COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
There are provided methods of controlling user equipment operation in a wireless communications network configured to support communication with the user equipment according to a communication mode which utilises repetition of messaging; computer program products and network nodes operable to perform those methods.
BACKGROUND
Wireless telecommunications systems are known. In a cellular system, radio coverage is provided to user equipment, for example, mobile phones, in areas known as cells. A base station is located in each cell to provide radio coverage. User equipment in each cell receives information and data from a base station and can be operable to transmit information and data to the base station.
Information and data transmitted by a base station to user equipment occurs on channels of radio carriers known as downlink channels. Information and data transmitted by user equipment to the base station occurs on channels of radio carriers known as uplink channels. Although the deployment of base stations is largely controlled or controllable by a network operator, the deployment of user equipment is not. The unplanned deployment of user equipment within a network can cause unexpected consequences.
Accordingly, it is desired to provide techniques for communicating with user equipment in a network.
WO2013/056741 discloses a way of multiplexing more than one UE in the same frequency and time resource using CDMA (code division multiple access). The spreading factor and which OVSF code is used is indicated in the MCS (modulation and coding scheme). Where a message has failed to reach its destination and a NACK has been received retransmission may be used. A retransmission format may be indicated in the MCS value. No repetition of messaging is used.
ZTE "Discussion on Traffic Channel Coverage Improvement":3GPP TSG RAN WGi Meeting #75,11 - 15/11/2013 discusses repetition as an effective and significant coverage improvement technique. It considers that the repetition times and coverage

levels could be dynamically changed through physical or high layer signalling. There is no discussion of the modulation and coding regimes.
Renesas Mobile Europe Ltd. "physical Channels Coverage Enhancements for MTC" 3GPP TSG RAN WGi Meeting #72, 28/Jan - 1 Feb 2013 discloses physical channel coverage enhancements for MTC and discusses the use of repetition.
New Postcom "Proposals on Down Link Coverage Enhancement for Low Cost MTC" 3GPP TSG RAN WGl Meeting #72 28 Jan -1 Feb 2013 discusses coverage enhancement for downlink physical channels using power boosting and repetition on time domain.
Alcatel-Lucent "Feasibility of coverage extension of physical channels for MTC devices" 3GPP TSG RAN WGi Meeting #72, 28/Jan - 1 Feb 2013 discloses different ways of enhancing coverage for MTC devices and looks at the physical channels and where the enhancement may be required.
SUMMARY
A first aspect provides a method of controlling user equipment operation in a wireless communications network configured to support communication with the user equipment according to a communication mode which utilises repetition of messaging; the method comprising: determining a modulation and coding regime to be used by the user equipment; identifying a repetition regime to be implemented by the user equipment in conjunction with the modulation and coding regime; and communicating an indication of the determined modulation and coding regime and identified repetition regime to the user equipment.

executable or computer-executable programs of instructions, wherein said instructions perform some or all of the steps of said above-described methods. The program storage devices may be, e.g., digital memories, magnetic storage media such as a magnetic disks and magnetic tapes, hard drives, or optically readable digital data storage media. The embodiments are also intended to cover computers programmed to perform said steps of the above-described methods.
The functions of the various elements shown in the Figures, including any functional blocks labelled as "processors" or "logic", may be provided through the use of dedicated hardware as well as hardware capable of executing software in association with appropriate software. When provided by a processor, the functions may be provided by a single dedicated processor, by a single shared processor, or by a plurality of individual processors, some of which may be shared. Moreover, explicit use of the term "processor" or "controller" or "logic" should not be construed to refer exclusively to hardware capable of executing software, and may implicitly include, without limitation, digital signal processor (DSP) hardware, network processor, application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), field programmable gate array (FPGA), read only memory (ROM) for storing software, random access memory (RAM), and non-volatile storage. Other hardware, conventional and/or custom, may also be included. Similarly, any switches shown in the Figures are conceptual only. Their function may be carried out through the operation of program logic, through dedicated logic, through the interaction of program control and dedicated logic, or even manually, the particular technique being selectable by the implementer as more specifically understood from the context.
It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that any block diagrams herein represent conceptual views of illustrative circuitry embodying the principles of the invention. Similarly, it will be appreciated that any flow charts, flow diagrams, state transition diagrams, pseudo code, and the like represent various processes which may be substantially represented in computer readable medium and so executed by a computer or processor, whether or not such computer or processor is explicitly shown. The description and drawings merely illustrate the principles of the invention. It will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise various arrangements that, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the invention and are included within its scope as set out in the accompanying claims. Furthermore, all examples recited herein are principally intended expressly to be only for pedagogical

