Dynamic pilot subcarrier and data subcarrier indexing structure for wireless MIMO communication systems

• US 20060056540A1
• Filed: 09/14/2005
• Published: 03/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Magee, David P.
• Application Number:
  US11/226,039
• Publication Number:
  US 20060056540A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/299
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0669 using different channel coding between antennas space-time coding H04L1/0618

Abstract

The present invention provides a subcarrier index coordinator for use with a multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) transmitter having N transmit antennas, N being at least two, wherein each employs a plurality of transmit symbols with used subcarriers. The subcarrier index coordinator includes a subcarrier index generator configured to generate a set of pilot subcarrier indices and a set of data subcarrier indices for transmission. Additionally, the subcarrier index coordinator also includes a subcarrier index formatter coupled to the subcarrier index generator and configured to arrange the sets of pilot subcarrier indices and data subcarrier indices within the used subcarriers during transmission based on the N transmit antennas and the plurality of transmit symbols.

Claims

1. A subcarrier index coordinator for use with a multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) transmitter having N transmit antennas, N being at least two, wherein each employs a plurality of transmit symbols with used subcarriers, comprising:

a subcarrier index generator configured to generate a set of pilot subcarrier indices and a set of data subcarrier indices for transmission; and

a subcarrier index formatter coupled to said subcarrier index generator and configured to arrange said sets of pilot subcarrier indices and data subcarrier indices within said used subcarriers during transmission based on said N transmit antennas and said plurality of transmit symbols.

2. The coordinator as recited in claim 1 wherein each of said set of pilot subcarrier indices is functionally dependent on at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a transmit antenna number;

a subcarrier index number;

a pilot number; and

a symbol number.

3. The coordinator as recited in claim 1 wherein said set of pilot subcarrier indices are the same for each of said N transmit antennas.

4. The coordinator as recited in claim 1 wherein said set of pilot subcarrier indices are different for each of said N transmit antennas.

5. The coordinator as recited in claim 1 wherein said set of pilot subcarrier indices moves sequentially in said used subcarriers for at least a portion of said plurality of transmit symbols.

6. The coordinator as recited in claim 5 wherein said set of pilot subcarrier indices moves sequentially employing steps of adjacent subcarriers.

7. The coordinator as recited in claim 5 wherein said set of pilot subcarrier indices moves sequentially employing steps of nonadjacent subcarriers.

8. The coordinator as recited in claim 5 wherein said set of pilot subcarrier indices moves sequentially employing steps of a variable number of subcarriers.

9. The coordinator as recited in claim 5 wherein said set of pilot subcarrier indices moves sequentially employing steps of subcarriers having different bandwidths.

10. The coordinator as recited in claim 1 wherein said sets of pilot subcarrier indices and data subcarrier indices employ all of said used subcarriers for each of said plurality of transmit symbols.

11. The coordinator as recited in claim 1 wherein said set of pilot subcarrier indices is predetermined in said used subcarriers.

12. The coordinator as recited in claim 1 wherein said set of data subcarrier indices is predetermined in said used subcarriers.

13. The coordinator as recited in claim 1 wherein said set of pilot subcarrier indices conforms to an IEEE 802.11 standard.

14. A method of coordinating subcarrier indices for use with a multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) transmitter having N transmit antennas, N being at least two, wherein each employs a plurality of transmit symbols with used subcarriers, comprising:

generating a set of pilot subcarrier indices and a set of data subcarrier indices for transmission; and

arranging said sets of pilot subcarrier indices and data subcarrier indices within said used subcarriers during transmission based on said N transmit antennas and said plurality of transmit symbols.

15. The method as recited in claim 14 wherein each of said set of pilot subcarrier indices is functionally dependent on at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a transmit antenna number;

a subcarrier index number;

a pilot number; and

a symbol number.

16. The method as recited in claim 14 wherein said set of pilot subcarrier indices are the same for each of said N transmit antennas.

17. The method as recited in claim 14 wherein said set of pilot subcarrier indices are different for each of said N transmit antennas.

18. The method as recited in claim 14 wherein said set of pilot subcarrier indices moves sequentially in said used subcarriers for at least a portion of said plurality of transmit symbols.

19. The method as recited in claim 18 wherein said set of pilot subcarrier indices moves sequentially employing steps of adjacent subcarriers.

20. The method as recited in claim 18 wherein said set of pilot subcarrier indices moves sequentially employing steps of nonadjacent subcarriers.

21. The method as recited in claim 18 wherein said set of pilot subcarrier indices moves sequentially employing steps of a variable number of subcarriers.

22. The method as recited in claim 18 wherein said set of pilot subcarrier indices moves sequentially employing steps of subcarriers having different bandwidths.

23. The method as recited in claim 14 wherein said sets of pilot subcarrier indices and data subcarrier indices employ all of said used subcarriers for each of said plurality of transmit symbols.

24. The method as recited in claim 14 wherein said set of pilot subcarrier indices is predetermined in said used subcarriers.

25. The method as recited in claim 14 wherein said set of data subcarrier indices is predetermined in said used subcarriers.

26. The method as recited in claim 14 wherein said set of pilot subcarrier indices conforms to an IEEE 802.11 standard.

27. A multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) communication system, comprising:

A MIMO transmitter having N transmit antennas, N being at least two, wherein each employs a plurality of transmit symbols with used subcarriers;

a subcarrier index coordinator, coupled to said MIMO transmitter, including;

a subcarrier index generator that generates a set of pilot subcarrier indices and a set of data subcarrier indices for transmission, and

a subcarrier index formatter, coupled to said subcarrier index generator, that arranges said sets of pilot subcarrier indices and data subcarrier indices within said used subcarriers during transmission based on said N transmit antennas and said plurality of transmit symbols; and

a MIMO receiver having M receive antennas, M being at least two, that processes said sets of pilot subcarrier indices and data subcarrier indices.

28. The system as recited in claim 27 wherein each of said set of pilot subcarrier indices is functionally dependent on at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a transmit antenna number;

a subcarrier index number;

a pilot number; and

a symbol number.

29. The system as recited in claim 27 wherein said set of pilot subcarrier indices are the same for each of said N transmit antennas.

30. The system as recited in claim 27 wherein said set of pilot subcarrier indices are different for each of said N transmit antennas.

31. The system as recited in claim 27 wherein said set of pilot subcarrier indices moves sequentially in said used subcarriers for at least a portion of said plurality of transmit symbols.

32. The system as recited in claim 31 wherein said set of pilot subcarrier indices moves sequentially employing steps of adjacent subcarriers.

33. The system as recited in claim 31 wherein said set of pilot subcarrier indices moves sequentially employing steps of nonadjacent subcarriers.

34. The system as recited in claim 31 wherein said set of pilot subcarrier indices moves sequentially employing steps of a variable number of subcarriers.

35. The system as recited in claim 31 wherein said set of pilot subcarrier indices moves sequentially employing steps of subcarriers having different bandwidths.

36. The system as recited in claim 27 wherein said sets of pilot subcarrier indices and data subcarrier indices employ all of said used subcarriers for each of said plurality of transmit symbols.

37. The system as recited in claim 27 wherein said set of pilot subcarrier indices is predetermined in said used subcarriers.

38. The system as recited in claim 27 wherein said set of data subcarrier indices is predetermined in said used subcarriers.

39. The system as recited in claim 27 wherein said set of pilot subcarrier indices conforms to an IEEE 802.11 standard.