C 
                 Cross-carrier scheduling 
                 33 
               
               
                   
                   
                 No cross-carrier scheduling 
                 30 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 3 
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
                   
                 Size of 
               
               
                   
                   
                 the DCI 
               
               
                   
                   
                 format 
               
               
                   
                   
                 under a 
               
               
                   
                   
                 1.4 Mbit/s 
               
               
                 DCI type 
                 Parameter configuration 
                 bandwidth 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 Format 4 
                 Cross- 
                 Multiple 
                 Uplink transmission with 
                 34 
               
               
                   
                 carrier 
                 downlink 
                 two transmit antennas 
               
               
                   
                 scheduling 
                 cells 
                 Uplink transmission with 
                 37 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 four transmit antennas 
               
               
                   
                 No 
                 A single 
                 Uplink transmission with 
                 30 
               
               
                   
                 cross- 
                 downlink 
                 two transmit antennas 
               
               
                   
                 carrier 
                 cell 
                 Uplink transmission with 
                 33 
               
               
                   
                 scheduling 
                   
                 four transmit antennas 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Multiple 
                 Uplink transmission with 
                 31 
               
               
                   
                   
                 downlink 
                 two transmit antennas 
               
               
                   
                   
                 cells 
                 Uplink transmission with 
                 34 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 four transmit antennas 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0041]    For example, the DCI format in the first group is the format 4, and its original size is 34 bits under the following configuration: FDD, a bandwidth of 1.4 Mbit/s, cross-carrier scheduling, multiple downlink cells, and two uplink transmission antennas. 
         [0042]    Step  12 : The base station determines, according to a current transmission configuration, a second group of DCI formats that can be used under the current transmission configuration. 
         [0043]    The second group of DCI formats that can be used under the current transmission mode may be determined according to a transmission mode. The transmission mode may be at least one of an uplink transmission mode and a downlink transmission mode. 
         [0044]    The uplink transmission mode may include at least one of TM 1 and TM 2. The downlink transmission mode may include at least one of TM 3, TM 4, TM 8, and TM 9. 
         [0045]    For example, for downlink TM 4, the second group of DCI formats may include DCI format 1A and DCI format 2; for uplink TM 2, the second group of DCI formats may include DCI format 0 and DCI format 4. 
         [0046]    In addition, the first group of DCI formats may include DCI formats for notifying the uplink transmission mode, and the second group of DCI formats may include DCI formats for notifying the downlink transmission mode. Alternatively, the first group of DCI formats may include DCI formats for notifying the downlink transmission mode, and the second group of DCI formats may include DCI formats for notifying the uplink transmission mode. 
         [0047]    Specifically, the first group of DCI formats includes the DCI format 4, and the second group of DCI formats includes DCI format 2, DCI format 2A, DCI format 2B, or DCI format 2C. Alternatively, the first group of DCI formats includes DCI format 2, DCI format 2A, DCI format 2B, or DCI format 2C, and the second group of DCI formats includes the DCI format 4. 
         [0048]    Step  13 : The base station compares a size of a DCI format in the second group with the original size of a DCI format in the first group. If the second group includes a DCI format that has the same size as a DCI format in the first group, a bit is appended to the corresponding DCI format which is in the first group and has the same size as a DCI format in the second group to differentiate the size of the DCI format in the first group from that of the DCI format in the second group. 
         [0049]    The bit appending may be: one bit is appended to the DCI format in the first group that has the same size as a DCI format in the second group, and if after the bit appending, the corresponding DCI format in the first group still has the same size as another DCI format in the second group, another bit is further appended to this DCI format in the first group until it is different from that of the DCI format in the second group. That is, one bit is appended each time to the DCI format in the first group that has the same size as a DCI format in the second group, until the size of the DCI format in the first group after the bit appending is different from that of the DCI format in the second group. For example, the first group of DCI formats includes DCI format X, and a size of the DCI format X is n0 bits. If the second group of DCI formats includes a DCI format with a size of n0 bits, increase the size of the DCI format X by appending one bit to the DCI format X. That is, the size of the DCI format X with the appended one bit is (n0+1) bits. If the second group of DCI formats includes a DCI format with a size of (n0+1) bits, increase the size of the DCI format X by another one bit to make the size of the DCI format X as (n0+2) bits. The rest may be deduced by analogy until no DCI format in the second group has the same size with the DCI format in the first group. 
