Patent Description:
The following abbreviations are herewith defined, at least some of which are referred to within the following description: Third Generation Partnership Project ("3GPP"), Positive-Acknowledgment ("ACK"), Binary Phase Shift Keying ("BPSK"), Clear Channel Assessment ("CCA"), Cyclic Prefix ("CP"), Channel State Information ("CSI"), Common Search Space ("CSS"), Downlink Control Information ("DCI"), Downlink ("DL"), Downlink Pilot Time Slot ("DwPTS"), Enhanced Clear Channel Assessment ("eCCA"), Evolved Node B ("eNB"), European Telecommunications Standards Institute ("ETSI"), Frame Based Equipment ("FBE"), Frequency Division Duplex ("FDD"), Frequency Division Multiple Access ("FDMA"), Guard Period ("GP"), Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request ("HARQ"), Licensed Assisted Access ("LAA"), Load Based Equipment ("LBE"), Listen-Before-Talk ("LBT"), Long Term Evolution ("LTE"), Multiple Access ("MA"), Machine Type Communication ("MTC"), Multiple Input Multiple Output ("MIMO"), Multi User Shared Access ("MUSA"), Negative-Acknowledgment ("NACK") or ("NAK"), Next Generation Node B ("gNB"), Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing ("OFDM"), Primary Cell ("PCell"), Physical Broadcast Channel ("PBCH"), Physical Downlink Control Channel ("PDCCH"), Physical Downlink Shared Channel ("PDSCH"), Pattern Division Multiple Access ("PDMA"), Physical Hybrid ARQ Indicator Channel ("PHICH"), Physical Random Access Channel ("PRACH"), Physical Resource Block ("PRB"), Physical Uplink Control Channel ("PUCCH"), Physical Uplink Shared Channel ("PUSCH"), Quality of Service ("QoS"), Quadrature Phase Shift Keying ("QPSK"), Radio Resource Control ("RRC"), Random Access Procedure ("RACH"), Resource Spread Multiple Access ("RSMA"), Round Trip Time ("RTT"), Receive ("RX"), Sparse Code Multiple Access ("SCMA"), Scheduling Request ("SR"), Single Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access ("SC-FDMA"), Secondary Cell ("SCell"), Shared Channel ("SCH"), Signal-to-Interference-Plus-Noise Ratio ("SINR"), System Information Block ("SIB"), Transport Block ("TB"), Transport Block Size ("TBS"), Time-Division Duplex ("TDD"), Time Division Multiplex ("TDM"), Transmission Time Interval ("TTI"), Transmit ("TX"), Uplink Control Information ("UCI"), User Entity/Equipment (Mobile Terminal) ("UE"), Uplink ("UL"), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System ("UMTS"), Uplink Pilot Time Slot ("UpPTS"), Ultra-reliability and Low-latency Communications ("URLLC"), and Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access ("WiMAX"). As used herein, "HARQ-ACK" may represent collectively the Positive Acknowledge ("ACK") and the Negative Acknowledge ("NAK"). ACK means that a TB is correctly received while NAK means a TB is erroneously received.

In certain wireless communications networks, DL TBs are carried on the PDSCH. In such networks, a maximum of two TBs may be transmitted on PDSCH in one serving cell and in one subframe. HARQ-ACK feedback bits corresponding to the PDSCH are transmitted either on the PUCCH or on the PUSCH.

In some configurations, the carrier bandwidth for <NUM> may be at least <NUM> for below <NUM> bands and may be increased to around <NUM> for high frequency bands (e.g., millimeter wave bands). Due to a wide carrier bandwidth, data transmission over the full carrier bandwidth may result in a large transport block size ("TBS"). In certain configurations, such as LTE, the maximum code block ("CB") size is limited to <NUM>,<NUM> bits. If a TB is larger than the maximum CB size limit (e.g., <NUM>,<NUM> bits), the TB may be segmented into several CBs so that each CB size is less than or equal to the maximum CB size limit. Such a segmentation may reduce the complexity of channel encoding/decoding.

