Patent Description:
The present disclosure, for example, relates to wireless communication systems, and more particularly to techniques for configuring uplink control channel transmissions in a shared radio frequency spectrum band.

Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, and so on. Examples of such multiple-access systems include code-division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time-division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency-division multiple access (FDMA) systems, and orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) systems.

By way of example, a wireless multiple-access communication system may include a number of base stations, each simultaneously supporting communication for multiple communication devices, otherwise known as user equipment (UEs). A base station may communicate with UEs on downlink channels (e.g., for transmissions from a base station to a UE) and uplink channels (e.g., for transmissions from a UE to a base station).

Some modes of communication may enable communication between a base station and a UE over a shared radio frequency spectrum band, or over different spectrums (e.g., a dedicated radio frequency spectrum band and a shared radio frequency spectrum band). With increasing data traffic in cellular networks that use a dedicated radio frequency spectrum band, offloading of at least some data traffic to a shared radio frequency spectrum band may provide a mobile network operator (or cellular operator) with opportunities for enhanced data transmission capacity. Use of a shared radio frequency spectrum band may also provide service in areas where access to a dedicated radio frequency spectrum band is unavailable.

In order to provide information to a base station about one or more UE parameters (e.g., channel parameters, UE buffer status, scheduling requests, acknowledgment receipt feedback), a UE may transmit uplink control information (UCI) using a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH). Efficient transmission if such UCI may enhance network utilization. <CIT> discloses a method for generating uplink control information at a wireless device and transmitting the uplink control information over an interlace of a component carrier of an unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band. <CIT> discloses techniques for reporting channel state information (CSI) for multiple cells (e.g., carriers) using multiple control channel formats. <CIT> discloses a method in which a terminal transmits uplink control information in a wireless communication system using multiple carriers. <CIT> discloses techniques for wireless communications over a shared radio frequency spectrum band including techniques for transmitting uplink data transmissions using allocated uplink resources.

Each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only, and not as a definition of the limits of the claims.

Techniques are described in which a shared radio frequency spectrum band may be used for at least a portion of communications in a wireless communication system. In some examples, the shared radio frequency spectrum band may be used for Long Term Evolution (LTE) or LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) communications. The shared radio frequency spectrum band may be used in combination with, or independent from, a dedicated radio frequency spectrum band. The dedicated radio frequency spectrum band may include a radio frequency spectrum band licensed to particular users for particular uses. The shared radio frequency spectrum band may include a radio frequency spectrum band available for Wi-Fi use, a radio frequency spectrum band available for use by different radio access technologies, or a radio frequency spectrum band available for use by multiple mobile network operators (MNOs) in an equally shared or prioritized manner.

In some examples, a user equipment (UE) may be configured to transmit uplink control channel transmissions in a shared radio frequency spectrum band, and resources may be configured for the uplink control channel transmissions based on one or more formats of uplink control information (UCI) that are to be transmitted. In some examples, a base station may provide different time resources, frequency resources, or combinations thereof, for the transmission of UCI by a UE. The particular resources to be used by a UE may be configured by a base station and provided to a UE. In some examples, the resources to be used for UCI transmission may semi-statically configured, or dynamically indicated to a UE. In some examples, uplink transmissions may be configured in interlaces of frequency resources, with each interlace having one or more segments, and a base station may configure different segments for transmission of different format UCI. In other examples, different subframes, or different component carriers, may be configured for different formats of UCI.

<FIG> illustrates an example of a wireless communications system that supports uplink control channel transmissions in a shared radio frequency spectrum band in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The wireless communication system <NUM> may include network access devices (e.g., base stations <NUM>), UEs <NUM>, and a core network <NUM>. The base stations <NUM> may interface with the core network <NUM> through backhaul links <NUM> (e.g., S1, etc.) and may perform radio configuration and scheduling for communication with the UEs <NUM>, or may operate under the control of a base station controller (not shown). In various examples, the base stations <NUM> may communicate, either directly or indirectly (e.g., through core network <NUM>), with each other over backhaul links <NUM> (e.g., X2, etc.), which may be wired or wireless communication links.

The base stations <NUM> may wirelessly communicate with the UEs <NUM> via one or more communications links <NUM>. Each of the base station <NUM> sites may provide communication coverage for a respective geographic coverage area <NUM>. In some examples, a base station <NUM> may be referred to as a base transceiver station, a radio base station, an access point, a radio transceiver, a NodeB, an eNodeB (eNB), a Home NodeB, a Home eNodeB, or some other suitable terminology. The geographic coverage area <NUM> for a base station <NUM> may be divided into sectors making up a portion of the coverage area (not shown). The wireless communication system <NUM> may include base stations <NUM> of different types (e.g., macro or small cell base stations). There may be overlapping geographic coverage areas <NUM> for different technologies.

In some examples, the wireless communication system <NUM> may include an LTE/LTE-A network. In LTE/LTE-A networks, the term evolved Node B (eNB) may be used to describe the base stations <NUM>. The wireless communication system <NUM> may be a Heterogeneous LTE/LTE-A network in which different types of eNBs provide coverage for various geographical regions. For example, each eNB or base station <NUM> may provide communication coverage for a macro cell, a small cell, or other types of cell. The term "cell" is a 3GPP term that can be used to describe a base station, a carrier or component carrier associated with a base station, or a coverage area (e.g., sector, etc.) of a carrier or base station, depending on context.

A macro cell may cover a relatively large geographic area (e.g., several kilometers in radius) and may allow unrestricted access by UEs with service subscriptions with the network provider. A small cell may be a lower-powered base station, as compared with a macro cell that may operate in the same or different (e.g., dedicated, shared, etc.) radio frequency spectrum bands as macro cells. A pico cell may cover a relatively smaller geographic area and may allow unrestricted access by UEs with service subscriptions with the network provider. A femto cell also may cover a relatively small geographic area (e.g., a home) and may provide restricted access by UEs having an association with the femto cell (e.g., UEs in a closed subscriber group (CSG), UEs for users in the home, and the like). An eNB for a small cell may be referred to as a small cell eNB, a pico eNB, a femto eNB or a home eNB.

The wireless communication system <NUM> may support synchronous or asynchronous operation.

The communication networks that may accommodate some of the various disclosed examples may be packet-based networks that operate according to a layered protocol stack. The MAC layer may also use Hybrid ARQ (HARQ) to provide retransmission at the MAC layer to improve link efficiency. In the control plane, the Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol layer may provide establishment, configuration, and maintenance of an RRC connection between a UE <NUM> and the base stations <NUM> or core network <NUM> supporting radio bearers for the user plane data. At the physical (PHY) layer, the transport channels may be mapped to physical channels.

The UEs <NUM> may be dispersed throughout the wireless communication system <NUM>, and each UE <NUM> may be stationary or mobile. A UE <NUM> may also include or be referred to by those skilled in the art as a mobile station, a subscriber station, a mobile unit, a subscriber unit, a wireless unit, a remote unit, a mobile device, a wireless device, a wireless communication device, a remote device, a mobile subscriber station, an access terminal, a mobile terminal, a wireless terminal, a remote terminal, a handset, a user agent, a mobile client, a client, or some other suitable terminology. A UE <NUM> may be a cellular phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a wireless modem, a wireless communication device, a handheld device, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a cordless phone, a wireless local loop (WLL) station, or the like. A UE may be able to communicate with various types of base stations and network equipment, including macro eNBs, small cell eNBs, relay base stations, and the like.

The communication links <NUM> shown in wireless communication system <NUM> may include downlinks (DLs), from a base station <NUM> to a UE <NUM>, or uplinks (ULs), from a UE <NUM> to a base station <NUM>. The downlinks may also be called forward links, while the uplinks may also be called reverse links.

In some examples, each communication link <NUM> may include one or more carriers, where each carrier may be a signal made up of multiple sub-carriers (e.g., waveform signals of different frequencies) modulated according to the various radio technologies described above. Each modulated signal may be transmitted on a different sub-carrier and may carry control information (e.g., reference signals, control channels, etc.), overhead information, user data, etc. The communication links <NUM> may transmit bidirectional communications using a frequency domain duplexing (FDD) operation (e.g., using paired spectrum resources) or a time domain duplexing (TDD) operation (e.g., using unpaired spectrum resources). Frame structures for FDD operation (e.g., frame structure type <NUM>) and TDD operation (e.g., frame structure type <NUM>) may be defined.

