Method and system for utilizing multiplexing to increase throughput in a network of distributed transceivers with array processing

• US 10,277,370 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2017
• Issued: 04/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Peltbeam Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Golba LLC
• Inventors: Moshfeghi, Mehran
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao, Kwang B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bokhari, Syed M
• Application Number:
  US15/472,148
• Publication Number:
  US 20170279573A1
• Time in Patent Office: 763 Days
• Field of Search: 370310, 370338
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/40 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/401 for selecting or indicating operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/024 Co-operative use of antennas of several sites, e.g. in co-ordinated multipoint or co-operative multiple-input multiple-output [MIMO] systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0408 using two or more beams, i.e. beam diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0413 MIMO systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/043 using best eigenmode, e.g. beam forming or beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0689 using different transmission schemes, at least one of them being a diversity transmission scheme
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0897 using beamforming per multi-path, e.g. to cope with different directions of arrival [DOA] at different multi-paths
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/12 Modulator circuits; Transmitter circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0032 Distributed allocation, i.e. involving a plurality of allocating devices, each making partial allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/046 the resource being in the space domain, e.g. beams
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0473 the resource being transmission power
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/51 based on terminal or device properties
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/54 based on quality criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A communication device that comprises a plurality of distributed transceivers, a central processor and a network management engine, may be configured for a multiplexing mode of operation. Configuring of the multiplexing mode of operation may include configuring one or more communication modules for multiplexing a plurality of data streams. Each of the communication modules may comprise one or more antennas and/or antenna array elements and one or more of said plurality of distributed transceivers associated with said one or more antennas and/or antenna array elements. The communication modules may be configured to be spatially distinct and/or to use different frequency channels. The data streams may be communicated to a single target device or to a plurality of target devices.

Claims

1. A method of relaying data streams between a first device and a second device by a relay device comprising a plurality of distributed transceivers, each distributed transceiver comprising an antenna array comprising a plurality of antenna elements, the method comprising:

configuring beamforming settings for the antenna arrays of a first set of distributed transceivers in the plurality of distributed transceivers to establish a first link between the first device and the relay device, configuring the beamforming settings for the antenna arrays of the first set of distributed transceivers comprising phase shifting a signal received by each antenna element of the antenna array of the first set of distributed transceivers by a different value;

configuring beamforming settings for the antenna arrays of a second set of distributed transceivers in the plurality of distributed transceivers to establish a second link between the relay device and the second device, configuring the beamforming settings for the antenna arrays of the second set of distributed transceivers comprising phase shifting a signal transmitted by each antenna element of the antenna array of the second set of distributed transceivers by a different value; and

receiving a data stream at the first set of distributed transceivers from the first device through the first link and relaying the data stream from the second set of distributed transceivers to the second device through the second link.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the relay device concurrently receives the data stream at the first set of distributed transceivers from the first device and relays the data stream from the second set of distributed transceivers to the second device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the relay device receives the data stream from the first device and relays the data stream to the second device over a same frequency channel.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the relay device receives the data stream from the first device over a first frequency channel and relays the data stream to the second device over a second different frequency channel.

5. The method of claim 1, the relay device further comprising a set of down-converters, the method further comprising down converting the data stream received from the first device from a first carrier frequency to an intermediate frequency by the set of down-converters.

6. The method of claim 5, the relay device further comprising a set of up-converters, the method further comprising up converting the data stream relayed from the relay device from the intermediate frequency to the first carrier frequency.

7. The method of claim 5, the relay device further comprising a baseband processor, the method further comprising:

sending the data stream in the intermediate frequency from the set of down-converters to the baseband processor; and

performing baseband digital signal processing on the data stream in the intermediate frequency by the baseband processor.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein configuring the beamforming settings for the antenna arrays of the first and second sets of distributed transceivers comprises (i) using a same frequency channel for receiving and relaying the data stream and (ii) utilizing non-overlapping antenna patterns to minimize interference.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein configuring the beamforming settings for the antenna arrays of the first set of distributed transceivers comprises selecting one of a narrow beam and a wide beam based on a distance between the relay device and the first device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein configuring the beamforming settings for the antenna arrays of the second set of distributed transceivers comprises selecting one of a narrow beam and a wide beam based on a distance between the relay device and the second device.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying a set of reflectors in a propagation environment among the relay device and the first and second devices; and

monitoring the propagation environment to identify antenna patterns for the antenna array of the first and second sets of distributed transceivers that result in strong reflected signals communicated between the relay device and the first and second devices.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

monitoring a propagation environment among the relay device and the first and second devices to identify the propagation environment conditions comprising one or more of link quality, device capabilities, locations, target throughput, and application quality of service (QoS) requirements reported from the first and second devices; and

configuring the beamforming settings for the first and second sets of distributed transceivers based on the propagation environment conditions.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising utilizing the beamforming on incoming and outgoing signals of the relay device to minimize interference between the incoming and outgoing signals.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising utilizing multiplexing mode by the relay device to concurrently relay data streams to a plurality of devices comprising the second device in a same radio frequency (RF) channel using different transceivers.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the data stream is a first data stream in a first plurality of data streams comprising a set of information bits, the method further comprising:

receiving the first plurality of data streams at the relay device from the first device using one of spatial multiplexing and frequency multiplexing; and

relaying the set of information bits in a second plurality of data streams from the relay device to the second device using one of spatial multiplexing and frequency multiplexing.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the data stream is a first data stream in a plurality of data streams comprising a set of information bits, the method further comprising:

receiving the plurality of data streams at the relay device from the first device using one of spatial multiplexing and frequency multiplexing; and

relaying the set of information bits in the first data stream from the relay device to the second device.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the data stream received from the first device comprises a set of information bits, the method further comprising relaying the set of information bits in a plurality of independent data streams from the relay device to the second device using one of spatial multiplexing and frequency multiplexing.

