US 11032000

Analysis of U.S. Patent 11,032,000

Title: Communications in a wireless network

Assignee: Intellectual Ventures II LLC

Inventor: Paul Howard

Filing Date: November 13, 2019

Issue Date: June 8, 2021

Abstract:
A user equipment (UE) may, in a time interval that it is not sending information over a physical uplink shared channel, send an uplink physical signal based on received resource allocation information. The uplink physical signal may be used to determine channel conditions by a base station. The UE may receive, on a downlink control channel, control information. The control information may be based on the determined channel conditions.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims

U.S. Patent 11,032,000 has four independent claims: 1, 7, 13, and 19.

Independent Claim 1: Describes a user equipment (UE), such as a smartphone. This device is configured to receive information about how to send an "uplink physical signal," which is a special signal used for testing network conditions, on a separate resource from its regular data channel. The UE sends its normal data in assigned time slots. However, in a time slot when it's not sending data, it sends this special uplink signal. Multiple UEs can send these signals in the same time slot. In response, the UE receives control information from the base station on a dedicated control channel. This control information, based on the network conditions determined from the special signal, is sent in the same time slot as other types of data channels but only in specific, predetermined time slots within a larger data frame. The amount of control information sent is based on how much feedback is needed.

Independent Claim 7: This claim focuses on the network device, such as a cell tower or base station. The network device first sends out the resource allocation information for the special "uplink physical signal," keeping it separate from the regular data channel. It receives data from UEs in their assigned time slots. In a time slot where it isn't receiving regular data, it receives the special uplink signal from multiple UEs simultaneously to determine their channel conditions. Based on these conditions, the network device then sends control information back to the UEs on a specific control channel. This control channel shares a time slot with other data channels and is only transmitted in certain predetermined time slots. The size of this control information depends on the number of feedback fields required.

Independent Claim 13: This claim outlines the method performed by the user equipment (UE). The UE first receives instructions on how and when to send a special "uplink physical signal," which uses different resources than its normal data transmissions. It sends data on its shared channel during its allocated times. Then, during a time interval when it is not sending data, it transmits the special uplink signal. This signal is sent at the same time as other UEs are sending their own special signals, and the base station uses it to check the network conditions. Afterwards, the UE receives control information on a dedicated control channel. This control information is based on the previously determined channel conditions and is sent in a time slot that is also used for other data channels, but only in specific, pre-assigned slots within a data frame. The amount of control information is determined by the number of control fields being sent.

Independent Claim 19: This claim details the method from the perspective of the network device. The process begins with the network device transmitting resource allocation information for a special "uplink physical signal," ensuring these resources are different from the main data channel. The device then receives data from UEs in their assigned time intervals. In a time slot where it is not receiving data, it receives the special uplink signals from multiple UEs at the same time to assess their connection quality. Based on this assessment, the network device sends control information back to the UEs over a physical control channel. This control channel is bundled in the same time slot with other data channels, but only within specific, predetermined time slots of a larger data frame. The number of bits in the control information is based on the amount of feedback that needs to be sent to the UE.

Litigation Search

A search of the CAFC (Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit) 2026 dockets for patent number 11,032,000 did not yield any results, indicating no active appeals for this patent in the specified period. It is important to note that this does not preclude litigation at the district court level or in other jurisdictions.