         [0050]    The foregoing appended bit may be 0 or 1. In addition, if more than one bit is appended, the appended bits may all be 0 or 1, or part of the appended bits may be 0 and the other part may be 1. 
         [0051]    Particularly, the value of the appended bit is informed in advance to the base station and the terminal, for example, through pre-configuration or signaling notification. 
         [0052]    In addition, if the second group does not include a DCI format that has the same size of a DCI format in the first group, no bit is appended to the first group of DCI formats. 
         [0053]    Step  14 : The base station transmits, according to the DCI format with the appended bit in the first group, the DCI to be transmitted. 
         [0054]    In this embodiment, the second group of DCI formats that is used under the current transmission configuration is determined according to the current transmission configuration, the size of the DCI format in the second group is compared with the original size of the DCI format in the first group. When the second group includes a DCI format that has the same size of a DCI format in the first group, a bit is appended to the corresponding DCI format in the first group that has the same size as a DCI format in the second group, so that the size of the DCI format in the second group is different from that of the compared DCI format in the first group. As a result, the sizes of DCI formats under the current transmission configuration rather than DCI formats under all transmission configurations are differentiated. Therefore, the various DCI formats under the current transmission configuration can be easily distinguished with a relative small additional overhead. 
         [0055]      FIG. 2  is a schematic flowchart of a method according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the situation that a first group of DCI formats comprises a DCI format for notifying an uplink transmission method and a second group of DCI formats comprises a DCI format for notifying a downlink transmission method is taken as an example. As show in  FIG. 2 , the method in this embodiment includes: 
         [0056]    Step  21 : A base station determines an original size of DCI format 4 which is the format of DCI to be transmitted. 
         [0057]    For example, the original size of the DCI format 4 is 34 bits under the following configuration: FDD, a bandwidth of 1.4 Mbit/s, cross-carrier scheduling, multiple downlink cells, and two uplink transmit antennas. 
         [0058]    Step  22 : The base station determines, according to a current downlink transmission mode, a DCI format which is used under current transmission and corresponds to the downlink transmission mode. 
         [0059]    For example, if the current downlink transmission mode is TM 3, the determined DCI format corresponding to the current downlink transmission mode is DCI format 2A. If the current downlink transmission mode is TM 4, the determined DCI format corresponding to the downlink transmission mode is DCI format 2. If the current downlink transmission mode is TM 8, the DCI format corresponding to the current downlink transmission mode is DCI format 2B; and if the current downlink transmission mode is TM 9, the DCI format corresponding to the current downlink transmission mode is DCI format 2C. 
         [0060]    Step  23 : The base station compares the size of the DCI format corresponding to the current downlink transmission mode with the original size of the DCI format 4, and if the sizes of the DCI format corresponding to the current downlink transmission mode and the DCI format 4 are the same, appends one bit to the DCI format 4. 
         [0061]    For example, the DCI format corresponding to the downlink transmission mode is represented as DCI format 2X. The DCI format 2X is one of the DCI format 2, the DCI format 2A, the DCI format 2B, and the DCI format 2C. If the size of the DCI format 2X and the original size of the DCI format 4 are the same, increase the size of the DCI format 4 by one bit. 
         [0062]    In addition, if the DCI format 2X does not exist, or if the size of the DCI format 2X and the original size of the DCI format 4 are different, no bit is appended to the DCI format 4. 
         [0063]    For example, assuming that the current transmission mode is the TM 9, the DCI format that has the same size as the DCI format 4 is the DCI format 2C. If the DCI format 2C exists, and a size of the DCI format 2C and the original size of the DCI format 4 are the same under the current configuration, one bit is appended to the DCI format 4. If the DCI format 2C does not exist, or if under the current configuration, the size of the DCI format 2C is different from the original size of the DCI format 4, no bit is appended to the DCI format 4. 
         [0064]    Step  24 : If one bit is appended to the DCI format 4, the base station transmits, according to the DCI format 4 with the appended one bit, the DCI to be transmitted. 
         [0065]    In this embodiment, when the first group includes a DCI format that has a same size as a DCI format in the second group under the current transmission configuration, one bit is appended to the DCI format in the first group that has the same size as a DCI format in the second group to distinguish the various DCI formats. As a result, a terminal can correctly process downlink or uplink data. According to this embodiment, when DCI formats are distinguished, the DCI formats under the current transmission configuration rather than DCI formats of all transmission modes and under all transmission configurations are distinguished. Therefore, the number of the appended bits to distinguish the DCI formats may be effectively reduced, times for comparing the sizes of different formats are decreased, and the complexity of processing in the base station and the terminal is decreased. 