In some configurations, such as LTE, the maximum TBS may be set to <NUM>,<NUM> bits and may be used in conditions in which <NUM> quadrature amplitude modulation ("QAM") modulation is used with <NUM> PRBs assigned. The TBS may be divided into <NUM> CBs with the maximum code block size ("CBS") of <NUM>,<NUM>. Furthermore, the TBS may be increased to larger values when more than one transmission layer is configured via spatial multiplexing. Therefore, in <NUM> with larger carrier bandwidth (e.g., at least <NUM>), with more layers via spatial multiplexing, the number of CBs for the maximum TBS may be larger than one hundred.

In various configurations, such as LTE, if the length of the input bit sequence to the CB segmentation is larger than <NUM>,<NUM>, segmentation of the input bit sequence is performed and an additional <NUM>-bit cyclic redundancy check ("CRC") sequence is attached to each CB so that each CB may be decoded independently. If all of the CBs of a TB are correctly decoded, the TB may be considered a correctly decoded TB and a corresponding HARQ-ACK may be set to ACK; otherwise, the TB may be considered an incorrectly decoded TB and the corresponding HARQ-ACK may be set to NACK even though there may be only one CB that is incorrectly decoded. If a NACK is reported from a receiving device to a transmitting device, the transmitting device may have to retransmit all the CBs of the TB. Retransmission of the whole TB may lead to significant performance degradation due to excessive resource use.

In certain networks, a retransmission mechanism may only need one-bit ACK or NACK reported from the receiving device to the transmitting device. A more precise retransmission mechanism may use more overhead for HARQ-ACK reporting. In one embodiment, the most efficient retransmission may be to only retransmit failed CBs; however, reporting each failed CB may require multiple HARQ-ACK bits with each HARQ-ACK bit corresponding to one CB. The overhead for HARQ-ACKs in such an embodiment may be too large and there may not be sufficient resources to transmit such a large ACK/NACK payload. Publication <CIT> teaches ACK/NACK bundling across component carriers using logical AND operation. Publication <CIT> teaches ACK/NACK bundling in time-domain.

Apparatuses for transmitting feedback information for a data block group are disclosed. Methods and systems also perform the functions of the apparatus. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a processor that determines a data block group size of a data block group for received data. In such an embodiment, each data block in the data block group is independently decodable. In certain embodiments, the processor generates feedback information for the data block group of the received data. In such embodiments, the feedback information is used for indicating a decoding status corresponding to the data block group. The apparatus also includes a transmitter that transmits the feedback information for the data block group.

In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a receiver that receives a signal indicating a set of data block group sizes. In a further embodiment, the receiver receives a signal indicating the data block group size from the set of data block group sizes for the received data. In certain embodiments, the apparatus includes a receiver that receives a signal indicating the data block group size from a predefined set of data block group sizes for the received data.

In some embodiments, the processor determines the data block group size corresponding to the received data by selecting the data block group size from a predefined set of data block group sizes based on a number of data blocks of received data. In various embodiments, the processor generates the feedback information for the data block group of the received data by performing a logic operation on a decoding status corresponding to each data block of the data block group. In certain embodiments, the logic operation includes an AND operation. In one embodiment, the received data includes multiple data block groups and a number of data blocks in a last data block group of the multiple data block groups is smaller than the data block group size. In some embodiments, the data block group size is a feedback bundling size for generating a decoding status of a whole data block group by performing a logic AND operation on a decoding status corresponding to each data block within the data block group of the received data. In various embodiments, the decoding status corresponding to each data block is an ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ("ACK") in response to the respective data block being correctly decoded and a NEGATIVE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ("NACK") in response to the respective data block not being correctly decoded.

In certain embodiments, the received data includes multiple data block groups and feedback information for each data block group of the multiple data block groups of the received data is transmitted together. In some embodiments, data blocks in the data block group have consecutive data block numbers. In various embodiments, a number of data block groups of the received data is equal to a ceiling of a number of data blocks of the received data divided by the data block group size.

A method for transmitting feedback information for a data block group, in one embodiment, includes determining a data block group size of a data block group for received data. In such an embodiment, each data block in the data block group is independently decodable. The method also includes generating feedback information for the data block group of the received data. In certain embodiments, the feedback information is used for indicating a decoding status corresponding to the data block group. The method includes transmitting the feedback information for the data block group.

In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a transmitter that transmits data. The apparatus also includes a receiver that receives feedback information for indicating a decoding status corresponding to a data block group of the transmitted data. In such embodiments, the data block group includes multiple data blocks and each data block is independently decodable.

