Flexible transmission of messages in a wireless communication system with multiple transmit antennas

• US 10,735,165 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2019
• Issued: 08/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Koorapaty, Havish, Baldemair, Robert, Cheng, Jung-Fu, Frenne, Mattias, Larsson, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Hsu, Alpus
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thai, Camquyen
• Application Number:
  US16/428,145
• Publication Number:
  US 20190288815A1
• Time in Patent Office: 431 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0007 the frequencies being orthogonal, e.g. OFDM(A), DMT
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0048 Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0053 Allocation of signaling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals

Abstract

Devices and methods for transmitting information in resource blocks between a base station and one or more communication devices are disclosed. In each resource block (RB) used for a data or control channel transmission, a plurality of non-overlapping regions of resource elements (REs) are defined. Each region is associated with one or multiple unique reference symbols (RSs), and may be further associated with one or more antenna ports. When user equipment (UE) demodulates the information it receives in a particular region of an RB, it uses the RS and/or antenna port associated with that region. The RS and/or antenna port information may be used, for example, to estimate a channel of the communication network or to demodulate and decode the data contained within the associated regions.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting data in a resource block from a base station to a communication device, the base station including a plurality of antenna ports and the resource block including a plurality of regions that comprise resource elements, the method comprising:

allocating a first portion of said data to a first region of said plurality of regions, wherein said first portion of said data is associated with a first reference symbol;

allocating a second portion of said data to a second region of said plurality of regions, wherein said second portion of said data is associated with a second reference symbol;

encoding said first and second portions of said data to generate first and second encoded data;

allocating a third portion of said data to a third region of said plurality of regions, wherein said third portion of said data is associated with a third reference symbol;

applying orthogonal cover codes to said first and third reference symbols, wherein said first and third reference symbols are allocated to the same resource elements;

applying said orthogonal cover codes to said first and third portions of said data;

modulating said first encoded data to generate first modulated data;

modulating said second encoded data to generate second modulated data; and

transmitting said first and second modulated data and said first and second reference symbols in said resource block to said communication device,

wherein said first reference symbol is associated with a first antenna port of said plurality of antenna ports and said second reference symbol is associated with a second antenna port of said plurality of antenna ports

wherein said first region and said third region are the same.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first portion of said data is a control message.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said control message includes commands related to one or more of power control, scheduling information, acknowledgment or negative acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) response and system information.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said first reference symbol is a user equipment (UE)-specific reference symbol.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said first reference symbol is uniquely associated with said communication device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying orthogonal cover codes to said first and second reference symbols, wherein said first and second reference symbols are allocated to the same resource elements.

7. The method of claim 1,

wherein said third reference symbol is associated with a third antenna port of said plurality of antenna ports.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

applying a first cover code to said first region; and

applying a second cover code to said second region,

wherein said first cover code is associated with a first antenna port of said base station and said second cover code is associated with a second antenna port of said base station.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting comprises:

transmitting said first modulated data and said first reference symbol on said first antenna port; and

transmitting said second modulated data and said second reference symbol on said second antenna port.

10. A base station device operable in a communication network for transmitting data in a resource block, the resource block including a plurality of regions that comprise resource elements, comprising:

a plurality of antenna ports;

a processor configured to;

allocate a first portion of said data to a first region of said plurality of regions, wherein the first portion of said data is associated with a first reference symbol;

allocate a second portion of said data to a second region of said plurality of regions, wherein the second portion of said data is associated with a second reference symbol;

encode the first and second portions of said data to generate first and second encoded data;

allocate a third portion of said data to a third region of said plurality of regions, wherein said third portion of said data is associated with a third reference symbol;

apply orthogonal cover codes to said first and third reference symbols, wherein said first and third reference symbols are allocated to the same resource elements;

apply said orthogonal cover codes to said first and third portions of said data;

modulate said first encoded data to generate first modulated data;

modulate said second encoded data to generate second modulated data; and

a transmitter configured to transmit said first and second modulated data and said first and second reference symbols in said resource block to a communications device in said communication network,

wherein said first reference symbol is associated with a first antenna port of said plurality of antenna ports and said second reference symbol is associated with a second antenna port of said plurality of antenna ports, and

wherein said first region and said third region are the same.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein said first portion of said data is a control message.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein said control message includes commands related to one or more of power control, scheduling information, acknowledgment or negative acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) response and system information.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein said first reference symbol is a user equipment (UE)-specific reference symbol.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein said first reference symbol is uniquely associated with said communication device.

15. The device of claim 10, wherein said processor is further configured to apply orthogonal cover codes to said first and second reference symbols, and wherein said first and second reference symbols are allocated to the same resource element.

16. The device of claim 10, wherein

said third reference symbol is associated with a third antenna port of said plurality of antenna ports.