         [0066]      FIG. 3  is a schematic flowchart of a method according to a third embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment takes the situation that the first group of DCI formats comprises a DCI format for notifying a downlink transmission method and a second group of DCI formats comprising a DCI format for notifying an uplink transmission method as an example. As show in  FIG. 3 , this embodiment includes: 
         [0067]    Step  31 : A base station determines an original size of a DCI format of DCI that corresponds to a downlink transmission mode. 
         [0068]    The DCI format of the DCI that corresponds to the downlink transmission mode may be represented as DCI format 2X, which is DCI format 2, DCI format 2A, DCI format 2B, or DCI format 2C. 
         [0069]    Step  32 : The base station determines, according to a current uplink transmission mode, a DCI format used in current transmission. The determined DCI format corresponds to the uplink transmission mode. 
         [0070]    For example, if the current uplink transmission mode is TM 2, the DCI format corresponding to the uplink transmission mode is represented as DCI format Y. Specifically, the DCI format Y may be DCI format 4. 
         [0071]    Step  33 : The base station compares a size of the DCI format Y with the original size of the DCI format 2X, and if the size of the DCI format Y and the size of the DCI format 2are the same, appends one bit to the DCI format 2X. 
         [0072]    In addition, if the DCI format Y does not exist, or if the size of the DCI format Y and the size of the DCI format 2X are different, no bit is appended to the DCI format 2X. 
         [0073]    For example, a current DCI format 2X is the format 2, and assuming that current uplink transmission mode is TM 2, it can be determined that the DCI format 4 may exist currently. If a size of the DCI format 4 and an original size of the DCI format 2 are the same, one bit is appended to the DCI format 2. Assume that the uplink transmission mode is an uplink TM 1, after it is determined that there is no DCI format that has the same size as the DCI format 2, or that the size of the DCI format 4 and the original size of the DCI format 2 are different under the current transmission configuration, no bit is appended to the format 2 . 
         [0074]    Step  34 : If one bit is appended to the DCI format 2X, the base station transmits, according to the DCI format 2X with the appended bit, DCI to be transmitted. 
         [0075]    In this embodiment, when the first group includes a DCI format that has the same size as a DCI format in the second group under the current transmission configuration, one bit is appended to the corresponding DCI format in the first group that has the same size as a DCI format in the second group to distinguish various DCI formats, so that a terminal may correctly process downlink or uplink data. According to this embodiment, when DCI formats are distinguished, the DCI formats under the current transmission configuration rather than DCI formats of all transmission modes and under all transmission configurations are distinguished. Therefore, the number of appended bits may be effectively reduced, times for comparing sizes of different formats are decreased, and the complexity of processing in the base station and the terminal is decreased. 
         [0076]      FIG. 4  is a schematic flowchart of a method according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The method includes: 
         [0077]    Step  41 : A terminal determines a size of DCI format 4. 
         [0078]    The determination of the size of the DCI format 4 includes: 
         [0079]    A first step: determining an original size of the DCI format 4. 
         [0080]    A second step: determining, according to a current downlink transmission mode, a DCI format corresponding to the downlink transmission mode. 
         [0081]    For example, if the current downlink transmission mode is TM 3, the DCI format which corresponds to the downlink transmission mode and is used for the current transmission is DCI format 2A. If the current downlink transmission mode is TM 4, the DCI format which corresponds to the downlink transmission mode for the current transmission is DCI format 2. If the current downlink transmission mode is TM 8, the DCI format which corresponds to the downlink transmission mode for the current transmission is DCI format 2B. If the current downlink transmission mode is TM 9, the DCI format which corresponds to the downlink transmission mode for the current transmission is DCI format 2C. That is, the DCI format corresponding to the downlink transmission mode includes the format 2, the format 2A, the format 2B, or the format 2C. 
         [0082]    A third step: comparing a size of the DCI format corresponding to the downlink transmission mode with the original size of the DCI format 4, and if the DCI format corresponding to the downlink transmission mode and the DCI format 4 have the same size, appending a bit to the DCI format 4 to make the size of the DCI format 4 with the appended bit different from that of the DCI format corresponding to the downlink transmission mode; and determining that the size of the DCI format 4 is the original size of the DCI format 4 plus the appended bit. The appending of a bit to the DCI format 4 to differentiate the size of the DCI format 4 from that of the DCI format corresponding to the downlink transmission mode may be as follows: one bit is appended each time to the DCI format 4 until a size of the DCI format 4 is different from that of the DCI format corresponding to the downlink transmission mode. A value of the bit appended to the DCI format 4 may be 0 or 1. 
         [0083]    Step  42 : The terminal detects, according to the determined size of the DCI format 4, DCI transmitted using the DCI format 4. 
         [0084]    For example, according to a configured size of the DCI format 4, the DCI corresponding to the format 4 is detected on downlink control signaling by using a blind detection. 