In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a processor that determines a size of the data block group for the transmitted data. In a further embodiment, the transmitter transmits a signal indicating a set of sizes of the data block group. In certain embodiments, the transmitter transmits a signal indicating a size of the data block group from the set of the sizes of the data block group for the transmitted data.

In some embodiments, the transmitter transmits a signal indicating the size of the data block group from a predefined set of sizes of the data block group for the transmitted data. In various embodiments, a size of the data block group is selected from a predefined set of sizes of the data block group based on a number of data blocks of the transmitted data. In certain embodiments, the feedback information for a data block group of the transmitted data is generated by performing a logic operation on a decoding status corresponding to each data block within the data block group of the transmitted data. In one embodiment, the logic operation includes an AND operation. In some embodiments, the transmitted data includes multiple data block groups and a number of data blocks in a last data block group of the multiple data block groups is smaller than that of other data block groups of the multiple data block groups. In various embodiments, a data block group size is a feedback bundling size for generating a decoding status of a whole data block group by performing logic AND operation on a decoding status corresponding to each data block within the data block group of the transmitted data.

In certain embodiments, the decoding status corresponding to each data block is an ACK in response to the respective data block being correctly decoded and a NACK in response to the respective data block not being correctly decoded. In some embodiments, the transmitted data includes multiple data block groups and the feedback information for each data block group of the multiple data block groups of the transmitted data is received together. In various embodiment, data blocks in the data block group have consecutive data block number. In one embodiment, a number of data block groups of the transmitted data is equal to a ceiling of a number of data blocks of the transmitted data divided by the data block group size. In certain embodiments, the transmitter retransmits data blocks within the data block group of the transmitted data in response to corresponding feedback information for the data block group indicating that the data blocks within the data block group are not being correctly decoded. In some embodiments, the transmitter transmits signaling indicating a size of a data block group for the retransmitted data.

A method for receiving feedback information for a data block group, in one embodiment, includes transmitting data. The method also includes receiving feedback information for indicating a decoding status corresponding to a data block group of the transmitted data. In such embodiments, the data block group includes multiple data blocks and each data block is independently decodable.

These code may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the schematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block diagrams block or blocks.

<FIG> depicts an embodiment of a wireless communication system <NUM> for transmitting and/or receiving feedback information for a data block group. In one embodiment, the wireless communication system <NUM> includes remote units <NUM> and base units <NUM>. Even though a specific number of remote units <NUM> and base units <NUM> are depicted in <FIG>, one of skill in the art will recognize that any number of remote units <NUM> and base units <NUM> may be included in the wireless communication system <NUM>.

The base units <NUM> may be distributed over a geographic region. In certain embodiments, a base unit <NUM> may also be referred to as an access point, an access terminal, a base, a base station, a Node-B, an eNB, a gNB, a Home Node-B, a relay node, a device, or by any other terminology used in the art. The base units <NUM> are generally part of a radio access network that includes one or more controllers communicably coupled to one or more corresponding base units <NUM>.

In one implementation, the wireless communication system <NUM> is compliant with the LTE of the 3GPP protocol, wherein the base unit <NUM> transmits using an OFDM modulation scheme on the DL and the remote units <NUM> transmit on the UL using a SC-FDMA scheme or an OFDM scheme. More generally, however, the wireless communication system <NUM> may implement some other open or proprietary communication protocol, for example, WiMAX, among other protocols.

In one embodiment, a base unit <NUM> may transmit data. The base unit <NUM> may also receive feedback information for indicating a decoding status corresponding to a data block group of the transmitted data. To reduce the complexity of encoding and decoding, data exceeding a maximum data block size may be segmented to multiple data blocks and each data block may be independently decodable. Each data block being "independently decodable" may mean that a data block may be decoded separately and/or independently from other data blocks. Multiple data blocks may be grouped into a single data block group. Accordingly, a base unit <NUM> may receive feedback information for a data block group.

In another embodiment, a remote unit <NUM> may determine a data block group size of a data block group for received data. In such an embodiment, each data block in the data block group is independently decodable. The remote unit <NUM> may generate feedback information for the data block group of the received data. The feedback information may be used for indicating a decoding status corresponding to the data block group. The remote unit <NUM> may transmit the feedback information for the data block group. Accordingly, a remote unit <NUM> may transmit feedback information for a data block group.