In some examples of the wireless communication system <NUM>, base stations <NUM>, or UEs <NUM> may include multiple antennas for employing antenna diversity schemes to improve communication quality and reliability between base stations <NUM> and UEs <NUM>. Additionally or alternatively, base stations <NUM> or UEs <NUM> may employ multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) techniques that may take advantage of multi-path environments to transmit multiple spatial layers carrying the same or different coded data.

In some cases, wireless communication system <NUM> may utilize both licensed and unlicensed radio frequency spectrum bands. For example, wireless communication system <NUM> may employ LTE License Assisted Access (LTE-LAA) or LTE Unlicensed (LTE-U) radio access technology in an unlicensed band such as the <NUM> Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) band. When operating in unlicensed radio frequency spectrum bands, wireless devices such as base stations <NUM> and UEs <NUM> may employ listen-before-talk (LBT) procedures, such as a clear channel assessment (CCA), to ensure the channel is clear before transmitting data. In some cases, operations in unlicensed bands may be based on a carrier aggregation (CA) configuration in conjunction with component carriers (CCs) operating in a licensed band. A component carrier may also be referred to as a layer, a channel, etc., and the terms "carrier," "component carrier," "cell," and "channel" may be used interchangeably herein.

When configured for CA operations, the wireless communication system <NUM> may, in some examples, use FDD or TDD component carriers. In an LTE/LTE-A network, a UE <NUM> may be configured to communicate using up to five CCs when operating in a carrier aggregation mode or dual-connectivity mode. One or more of the CCs may be configured as a DL CC, and one or more of the CCs may be configured as a uplink (UL) CC. Also, one of the CCs allocated to a UE <NUM> may be configured as a primary CC (PCC) or a primary cell (PCell) CC, and the remaining CCs allocated to the UE <NUM> may be configured as secondary CCs (SCCs) or secondary cell (SCell) CCs.

Operations in unlicensed spectrum may include downlink transmissions, uplink transmissions, or both. Duplexing in unlicensed spectrum may be based on frequency division duplexing (FDD), time division duplexing (TDD) or a combination of both. A CCA may include an energy detection procedure to determine whether there are any other active transmissions. For example, the device may infer that a change in a received signal strength indication (RSSI) of a power meter indicates that a channel is occupied. Specifically, signal power is that is concentrated in a certain bandwidth and exceeds a predetermined noise floor may indicate another wireless transmitter. A CCA may also include detection of specific sequences that indicate use of the channel. For example, another device may transmit a specific preamble prior to transmitting a data sequence.

In some cases, wireless communications system <NUM> may utilize enhanced CCs (eCC). An eCC may be characterized by one or more features including: wider bandwidth, shorter symbol duration, shorter transmission time interval (TTIs), and modified control channel configuration. An eCC may also be configured for use in unlicensed spectrum or shared spectrum. An eCC characterized by wide bandwidth may include one or more segments that may be utilized by UEs <NUM> that do are not capable of monitoring the whole bandwidth or prefer to use a limited bandwidth (e.g., to conserve power).

In some cases, an eCC may utilize a different symbol duration than other component carriers (CCs), which may include use of a reduced symbol duration as compared with symbol durations of the other CCs. A shorter symbol duration may be associated with increased subcarrier spacing. A device, such as a UE <NUM> or base station <NUM>, utilizing eCCs may transmit wideband signals (e.g., <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, etc.) at reduced symbol durations (e.g., <NUM>). A TTI in eCC may include one or multiple symbols. In some cases, the TTI duration (i.e., the number of symbols in a TTI) may be variable.

In some cases, a CC may be an uplink CC and may be used to convey physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) information. In some systems configured for eCC, multiple uplink carriers may divided into two groups for the purpose of carrying PUCCH, namely a PCell CC and one or more SCell CCs. In some examples, there is no cross-carrier scheduling across PUCCH groups, and PUCCH on Scell may carry hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) acknowledgment/negative-acknowledgment (ACK/NACK) information, channel state information (CSI), scheduling request (SR) information, or any combination thereof. Furthermore, radio resource control (RRC) parameters may be independent for both groups of uplink CCs, and UE <NUM> procedures for PUCCH resource/payload determination and transmission may be independent across both groups. Various parameters may be configured for inclusion in UCI, as well as for transmission of UCI using PUCCH resources. Such parameters may include, for example, transmit power control (TPC) parameters for PUCCH on SCell, rules for prioritizing PUCCH transmissions in power limited situations, UCI multiplexing and aperiodic CSI multiplexing, HARQ feedback parameters, SR transmission parameters, CSI reporting parameters, or any combination thereof. In some cases, eCC UCI information may be provided using a specified PUCCH format, and a UE <NUM> may select a PUCCH format based on particular UCI to be transmitted and the configured UCI parameters. For example, for a UE <NUM> configured with a dynamic HARQ feedback codebook and identified PUCCH formats (e.g., PUCCH format <NUM> or <NUM> as defined in LTE standards), and for transmission of ACK/SR only, if the UCI payload is smaller than <NUM> bits then PUCCH format <NUM> may be used; and if the UCI payload is larger than <NUM> bits then PUCCH format <NUM> or <NUM> may be used. A base station <NUM> thus may not have prior knowledge of a particular UCI format that a UE <NUM> may use. Various aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for configuring particular resources for particular UCI formats.

<FIG> illustrates an example of a wireless communications system <NUM> that supports uplink control channel transmissions in a shared radio frequency spectrum band in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The wireless communications system <NUM> may be an example of portions of the wireless communication system <NUM> described with reference to <FIG>. Moreover, a base station <NUM> may be an example of aspects of one or more of the base stations <NUM> described with reference to <FIG>, while a UE <NUM> may be an example of aspects of one or more of the UEs <NUM> described with reference to <FIG>.

In the example of <FIG>, UE <NUM> and base station <NUM> may communicate via communications link <NUM>, which may include multiple CCs <NUM>. The multiple CCs <NUM> may include multiple uplink CCs, multiple downlink CCs, or combinations thereof. The carrier aggregation mechanisms supported when using a shared radio frequency spectrum band may fall under a hybrid frequency division duplexing-time division duplexing (FDD-TDD) carrier aggregation or a TDD-TDD carrier aggregation with different symmetry across component carriers. In some examples, base station <NUM> may identify a number of different UCI formats for transmitting UCI in an uplink CCs. For each of the different UCI formats, the base station <NUM> may configure a different subset of uplink control channel (e.g., PUCCH) resources. In some examples, each subset of uplink control channel resources may be a subset of control channel frequency resources. In some examples, the subsets of control channel frequency resources may correspond to different uplink CCs. In some examples, each subset of uplink control channel frequency resources may be a subset resource interlace segments of a set of frequency resource interlaces, as will be discussed in more detail below. In other examples, each subset of uplink control channel resources may be a subset of uplink control channel time resources, such as uplink control channel resources of different subframes.

The base station <NUM> may, in some examples, communicate the configured subsets of uplink control channel resources to the UE <NUM> (and other UEs that may be within the base station <NUM> coverage area). Such configured subsets may be configured by the base station <NUM> when a connection is established with the UE <NUM>, or may be configured semi-statically.

In some examples, the base station <NUM> may configure UCI formats on a per-TTI basis, with different UCI formats transmitted using the same PUCCH resources in different TTIs. In such cases, the base station <NUM> may identify a type of UCI that UE <NUM> will use (e.g., based on information associated with the UE <NUM> such as number of HARQ processes, CSI, etc.) and may trigger the UE <NUM> to report UCI during a TTI that is configured for the identified UCI format. In some examples, the base station <NUM> may trigger the UE <NUM> through providing an uplink grant to the UE <NUM> during a TTI having the UCI type identified for the UE <NUM>. In other examples, the base station 205may dynamically indicate to the UE <NUM> the format to be used for the DCI in the PUCCH transmission, such as through common signaling in a PDCCH transmission or in dedicated signaling such as a PUCCH trigger grant. In some other examples, the base station <NUM> may only configure one UCI format and not allow the UE <NUM> to use any other type of UCI format. The UE <NUM>, based on the configured UCI formats, may select appropriate PUCCH resources and may transmit the UCI in uplink transmissions on one or more CCs.