         [0085]    In this embodiment, the second group of DCI formats used under the current transmission configuration is determined according to the current transmission configuration, the size of the DCI format in the second group is compared with the original size of the DCI format in a first group. When the second group includes a DCI format with a same size as a DCI format in the first group, a bit is appended to the corresponding DCI format in the first group that has the same size as a DCI format in the second group, so that the size of the DCI format in the second group is different from that of the DCI format in the first group. As a result, the sizes of the DCI formats under the current transmission configuration rather than the DCI formats under all transmission configurations are differentiated. Therefore, the various DCI formats under the current transmission configuration may be easily distinguished with a relative small overhead. 
         [0086]      FIG. 5  is a schematic structural diagram of a device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. The device includes a first determining module  51 , a second determining module  52 , a processing module  53 , and a transmitting module  54 . The first determining module  51  is configured to determine an original size of a DCI format which is in a first group and is the format of DCI to be transmitted. The second determining module  52  is configured to determine, according to a current transmission configuration, a second group of DCI formats that can be used under the current transmission configuration, and determine a size of the DCI format in the second group. The processing module  53  is configured to compare the determined size of the DCI format in the second group by the second determining module  52  with the original size of the DCI format in the first group, where the original size of the DCI format in the first group is determined by the first determining module  51 , and to append, if the second group includes a DCI format with a same size as the DCI format in the first group, a bit to the DCI format in the first group that has the same size as a DCI format in the second group so that the size of the DCI format in the first group after the bit appending is different from that of the DCI format in the second group. The transmitting module  54  is configured to transmit, according to the first group DCI format with the appended bit, which is obtained by the processing module  53 , the DCI to be transmitted. 
         [0087]    The second determining module  52  may be specifically configured to determine, according to a transmission mode, the second group of DCI formats that can be used under the current transmission mode. The transmission mode is at least one of an uplink transmission mode and a downlink transmission mode. 
         [0088]    The first determining module  51  may be specifically configured to determine the original size of the DCI format which is in the first group and is the format of the DCI to be transmitted, according to at least one of uplink and downlink duplex configuration, system bandwidth, cross-carrier scheduling configuration, the number of transmitting antennas, and transmission in a single cell or in multiple cells. 
         [0089]    The processing module  53  may be specifically configured to append a bit whose value is 0 or append a bit whose value is 1 to the DCI format which is in the first group and has the same size as a DCI format in the second group. 
         [0090]    The processing module  53  may be specifically configured to compare the size of the DCI format in the second group with the original size of the DCI format in the first group, and append, if the second group includes a DCI format with a same size as a DCI format in the first group, one bit is appended each time to the DCI format in the first group that has the same size as a DCI format in the second group until the size of the DCI format in the first group after the bit appending is different from the size of any DCI format in the second group. 
         [0091]    The processing module  53  may also be configured not to append, if no IDC format in the second group has the same size as the DCI format in the first group bit to the DCI format in the first group. 
         [0092]    Particularly, the first determining module  51  is specifically configured to determine an original size of DCI format 4 which is the format of the DCI to be transmitted. The second determining module  52  is specifically configured to determine, according to a current downlink transmission mode, a DCI format corresponding to the downlink transmission mode. The processing module  53  is specifically configured to compare a size of the DCI format corresponding to the downlink transmission mode with the original size of the DCI format 4, and append, if the DCI format corresponding to the downlink transmission mode and the DCI format 4 have the same size, a bit to the DCI format 4 to differentiate the size of the DCI format 4 from that of the DCI format corresponding to the downlink transmission mode. The transmitting module  54  is specifically configured to transmit, according to the DCI format 4 after the bit appending, the DCI to be transmitted. 
         [0093]    The second determining module  52  may be specifically configured to determine that a second group of DCI formats that can be used under the current transmission configuration includes format 2, format 2A, format 2B, or format 2C. 
         [0094]    The second determining module  52  may be specifically configured to: if the current downlink transmission mode is TM 3, determine that the DCI format corresponding to the downlink transmission mode is DCI format 2A; if the current downlink transmission mode is a TM 4, determine that the DCI format corresponding to the downlink transmission mode is DCI format 2; if the current downlink transmission mode is TM 8, determine that the DCI format corresponding to the downlink transmission mode is DCI format 2B; if the current downlink transmission mode is TM 9, determine that the DCI format corresponding to the downlink transmission mode is DCI format 2C. 
