METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATE SCHEDULING OF UPLINK DATA AND REFERENCE SIGNAL TRANSMISSIONS IN A COMMUNICATION NETWORK

摘要

According to one aspect of the teachings herein, a base station (20) schedules the transmission of uplink reference signals by a wireless device (16) separately from scheduling uplink data transmissions by the device (16). The separate scheduling may be done at specific times, under specific conditions, and with respect to specific devices (16) or groups of devices (16). Separate scheduling allows, for example, the base station (20) to use smaller scheduling intervals that are possible when uplink reference signals are integrally included in any scheduled uplink data transmission. As a further advantage, the density or number of uplink reference signal transmissions by a given device (16) can be adapted, e.g., based on channel conditions, data transmission formats, etc. Correspondingly, a wireless device (16) is configured to receive separate grants for uplink data transmissions and uplink reference signal transmissions, and to make corresponding data and reference signal transmissions in accordance with those separate grants.