Use of discrete portions of frequency bandwidth to distinguish between ACK and NACK transmissions

摘要

The air interface between a first node and a second node will span a frequency bandwidth defining two distinct portions, and acknowledgement message transmission such as Hybrid-ARQ message transmission will make use of those distinct portions to distinguish ACKs from NACKs. In particular, ACKs may be restricted to being transmitted within one portion of the frequency bandwidth, while NACKs may be restricted to being transmitted in different portion of the frequency bandwidth. Consequently, when the first node transmits data to the second node and receives an acknowledgement message sent in response from the second node, the first node may determine, based on which portion of the frequency bandwidth the first node received the acknowledgement message in, whether the acknowledgement message is an ACK or rather a NACK.

主权项

1. A method operable in a system in which a first node and second node communicate with each other over an air interface spanning a frequency bandwidth that includes at least two distinct portions including a first portion and a second portion, the method comprising:
engaging by the first node in a transmission of data to the second node and then receiving by the first node from the second node, in one of the portions of the frequency bandwidth, an acknowledgement for the transmission; making a determination by the first node, based on which of the portions of the frequency bandwidth the first node received the acknowledgement in, whether the received acknowledgement is a positive acknowledgement or rather a negative acknowledgement, wherein (a) if the first node received the acknowledgement in the first portion rather than in the second portion, then, based on the first node having received the acknowledgement in the first portion, the determination is that the acknowledgement is a positive acknowledgement and (b) if the first node received the acknowledgment in the second portion rather than the first portion, then, based on the first node having received the acknowledgement in the second portion, the determination is that the acknowledgement is a negative acknowledgement; and controlling by the first node, based on the determination, whether to engage in a re-transmission over the air interface to the second node.