<FIG> shows a plurality of resource blocks <NUM> of a system bandwidth, which may be allocated in a plurality of frequency resource interlaces, in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure. A set of the resource blocks may be allocated for transmission in each of a number of transmission time intervals (TTIs) in a radio frame, a transmission burst, or a transmission opportunity. In a downlink TTI (e.g., a downlink subframe), a set of the resource blocks may be allocated for downlink transmission (i.e., transmissions from a base station to a number of UEs, such as physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) transmissions or physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) transmissions). In an uplink TTI (e.g., an uplink subframe), a set of the resource blocks may be allocated for uplink transmissions (e.g., transmissions from a number of UEs to a base station, such physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) transmissions, PUCCH transmissions, physical random access channel (PRACH) transmissions, or sounding reference signal (SRS) transmissions). In some examples, the base station and UEs that communicate using the set of resource blocks may include aspects of the base stations <NUM> or <NUM>, or UEs <NUM> or <NUM>, described with reference to <FIG> or <FIG>.

By way of example, <FIG> shows a system bandwidth (e.g., a bandwidth of a shared radio frequency spectrum band) divided into <NUM> same size resource blocks. In other examples, the system bandwidth may be divided into <NUM> or some other number of same size resource blocks. In some examples, each resource block may include a plurality of sub-carriers or tones (e.g., <NUM> tones). In some examples, the resource blocks may be allocated to UEs for uplink transmissions on an individual basis. In some examples, the resource blocks may be allocated to UEs for uplink transmissions in groups. For example, and as shown, the <NUM> resource blocks may be divided into six frequency resource interlaces, with each of the frequency resource interlaces including a set of <NUM> resource blocks. In some examples, each of the frequency resource interlaces may include a set of equally spaced resource blocks (e.g., every sixth resource block within the system bandwidth). <FIG> identifies two frequency resource interlaces (e.g., a first frequency resource interlace <NUM> and a second frequency resource interlace <NUM>) of a set of six frequency resource interlaces.

Allocating a set of resource blocks in a frequency resource interlace to a UE, for an uplink transmission, can assist in meeting a bandwidth occupancy requirement (e.g., an <NUM>% bandwidth occupancy requirement) when not all of the resource blocks (or frequency resource interlaces) are allocated for uplink transmissions. In some examples, segments of frequency resources interlaces may be configured for transmission of UCI, and different segments may be configures for different UCI formats.

<FIG> shows an example of different frequency resource interlace segments <NUM> that may be used for different formats of UCI, in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure. In some examples, the frequency resource interlace segments <NUM> may be segments of the first frequency resource interlace <NUM> described with reference to <FIG>.

According to the invention and as illustrated in <FIG>, different resource blocks of the frequency resource interlace segments <NUM> are configured for different formats of UCI information to be transmitted using the PUCCH. For example, a first subset of resource blocks <NUM> may form a first frequency resource interlace segment that is allocated for PUCCH format <NUM> transmissions. A second subset of resource blocks <NUM> may form a second frequency resource interlace segment that is allocated for PUCCH format <NUM> transmissions, in this example. In some examples, one or more formats may have multiple segments configured, with different segments selected based on one or more parameters associated with the UCI that is to be transmitted. In the example of <FIG>, PUCCH format <NUM> may have multiple segments configured based on a payload size of the DCI. In this examples, a third subset of resource blocks <NUM> may form a third frequency resource interlace segment that is allocated for PUCCH format <NUM> transmissions with a small number of RBs, and a fourth subset of resource blocks <NUM> may form a fourth frequency resource interlace segment that is allocated for PUCCH format <NUM> transmissions with a large number of RBs. The threshold for a small number of RBs versus a large number of RBs, and thus the threshold for selecting the third subset of resource blocks <NUM> or the fourth subset of resource blocks <NUM>, may be determined based on a number of RBs allocated for the different segments. Such different segments for a particular format may allow a UE to select resources that are more closely aligned with the payload size of the UCI.

As indicated above and according to the invention, a UE selects PUCCH resources based on a format of UCI that is to be transmitted via PUCCH resources. The UE is configured with the different allocated resources for the different UCI formats via, for example, RRC signaling. Such a technique may provide for more efficient usage of uplink resources, as frequency resource interlace segments are allocated to different UCI formats rather than entire frequency resource interlaces (e.g., frequency resource interlace <NUM> of <FIG> being allocated for PUCCH format <NUM> and frequency resource interlace <NUM> of <FIG> being allocated for PUCCH format <NUM>).

<FIG> illustrates an example of subframe-based resources <NUM> that support uplink control channel transmissions in a shared radio frequency spectrum band in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. In some cases, subframe-based resources <NUM> may be allocated according to techniques performed by a UE or base station as described with reference to <FIG>. Subframe-based resources <NUM> may represent two or more subsets of uplink control channel time resources that may be allocated to different UCI format transmissions.

In this example, a number of subframes <NUM> may include subframe <NUM><NUM>, subframe <NUM><NUM>, and subframe <NUM><NUM>. A base station may, for example, allocate PUCCH resources of subframe <NUM><NUM> for PUCCH format <NUM> transmissions, may allocate PUCCH resources of subframe <NUM><NUM> for PUCCH format <NUM> transmissions, and may allocate PUCCH resources of subframe <NUM><NUM> for PUCCH format <NUM> transmissions. Each subframe <NUM> may correspond, for example to a TTI, and the base station may configure UCI formats on a persubframe, or per-TTI, basis with different UCI formats for PUCCH transmissions transmitted using the same PUCCH resources in the different subframes <NUM>. In such cases, the base station may identify a type of UCI that a UE will use (e.g., based on information associated with the UE <NUM> such as number of HARQ processes, CSI, etc.) and may trigger the UE to report UCI during a subframe <NUM> that corresponds to the identified UCI format. In some examples, a base station may trigger a UE <NUM> through providing an uplink grant to the UE for the subframe <NUM> having the UCI type identified for the UE.

<FIG> illustrates an example of carrier-based resources <NUM> that support uplink control channel transmissions in a shared radio frequency spectrum band in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. In some cases, carrier-based resources <NUM> may be allocated according to techniques performed by a UE or base station as described with reference to <FIG>. Carrier-based resources <NUM> may represent two or more subsets of uplink control channel frequency resources that may be allocated to different UCI format transmissions.

In this example, a number of uplink component carriers <NUM> may include CC-<NUM><NUM>, CC-<NUM><NUM>, and CC-n <NUM>. A base station may, for example, allocate PUCCH resources of CC-<NUM><NUM> for PUCCH format <NUM> transmissions, may allocate PUCCH resources of CC-<NUM><NUM> for PUCCH format <NUM> transmissions, and may allocate PUCCH resources of CC-n <NUM> for PUCCH format <NUM> transmissions. A base station may configure UCI formats on a per-CC <NUM> basis with different UCI formats for PUCCH transmissions transmitted using PUCCH resources in the different uplink CCs <NUM>. In such cases, the base station may signal which uplink CC <NUM> corresponds a particular type of UCI, along with PUCCH resources of the uplink CC <NUM> for the PUCCH transmission. A UE may receive the signaling, identify a UCI format that is to be used for a UCI transmission, and select an uplink CC <NUM> for transmitting the UCI based on the identified UCI format. In some further examples, a base station may configure only one PUCCH UCI format, and may not allow a UE to use any other UCI format for PUCCH on an SCell.

<FIG> illustrates an example of a method <NUM> for payload determination for uplink control channel transmissions in a shared radio frequency spectrum band in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. In some cases, method <NUM> may represent aspects of techniques performed by a UE or base station as described with reference to <FIG>. The operations of method <NUM> may be implemented by a device such as a UE or its components as described with reference to <FIG> and <FIG>. For example, the operations of method <NUM> may be performed by the UE UL transmission manager as described herein. In some examples, the UE may execute a set of codes to control the functional elements of the device to perform the functions described below. Additionally or alternatively, the UE may perform aspects the functions described below using special-purpose hardware.

In the example of <FIG>, a UE may determine BSR or SR data that is to be included as at least a portion of PUCCH payload to be transmitted in a PUCCH transmission. At block <NUM>, the UE may determine that a scheduling request (SR) is to be transmitted on a PCell transmission. In some examples, SRs may be transmitted on PCell transmissions in order to provide SRs with a relatively high priority in order to receive uplink grants for the associated data to be transmitted. At block <NUM>, it is determined whether a buffer status report (BSR) is to be transmitted on an SCell transmission in the same subframe as the SR. If a BSR is not to be transmitted in the same subframe the UE, at block <NUM>, may transmit the SR on the PCell.