         [0095]    In this embodiment, the second group of DCI formats used under the current transmission configuration is determined according to the current transmission configuration, the size of the DCI format in the second group is compared with the original size of the DCI format in the first group, and when the second group includes a DCI format with the same size as a DCI format in the first group, a bit is appended to the corresponding DCI format in the first group, so that the size of the DCI format in the second group is different from that of the DCI format in the first group. As a result, the sizes of the DCI formats used under the current transmission configuration rather than DCI formats under all transmission configurations are differentiated. Therefore, various DCI formats under the current transmission configuration may be easily distinguished with a relative small overhead. 
         [0096]      FIG. 6  is a schematic structural diagram of a device according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. The device includes a determining module  61  and a detecting module  62 . The determining module  61  is configured to determine a size of a DCI format 4. The determination of the size of the DCI format 4 includes: determining an original size of the DCI format 4; and determining, according to a current downlink transmission mode, a DCI format corresponding to the downlink transmission mode; comparing a size of the DCI format corresponding to the downlink transmission mode with the original size of the DCI format 4, and appending, if the DCI format corresponding to the downlink transmission mode and the DCI format 4 have the same size, a bit to the DCI format 4, so that the size of the DCI format 4 with the appended bit is different from that of the DCI format corresponding to the downlink transmission mode; and determining that the size of the DCI format 4 is the original size of the DCI format 4 plus the appended bit. The detection module  62  is configured to detect, according to the DCI format 4&#39;s size determined by the determining module  61 , DCI that uses the DCI format 4. 
         [0097]    The determining module  61  is specifically configured to append a bit whose value is 0 or append a bit whose value is 1 to the DCI format 4. 
         [0098]    The determining module is specifically configured to determine the DCI format which corresponds to the downlink transmission mode and includes format 2, format 2A, format 2B or format 2C. 
         [0099]    The determining module  61  may include a first unit configured to append a bit to the original size of the DCI format 4, so that the size of the DCI format 4 after the bit appending is different from that of the DCI format corresponding to the downlink transmission mode. The first unit is configured to append one bit each time to the DCI format 4 until the size of the DCI format 4 after bit appending is different from that of the DCI format corresponding to the downlink transmission mode. 
         [0100]    The determining module  61  may include a second unit configured to determine, according to the current downlink transmission mode, the DCI format corresponding to the downlink transmission mode. The second unit is configured to: if the downlink transmission mode is downlink transmission TM 3, determine that the DCI format corresponding to the downlink transmission mode is DCI format 2A; if the downlink transmission mode is TM 4, determine that the DCI format corresponding to the downlink transmission mode is DCI format 2; if the downlink transmission mode is TM 8, determine that the DCI format corresponding to the downlink transmission mode is DCI format 2B; if the downlink transmission mode is TM 9, determine that the DCI format corresponding to the downlink transmission mode is DCI format 2C. 
         [0101]    In this embodiment, the second group of DCI formats used under the current transmission configuration is determined according to the current transmission configuration, the size of the DCI format in the second group is compared with the original size of the DCI format in a first group, and when the second group includes a DCI format with the same size as a DCI format in the first group, a bit is appended to the corresponding DCI format in the first group that has the same size as a DCI format in the second group, so that the size of the DCI format in the second group is different from that of the compared DCI format in the first group. As a result, the sizes of the DCI formats used under the current transmission configuration rather than DCI formats under all transmission configurations are different. Therefore, various DCI formats under the current transmission configuration may be easily distinguished with a relatively small overhead. 
         [0102]    It may be understood that, the features in the foregoing methods and devices may be referenced mutually. In addition, “first” and “second” in the foregoing embodiments are used to distinguish the embodiments, but do not represent preference of the embodiments. 
         [0103]    A person skilled in the art should understand that all or part of the steps of the foregoing method embodiments may be implemented by a program instructing relevant hardware. The program may be stored in a computer readable storage medium. When the program is executed, the steps of the foregoing method embodiments are performed. The storage medium includes any medium capable of storing program codes, such as a ROM, a RAM, a magnetic disk, or an optical disk. 
         [0104]    Finally, it should be noted that the foregoing embodiments are intended to describe the technical solutions of the present invention, other than to limit the present invention. Although the present invention is described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, a person skill in the art should understand that other modifications or equivalent replacements to part of the technical features can be made based on the foregoing embodiments, without departing from the spirit and the scope of the present invention.