BEAMFORMING TRAINING FOR FUNCTIONALLY-LIMITED APPARATUSES

• US 20100214169A1
• Filed: 02/23/2009
• Published: 08/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Kafle, Padam Lal
• Granted Patent: US 8,422,961 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/368
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/26 varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture H01Q3/12, H01Q3/22, H01Q3/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0417 Feedback systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0619 using feedback from receiving side feedback signaling for adaptive modulation/coding H04L1/0001
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0639 Using selective indices, e.g. of a codebook, e.g. pre-distortion matrix index [PMI] or for beam selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0695 using beam selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/088 using beam selection

Abstract

A system for configuring antenna systems for selecting directional communication signals corresponding to other apparatuses. A directional communication signal may be selected as the result of a beamforming training operation coordinated between an initiating apparatus and a responder apparatus. Particular modes and/or features may be requested by initiating apparatuses that, for example, may be functionally-limited. The responder may take these requested modes and/or features into account when formulating a beamforming training set for transmission to the initiator.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

activating a beamforming training support operation;

selecting predetermined directions for transmitting one or more forward direction beamforming training frames, wherein each comprise a forward beam/sector direction identifier;

transmitting at least one of the one or more forward direction beamforming training frames in each of the selected predetermined directions;

receiving at least one reverse direction beamforming training frame, which includes one of the forward beam/sector direction identifiers, from one of the predetermined directions; and

transmitting at least one response frame including a reverse beam/sector direction identifier that was received in the at least one reverse direction beamforming training frame.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more forward direction beamforming training frames and one or more reverse direction beamforming training frames further comprises an indication of a remaining quantity of sector sweep frames to be transmitted.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the reverse beam/sector direction identifier transmitted in the at least one response frame corresponds to the at least one reverse direction beamforming training frame that was determined to have the best signal quality.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the response frame further comprises a request for acknowledgement.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an acknowledgement frame from a direction corresponding to the reverse beam/sector direction identifier transmitted in the response frame.

6. A method, comprising:

activating a beamforming training support operation;

transmitting a beamforming training request comprising at least information for configuring a beamforming training operation, the information identifying at least one training mode, wherein the information identifies at least one of a forward direction beamforming training mode, a reverse direction beamforming training mode or a bidirectional beamforming training mode;

receiving at least one beamforming training response frame in response to the beamforming training request; and

activating a beamforming training operation based on the at least one training mode and indication of support for the at least one training mode in the response frame.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the beamforming training request further comprises an indication of a reduced number of sectors to utilize during forward or reverse direction beamforming training, the reduced number of sectors being derived from beamforming training frames or management frames received during a passive scan mode.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the beamforming training request further indicates an order for first executing the forward beamforming training mode or the reverse beamforming training mode.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the beamforming training request is transmitted to other apparatuses via a private basic service set control point.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the beamforming training request is transmitted directly to peer apparatuses from which beamforming training is being requested.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein activating a beamforming training operation further comprises:

receiving at least one reverse direction beamforming training frame wherein each one including an optional a requested number of training segments;

determining a signal quality for each training segment received from a predetermined receive direction during the beamforming training frame; and

transmitting at least one response frame including a reverse beam/sector direction identifier that was determined to have the best signal quality during the reception of the at least one reverse direction beamforming training frame.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the response frame further comprises a request for an acknowledgement.

13. A computer program product comprising computer executable program code recorded on a computer readable media, comprising:

computer program code configured to activate a beamforming training support operation;

computer program code configured to select predetermined directions for transmitting one or more forward direction beamforming training frames, wherein each comprise a forward beam/sector direction identifier;

computer program code configured to transmit at least one of the one or more forward direction beamforming training frames in each of the selected predetermined directions;

computer program code configured to receive at least one reverse direction beamforming training frame, which includes one of the forward beam/sector direction identifiers, from one of the predetermined directions; and

computer program code configured to transmit at least one response frame including a reverse beam/sector direction identifier that was received in the at least one reverse direction beamforming training frame.

14. A computer program product comprising computer executable program code recorded on a computer readable media, comprising:

computer program code configured to activate a beamforming training support operation;

computer program code configured to transmit a beamforming training request comprising at least information for configuring a beamforming training operation, the information identifying at least one training mode, wherein the information identifies at least one of a forward direction beamforming training mode, a reverse direction beamforming training mode or a bidirectional beamforming training mode;

computer program code configured to receive at least one beamforming training response frame in response to the beamforming training request; and

computer program code configured to activate a beamforming training operation based on the at least one training mode and indication of support for the at least one training mode in the response frame.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor, the processor being configured to;

activate a beamforming training support operation;

select predetermined directions for transmitting one or more forward direction beamforming training frames, wherein each comprise a forward beam/sector direction identifier;

transmit at least one of the one or more forward direction beamforming training frames in each of the selected predetermined directions;

receive at least one reverse direction beamforming training frame, which includes one of the forward beam/sector direction identifiers, from one of the predetermined directions; and

transmit at least one response frame including a reverse beam/sector direction identifier that was received in the at least one reverse direction beamforming training frame.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein each of the one or more forward direction beamforming training frames and one or more reverse direction beamforming training frames further comprises an indication of a remaining quantity of sector sweep frames to be transmitted.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the reverse beam/sector direction identifier transmitted in the at least one response frame corresponds to the at least one reverse direction beamforming training frame that was determined to have the best signal quality.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the response frame further comprises a request for acknowledgement.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising receiving an acknowledgement frame from a direction corresponding to the reverse beam/sector direction identifier transmitted in the response frame.

20. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor, the processor being configured to;

activate a beamforming training support operation;

transmit a beamforming training request comprising at least information for configuring a beamforming training operation, the information identifying at least one training mode, wherein the information identifies at least one of a forward direction beamforming training mode, a reverse direction beamforming training mode or a bidirectional beamforming training mode;

receive at least one beamforming training response frame in response to the beamforming training request; and

activate a beamforming training operation based on the at least one training mode and indication of support for the at least one training mode in the response frame.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the beamforming training request further comprises an indication of a reduced number of sectors to utilize during forward or reverse direction beamforming training, the reduced number of sectors being derived from beamforming training frames or management frames received during a passive scan mode.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the beamforming training request further indicates an order for first executing the forward beamforming training mode or the reverse beamforming training mode.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the beamforming training request is transmitted to other apparatuses via a private basic service set control point.

24. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the beamforming training request is transmitted directly to peer apparatuses from which beamforming training is being requested.

25. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein activating a beamforming training operation further comprises:

receiving at least one reverse direction beamforming training frame wherein each one including an optional requested number of training segments;

determining a signal quality for each training segment received from a predetermined receive direction during the beamforming training frame; and

transmitting at least one response frame including a reverse beam/sector direction identifier that was determined to have the best signal quality during the reception of the at least one reverse direction beamforming training frame.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the response frame further comprises a request for an acknowledgement.

27. An apparatus, comprising:

means for activating a beamforming training support operation;

means for selecting predetermined directions for transmitting one or more forward direction beamforming training frames wherein each comprise a forward beam/sector direction identifier;

means for transmitting at least one of the one or more forward direction beamforming training frames in each of the selected predetermined directions;

means for receiving at least one reverse direction beamforming training frame, which includes one of the forward beam/sector direction identifiers, from one of the predetermined directions; and

means for transmitting at least one response frame including a reverse beam/sector direction identifier that was received in the at least one reverse direction beamforming training frame.