METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR UPLINK NETWORK MIMO IN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20100103834A1
• Filed: 10/13/2009
• Published: 04/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Palanki, Ravi, Gorokhov, Alexei Y.
• Granted Patent: US 8,934,395 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0002 by adapting the transmission rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0025 Transmission of mode-switching indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0026 Transmission of channel quality indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1887 Scheduling and prioritising arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2001/0097 Relays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0023 Time-frequency-space
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0035 Resource allocation in a cooperative multipoint environment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/006 Quality of the received signal, e.g. BER, SNR, water filling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0073 Allocation arrangements that take into account other cell interferences for intercell interference mitigation or co-ordination in orthogonal multiplex systems H04J11/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0091 Signaling for the administration of the divided path

Abstract

Systems and methodologies are described herein that facilitate generation and processing of control signaling to support uplink network multiple-in-multiple-out (N-MIMO) communication in a wireless communication system. As described herein, respective network nodes associated with an uplink N-MIMO framework can generate channel state information (CSI) corresponding to an uplink channel from a designated network user to the respective nodes. Generated CSI can subsequently be communicated to an uplink anchor node for the network user in order to facilitate rate assignment, scheduling, and/or other operations with respect to the network user. As described herein, CSI generated and reported by respective cells can include channel profiles, carrier/interference profiles, estimated supported uplink rates, or the like. As additionally described herein, supplemental information such as observed interference levels, demodulation indicators, or the like can be communicated to an anchor node and utilized in rate assignment and/or scheduling.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving channel state information (CSI) reports from respective network nodes across which cooperative reception of respective transmissions from a user equipment unit (UE) is performed; and

computing a communication rate to be assigned to the UE for communication with the respective network nodes based at least in part on the CSI reports.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving comprises receiving UE channel time/frequency profiles from the respective network nodes, the UE channel time/frequency profiles respectively comprising phase information and amplitude information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the UE channel time/frequency profiles are normalized by interference.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving comprises receiving UE carrier to interference (C/I) ratio time/frequency profiles from the respective network nodes.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the receiving comprises receiving estimated rates supported on an associated uplink channel from the UE to the respective network nodes; and

the computing comprises computing a communication rate to be assigned to the UE at least in part by combining estimated rates received from the respective network nodes.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the computing further comprises combining estimated rates received from the respective network nodes at least in part by selecting a highest estimated rate from among the estimated rates received from the respective network nodes.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving interference information from respective network nodes across which cooperative reception of respective transmissions from a UE is performed, wherein the computing comprises computing a communication rate to be assigned to the UE for communication with the respective network nodes based at least in part on the interference information.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving acknowledgement (ACK) or negative acknowledgement (NACK) signaling from respective network nodes respectively indicative of successful or unsuccessful modulation of respective transmissions from the UE; and

generating a transmission schedule for the UE based at least in part on the ACK or NACK signaling.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising conveying a computed communication rate to an associated UE in an uplink grant signaling message to the UE.

10. A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:

a memory that stores data relating to a network user and one or more cooperative network nodes associated with uplink network multiple-in-multiple-out (N-MIMO) communication with the network user; and

a processor configured to receive channel state information of the receiver (CSIR) reports from respective cooperative network nodes and to calculate a communication rate to be assigned to the network user based at least in part on the CSIR reports.

11. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 10, wherein the CSIR reports comprise time/frequency profiles corresponding to an uplink channel between the network user and respective cooperative network nodes, the time/frequency profiles respectively comprising phase information and amplitude information.

12. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 10, wherein the CSIR reports comprise carrier to interference (C/I) ratio time/frequency profiles relating to carrier and interference levels observed by respective cooperative network nodes.

13. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 10, wherein the CSIR reports comprise estimated rates supported by respective cooperative network nodes on an uplink channel from the network user to the respective cooperative network nodes and the processor is further configured to calculate a communication rate to be assigned to the network user at least in part by combining estimated rates received from the respective cooperative network nodes.

14. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to combine the estimated rates received from the respective cooperative network nodes by selecting a highest estimated rate from among the estimated rates.

15. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to receive interference reports from respective cooperative network nodes and to calculate a communication rate to be assigned to the network user based at least in part on the interference reports.

16. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to transmit a communication rate calculated for a network user within uplink grant signaling to the network user.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

means for obtaining uplink channel state information of the receiver (CSIR) reports relating to a user equipment unit (UE) from respective network nodes within a coordinated reception framework associated with the UE; and

means for performing rate assignment for the UE based at least in part on the uplink CSIR reports.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the means for obtaining comprises means for obtaining UE channel time/frequency profiles from respective network nodes, the UE channel time/frequency profiles respectively comprising phase information and amplitude information.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the means for obtaining comprises means for obtaining UE carrier to interference (C/I) ratio time/frequency profiles from respective network nodes.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein:

the means for obtaining comprises means for obtaining information relating to estimated rates supported on an associated uplink channel from the UE to respective network nodes; and

the means for performing rate assignment comprises means for performing rate assignment for the UE at least in part by combining information relating to estimated rates obtained from the respective network nodes.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the means for performing rate assignment further comprises means for combining information relating to estimated rates obtained from the respective network nodes at least in part by selecting a highest estimated rate indicated in the information relating to estimated rates obtained from the respective network nodes.

22. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium, comprising;

code for causing a computer to obtain uplink channel state information of the receiver (CSIR) reports relating to a user equipment unit (UE) from respective network nodes within a coordinated reception framework associated with the UE; and

code for causing a computer to perform rate assignment for the UE based at least in part on the uplink CSIR reports.

23. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the code for causing a computer to obtain comprises code for causing a computer to obtain UE channel time/frequency profiles from respective network nodes, the UE channel time/frequency profiles respectively comprising phase information and amplitude information.

24. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the code for causing a computer to obtain comprises code for causing a computer to obtain UE carrier to interference (C/I) ratio time/frequency profiles from respective network nodes.

25. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein:

the code for causing a computer to obtain comprises code for causing a computer to obtain information relating to estimated rates supported on an associated uplink channel from the UE to respective network nodes; and

the code for causing a computer to perform rate assignment comprises code for causing a computer to perform rate assignment for the UE at least in part by combining information relating to estimated rates obtained from the respective network nodes.

26. A method, comprising:

generating uplink channel state information (CSI) relating to a user equipment unit (UE) for which respective transmissions are received with inter-node cooperation; and

reporting generated uplink CSI to an uplink anchor node associated with the UE.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the generating comprises generating a time/frequency profile of an uplink channel associated with the UE.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the generating further comprises:

measuring at least one of amplitude information or phase information associated with the uplink channel; and

generating the time/frequency profile based at least in part on measured amplitude information or phase information.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the generating further comprises normalizing the time/frequency profile by interference.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the normalizing comprises performing at least one of scalar normalization or vector normalization for the time/frequency profile with respect to interference.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein the generating comprises generating a time/frequency profile associated with a carrier to interference (C/I) ratio observed with respect to the UE.

32. The method of claim 26, wherein the generating comprises identifying an estimated rate supported on an uplink channel associated with the UE.

33. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

identifying an observed interference level; and

reporting the observed interference level to the uplink anchor node associated with the UE.

34. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

receiving an uplink transmission from the UE;

attempting to demodulate the uplink transmission; and

reporting an indication of successful or unsuccessful attempted demodulation of the uplink transmission to the uplink anchor node associated with the UE.

35. A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:

a memory that stores data relating to a network user for which an uplink network multiple-in-multiple-out (N-MIMO) network framework is employed and a designated anchor node for the network user; and

a processor configured to generate a channel state information of the receiver (CSIR) report relating to the network user and to provide the CSIR report to the designated anchor node for the network user.

36. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 35, wherein the CSIR report comprises a time/frequency profile of an uplink channel from the network user to the wireless communications apparatus.

37. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 36, wherein the processor is further configured to generate the CSIR report based on at least one of amplitude information or phase information measured with respect to the uplink channel from the network user to the wireless communications apparatus.

38. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 35, wherein the processor is further configured to normalize the CSIR report by interference.

39. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 35, wherein the processor is further configured to generate the CSIR report as a time/frequency profile of a carrier to interference (C/I) ratio observed with respect to an uplink channel from the network user to the wireless communications apparatus.

40. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 35, wherein the CSIR report comprises an estimated rate supported on an uplink channel from the network user to the wireless communications apparatus.

41. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 35, wherein the processor is further configured to receive an uplink transmission from the network user, to attempt demodulation of the uplink transmission, and to report an indication of successful or unsuccessful attempted demodulation of the uplink transmission to the designated anchor node for the network user.

42. An apparatus, comprising:

means for identifying information relating to an uplink channel over which communication with a user equipment unit (UE) is conducted with inter-node cooperation; and

means for reporting identified information relating to the uplink channel to a designated anchor node for the UE.

43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the means for identifying comprises means for constructing a time/frequency profile of the uplink channel.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the means for constructing comprises:

means for measuring at least one of amplitude information or phase information associated with the uplink channel; and

means for constructing the time/frequency profile based on measured amplitude information or phase information.

45. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the means for identifying comprises:

means for observing a carrier to interference (C/I) ratio associated with the uplink channel; and

means for constructing a time/frequency profile of the C/I ratio as observed with respect to the uplink channel.

46. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the means for identifying comprises means for estimating a communication rate supportable by the uplink channel for communication with the UE.

47. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium, comprising;

code for causing a computer to identify information relating to an uplink channel over which communication with a user equipment unit (UE) is conducted with inter-node cooperation; and

code for causing a computer to report identified information relating to the uplink channel to a designated anchor node for the UE.

48. The computer program product of claim 47, wherein the code for causing a computer to identify comprises code for causing a computer to construct a time/frequency profile of the uplink channel based on at least one of amplitude information or phase information observed with respect to the uplink channel.

49. The computer program product of claim 47, wherein the code for causing a computer to identify comprises:

code for causing a computer to observe a carrier to interference (C/I) ratio associated with the uplink channel; and

code for causing a computer to construct a time/frequency profile of the C/I ratio as observed with respect to the uplink channel.

50. The computer program product of claim 47, wherein the code for causing a computer to identify comprises code for causing a computer to estimate a communication rate supportable by the uplink channel for communication with the UE.