17. The device of claim 10, wherein said processor is further configured to:

apply a first cover code to said first region; and

apply a second cover code to said second region,

wherein said first cover code is associated with a first antenna port of said base station and said second cover code is associated with a second antenna port of said base station.

18. The base station of claim 10, wherein said transmitter is further configured to transmit said first modulated data and said first reference symbol on said first antenna port and to transmit said second modulated data and said second reference symbol said second antenna port.

19. A method for demodulating data in a resource block including a plurality of regions that comprise resource elements, comprising:

receiving said data at a communication device from a base station with a plurality of antenna ports, wherein a first portion of said data is allocated to a first region of said plurality of regions and associated with a first reference symbol, and a second portion of said data is allocated to a second region of said plurality of regions and associated with a second reference symbol, and a third portion of said data is allocated to a third region of said plurality of regions and associated with a third reference symbol, wherein the first and third reference symbols are allocated to the same resource elements and overlaid on top of each other using orthogonal cover codes, and wherein the first region and the third region are the same; and

estimating a first channel corresponding to a first antenna port of said plurality of antenna ports using said first reference symbol;

estimating a second channel corresponding to a second antenna port of said plurality of antenna ports using said second reference symbol;

estimating a third channel corresponding to a third antenna port of said plurality of antenna ports using said third reference symbol; and

demodulating at least one of said first, second, and third portions of said data.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said first portion of said data is a control message.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said control message includes commands related to one or more of power control, scheduling information, acknowledgment or negative acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) response and system information.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein said first reference symbol is a user equipment (UE)-specific reference symbol.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein said first reference symbol is uniquely associated with said communication device.

24. A communication device operable in a communication network to receive data in a resource block, which includes a plurality of regions that comprise resource elements, from a base station with a plurality of antenna ports, comprising:

one or more antennas configured to receive said data; and

a processor coupled to said one or more antennas;

wherein a first portion of said data is allocated to a first region of said plurality of regions and is associated with a first reference symbol and a second portion of said data is allocated to a second region of said plurality of regions and is associated with a second reference symbol, and a third portion of said data is allocated to a third region of said plurality of regions and associated with a third reference symbol, wherein the first and third reference symbols are allocated to the same resource elements and overlaid on top of each other using orthogonal cover codes, and wherein the first region and the third region are the same, and said processor is configured to;

estimate a first channel of said communication network corresponding to a first antenna port of said plurality of base station antenna ports using said first reference symbol;

estimate a second channel of said communication network corresponding to a second antenna port of said plurality of base station antenna ports using said second reference symbol;

estimating a third channel corresponding to a third antenna port of said plurality of antenna ports using said third reference symbol; and

demodulate at least one of said first, second, and third portions of data.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein said first portion of said data is a control message.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein said control message includes commands related to one or more of power control, scheduling information, acknowledgment or negative acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) response and system information.

27. The device of claim 25, wherein said first reference symbol is a user equipment (UE)-specific reference symbol.

28. The device of claim 24, wherein said first reference symbol is uniquely associated with said communication device.

29. A method for transmitting a plurality of messages from a base station to one or communication devices, the base station including a plurality of antenna ports, comprising:

allocating a first message to a first region of a first resource block, wherein said region is comprised of resource elements associated with a first reference symbol;

allocating a second message to a region of a second resource block, wherein said region is comprised of resource elements and associated with a second reference symbol;

encoding said first and second messages to generate first and second encoded data;

allocating a third message to the first region of the first resource block, wherein said third message is associated with a third reference symbol;

applying orthogonal cover codes to said first and third reference symbols, wherein said first and third reference symbols are allocated to the same resource elements;

applying said orthogonal cover codes to said first and third portions of said data;

modulating said first encoded data to generate first modulated data;

modulating said second encoded data to generate second modulated data; and

transmitting said first and second modulated data and said first and second reference symbols to at least one of said one or more communication devices.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said first and second reference symbols are allocated to resource elements within said first resource block.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein said first reference symbol is allocated to a resource element within said first resource block and said second reference symbol is allocated to a resource element within said second resource block.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein said first reference symbol is associated with a first antenna port of said base station and said second reference symbol is associated with a second antenna port of said base station.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein transmitting comprises:

transmitting said first modulated data and said first reference symbol on said first antenna port; and

transmitting said second modulated data and said second reference symbol on said second antenna port.

34. The method of claim 29, wherein said first message is a control message.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein said control message includes commands related to one or more of power control, scheduling information, acknowledgment or negative acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) response and system information.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein said first reference symbol is a user equipment (UE)-specific reference symbol.

37. The method of claim 29, wherein said first reference symbol is associated with one or more communication devices.

38. The method of claim 29, wherein said first and second messages are portions of a single message.

39. The method of claim 29, wherein said first reference symbol is associated with a first of said one or more communication devices and said second reference symbol is associated with a second of said one or more communication devices.