Wireless transmission system, wireless communication device and wireless transmission method

• US 20110075581A1
• Filed: 08/25/2010
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Mihota, Norihito
• Granted Patent: US 8,451,720 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0682 using phase diversity (e.g. phase sweeping)
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0697 using spatial multiplexing

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a wireless transmission system including a plurality of antenna pairs; a demodulation functional unit; and a transmission characteristic correction unit. The plurality of antenna pairs each including a transmission antenna and a reception antenna. A wireless signal transmitted from a transmission antenna directly arrives as a desired wave at a corresponding reception antenna. Meanwhile, a wireless signal transmitted from a different transmission antenna directly arrives as an unnecessary wave at the reception antenna. The demodulation functional unit corresponding to each antenna pair demodulates a modulation signal received by the reception antenna. The transmission characteristic correction unit carries out correction calculation based on a transmission characteristic of a transmission space between the transmission and reception antennae based on demodulation signals demodulated by the demodulation functional units to acquire an output signal corresponding to a transmission subject signal.

Claims

1. A wireless transmission system, comprising:

a plurality of antenna pairs each formed from a combination of a transmission antenna and a reception antenna which correspond to each other and arranged such that a wireless signal transmitted from the transmission antenna of one of the plural antenna pairs directly arrives as a desired wave at the reception antenna of the one antenna pair and a wireless signal transmitted from the transmission antenna of a different one of the plural antenna pairs different from the one antenna pair directly arrives as an unnecessary wave at the reception antenna of the one antenna pair;

a demodulation functional unit provided corresponding to each of the antenna pairs for demodulating a modulation signal received by the reception antenna; and

a transmission characteristic correction unit for carrying out correction calculation based on a transmission characteristic of a transmission space between the transmission antennae and the reception antennae based on demodulation signals demodulated by the demodulation functional units corresponding to the reception antennae to acquire an output signal corresponding to a transmission subject signal.

2. The wireless transmission system according to claim 1, wherein path differences each of which is a difference between an inter-antenna distance of the desired wave and an inter-antenna distance of the unnecessary wave between the transmission and reception antennae is set such that each of elements of the desired wave of a matrix which defines the transmission characteristic can be represented only by a real number term while each of elements of the unnecessary wave of the matrix which defines the transmission characteristic can be represented only by a real number term or only by an imaginary number term.

3. The wireless transmission system according to claim 2, wherein, where a wavelength of a carrier signal used in said demodulation functional unit is represented by λ

c and a phase characteristic which relies upon directivity of an antenna is represented by zero, the path difference which is a difference between the inter-antenna distance of the desired wave and the inter-antenna distance of the unnecessary wave between the transmission antenna and the reception antenna is set to (n/2+¼

)λ

c, n being 0 or a positive integer equal to or higher than 1;

or,

where a radiation angle from the transmission antenna to the reception antenna of the one antenna pair is represented by θ

1 and another radiation angle from the transmission antenna of the different one antenna pair to the reception antenna of the one antenna pair is represented by θ

2, and phase characteristics which rely upon the directivity of the individual antennae are represented by φ

a(θ

1) and φ

a(θ

2), the path difference is corrected by −

(φ

a(θ

2)−

(φ

a(θ

1))/π

)λ

c.

4. The wireless transmission system according to claim 2, wherein, where a wavelength of a carrier signal used in said demodulation functional unit is represented by λ

c and a phase characteristic which relies upon directivity of an antenna is represented by zero, the path difference which is a difference between the inter-antenna distance of the desired wave and the inter-antenna distance of the unnecessary wave between the transmission antenna and the reception antenna is set to (n/2)λ

c, n being a positive integer equal to or higher than 1;

or,

where a radiation angle from the transmission antenna to the reception antenna of the one antenna pair is represented by θ

1 and another radiation angle from the transmission antenna of the different one antenna pair to the reception antenna of the one antenna pair is represented by θ

2, and phase characteristics which rely upon the directivity of the individual antennae are represented by φ

a(θ

1) and φ

a(θ

2), the path difference is corrected by −

(φ

a(θ

2)−

(φ

a(θ

1))/n)λ

c.

5. The wireless transmission system according to claim 2, wherein the path differences are set such that each of the elements of the unnecessary wave of the matrix which defines the transmission characteristic can be represented only by an imaginary number term.