If, at block <NUM>, it is determined that a BSR is to be transmitted on an SCell transmission in the same subframe at the SR, the UE may drop the SR transmission on the PCell, as indicated at block <NUM>. At block <NUM>, the UE may transmit the BSR in an SCell transmission. A base station that receives the BSR may use the information in the BSR to determine an amount of data to be transmitted by the UE, and may allocate uplink resources for such transmissions and provide one or more uplink grants to allow the UE to transmit the data. Similarly, if the base station receives a SR from the UE, such as transmitted at block <NUM>, the base station may use information in the scheduling request to provide uplink resources to the UE.

In some examples, the UE may identify other information that is to be included in UCI that is transmitted to a base station using PUCCH resources in one or more CCs. An example of such other information may be HARQ feedback. As indicated above, a UE may provide HARQ feedback to a base station, which may include a number of HARQ feedback bits that identify an ACK/NACK for data transmitted to the UE from the base station. In some examples, HARQ feedback may be provided at a code block (CB) level, rather than a transport block (TB) level, which may generate a relatively large amount of HARQ ACK/NACK data relative to legacy LTE systems. In some examples, a UE may identify a number of HARQ feedback bits to be included in the UCI based at least in part on a number of configured component carriers, a number of HARQ processes per component carrier, or any combination thereof. Thus, the number of ACK/NACK bits for a particular uplink transmission may be a fixed payload size, that a UE may use to identify a UCI format.

<FIG> illustrates an example of a method <NUM> for channel state information (CSI) reporting for uplink control channel transmissions in a shared radio frequency spectrum band in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. CSI may include, for example, information describing characteristics of the radio channel between one or more transmit antennas of the base station and one or more receive antennas of the UE. CSI transmissions may include periodic CSI, and aperiodic CSI. In some cases, method <NUM> may represent aspects of techniques performed by a UE or base station as described with reference to <FIG>. The operations of method <NUM> may be implemented by a device such as a UE or its components as described with reference to <FIG> and <FIG>. For example, the operations of method <NUM> may be performed by the UE UL transmission manager as described herein. In some examples, the UE may execute a set of codes to control the functional elements of the device to perform the functions described below. Additionally or alternatively, the UE may perform aspects the functions described below using special-purpose hardware.

In the example of <FIG>, at block <NUM>, a UE may determine that periodic CSI is to be transmitted in a subframe. In some examples, periodic CSI may be transmitted using PCell PUCCH resources. When using a shared radio frequency spectrum band, periodic CSI transmissions may be delayed in the event that a UE does not gain channel access at the time of a periodic CSI transmission. At block <NUM>, the UE may determine that aperiodic CSI is to be transmitted in the same subframe. Aperiodic CSI may be transmitted, in some examples, using PUSCH resources of one or more RRC configured CCs, or on a CC indicated in an uplink grant containing the aperiodic CSI trigger. In some cases, aperiodic CSI may be triggered, for example, in downlink control information (DCI), a random access response grant, or by a CSI request transmitted in a UE-specific PDCCH search space.

Thus, a collision in aperiodic CSI and periodic CSI is present. In some existing deployments, such a collision may result in a UE dropping periodic CSI and reporting only aperiodic CSI. In some examples, CSI multiplexing may be based on such a collision and on a payload size associated with the periodic CSI transmission. At block <NUM>, it is determined whether the payload of the periodic CSI is less than or equal to a payload size threshold. If the periodic payload size is less than or equal to the size threshold, the UE may, at block <NUM>, drop the periodic CSI transmission. At block <NUM>, the UE may transmit the aperiodic CSI using the configured PUSCH resources.

If it is determined at block <NUM> that the payload of the periodic CSI exceeds the payload size threshold, the UE may determine whether information is duplicated on the periodic CSI and aperiodic CSI, as indicated at block <NUM>. Such a duplication may indicate that redundant information is included in the periodic CSI and aperiodic CSI. If it is determined that information is duplicated, the UE may perform operations associated above blocks <NUM> and <NUM> as discussed above to drop periodic CSI. In some other examples, the UE may transmit periodic CSI and drop aperiodic CSI. In still further examples, the UE may identify which CSI to drop based on payload size. If the UE determines at block <NUM> that the aperiodic CSI and periodic CSI information is not duplicated, the UE may transmit both the aperiodic CSI and the periodic CSI separately in the allocated PUSCH and PUCCH resources, respectively, as indicated at block <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates an example of a process flow <NUM> for uplink control channel transmissions in a shared radio frequency spectrum band in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure. Process flow <NUM> may include base station <NUM> and UE <NUM>, which may be examples of the corresponding devices described with reference to <FIG>.

At block <NUM>, the base station <NUM> may configure UCI resources. In some examples, the base station <NUM> may identify a plurality of different UCI formats for transmitting UCI in an uplink control channel transmission, and configure, for each of the plurality of different UCI formats, a different subset of uplink control channel resources from a set of uplink control channel resources. Each subset of uplink control channel resources may include a subset of uplink control channel frequency resources, a subset of uplink control channel time resources, or combinations thereof. In some examples, each subset of uplink control channel resources may include a set of frequency resource interlaces and a set of frequency resource interlace segments, where each frequency resource interlace segment of the set of frequency resource interlace segments may include a portion of resources of the frequency resource interlaces of the set of frequency resource interlaces. In other examples, each subset of uplink control channel resources may include a subset of uplink control channel resources of different subframes of a plurality of subframes, and the base station <NUM> may configure uplink control channel resources of different subframes for different UCI formats. In some examples, each subset of uplink control channel resources may include a subset of uplink control channel resources of different component carriers, and the base station may configure the subset of uplink control channel resources for the different component carriers for different UCI formats. In further examples, the base station <NUM> may configure a first set of uplink control channel resources of a first TTI (e.g., a first subframe) for a first UCI format and a second set of uplink control channel resources of a second TTI for a second UCI format. In some examples, the uplink control channel resources of the first and second TTIs may be the same resources within each TTI.

The base station <NUM> and the UE <NUM> may establish a connection <NUM>. The base station <NUM> and UE <NUM> may establish connection <NUM> according to established connection establishment or connection reestablishment techniques, which may include establishing a connection over multiple CCs, which may use dedicated radio frequency spectrum band, shared radio frequency spectrum band, or combinations thereof. In some examples, the base station <NUM> may signal the configured subsets of uplink control channel resources to the UE <NUM> as part of the connection establishment <NUM> (e.g., via RRC configuration).

The base station <NUM>, at block <NUM>, may determine uplink grant resources. The base station <NUM> may determine the uplink grant resources based on various factors, including a BSR of the UE <NUM>, a HARQ retransmission indication, or an SR received from the UE <NUM>, to name but a few examples. In some examples, the base station <NUM> may determine the uplink grant resources based on a determined UCI type for the UE <NUM>, and may grant uplink resources to the UE <NUM> in the event that PUCCH resources associated with a TTI of the uplink grant correspond to a UCI format that is to be used by the UE. The base station <NUM> may transmit UL grant <NUM>, which may indicate allocated uplink resources to the UE <NUM>. In some examples, the UL grant may also provide a dynamic indication to the UE of a UCI format to use for an uplink UCI transmission. In some examples, such a dynamic indication may be provided in common signaling such as PDCCH signaling rather than in dedicated signaling of the UL grant <NUM>.

At block <NUM>, the UE <NUM> may identify the UCI format. The UCI format may be identified based on, for example, a payload of the UCI, such as a payload of HARQ feedback to be transmitted, number of configured CCs, the existence of a SR, BSR, or CSI to be transmitted, or any combination thereof. In some examples, the base station <NUM> may signal a UCI format to use, and the UE <NUM> may determine UCI payload based on the indicated UCI format.

At block <NUM>, the UE <NUM> may identify UCI resources. Such an identification may include, for example, identifying, based at least in part on the identified UCI format, a first subset of uplink control channel resources from a set of configured uplink control channel resources, the set of configured uplink control channel resources including a plurality of subsets of uplink control channel frequency resources, time resources, or combinations thereof. In some examples, different subsets of the set of configured uplink control channel resources correspond to different UCI formats. In some examples, the set of configured uplink control channel resources may include a first set of frequency resource interlaces and a first set of frequency resource interlace segments, and each frequency resource interlace segment of the first set of frequency resource interlace segments may include a portion of resources of the frequency resource interlaces of the first set of frequency resource interlaces. In such examples, the UE <NUM> may identify the first subset of uplink control channel resources as a first subset of the first set of frequency resource interlace segments based at least in part on the identified UCI format.

