A method for receiving a control channel, comprising: obtaining, by a user equipment according to a system configuration and a user configuration, resource elements, REs, comprised in a control channel element, E-CCE; and receiving, by the user equipment over the REs comprised in the E-CCE, an extended physical downlink control channel, E-PDCCH, transmitted by a base station; wherein the obtaining REs comprised in a E-CCE, comprises: obtaining, by the user equipment according to REs comprised in a resource set and REs of predetermined overheads in the resource set, the REs comprised in the E-CCE; the obtaining, according to REs comprised in a resource set and REs of predetermined overheads in the resource set, the REs comprised in an E-CCE comprises: dividing, by the user equipment, the resource set according to a predetermined number of E-CCEs in the resource set to obtain resource subsets; obtaining, by the user equipment according to the number of REs comprised in each resource subset and the number of REs of predetermined overheads in each resource subset, the number of available REs in each resource subset; and obtaining, by the user equipment according to the number of available REs in each resource subset, the number of REs comprised in each E-CCE in the resource set. obtaining, by a user equipment according to a system configuration and a user configuration, resource elements, REs, comprised in a control channel element, E-CCE; and receiving, by the user equipment over the REs comprised in the E-CCE, an extended physical downlink control channel, E-PDCCH, transmitted by a base station; wherein the obtaining REs comprised in a E-CCE, comprises: obtaining, by the user equipment according to REs comprised in a resource set and REs of predetermined overheads in the resource set, the REs comprised in the E-CCE; the obtaining, according to REs comprised in a resource set and REs of predetermined overheads in the resource set, the REs comprised in an E-CCE comprises: dividing, by the user equipment, the resource set according to a predetermined number of E-CCEs in the resource set to obtain resource subsets; obtaining, by the user equipment according to the number of REs comprised in each resource subset and the number of REs of predetermined overheads in each resource subset, the number of available REs in each resource subset; and obtaining, by the user equipment according to the number of available REs in each resource subset, the number of REs comprised in each E-CCE in the resource set. obtaining, by the user equipment according to REs comprised in a resource set and REs of predetermined overheads in the resource set, the REs comprised in the E-CCE; the obtaining, according to REs comprised in a resource set and REs of predetermined overheads in the resource set, the REs comprised in an E-CCE comprises: dividing, by the user equipment, the resource set according to a predetermined number of E-CCEs in the resource set to obtain resource subsets; obtaining, by the user equipment according to the number of REs comprised in each resource subset and the number of REs of predetermined overheads in each resource subset, the number of available REs in each resource subset; and obtaining, by the user equipment according to the number of available REs in each resource subset, the number of REs comprised in each E-CCE in the resource set. dividing, by the user equipment, the resource set according to a predetermined number of E-CCEs in the resource set to obtain resource subsets; obtaining, by the user equipment according to the number of REs comprised in each resource subset and the number of REs of predetermined overheads in each resource subset, the number of available REs in each resource subset; and obtaining, by the user equipment according to the number of available REs in each resource subset, the number of REs comprised in each E-CCE in the resource set.