6. The wireless transmission system according to claim 2, wherein the path difference is set such that each of the elements of the unnecessary wave of the matrix which defines the transmission characteristic can be represented only by a real number term.

7. The wireless transmission system according to claim 1, wherein said demodulation functional unit carries out demodulation by quadrature detection of reception signals received by the plural reception antennae;

and

said transmission characteristic correction unit carries out, for each of channels of the plural reception antennae, only correction calculation regarding the real number term for components of a desired signal in a demodulation signal demodulated by the quadrature detection by said demodulation functional unit but carries out only correction calculation regarding the imaginary number term for components corresponding to the unnecessary wave orthogonal to the components of the desired wave, and adds a corrected signal regarding the real number term for the desired wave and a corrected signal regarding the imaginary number term for the components of the unnecessary wave orthogonal to the components of the desired wave regarding the channel the different reception antenna to acquire an output signal corresponding to the transmission subject signal.

8. The wireless transmission system according to claim 1, wherein said demodulation functional unit carries out demodulation by quadrature detection of reception signals received by the plural reception antennae;

and

said transmission characteristic correction unit carries out, for each of channels of the plural reception antennae, correction calculation regarding the real number term corresponding to the desired wave and correction calculation regarding the real number term corresponding to the unnecessary wave for demodulation components demodulated by synchronous detection by said demodulation functional unit, and adds a corrected signal regarding the real number term corresponding to the desired wave and a corrected signal regarding the real number term corresponding to the unnecessary wave regarding the channel of the different reception antenna to acquire an output signal corresponding to the transmission subject signal.

9. The wireless transmission system according to claim 3, wherein a modulation functional unit for modulating a carrier signal with the transmission subject signal and transmitting the modulated carrier signal from the corresponding transmission antenna is provided corresponding to each of the antenna pairs, and said modulation functional unit of at least one of channels of the antenna pairs for a plurality of transmission subject signals adopts a method for modulating only the amplitude of the transmission subject signal while said modulation functional unit of the remaining channels adopts a method other than the method which modulates only the amplitude;

and

said demodulation functional unit in the channel which adopts the method which modulates only the amplitude of the transmission subject signal generates a carrier signal for demodulation synchronized with a carrier signal for modulation by injection locking based on the reception signal, frequency-converts the received modulation signal with the carrier signal for demodulation and demodulates the modulation signal while said demodulation functional units in the channel or channels which do not adopt the injection locking method frequency-converts the received modulation signal based on the carrier signal for demodulation generated in the channel which adopts the injection locking method and demodulates the modulation signal.

10. The wireless transmission system according to claim 3, wherein a modulation functional unit for modulating a carrier signal with the transmission subject signal and transmitting the modulated carrier signal from the corresponding transmission antenna is provided corresponding to each of the antenna pairs, and said modulation functional unit of at least one of channels of the antenna pairs for a plurality of transmission subject signals adopts a method for modulating only the amplitude of the transmission subject signal while said modulation functional unit of the remaining channels adopts a method other than the method which modulates only the amplitude;

said demodulation functional unit generating, for each of the plural transmission subject signals, a carrier signal for demodulation synchronized with a carrier signal for modulation by injection locking based on the reception signal, frequency-converting the received modulation signal with the carrier frequency for demodulation and demodulating the modulation signal;

said wireless transmission system further comprising a phase shifter provided for each of the channels which adopts the method other than the method which modulates only the amplitude for shifting the phase of the carrier signal for demodulation and supplying the phase-shifted carrier signal for modulation to the corresponding demodulation functional unit.

11. The wireless transmission system according to claim 4, wherein said modulation functional unit for modulating a carrier signal with the transmission subject signal and transmitting the modulated carrier signal from the corresponding transmission antenna is provided corresponding to each of the antenna pairs, and said modulation functional unit of at least one of channels of the antenna pairs for a plurality of transmission subject signals adopts a method for modulating only the amplitude of the transmission subject signal while said modulation functional unit of the remaining channels adopts a method other than the method which modulates only the amplitude;

and

said demodulation functional unit, for the plural transmission subject signals, in the channel which adopts the method which modulates only the amplitude of the transmission subject signal generates a carrier signal for demodulation synchronized with a carrier signal for modulation by injection locking based on the reception signal, frequency-converts the received modulation signal with the carrier signal for demodulation and demodulates the modulation signal while said demodulation functional units in the channel or channels which do not adopt the injection locking method frequency-converts the received modulation signal based on the carrier signal for demodulation generated in the channel which adopts the injection locking method and demodulates the modulation signal.