In some examples, the set of configured uplink control channel resources may include a subset of uplink control channel resources of a plurality of subframes, the subset of uplink control channel resources for different subframes being configured for different UCI formats, and the first subset of uplink control channel resources may be identified by the UE <NUM> according to a subframe that corresponds to the identified UCI format. In further examples, the set of configured uplink control channel resources may include a subset of uplink control channel resources of a plurality of uplink component carriers, the subset of uplink control channel resources for different component carriers being configured for different UCI formats, and the UE <NUM> may identify the first subset of uplink control channel resources as resources of a first component carrier based at least in part on the identified UCI format. In further examples, the UCI resources may be identified based in signaling in the uplink grant <NUM>, which may indicate a UCI format or may indicate UCI resources.

At optional block <NUM>, the UE <NUM> may determine SR/BSR/CSI information to be transmitted. In some examples, all or portions of SR/BSR/CSI information may be transmitted or dropped based on one or more dropping rules such as discussed above. For example, UE <NUM> may determine to drop a transmission of a SR using a primary component carrier based at least in part on identifying that a buffer status report (BSR) is to be included in the UCI and transmitted using the first subset of uplink control channel resources of a secondary component carrier in the first subframe. In other examples, the UE <NUM> may identify a periodic CSI is to be included in the UCI and transmitted in a first subframe and that an aperiodic CSI is to be transmitted during the first subframe using different resources than the first subset of uplink control channel resources, and the UE may drop the periodic CSI from the UCI based at least in part on a size of the payload of the periodic CSI. Such dropping of certain information may be configured by the base station <NUM>, such as through RRC signaling, for example. The UE <NUM> transmits uplink transmission <NUM> to the base station <NUM>, which may include UCI according to the identified UCI format that is transmitted on resources corresponding to the identified UCI format. In some examples, a base station <NUM> may prohibit the UE <NUM> from using UCI formats of the plurality of different UCI formats other than a signaled first UCI format.

<FIG> shows a block diagram of a wireless device <NUM> that supports uplink control channel transmissions in a shared radio frequency spectrum band in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure. Wireless device <NUM> may be an example of aspects of a UE described with reference to <FIG> and <FIG>. Wireless device <NUM> may include receiver <NUM>, transmitter <NUM> and UE UL transmission manager <NUM>. Wireless device <NUM> may also include a processor. Each of these components may be in communication with each other.

In some examples, the receiver <NUM> may include at least one radio frequency (RF) receiver, such as at least one RF receiver operable to receive transmissions over a dedicated radio frequency spectrum band (e.g., a radio frequency spectrum band licensed to particular users for particular uses) or a shared radio frequency spectrum band (e.g., a radio frequency spectrum band available for Wi-Fi use, a radio frequency spectrum band available for use by different radio access technologies, or a radio frequency spectrum band available for use by multiple MNOs in an equally shared or prioritized manner). In some examples, the dedicated radio frequency spectrum band or the shared radio frequency spectrum band may be used for LTE/LTE-A communications, as described, for example, with reference to <FIG>. The receiver <NUM> may in some cases include separate receivers for the dedicated radio frequency spectrum band and the shared radio frequency spectrum band. The separate receivers may, in some examples, take the form of an LTE/LTE-A receiver for communicating over the dedicated radio frequency spectrum band (e.g., LTE/LTE-A receiver for dedicated RF spectrum band <NUM>), and an LTE/LTE-A receiver for communicating over the shared radio frequency spectrum band (e.g., LTE/LTE-A receiver for shared RF spectrum band <NUM>). The receiver <NUM>, including the LTE/LTE-A receiver for dedicated RF spectrum band <NUM> or the LTE/LTE-A receiver for shared RF spectrum band <NUM>, may be used to receive various types of data or control signals (i.e., transmissions) over one or more communication links of a wireless communication system, such as one or more communication links of the wireless communication system <NUM> or <NUM> described with reference to <FIG> or <FIG>. The communication links may be established over the dedicated radio frequency spectrum band or the shared radio frequency spectrum band.

In some examples, the transmitter <NUM> may include at least one RF transmitter, such as at least one RF transmitter operable to transmit over the dedicated radio frequency spectrum band or the shared radio frequency spectrum band. The transmitter <NUM> may in some cases include separate transmitters for the dedicated radio frequency spectrum band or the shared radio frequency spectrum band. The separate transmitters may, in some examples, take the form of an LTE/LTE-A transmitter for communicating over the dedicated radio frequency spectrum band (e.g., LTE/LTE-A transmitter for dedicated RF spectrum band <NUM>), and an LTE/LTE-A transmitter for communicating over the shared RF spectrum band (e.g., LTE/LTE-A transmitter for shared RF spectrum band <NUM>). The transmitter <NUM>, including the LTE/LTE-A transmitter for dedicated RF spectrum band <NUM> or the LTE/LTE-A transmitter for shared RF spectrum band <NUM>, may be used to transmit various types of data or control signals (i.e., "data" or transmissions) over one or more communication links of a wireless communication system, such as one or more communication links of the wireless communication system <NUM> or <NUM> described with reference to <FIG> or <FIG>. The communication links may be established over the dedicated RF spectrum band or the shared RF spectrum band.

The UE UL transmission manager <NUM> may identify a UCI format for transmitting UCI using an uplink control channel transmission, and identify, based on the identified UCI format, a first subset of uplink control channel resources from a set of configured uplink control channel resources. The set of configured uplink control channel resources may include a set of subsets of uplink control channel frequency resources, a set of subsets of uplink control channel time resources, or combinations thereof, and different subsets of the set of configured uplink control channel resources may correspond to different UCI formats. The UE UL transmission manager <NUM> may communicate the UCI using the first subset of uplink control channel resources.

The UE UL transmission manager <NUM> may include UCI format component <NUM>, UL resource component <NUM> and UL communication component <NUM>. The UCI format component <NUM> may identify a UCI format for transmitting UCI using an uplink control channel transmission based on payload of the UCI. In some cases, the UCI format component <NUM> may receive signaling indicating the UCI format for transmitting the UCI, and the UCI may be transmitted using the indicated UCI format. In some cases, the signaling is received in PDCCH signaling or in an uplink grant.

The UL resource component <NUM> may identify, based on the identified UCI format, a first subset of uplink control channel resources from a set of configured uplink control channel resources, the set of configured uplink control channel resources may include a set of subsets of uplink control channel frequency resources, a set of subsets of uplink control channel time resources, or combinations thereof, where different subsets of the set of configured uplink control channel resources correspond to different UCI formats.

In some cases, the set of configured uplink control channel resources includes a subset of uplink control channel resources of a set of subframes, the subset of uplink control channel resources for different subframes being configured for different UCI formats. The identifying of the first subset of uplink control channel resources in such cases may include identifying a first subset of the first set of uplink control channel of a first subframe based on the identified UCI format. In some cases, the set of configured uplink control channel resources includes a subset of uplink control channel resources of a set of uplink component carriers, the subset of uplink control channel resources for different component carriers being configured for different UCI formats, and where identifying the first subset of uplink control channel resources includes identifying a first subset of the first set of uplink control channel of a first component carrier based on the identified UCI format.

In some cases, the first set of resources is in a shared radio frequency spectrum band. In some cases, the set of configured uplink control channel resources includes a first set of frequency resource interlaces and a first set of frequency resource interlace segments, each frequency resource interlace segment of the first set of frequency resource interlace segments includes a portion of resources of the frequency resource interlaces of the first set of frequency resource interlaces, and where identifying the first subset of uplink control channel resources includes identifying a first subset of the first set of frequency resource interlace segments based on the identified UCI format. The UL communication component <NUM> may communicate the UCI using the first subset of uplink control channel resources.

<FIG> shows a block diagram of a UE UL transmission manager <NUM> which may be an example of the corresponding component of wireless device <NUM>. That is, UE UL transmission manager <NUM> may be an example of aspects of UE UL transmission manager <NUM> described with reference to <FIG>. The UE UL transmission manager <NUM> may also be an example of aspects of the UE UL transmission manager <NUM> described with reference to <FIG>.

The UE UL transmission manager <NUM> may include UL resource component <NUM>, UL grant component <NUM>, SR dropping component <NUM>, CSI dropping component <NUM>, HARQ component <NUM>, UL communication component <NUM> and UCI format component <NUM>. Each of these modules may communicate, directly or indirectly, with one another (e.g., via one or more buses).

The UL resource component <NUM> may identify, based on the identified UCI format, a first subset of uplink control channel resources from a set of configured uplink control channel resources, the set of configured uplink control channel resources includes a set of subsets of uplink control channel frequency resources, a set of subsets of uplink control channel time resources, or combinations thereof, and where different subsets of the set of configured uplink control channel resources correspond to different UCI formats.