In certain embodiments, a remote unit <NUM> may transmit data. The remote unit <NUM> may also receive feedback information for indicating a decoding status corresponding to a data block group of the transmitted data. The data block group may include multiple data blocks and each data block may be independently decodable. Each data block being "independently decodable" may mean that a data block may be decoded separately and/or independently from other data blocks. Accordingly, a remote unit <NUM> may receive feedback information for a data block group.

In various embodiments, a base unit <NUM> may determine a data block group size of a data block group for received data. In such embodiments, each data block in the data block group is independently decodable. The base unit <NUM> may generate feedback information for the data block group of the received data. The feedback information may be used for indicating a decoding status corresponding to the data block group. The base unit <NUM> may transmit the feedback information for the data block group. Accordingly, a base unit <NUM> may transmit feedback information for a data block group.

<FIG> depicts one embodiment of an apparatus <NUM> that may be used for transmitting and/or receiving feedback information for a data block group. The apparatus <NUM> includes one embodiment of the remote unit <NUM>. Furthermore, the remote unit <NUM> may include a processor <NUM>, a memory <NUM>, an input device <NUM>, a display <NUM>, a transmitter <NUM>, and a receiver <NUM>. In some embodiments, the input device <NUM> and the display <NUM> are combined into a single device, such as a touchscreen. In certain embodiments, the remote unit <NUM> may not include any input device <NUM> and/or display <NUM>. In various embodiments, the remote unit <NUM> may include one or more of the processor <NUM>, the memory <NUM>, the transmitter <NUM>, and the receiver <NUM>, and may not include the input device <NUM> and/or the display <NUM>.

In certain embodiments, the processor <NUM> may determine a data block group size of a data block group for received data. In such embodiments, each data block in the data block group may be independently decodable. In various embodiments, the processor <NUM> may generate feedback information for a data block group of received data. In such embodiments, the feedback information is used for indicating a decoding status corresponding to the data block group.

In some embodiments, the memory <NUM> stores data relating to data block group sizes.

The transmitter <NUM> is used to provide UL communication signals to the base unit <NUM> and the receiver <NUM> is used to receive DL communication signals from the base unit <NUM>. In one embodiment, the transmitter <NUM> is used to transmit data. In certain embodiments, the transmitter <NUM> may be used to transmit feedback information for a data block group. In one embodiment, the receiver <NUM> may be used to receive feedback information for indicating a decoding status corresponding to a data block group of the transmitted data. In such an embodiment, the data block group includes multiple data blocks and each data block is independently decodable.

<FIG> depicts one embodiment of an apparatus <NUM> that may be used for transmitting and/or receiving feedback information for a data block group. The apparatus <NUM> includes one embodiment of the base unit <NUM>. Furthermore, the base unit <NUM> may include a processor <NUM>, a memory <NUM>, an input device <NUM>, a display <NUM>, a transmitter <NUM>, and a receiver <NUM>. As may be appreciated, the processor <NUM>, the memory <NUM>, the input device <NUM>, the display <NUM>, the transmitter <NUM>, and the receiver <NUM> may be substantially similar to the processor <NUM>, the memory <NUM>, the input device <NUM>, the display <NUM>, the transmitter <NUM>, and the receiver <NUM> of the remote unit <NUM>, respectively.

Although only one transmitter <NUM> and one receiver <NUM> are illustrated, the base unit <NUM> may have any suitable number of transmitters <NUM> and receivers <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates one embodiment of communications <NUM> for transmitting and/or receiving feedback information for a data block group. Specifically, communications <NUM> between a UE <NUM> and a gNB <NUM> are illustrated. A first communication <NUM> may include data transmitted from the gNB <NUM> and received by the UE <NUM>. In some embodiments, the data may include any suitable number of data blocks. The UE <NUM> may determine a data block group size of a data block group for the received data. Each data block may be independently decodable. As may be appreciated, each data block being "independently decodable" may mean that a data block may be decoded separately and/or independently from other data blocks. For example, one data block group may include four data blocks (i.e., a first data block, a second data block, a third data block, and a fourth data block). Each of the first, second, third, and fourth data blocks may be decoded independently (e.g., without relying on the other data blocks). In one example, a data block group size may be <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> data blocks, or another size. Received data may be divided into multiple data block groups based on the determined data block group size. For example, if the received data is <NUM> data blocks, the data block group size may be <NUM> data blocks so that there are <NUM> data block groups each having a data block group size of <NUM> data blocks.

