SYSTEM FOR DISTRIBUTED BEAMFORMING FOR A COMMUNICATION SYSTEM EMPLOYING RELAY NODES

• US 20100304666A1
• Filed: 01/28/2008
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Hottinen, Ari, Fertl, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,666,309 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/7
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/022 Site diversity; Macro-diversity using two or more spaced independent antennas H04B7/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/026 Co-operative diversity, e.g. using fixed or mobile stations as relays
• 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 7/155 Ground-based stations H04B7/204 takes precedence

Abstract

In accordance with aspects of the present invention, a method, apparatus and system for learning antenna weighting factors in a communication system including relay nodes. In one embodiment, an apparatus (e.g., a relay node (325)) for use with a communication system includes a first antenna (330) configured to receive a first signal including a pilot training sequence from a source node (305) and a second signal including a power-based feedback signal or a signal-to-noise based feedback signal from a destination node (350). The apparatus also includes a second antenna (335) configured to transmit at least a portion of the first signal with an antenna weighting factor (e.g., a perturbed antenna weighting factor). The apparatus further includes an antenna weighting factor module (340) coupled to the first antenna (330) and configured to iteratively adjust the antenna weighting factor in response to the second signal.

Claims

1-40. -40. (canceled)

41. An apparatus for use with a communication system, comprising:

a first antenna configured to receive a first signal from a source node and a second signal from a destination node;

a second antenna configured to transmit at least a portion of said first signal with an antenna weighting factor; and

an antenna weighting factor module coupled to said first antenna and configured to adjust said antenna weighting factor in response to said second signal.

42. The apparatus as recited in claim 41 wherein said second antenna is configured to transmit at least a portion of said first signal with a perturbed antenna weighting factor.

43. The apparatus as recited in claim 41 wherein said antenna weighting factor module is configured to adjust said antenna weighting factor with a deterministic perturbation selected from an orthogonal vector set.

44. The apparatus as recited in claim 41 wherein said second signal includes a power-based feedback signal or a signal-to-noise based feedback signal from said destination node.

45. The apparatus as recited in claim 41 wherein said antenna weighting factor module is configured to iteratively adjust said antenna weighting factor over a sequence of adjustment steps.

46. The apparatus as recited in claim 41 wherein said first and second antennas are antenna elements of a single antenna.

47. The apparatus as recited in claim 41 wherein said first signal includes a pilot training sequence.

48. The apparatus as recited in claim 41 wherein said apparatus is a relay node of said communication system.

49. The apparatus as recited in claim 41 further comprising a transmitter and receiver coupled to said first and second antennas.

50. A method of operating a communication node, comprising:

receiving a first signal from a source node and a second signal from a destination node;

transmitting at least a portion of said first signal with an antenna weighting factor; and

adjusting said antenna weighting factor in response to said second signal.

51. The method as recited in claim 50 wherein said transmitting includes transmitting at least a portion of said first signal with a perturbed antenna weighting factor.

52. The method as recited in claim 50 wherein said adjusting includes adjusting said antenna weighting factor with a deterministic perturbation selected from an orthogonal vector set.

53. The method as recited in claim 50 wherein said second signal includes a power-based feedback signal or a signal-to-noise based feedback signal from said destination node.

54. The method as recited in claim 50 wherein said adjusting includes iteratively adjusting said antenna weighting factor over a sequence of adjustment steps.

55. The method as recited in claim 50 wherein said receiving and transmitting are performed in accordance with first and second antennas.

56. The method as recited in claim 50 wherein said receiving and transmitting are performed in accordance with a transmitter and receiver of said communication node.

57. An apparatus for use with a communication system, comprising:

an antenna configured to receive a signal from first and second communication nodes; and

a feedback generator configured to transmit a feedback signal to at least one of said first and second communication nodes to adjust an antenna weighting factor of an antenna thereof.

58. The apparatus as recited in claim 57 wherein said feedback generator is configured to transmit said feedback signal to said first communication node and another feedback signal to said second communication node.

59. The apparatus as recited in claim 57 wherein said feedback signal includes a power-based feedback signal or a signal-to-noise based feedback signal.

60. A communication system, comprising:

a source node configured to transmit a first signal including a pilot training sequence;

a destination node configured to transmit a second signal; and

a relay node, including;

a first antenna coupled to a receiver configured to receive said first signal and said second signal,

a second antenna coupled to a transmitter configured to transmit at least a portion of said first signal with an antenna weighting factor, and

an antenna weighting factor module coupled to said first antenna and configured to adjust said antenna weighting factor in response to said second signal.