The UL grant component <NUM> may receive a first uplink grant for the first uplink control channel transmission, the first uplink grant including an allocation of the first subset of uplink control channel resources, and where communicating the UCI includes transmitting the UCI using the first subset of uplink control channel resources allocated in the first uplink grant.

The SR dropping component <NUM> may identify a SR to be transmitted using a primary component carrier in a first subframe, and drop the transmission of the SR using the primary component carrier based on identifying that a BSR is to be included in the UCI and transmitted using the first subset of uplink control channel resources of a secondary component carrier in the first subframe.

The CSI dropping component <NUM> may identify periodic CSI is to be included in the UCI and transmitted in a first subframe, identify that aperiodic CSI is to be transmitted during the first subframe using different resources than the first subset of uplink control channel resources, and drop the periodic CSI from the UCI based on a size of the payload of the periodic CSI.

The HARQ component <NUM> may identify a number of HARQ feedback bits to be included in the UCI based on a number of configured component carriers, a number of HARQ processes per component carrier, or any combination thereof. The UL communication component <NUM> may communicate the UCI using the first subset of uplink control channel resources.

The UCI format component <NUM> may receive signaling indicating the UCI format for transmitting the UCI, wherein communicating the UCI includes transmitting the UCI using the indicated UCI format, and identify a UCI format for transmitting UCI using an uplink control channel transmission. In some cases, the signaling is received in PDCCH signaling or in an uplink grant.

<FIG> illustrates a block diagram of a system <NUM> including a device that supports uplink control channel transmissions in a shared radio frequency spectrum band in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure. For example, system <NUM> may include UE <NUM>, which may be an example of a wireless device <NUM>, or a UE as described with reference to <FIG>. UE <NUM> may be in communication with base station <NUM>, which may be an example of a base station as described with reference to <FIG>.

UE <NUM> may also include UE UL transmission manager <NUM>, memory <NUM>, processor <NUM>, transceiver <NUM>, antenna <NUM> and ECC module <NUM>. Each of these modules may communicate, directly or indirectly, with one another (e.g., via one or more buses). The UE UL transmission manager <NUM> may be an example of a UE UL transmission manager as described with reference to <FIG>.

The memory <NUM> may include random access memory (RAM) and read only memory (ROM). The memory <NUM> may store computer-readable, computer-executable software including instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to perform various functions described herein (e.g., uplink control channel transmissions in a shared radio frequency spectrum band, etc.). In some cases, the software <NUM> may not be directly executable by the processor but may cause a computer (e.g., when compiled and executed) to perform functions described herein. The processor <NUM> may include an intelligent hardware device, (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a microcontroller, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), etc.).

The transceiver <NUM> may communicate bi-directionally, via one or more antennas, wired, or wireless links, with one or more networks, as described above. For example, the transceiver <NUM> may communicate bi-directionally with a base station or a UE. However, in some cases the device may have more than one antenna, which may be capable of concurrently transmitting or receiving multiple wireless transmissions.

ECC module <NUM> may enable operations using enhanced component carriers (ECCs) such as communication using shared or unlicensed spectrum, using reduced TTIs or subframe durations, or using a large number of component carriers.

<FIG> shows a block diagram of a wireless device <NUM> that supports uplink control channel transmissions in a shared radio frequency spectrum band in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure. Wireless device <NUM> may be an example of aspects of a base station <NUM> or <NUM> described with reference to <FIG> and <FIG>. Wireless device <NUM> may include receiver <NUM>, transmitter <NUM> and base station UL transmission manager <NUM>. Wireless device <NUM> may also include a processor. Each of these components may be in communication with each other.

In some examples, the receiver <NUM> may include at least one RF receiver, such as at least one RF receiver operable to receive transmissions over a dedicated radio frequency spectrum band (e.g., a radio frequency spectrum band licensed to particular users for particular uses) or a shared radio frequency spectrum band (e.g., a radio frequency spectrum band available for Wi-Fi use, a radio frequency spectrum band available for use by different radio access technologies, or a radio frequency spectrum band available for use by multiple MNOs in an equally shared or prioritized manner). In some examples, the dedicated radio frequency spectrum band or the shared radio frequency spectrum band may be used for LTE/LTE-A communications, as described, for example, with reference to <FIG>. The receiver <NUM> may in some cases include separate receivers for the dedicated radio frequency spectrum band and the shared radio frequency spectrum band. The separate receivers may, in some examples, take the form of an LTE/LTE-A receiver for communicating over the dedicated radio frequency spectrum band (e.g., LTE/LTE-A receiver for dedicated RF spectrum band <NUM>), and an LTE/LTE-A receiver for communicating over the shared radio frequency spectrum band (e.g., LTE/LTE-A receiver for shared RF spectrum band <NUM>). The receiver <NUM>, including the LTE/LTE-A receiver for dedicated RF spectrum band <NUM> or the LTE/LTE-A receiver for shared RF spectrum band <NUM>, may be used to receive various types of data or control signals (i.e., transmissions) over one or more communication links of a wireless communication system, such as one or more communication links of the wireless communication system <NUM> or <NUM> described with reference to <FIG> or <FIG>. The communication links may be established over the dedicated radio frequency spectrum band or the shared radio frequency spectrum band.

The base station UL transmission manager <NUM> may identify a set of different UCI formats for transmitting UCI in an uplink control channel transmission, configure, for each of the set of different UCI formats, a different subset of uplink control channel resources from a set of uplink control channel resources, where each subset of uplink control channel resources includes a subset of uplink control channel frequency resources, a subset of uplink control channel time resources, or combinations thereof, and communicate the configured subsets of uplink control channel resources to one or more receivers.

The base station UL transmission manager <NUM> may also identify a set of different UCI formats for transmitting UCI in an uplink control channel transmission, configure a first set of uplink control channel resources of a first TTI for a first UCI format and a second set of uplink control channel resources of a second TTI for a second UCI format, identify at least a first UE that is to transmit using the first UCI format and a second UE that is to transmit using the second UCI format, and trigger the first UE to transmit during the first TTI and the second UE to transmit during the second TTI.

The base station UL transmission manager <NUM> may also identify a set of different UCI formats for transmitting UCI in an uplink control channel transmission, configure at least a first UE to use a first UCI format for transmitting UCI, and communicate the configuration to the first UE to use the first UCI format. The base station UL transmission manager <NUM> may also be an example of aspects of the base station UL transmission manager <NUM> described with reference to <FIG>.

The base station UL transmission manager <NUM> may include UCI format component <NUM>, UL resource component <NUM>, UL communication component <NUM> and UE triggering component <NUM>. The base station UL transmission manager <NUM> may be an example of aspects of the base station UL transmission manager <NUM> described with reference to <FIG>.

The UCI format component <NUM> may identify a set of different UCI formats for transmitting UCI in an uplink control channel transmission, and configure at least a first UE to use a first UCI format for transmitting UCI. In some cases, configuring at least the first UE to use the first UCI format for transmitting UCI further includes prohibiting the first UE from using UCI formats of the set of different UCI formats other than the first UCI format.

The UL resource component <NUM> may configure, for each of the set of different UCI formats, a different subset of uplink control channel resources from a set of uplink control channel resources, where each subset of uplink control channel resources includes a subset of uplink control channel frequency resources, a subset of uplink control channel time resources, or combinations thereof, and configure a first set of uplink control channel resources of a first TTI for a first UCI format and a second set of uplink control channel resources of a second TTI for a second UCI format.

In some cases, each subset of uplink control channel resources includes a set of frequency resource interlaces and a set of frequency resource interlace segments, each frequency resource interlace segment of the set of frequency resource interlace segments includes a portion of resources of the frequency resource interlaces of the set of frequency resource interlaces. In some cases, each subset of uplink control channel resources includes a subset of uplink control channel resources of different subframes of a set of subframes, and where configuring the different subsets of uplink control channel resources includes configuring the subset of uplink control channel resources for the different subframes for different UCI formats.

In some cases, each subset of uplink control channel resources includes a subset of uplink control channel resources of different component carriers, and where configuring the different subsets of uplink control channel resources includes configuring the subset of uplink control channel resources for the different component carriers for different UCI formats. In some cases, the set of uplink control channel resources is in a shared radio frequency spectrum band.

The UL communication component <NUM> may communicate the configured subsets of uplink control channel resources to one or more receivers, and communicate the configuration to the first UE to use the first UCI format. The UE triggering component <NUM> may identify at least a first UE that is to transmit using the first UCI format and a second UE that is to transmit using the second UCI format, and trigger the first UE to transmit during the first TTI and the second UE to transmit during the second TTI.