CLAIMS
1. A method of controlling user equipment operation in a wireless
communications network configured to support communication with said user
equipment according to a communication mode which utilises repetition of messaging;
said method comprising:
determining a modulation and coding regime to be used by said user equipment; identifying a repetition regime to be implemented by said user equipment in conjunction with said modulation and coding regime; and
communicating an indication of said determined modulation and coding regime and identified repetition regime to said user equipment.
2. A method according to claim l, in which said indication of said identified repetition regime is encoded using one or more bits of a modulation and coding regime control message.
3. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which said indication of said identified repetition regime is encoded using one or more bits of a user equipment transmit power control message.
4. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein said indication comprises: an indication of an absolute number of repetitions to be performed.
5. A method according to claim 4, wherein said indication comprises: an indication of a codebook entry giving an absolute number of repetitions to be performed.
6. A method according to claim 5, wherein said indication further comprises: a modulation and coding regime to be applied.
7. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein said repetition regime comprises a repetition regime to be applied in relation to uplink transmissions made by said user equipment.
8. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein determining said modulation and coding regime comprises assessing radio condition being experienced

by said user equipment and selecting said modulation and coding regime in dependence upon said assessed radio condition.
9. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein said communication mode which utilises repetition of messaging comprises: messaging techniques used to provide radio coverage in a coverage enhanced region.
10. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein said user equipment comprises a coverage extension machine type communication device.
11. A computer program product operable, when executed on a computer, to perform the method of any one of claims l to 10.
12. A network node operable to control user equipment operation in a wireless communications network configured to support communication with said user equipment according to a communication mode which utilises repetition of messaging; said network node comprising:
transmission regime logic operable to determine a modulation and coding regime to be used by said user equipment;
repetition logic operable to identify an repetition regime to be implemented by said user equipment in conjunction with said modulation and coding regime; and communication logic operable to communicate an indication of said determined modulation and coding regime and identified repetition regime to said user equipment.
13. A network node according to claim 12, in which said indication of said identified repetition regime is encoded using one or more bits of a modulation and coding regime control message.
14. A network node according to claim 12 or 13, wherein said indication comprises: an indication of an absolute number of repetitions to be performed.
15. A network node according to claim 14, wherein said indication comprises: an indication of a codebook entry giving an absolute number of repetitions to be performed.
16. A network node according to claim 15, wherein said indication further comprises: a modulation and coding regime to be applied.

17. A network node according to any one of claims 12 to 16, wherein said repetition regime comprises a repetition regime to be applied in relation to uplink transmissions made by said user equipment.
18. A method of controlling user equipment operation in a wireless communications network configured to support communication with said user equipment according to a communication mode which utilises repetition of messaging; said method comprising:
receiving an indication of a determined modulation and coding regime and identified repetition regime to be used by said user equipment;
said modulation and coding regime to be used by said user equipment having been determined by a network control node; and said repetition regime to be implemented by said user equipment having been identified for use by said user equipment in conjunction said determined modulation and coding regime; and communicating in dependence upon said received indication.
19. A method according to claim 18, in which said indication of said identified repetition regime is encoded using one or more bits of a modulation and coding regime control message.
20. A method according to claim 18 or 19, wherein said indication comprises: an indication of an absolute number of repetitions to be performed.
21. A method according to claims 20, wherein said indication comprises: an indication of a codebook entry giving an absolute number of repetitions to be performed.
22. A method according to claim 21, wherein said indication further comprises: a modulation and coding regime to be applied.
23. A method according to any one of claims 18 to 22, wherein said repetition regime comprises a repetition regime to be applied in relation to uplink transmissions made by said user equipment.
24. A computer program product operable, when executed on a computer, to perform the method of any one of claims 18 to 23.

25- User equipment operable to perform a control method in a wireless communications network configured to support communication with said user equipment according to a communication mode which utilises repetition of messaging; said user equipment comprising:
reception logic operable to receive an indication of a determined modulation and coding regime and identified repetition regime to be used by said user equipment; said modulation and coding regime to be used by said user equipment having been determined by a network control node; and said repetition regime to be implemented by said user equipment having been identified for use by said user equipment in conjunction with said determined modulation and coding regime; and communication logic operable to transmit communication in dependence upon said received indication.
26. User equipment according to claim 25, in which said indication of said identified repetition regime is encoded using one or more bits of a modulation and coding regime control message.
27. User equipment according to claim 25 or 26, wherein said indication comprises: an indication of an absolute number of repetitions to be performed.
28. User equipment according to 27, wherein said indication comprises: an indication of a codebook entry giving an absolute number of repetitions to be performed.
29. User equipment according to claim 28, wherein said indication further comprises: a modulation and coding regime to be applied.
30. User equipment according to any one of claims 25 to 29, wherein said repetition regime comprises a repetition regime to be applied in relation to uplink transmissions made by said user equipment.