A second communication <NUM> includes a transmission of feedback information from the UE <NUM> to the gNB <NUM>. The feedback information may be transmitted as <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, or more bits. In one embodiment, each bit of the feedback information corresponds to a data block group. For example, based on the determined data block group size, if the received data is divided into <NUM> data block groups, then one bit of the feedback information corresponds to each of the <NUM> data block groups resulting in feedback information having <NUM> HARQ-ACK bits. As may be appreciated, if any of the data blocks in a data block group is not received and/or decoded properly, the bit for the whole data block group will provide NACK feedback. In contrast, if all of the data blocks in a data block group are received and decoded properly, the bit for the whole data block group will provide ACK feedback. If any NACKs are received, a third communication <NUM> includes a retransmission of data from the gNB <NUM> to the UE <NUM>. The retransmission of data retransmits data corresponding to the NACKs received by the gNB <NUM>. For example, if there are <NUM> HARQ-ACK bits corresponding to <NUM> data blocks and the first HARQ-ACK bit is the only HARQ-ACK bit that includes a NACK, then all the data blocks within the data block group corresponding to the first HARQ-ACK bit will be retransmitted. Assuming that there were originally <NUM> data blocks and each data block group size has a size of <NUM> data blocks, the first HARQ-ACK bit corresponds to the first <NUM> data blocks in the original transmission. Accordingly, in the third communication <NUM> only the first <NUM> data blocks are retransmitted.

A fourth communication <NUM> includes a transmission of feedback information from the UE <NUM> to the gNB <NUM>. The feedback information may be transmitted as <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, or more bits. In one embodiment, each bit of the feedback information corresponds to a data block group. For example, based on the determined data block group size, if the received data is divided to <NUM> data block groups, then one bit of the feedback information corresponds to each of the <NUM> data block groups resulting in feedback information having <NUM> HARQ-ACK bits. As may be appreciated, if any of the data blocks in a data block group is not received and/or decoded properly, the bit for the whole data block group will provide NACK feedback. In contrast, if all of the data blocks in a data block group are received and decoded properly, the bit for the whole data block group will provide ACK feedback. If any NACKs are received, a fifth communication <NUM> includes a retransmission of data from the gNB <NUM> to the UE <NUM>. The retransmission of data retransmits data corresponding to the NACKs received by the gNB <NUM>. For example, if there are <NUM> HARQ-ACK bits corresponding to <NUM> data block groups and the first HARQ-ACK bit is the only HARQ-ACK bit that includes a NACK, then all the data blocks within the data block group corresponding to the first HARQ-ACK bit will be retransmitted. Assuming in the retransmission there were <NUM> data blocks and each data block group size has a size of <NUM> data blocks, then the <NUM> data blocks can be divided to <NUM> data block groups resulting in <NUM> HARQ-ACK bits. Assuming the first HARQ-ACK bit corresponding to the first <NUM> data blocks includes NACK, accordingly, in the fifth communication <NUM> only the first <NUM> data blocks are retransmitted. As another example, assuming in the retransmission there were <NUM> data blocks and each data block group size has a size of <NUM> data blocks, then there are <NUM> data block groups and one bit of the feedback information corresponds to each of the <NUM> data block groups resulting in feedback information having <NUM> HARQ-ACK bits. Assuming the first HARQ-ACK bit corresponding to the first <NUM> data blocks includes NACK, accordingly, in the fifth communication <NUM> only the first <NUM> data blocks are retransmitted.

A sixth communication <NUM> includes a transmission of feedback information from the UE <NUM> to the gNB <NUM>. The feedback information may be transmitted as <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, or more bits. In one embodiment, each bit of the feedback information corresponds to a data block group. As may be appreciated, if any of the data blocks in a data block group is not received and/or decoded properly, the bit for the whole data block group will provide NACK feedback. In contrast, if all of the data blocks in a data block group are received and decoded properly, the bit for the whole data block group will provide ACK feedback. In the example used herein, assuming there were only <NUM> data blocks in the retransmission of the fifth communication <NUM>, there may be two HARQ-ACK bits used with each HARQ-ACK bit used for only one data block.