In some cases, the first subset of uplink control channel resources and the second subset of control channel resources correspond to a same set of frequency resource interlaces and set of frequency resource interlace segments within the first TTI and the second TTI, where each frequency resource interlace segment of the set of frequency resource interlace segments includes a portion of resources of the frequency resource interlaces of the set of frequency resource interlaces. In some cases, triggering the first UE to transmit during the first TTI and the second UE to transmit during the second TTI includes transmitting a first uplink grant to the first UE for uplink transmission in the first TTI.

<FIG> shows a block diagram of a base station UL transmission manager <NUM> which may be an example of the corresponding component of wireless device <NUM>. That is, base station UL transmission manager <NUM> may be an example of aspects of base station UL transmission manager <NUM> described with reference to <FIG>. The base station UL transmission manager <NUM> may also be an example of aspects of the base station UL transmission manager <NUM> described with reference to <FIG>.

The base station UL transmission manager <NUM> may include SR dropping component <NUM>, UL resource component <NUM>, UCI format component <NUM>, UE triggering component <NUM>, UL grant component <NUM>, common signaling component <NUM>, UL communication component <NUM> and CSI dropping component <NUM>. Each of these modules may communicate, directly or indirectly, with one another (e.g., via one or more buses).

The SR dropping component <NUM> may configure the one or more receivers to drop a SR transmission using a primary component carrier in a first subframe based on an identification that a BSR is to be included in the UCI and transmitted in the first subframe.

The UCI format component <NUM> may identify a set of different UCI formats for transmitting UCI in an uplink control channel transmission, and configure at least a first UE to use a first UCI format for transmitting UCI. The UE triggering component <NUM> may identify at least a first UE that is to transmit using the first UCI format and a second UE that is to transmit using the second UCI format, and trigger the first UE to transmit during the first TTI and the second UE to transmit during the second TTI.

The UL grant component <NUM> may transmit a second uplink grant to the second UE for uplink transmission in the second TTI. In some cases, communicating the configuration to the first UE includes transmitting an uplink grant to the first UE that indicates that UCI is to be transmitted using the first UCI format.

The common signaling component <NUM> may communicate the common signaling such as PDCCH signaling transmitted to a set of UEs. In some cases, communicating the configuration to the first UE includes transmitting common signaling to the first UE and one or more other UEs that UCI is to be transmitted using the first UCI format. The UL communication component <NUM> may communicate the configured subsets of uplink control channel resources to one or more receivers, and communicate the configuration to the first UE to use the first UCI format. The CSI dropping component <NUM> may configure the one or more receivers to drop periodic CSI from the UCI during a first subframe based on a payload size of the periodic CSI and an identification that aperiodic CSI is to be transmitted during the first subframe using different resources than the configured subset of uplink control channel resources.

<FIG> illustrates a block diagram of a wireless communication system <NUM> including a device configured that supports uplink control channel transmissions in a shared radio frequency spectrum band in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure. For example, wireless communication system <NUM> may include base station <NUM>, which may be an example of a wireless device <NUM>, or a base station <NUM> or <NUM> as described with reference to <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>. Base station <NUM> may also include components for bi-directional voice and data communications including components for transmitting communications and components for receiving communications. For example, base station <NUM> may communicate bi-directionally with one or more UEs <NUM>.

Base station <NUM> may also include base station UL transmission manager <NUM>, memory <NUM>, processor <NUM>, transceiver <NUM>, antenna <NUM>, base station communications module <NUM> and network communications module <NUM>. Each of these modules may communicate, directly or indirectly, with one another (e.g., via one or more buses). The base station UL transmission manager <NUM> may be an example of a base station UL transmission manager as described with reference to <FIG>.

The memory <NUM> may include RAM and ROM. The memory <NUM> may store computer-readable, computer-executable software <NUM> including instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to perform various functions described herein (e.g., uplink control channel transmissions in a shared radio frequency spectrum band, etc.). In some cases, the software <NUM> may not be directly executable by the processor but may cause a computer (e.g., when compiled and executed) to perform functions described herein. The processor <NUM> may include an intelligent hardware device, (e.g., a CPU, a microcontroller, an ASIC, etc.).

The transceiver <NUM> may communicate bi-directionally, via one or more antennas, wired, or wireless links, with one or more networks, as described above. For example, the transceiver <NUM> may communicate bi-directionally with a base station <NUM> or a UE <NUM>. However, in some cases the device may have more than one antenna, which may be capable of concurrently transmitting or receiving multiple wireless transmissions.

The base station communications module <NUM> may manage communications with other base station <NUM>-a and <NUM>-b, and may include a controller or scheduler for controlling communications with UEs <NUM> in cooperation with other base stations <NUM>-a and <NUM>-b. For example, the base station communications module <NUM> may coordinate scheduling for transmissions to UEs <NUM> for various interference mitigation techniques such as beamforming or joint transmission. In some examples, base station communications module <NUM> may provide an X2 interface within an LTE/LTE-A wireless communication network technology to provide communication between base stations <NUM>.

The network communications module <NUM> may manage communications with the core network <NUM> (e.g., via one or more wired backhaul links). For example, the network communications module <NUM> may manage the transfer of data communications for client devices, such as one or more UEs <NUM>.

<FIG> shows a flowchart illustrating a method <NUM> for uplink control channel transmissions in a shared radio frequency spectrum band in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure. The operations of method <NUM> may be implemented by a device such as a UE or its components as described with reference to <FIG> and <FIG>. For example, the operations of method <NUM> may be performed by the UE UL transmission manager as described herein. In some examples, the UE may execute a set of codes to control the functional elements of the device to perform the functions described below. Additionally or alternatively, the UE may perform aspects the functions described below using special-purpose hardware.

At block <NUM>, the method <NUM> may include identifying a UCI format for transmitting UCI using an uplink control channel transmission as described above with reference to <FIG>. In certain examples, the operations of block <NUM> may be performed by the UCI format component as described with reference to <FIG> and <FIG>.

At block <NUM>, the method <NUM> may include identifying, based on the identified UCI format, a first subset of uplink control channel resources from a set of configured uplink control channel resources, the set of configured uplink control channel resources includes a set of subsets of uplink control channel frequency resources, a set of subsets of uplink control channel time resources, or combinations thereof, and where different subsets of the set of configured uplink control channel resources correspond to different UCI formats as described above with reference to <FIG>. In certain examples, the operations of block <NUM> may be performed by the UL resource component as described with reference to <FIG> and <FIG>.

At block <NUM>, the method <NUM> may include communicating the UCI using the first subset of uplink control channel resources as described above with reference to <FIG>. In certain examples, the operations of block <NUM> may be performed by the UL communication component as described with reference to <FIG> and <FIG>.

<FIG> shows a flowchart illustrating a method <NUM> for uplink control channel transmissions in a shared radio frequency spectrum band in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure. The operations of method <NUM> may be implemented by a device such as a base station or its components as described with reference to <FIG> and <FIG>. For example, the operations of method <NUM> may be performed by the base station UL transmission manager as described herein. In some examples, the base station may execute a set of codes to control the functional elements of the device to perform the functions described below. Additionally or alternatively, the base station may perform aspects the functions described below using special-purpose hardware.

At block <NUM>, the method <NUM> may include identifying a set of different UCI formats for transmitting UCI in an uplink control channel transmission as described above with reference to <FIG>. In certain examples, the operations of block <NUM> may be performed by the UCI format component as described with reference to <FIG> and <FIG>.

At block <NUM>, the method <NUM> may include configuring, for each of the set of different UCI formats, a different subset of uplink control channel resources from a set of uplink control channel resources, where each subset of uplink control channel resources includes a subset of uplink control channel frequency resources, a subset of uplink control channel time resources, or combinations thereof as described above with reference to <FIG>. In certain examples, the operations of block <NUM> may be performed by the UL resource component as described with reference to <FIG> and <FIG>.

At block <NUM>, the method <NUM> may include communicating the configured subsets of uplink control channel resources to one or more receivers as described above with reference to <FIG>. In certain examples, the operations of block <NUM> may be performed by the UL communication component as described with reference to <FIG> and <FIG>.

At block <NUM>, the method <NUM> may include configuring a first set of uplink control channel resources of a first TTI for a first UCI format and a second set of uplink control channel resources of a second TTI for a second UCI format as described above with reference to <FIG>. In certain examples, the operations of block <NUM> may be performed by the UL resource component as described with reference to <FIG> and <FIG>.

