Method For Repetitive Transmissions

• US 20100105403A1
• Filed: 02/16/2007
• Published: 04/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Optis Cellular Technology LLC (Brevet Capital)
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Lopez, Miguel, Lennartson, Benny, Sundberg, Krister
• Granted Patent: US 8,195,258 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/450
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/2605 Array of radiating elements provided with a feedback control over the element weights, e.g. adaptive arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1812 Hybrid protocols; Hybrid automatic repeat request [HARQ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1822 involving configuration of automatic repeat request [ARQ] with parallel processes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/046 the resource being in the space domain, e.g. beams

Abstract

The present invention relates to method, and apparatus relating to cellular radio communication (300). By communicating information repeatedly in either an uplink or a downlink connection by directing a main lobe of a radiation pattern (331-1 to 331-n; 335-1 to 335-n) of the communication in different directions (d1, d2, d2, d4) in the cell (361,362) of the cellular radio communication network (300) the reception of repetitive transmission of any information in both uplink and downlink connection with as little complexity added to the network as possible is improved.

Claims

1. A method for communicating information repeatedly in either an uplink or a downlink connection established in a radio link between a user equipment and a base station serving a cell of a cellular communication network, characterized in the method comprising:

a) obtaining independently of a current position of said user equipment in said cell, at least a first and a second transmission direction;

b) communicating said information at least once by directing a main lobe of a radiation pattern of said communication in said first transmission direction {341-1;

345-D; and

c) communicating said information at least once by directing a main lobe of a radiation pattern of said communication in said second transmission direction.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said main lobe has a beam width which is less than a cell beam width of a cell main lobe which coverage is defining said cell.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said main lobe has a beam width which is more than half said cell beam width of a cell main lobe required to cover whole said cell.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein step a):

involves selecting said at least first and second transmission direction from a predetermined set of transmission directions.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein step a):

involves selecting said at least first and second transmission direction randomly generated.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said method further comprises step d);

communicating said information repeatedly by directing a cell main lobe which coverage is defining said cell.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said step d) is performed before said step a).

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein upon a successful communication of said information to a receiver of said information, said communication is stopped.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step a)-c):

involves communicating said information with said main lobe fixed.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step a)-c):

involves communicating said information with said main lobe varied.

11. The method according to claim 6, wherein said step b)-d):

involves generating a data block for transporting said information during said communication.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein for each data block generated a different puncturing or coding scheme is used on said information.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein communicating said information on a radio channel, and said first and second transmission direction are obtained independently of having any information of the quality of a radio channel or of the estimate of the quality of said radio channel.

14. A node for communicating information repeatedly in either an uplink or a downlink connection established in a radio link between a user equipment and a base station serving a cell of a cellular communication network, characterized in that said node comprising:

a) means for obtaining independently of a current position of said user equipment in said cell, at least a first and a second transmission direction;

b) means for communicating said information at least once by directing a main lobe of a radiation pattern of said communication in said first transmission direction; and

c) means for communicating said information at least once by directing a main lobe of a radiation pattern of said communication in said second transmission direction.

15. The node according to claim 14, wherein said main lobe has a beam width which is less than a cell beam width of a cell main lobe which coverage is defining said cell.

16. The node according to claim 15, wherein said main lobe has a beam width which is more than half said cell beam width of a cell main lobe required to cover whole said cell.

17. The node according to claim 14, wherein element a) comprises:

means for selecting said at least first and second transmission direction from a predetermined set of transmission directions.

18. The node according to claim 14, wherein element a) comprises:

means for selecting said at least first and second transmission direction randomly generated.

19. The node according to claim 14, wherein said node further comprises element d);

means for communicating said information repeatedly by directing a cell main lobe which coverage is defining said cell.

20. The node according to claim 19, wherein said step d) is performed before said step a).

21. The node according to claim 14, wherein upon a successful communication of said information to a receiver of said information, said communication is stopped.

22. The node according to claim 14, wherein said elements a)-c) comprise:

means for communicating said information with said main lobe fixed.

23. The node according to claim 14, wherein elements a)-c) comprise:

means for communicating said information with said main lobe varied.

24. The node according to claim 20, wherein said elements b)-d) comprise:

means for generating a data block for transporting said information during said communication.

25. The node according to claim 24, wherein for each data block generated a different puncturing or coding scheme is used on said information.

26. The node according to claim 14, wherein means for communicating said information on a radio channel, and said first and second transmission direction are obtained independently of having any information of the quality of a radio channel or of the estimate of the quality of said radio channel.

27. The node according to, wherein said node is either a base station having means transmitting in a downlink connection or a user equipment having means transmitting in an uplink connection.