In one embodiment, RRC signaling may be used to configure a set of possible bundling size (e.g., data block group size) for the HARQ-ACK bits corresponding to all the data blocks for a given TB. In certain embodiments, the concrete bundling size out of the set of possible bundling sizes may be dynamically indicated by gNB <NUM> in DL assignment in each (re)transmission for the given TB. In other embodiments, the UE <NUM> may dynamically select the bundling size out of the set of possible bundling sizes. Upon reception of the DL assignment and corresponding (re)transmitted data, the UE <NUM> may decode each data block, list the corresponding HARQ-ACK bits in the ascending order of data block number, then start HARQ-ACK bundling by performing logic AND operation for the consecutive HARQ-ACK bits with the dynamically indicated bundling size from the first HARQ-ACK bit. In some embodiments, the number of data blocks in the last one or more data block groups may be smaller than the indicated bundling size. In such embodiments, HARQ-ACK bundling may be performed among those HARQ-ACK bits corresponding to data blocks within one data block group.

For example, the gNB <NUM> may configure a bundling size set or data block group size (e.g., {<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>}) via RRC signaling to include the possible bundling sizes (i.e., data block group sizes) for data blocks for one given TB. With the above-listed bundling size set, <NUM> bits may be used in DL assignment to indicate one of values in the configured bundling size set for DL data transmission. Correspondingly, with the above-listed bundling size set, <NUM> bits may be used in UL assignment to indicate one of values in the configured bundling size set for UL data transmission. Assuming, for example in DL data transmission, that the TB has <NUM> CBs, in the initial data transmission, the gNB <NUM> may indicate the bundling size of <NUM> in the DL assignment for the transmission of <NUM> CBs. Upon reception of the DL assignment and corresponding data, the UE <NUM> decodes all the transmitted CBs and lists the corresponding HARQ-ACK bits in the ascending order of code block number (e.g., ACK0, ACK1,. , ACK127 for corresponding CB0, CB1,. , CB <NUM>). Then, according to the indicated bundling size of <NUM>, every <NUM> consecutive HARQ-ACK bits are bundled to one group and consolidated to one HARQ-ACK bit by a logic AND operation for the corresponding CB group. In this way, eight HARQ-ACK bits are generated and transmitted from the UE <NUM> to the gNB <NUM>. In a second transmission, the gNB <NUM> may retransmit the "NACKed" CB groups (e.g., CB groups for which a NACK is received by the gNB <NUM>) and adjust the bundling size value to balance the tradeoff between reporting overhead and the new CB group size. Assuming only one CB group is "NACKed", this is likely considering a <NUM>% success probability is assumed for each transmission in the gNB <NUM> scheduling, then the gNB <NUM> may retransmit the <NUM> CBs of the "NACKed" CB group and dynamically adjust the bundling size of <NUM> in the DL assignment for the retransmission. Upon reception of this new DL assignment and retransmitted CBs, the UE <NUM> may decode all the <NUM> code blocks and perform HARQ-ACK bundling for every <NUM> consecutive CBs. In this way, four HARQ-ACK bits may be generated and transmitted from the UE <NUM> to the gNB <NUM>. In case of "NACKed" CB groups of <NUM> CBs, the gNB <NUM> may retransmit the "NACKed" CBs and further adjust the bundling size value in the DL assignment according to the number of CBs to be retransmitted in a next retransmission.

In another embodiment, a series of HARQ-ACK bundling sizes may be predefined and fixed in specification corresponding to the number of CBs in one TB. Because both the gNB <NUM> and the UE <NUM> may know the number of CBs of one TB for each transmission, the UE <NUM> may derive the HARQ-ACK bundling size based on the number of CBs in a (re)transmission and perform HARQ-ACK bundling then transmit the finally bundled HARQ-ACK bits to the gNB <NUM>. For the "NACKed" CB group, the gNB <NUM> may retransmit it. Correspondingly, the UE <NUM> may decode the received CBs and derive the HARQ-ACK bundling size based on the number of CBs in the (re)transmission and perform HARQ-ACK bundling based on the number of CBs in the transmission then transmit the finally bundled HARQ-ACK bits to the gNB <NUM>. For example, Table <NUM> provides one embodiment of predefined HARQ-ACK bundling sizes.