At block <NUM>, the method <NUM> may include identifying at least a first UE that is to transmit using the first UCI format and a second UE that is to transmit using the second UCI format as described above with reference to <FIG>. In certain examples, the operations of block <NUM> may be performed by the UE triggering component as described with reference to <FIG> and <FIG>.

At block <NUM>, the method <NUM> may include triggering the first UE to transmit during the first TTI and the second UE to transmit during the second TTI as described above with reference to <FIG>. In certain examples, the operations of block <NUM> may be performed by the UE triggering component as described with reference to <FIG> and <FIG>.

At block <NUM>, the method <NUM> may include configuring at least a first UE to use a first UCI format for transmitting UCI as described above with reference to <FIG>. In certain examples, the operations of block <NUM> may be performed by the UCI format component as described with reference to <FIG> and <FIG>.

At block <NUM>, the method <NUM> may include communicating the configuration to the first UE to use the first UCI format as described above with reference to <FIG>. In certain examples, the operations of block <NUM> may be performed by the UL communication component as described with reference to <FIG> and <FIG>.

It should be noted that these methods describe possible implementation, and that the operations and the steps may be rearranged or otherwise modified such that other implementations are possible. In some examples, aspects from two or more of the methods <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, or <NUM> described with reference to <FIG> may be combined. It should be noted that the methods <NUM>-<NUM> are just example implementations, and that the operations of the methods <NUM>-<NUM> may be rearranged or otherwise modified such that other implementations are possible. For example, aspects of each of the methods may include steps or aspects of the other methods, or other steps or techniques described herein. Thus, aspects of the disclosure may provide for uplink control channel transmissions in a shared radio frequency spectrum band.

The description herein is provided to enable a person skilled in the art to make or use the disclosure. Various modifications to the disclosure will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other variations without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Thus, the disclosure is not to be limited to the examples and designs described herein but is to be accorded the broadest scope as defined by the appended claims.

Also, as used herein, including in the claims, "or" as used in a list of items (for example, a list of items prefaced by a phrase such as "at least one of" or "one or more") indicates an inclusive list such that, for example, a phrase referring to "at least one of" a list of items refers to any combination of those items, including single members. As an example, "at least one of: A, B, or C" is intended to cover A, B, C, A-B, A-C, B-C, and A-B-C. , as well as any combination with multiples of the same element (e.g., A-A A-A-A, A-A-B, A-A-C, A-B-B, A-C-C, B-B, B-B-B, B-B-C, C-C, and C-C-C or any other ordering of A, B, and C).

As used herein, the phrase "based on" shall not be construed as a reference to a closed set of conditions. For example, an exemplary feature that is described as "based on condition A" may be based on both a condition A and a condition B without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

By way of example, and not limitation, non-transitory computer-readable media can comprise RAM, ROM, electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), compact disk (CD) ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other non-transitory medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code means in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer, or a general-purpose or special-purpose processor.

Techniques described herein may be used for various wireless communications systems such as CDMA, TDMA, FDMA, OFDMA, single carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA), and other systems. The terms "system" and "network" are often used interchangeably. IS-<NUM> Releases <NUM> and A are commonly referred to as CDMA2000 1X, 1X, etc. IS-<NUM> (TIA-<NUM>) is commonly referred to as CDMA2000 1xEV-DO, High Rate Packet Data (HRPD), etc. UTRA includes Wideband CDMA (WCDMA) and other variants of CDMA. A TDMA system may implement a radio technology such as (Global System for Mobile communications (GSM)). An OFDMA system may implement a radio technology such as Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), Evolved UTRA (E-UTRA), IEEE <NUM>, IEEE <NUM> (WiMAX), IEEE <NUM>, Flash-OFDM, etc. UTRA and E-UTRA are part of Universal Mobile Telecommunications system (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS)). 3GPP LTE and LTE-advanced (LTE-A) are new releases of UMTS that use E-UTRA. UTRA, E-UTRA, UMTS, LTE, LTE-a, and GSM are described in documents from an organization named "3rd Generation Partnership Project" (3GPP). The description herein, however, describes an LTE system for purposes of example, and LTE terminology is used in much of the description above, although the techniques are applicable beyond LTE applications.

In LTE/LTE-A networks, including networks described herein, the term evolved node B (eNB) may be generally used to describe the base stations. The wireless communications system or systems described herein may include a heterogeneous LTE/LTE-A network in which different types of eNBs provide coverage for various geographical regions. For example, each eNB or base station may provide communication coverage for a macro cell, a small cell, or other types of cell. The term "cell" is a 3GPP term that can be used to describe a base station, a carrier or component carrier (CC) associated with a base station, or a coverage area (e.g., sector, etc.) of a carrier or base station, depending on context.

Base stations may include or may be referred to by those skilled in the art as a base transceiver station, a radio base station, an access point (AP), a radio transceiver, a NodeB, eNodeB (eNB), Home NodeB, a Home eNodeB, or some other suitable terminology. The geographic coverage area for a base station may be divided into sectors making up only a portion of the coverage area. The wireless communications system or systems described herein may include base stations of different types (e.g., macro or small cell base stations). The UEs described herein may be able to communicate with various types of base stations and network equipment including macro eNBs, small cell eNBs, relay base stations, and the like. There may be overlapping geographic coverage areas for different technologies. In some cases, different coverage areas may be associated with different communication technologies. In some cases, the coverage area for one communication technology may overlap with the coverage area associated with another technology. Different technologies may be associated with the same base station, or with different base stations.

A small cell is a lower-powered base stations, as compared with a macro cell, that may operate in the same or different (e.g., licensed, unlicensed, etc.) frequency bands as macro cells. An eNB may support one or multiple (e.g., two, three, four, and the like) cells (e.g., component carriers (CCs)). A UE may be able to communicate with various types of base stations and network equipment including macro eNBs, small cell eNBs, relay base stations, and the like.

The DL transmissions described herein may also be called forward link transmissions while the UL transmissions may also be called reverse link transmissions. Each communication link described herein including, for example, wireless communications system <NUM> and <NUM> of <FIG> and <FIG> may include one or more carriers, where each carrier may be a signal made up of multiple sub-carriers (e.g., waveform signals of different frequencies). Each modulated signal may be sent on a different sub-carrier and may carry control information (e.g., reference signals, control channels, etc.), overhead information, user data, etc. The communication links described herein (e.g., communication links <NUM> of <FIG>) may transmit bidirectional communications using frequency division duplex (FDD) (e.g., using paired spectrum resources) or time division duplex (TDD) operation (e.g., using unpaired spectrum resources). Frame structures may be defined for FDD (e.g., frame structure type <NUM>) and TDD (e.g., frame structure type <NUM>).

Thus, aspects of the disclosure may provide for uplink control channel transmissions in a shared radio frequency spectrum band. It should be noted that these methods describe possible implementations, and that the operations and the steps may be rearranged or otherwise modified such that other implementations are possible. In some examples, aspects from two or more of the methods may be combined.

Claim 1:
A method for wireless communication, the method performed by an apparatus and comprising:
identifying (<NUM>) an uplink control information, UCI, format for transmitting UCI using an uplink control channel transmission, wherein the identified UCI format belongs to a plurality of different UCI formats;
identifying (<NUM>), based at least in part on the identified UCI format, a first subset of uplink control channel resources from a set of configured uplink control channel resources, wherein the set of configured uplink control channel resources includes a plurality of subsets of uplink control channel frequency resources, a plurality of subsets of uplink control channel time resources, or combinations thereof, wherein each one of the plurality of different UCI formats corresponds to a different subset of the set of configured uplink control channel resources, and wherein each subset of the set of configured uplink control channel resources is allocated for one specific UCI format and different subsets of the set of configured uplink control channel resources have different PUCCH formats, wherein the set of configured uplink control channel resources comprises a first set of frequency resource interlaces and a first set of frequency resource interlace segments, each frequency resource interlace segment of the first set of frequency resource interlace segments comprises a portion of resources of frequency resource interlaces of the first set of frequency resource interlaces, and wherein identifying (<NUM>) the first subset of uplink control channel resources comprises identifying a first subset of the first set of frequency resource interlace segments based at least in part on the identified UCI format;
receiving signaling indicating the UCI format for transmitting the UCI; and
communicating (<NUM>) the UCI using the first subset of uplink control channel resources, wherein communicating the UCI comprises transmitting the UCI using the indicated UCI format.