System for efficiently providing coverage of a sectorized cell for common and dedicated channels utilizing beam forming and sweeping

• US 20060189355A1
• Filed: 04/21/2006
• Published: 08/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cuffaro, Angelo
• Application Number:
  US11/409,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20060189355A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/562.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/04 using two or more spaced independent antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0408 using two or more beams, i.e. beam diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0491 using two or more sectors, i.e. sector diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0695 using beam selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A communication system transmits and receives communications within a sectorized cell between at least one primary station and at least one secondary station. The communication system includes a unit for generating and shaping a beam; an antenna for transmitting and receiving signals within said beam; and a unit for directing the beam. The shaped beam is directed at a plurality of predetermined directions; either continuously or discretely.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting and receiving communications between at least one base station and at least one wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), where the base station transmits a plurality of common channels covering a sectorized cell using at least one beam, the method comprising:

generating at a base station at least one shaped beam for transmitting and receiving a communication;

sweeping the shaped beam, wherein the beam is selectively directed at a plurality of locations, each location at a predetermined time;

receiving the sweeped beam at a WTRU;

determining at said WTRU the time of receipt of the sweeped beam;

reporting from the WTRU to said base station the time of receipt of the sweeped beam; and

determining the location of said WTRU based on the reported time of receipt of the received beam.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting from said base station a dedicated channel beam based on said determined location for communication with said WTRU.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said base station shapes the beams into one of a plurality of selectable widths;

ranging from a wide width to a narrow width.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the beam width is selected so that the number of WTRUs entering or leaving the beam is below a predetermined threshold.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein if the number of WTRUs entering or leaving the beam is above the predetermined threshold, the beam width is widened.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the cell sectors are different sizes and the beams are shaped to cover the cell sectors.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the beam is sweeped to cover a plurality of directions in a predetermined sequence.

9. The method claim 8, wherein the sequence is consecutive.

10. The method claim 8, wherein the sequence is non-consecutive.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the non-consecutive sequence causes the beam to be directed toward at least one of the plurality of directions more frequently than others of the plurality of directions.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the non-consecutive sequence causes the beam to be directed toward some of the plurality of directions for a longer duration than others of the plurality of directions.

6. The method of 1, wherein said plurality of directions coincide with the sectors of the cell.

13. A wireless communication system for transmitting and receiving communications between at least one base station and at least one wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), where the base station transmits a plurality of common channels covering a sectorized cell using at least one beam, the system comprising:

at least one base station comprising;

a beam generator for generating at least one shaped beam for transmitting and receiving a communication;

a beam sweeper for sweeping the shaped beam, wherein the beam is selectively directed at a plurality of locations, each location at a predetermined time; and

a processor configured for determining the location of said WTRU based on a reported time of receipt of a received beam; and

at least one wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) comprising;

a transceiver for receiving a shaped beam from said base station; and

a processor configured for determining the time of receipt of the sweeped beam;

wherein the WTRU reports the time of receipt of the sweeped beam to said base station.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the base station transmits a dedicated channel beam based on said determined location for communication with said WTRU.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein said base station shapes the beams into one of a plurality of selectable widths;

ranging from a wide width to a narrow width.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the beam width is selected so that the number of WTRUs entering or leaving the beam is below a predetermined threshold.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein if the number of WTRUs entering or leaving the beam is above the predetermined threshold, the beam width is widened.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein said plurality of directions coincide with the sectors of the cell.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the cell sectors are different sizes and the beams are shaped to cover the cell sectors.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the beam is sweeped to cover a plurality of directions in a predetermined sequence.

21. The system claim 20, wherein the sequence is consecutive.

22. The system claim 20, wherein the sequence is non-consecutive.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the non-consecutive sequence causes the beam to be directed toward at least one of the plurality of directions more frequently than others of the plurality of directions.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the non-consecutive sequence causes the beam to be directed toward some of the plurality of directions for a longer duration than others of the plurality of directions.