<FIG> is a schematic flow chart diagram illustrating one embodiment of a method <NUM> for transmitting feedback information for a data block group. In some embodiments, the method <NUM> is performed by an apparatus, such as the base unit <NUM> or the remote unit <NUM>. In certain embodiments, the method <NUM> may be performed by a processor executing program code, for example, a microcontroller, a microprocessor, a CPU, a GPU, an auxiliary processing unit, a FPGA, or the like.

The method <NUM> may include determining <NUM> a data block group size of a data block group for received data. In some embodiments, each data block in the data block group is independently decodable. In certain embodiments, determining <NUM> the data block group size corresponding to the received data includes selecting the data block group size from a predefined set of data block group sizes based on a number of data blocks of received data. The method <NUM> also includes generating <NUM> feedback information for the data block group of the received data. In various embodiments, the feedback information is used for indicating a decoding status corresponding to the data block group.

In one embodiment, the method <NUM> includes transmitting <NUM> the feedback information for the data block group. In one embodiment, the method <NUM> includes receiving a signal indicating a set of data block group sizes. In a further embodiment, the method <NUM> includes receiving a signal indicating the data block group size from the set of data block group sizes for the received data. In certain embodiments, the method <NUM> includes receiving a signal indicating the data block group size from a predefined set of data block group sizes for the received data.

In various embodiments, the method <NUM> includes generating <NUM> the feedback information for the data block group of the received data by performing a logic operation on a decoding status corresponding to each data block of the data block group. In certain embodiments, the logic operation includes an AND operation. In one embodiment, the received data includes multiple data block groups and a number of data blocks in a last data block group of the multiple data block groups is smaller than the data block group size. In some embodiments, the data block group size is a feedback bundling size for generating a decoding status of a whole data block group by performing a logic AND operation on a decoding status corresponding to each data block within the data block group of the received data. In various embodiments, the decoding status corresponding to each data block is an ACK in response to the respective data block being correctly decoded and a NACK in response to the respective data block not being correctly decoded.

<FIG> is a schematic flow chart diagram illustrating one embodiment of a method <NUM> for receiving feedback information for a data block group. In some embodiments, the method <NUM> is performed by an apparatus, such as the remote unit <NUM> or the base unit <NUM>. In certain embodiments, the method <NUM> may be performed by a processor executing program code, for example, a microcontroller, a microprocessor, a CPU, a GPU, an auxiliary processing unit, a FPGA, or the like.

The method <NUM> may include transmitting <NUM> data. The method <NUM> also includes receiving <NUM> feedback information for indicating a decoding status corresponding to a data block group of the transmitted data. In various embodiments, the data block group includes multiple data blocks and each data block is independently decodable.

In one embodiment, the method <NUM> determines a size of the data block group for the transmitted data. In a further embodiment, the method <NUM> transmits a signal indicating a set of sizes of the data block group. In certain embodiments, the method <NUM> transmits a signal indicating a size of the data block group from the set of the sizes of the data block group for the transmitted data.

In some embodiments, the method <NUM> transmits a signal indicating the size of the data block group from a predefined set of sizes of the data block group for the transmitted data. In various embodiments, a size of the data block group is selected from a predefined set of sizes of the data block group based on a number of data blocks of the transmitted data. In certain embodiments, the feedback information for a data block group of the transmitted data is generated by performing a logic operation on a decoding status corresponding to each data block within the data block group of the transmitted data. In one embodiment, the logic operation includes an AND operation. In some embodiments, the transmitted data includes multiple data block groups and a number of data blocks in a last data block group of the multiple data block groups is smaller than that of other data block groups of the multiple data block groups. In various embodiments, a data block group size is a feedback bundling size for generating a decoding status of a whole data block group by performing logic AND operation on a decoding status corresponding to each data block within the data block group of the transmitted data.

Claim 1:
A method comprising:
receiving a signal indicating a data block group size from a predefined set of data block group sizes for determining a number of data block groups of data, wherein the data block group size is a number of data blocks in each data block group of the data, and each data block is independently decodable;
receiving the data;
determining (<NUM>) the data block group size and a number of data block groups of the received data;
generating (<NUM>) feedback information for each data block group of the received data for indicating a decoding status of the respective data block group, wherein the feedback information for the respective data block group comprises a single bit generated by performing a logic AND operation among decoding statuses corresponding to each data block of the respective data block group; and
transmitting (<NUM>) the feedback information for each data block group of the received data.