18. A relay device for relaying data streams between a first device and a second device, the relay device comprising:

a plurality of distributed transceivers, each distributed transceiver comprising an antenna array comprising a plurality of antenna elements; and

a processor for;

configuring beamforming settings for the antenna arrays of a first set of distributed transceivers in the plurality of distributed transceivers to establish a first link between the first device and the relay device, configuring the beamforming settings for the antenna arrays of the first set of distributed transceivers comprising phase shifting a signal received by each antenna element of the antenna array of the first set of distributed transceivers by a different value,

configuring beamforming settings for the antenna arrays of a second set of distributed transceivers in the plurality of distributed transceivers to establish a second link between the relay device and the second device, configuring the beamforming settings for the antenna arrays of the second set of distributed transceivers comprising phase shifting a signal transmitted by each antenna element of the antenna array of the second set of distributed transceivers by a different value,

configuring the first set of distributed transceivers to receive a data stream at from the first device through the first link, and

configuring the second set of distributed transceivers to relay the data stream to the second device through the second link.

19. The relay device of claim 18, wherein the relay device concurrently receives the data stream at the first set of distributed transceivers from the first device and relays the data stream from the second set of distributed transceivers to the second device.

20. The relay device of claim 18, wherein the relay device receives the data stream from the first device and relays the data stream to the second device over a same frequency channel.

21. The relay device of claim 18, wherein the relay device receives the data stream from the first device over a first frequency channel and relays the data stream to the second device over a second different frequency channel.

22. The relay device of claim 18, the relay device further comprising a set of down-converters configured to down convert the data stream received from the first device from a first carrier frequency to an intermediate frequency by the set of down-converters.

23. The relay device of claim 22, the relay device further comprising a set of up-converters configured to up convert the data stream relayed from the relay device from the intermediate frequency to the first carrier frequency.

24. The relay device of claim 22, the relay device further comprising a baseband processor,

wherein the set of down-converters are configured to send the data stream in the intermediate frequency to the baseband processor, and

wherein the baseband processor is configured to perform baseband digital signal processing on the data stream in the intermediate frequency.

25. The relay device of claim 18, wherein configuring the beamforming settings for the antenna arrays of the first and second sets of distributed transceivers comprises (i) using a same frequency channel for receiving and relaying the data stream and (ii) utilizing non-overlapping antenna patterns to minimize interference.

26. The relay device of claim 18, wherein configuring the beamforming settings for the antenna arrays of the first set of distributed transceivers comprises selecting one of a narrow beam and a wide beam based on a distance between the relay device and the first device.

27. The relay device of claim 18, wherein configuring the beamforming settings for the antenna arrays of the second set of distributed transceivers comprises selecting one of a narrow beam and a wide beam based on a distance between the relay device and the second device.

28. The relay device of claim 18, the processor further for:

identifying a set of reflectors in a propagation environment among the relay device and the first and second devices; and

monitoring the propagation environment to identify antenna patterns for the antenna array of the first and second sets of distributed transceivers that result in strong reflected signals communicated between the relay device and the first and second devices.

29. The relay device of claim 18, the processor further for:

monitoring a propagation environment among the relay device and the first and second devices to identify the propagation environment conditions comprising one or more of link quality, device capabilities, locations, target throughput, and application quality of service (QoS) requirements reported from the first and second devices; and

configuring the beamforming settings for the first and second sets of distributed transceivers based on the propagation environment conditions.

30. The relay device of claim 18, the processor further for utilizing the beamforming on incoming and outgoing signals of the relay device to minimize interference between the incoming and outgoing signals.

31. The relay device of claim 18, the processor further for utilizing multiplexing mode to concurrently relay data streams to a plurality of devices comprising the second device in a same radio frequency (RF) channel using different transceivers.

32. The relay device of claim 18, wherein the data stream is a first data stream in a first plurality of data streams comprising a set of information bits, the processor further for:

configuring beamforming settings for the antenna arrays of the first set of distributed transceivers in the plurality of distributed transceivers to receive the first plurality of data streams at the relay device from the first device using one of spatial multiplexing and frequency multiplexing; and

configuring beamforming settings for the antenna arrays of the second set of distributed transceivers in the plurality of distributed transceivers to relay the set of information bits in a second plurality of data streams from the relay device to the second device using one of spatial multiplexing and frequency multiplexing.

33. The relay device of claim 18, wherein the data stream is a first data stream in a plurality of data streams comprising a set of information bits, the processor further for:

configuring beamforming settings for the antenna arrays of the first set of distributed transceivers in the plurality of distributed transceivers to receive the plurality of data streams at the relay device from the first device using one of spatial multiplexing and frequency multiplexing; and

configuring beamforming settings for the antenna arrays of the second set of distributed transceivers in the plurality of distributed transceivers to relay the set of information bits in the first data stream from the relay device to the second device.

34. The relay device of claim 18, wherein the data stream received from the first device comprises a set of information bits, the processor further for configuring beamforming settings for the antenna arrays of the second set of distributed transceivers in the plurality of distributed transceivers to relay the set of information bits in a plurality of independent data streams from the relay device to the second device using one of spatial multiplexing and frequency multiplexing.