12. The wireless transmission system according to claim 4, wherein a modulation functional unit for modulating a carrier signal with the transmission subject signal and transmitting the modulated carrier signal from the corresponding transmission antenna is provided corresponding to each of the antenna pairs, and said modulation functional unit of at least one of channels of the antenna pairs for a plurality of transmission subject signals adopts a method for modulating only the amplitude of the transmission subject signal while said modulation functional unit of the remaining channels adopts a method other than the method which modulates only the amplitude;

said demodulation functional unit generating, for each of the plural transmission subject signals, a carrier signal for demodulation synchronized with a carrier signal for modulation by injection locking based on the reception signal, frequency-converting the received modulation signal with the carrier frequency for demodulation and demodulating the modulation signal;

said wireless transmission system further comprising a coding setting unit provided in the channel or channels which adopts the method other than the method which modulates only the amplitude for setting a sign of an output signal outputted from said demodulation functional unit.

13. The wireless transmission system according to claim 4, wherein a modulation functional unit for modulating a carrier signal with the transmission subject signal and transmitting the modulated carrier signal from the corresponding transmission antenna is provided corresponding to each of the antenna pairs, and said modulation functional unit of all of channels for a plurality of transmission subject signals adopts a method for modulating only the amplitude of the transmission subject signal;

and

the demodulation functional units includes, in a mixed state, a channel for generating a carrier signal for demodulation synchronized with the carrier signal for modulation by injection locking based on the reception signal, frequency converting the received modulation signal with the carrier signal for demodulation and then demodulating the frequency-converted modulation signal and another channel for frequency-converting the received modulation signal based on the carrier signal for demodulation generated by the injection locking and demodulating the frequency-converted modulation signal.

14. The wireless transmission system according to claim 13, wherein the carrier signal for demodulation is generated by the injection locking by the single channel.

15. The wireless transmission system according to claim 4, wherein a modulation functional unit for modulating a carrier signal with the transmission subject signal and transmitting the modulated carrier signal from the corresponding transmission antenna is provided corresponding to each of the antenna pairs, and said modulation functional unit of all of channels for a plurality of transmission subject signals adopts a method for modulating only the amplitude of the transmission subject signal;

and

each of the demodulation functional units of a wireless communication device on a reception side generates, for each of the plural transmission subject signals, a carrier signal for demodulation synchronized with a carrier signal for modulation by injection locking based on the reception signal, frequency-converts the received modulation signal with the carrier signal for demodulation and demodulating the frequency-converted modulation signal.

16. The wireless transmission system according to claim 1, wherein carrier signals used by the demodulation functional units have a common frequency to all channels.

17. A wireless communication device for a system which includes a plurality of antenna pairs each formed from a combination of a transmission antenna and a reception antenna which correspond to each other, comprising:

a transmission characteristic correction unit for carrying out, based on demodulation signals individually corresponding to the reception antennae configured such that a wireless signal transmitted from the transmission antenna of one of the plural antenna pairs directly arrives as a desired wave at the reception antenna of the one antenna pair and a wireless signal transmitted from the transmission antenna of a different one of the plural antenna pairs different from the one antenna pair directly arrives as an unnecessary wave at the reception antenna of the one antenna pair, correction calculation based on a transmission characteristic of a transmission space between the transmission antennae and the reception antennae to acquire an output signal corresponding to a transmission subject signal.

18. The wireless communication device according to claim 17, further comprising a demodulation functional unit provided corresponding to each of the antenna pairs for demodulating a modulation signal received by the reception antenna and supplying the demodulated signal to said transmission characteristic correction unit.

19. The wireless communication device according to claim 18, wherein said demodulation functional unit carries out demodulation by quadrature detection of reception signals received by the plural reception antennae, and said transmission characteristic correction unit carries out, for each of channels of the plural reception antennae, only correction calculation regarding the real number term for components of a desired signal in a demodulation signal demodulated by the quadrature detection by said demodulation functional unit but carries out only correction calculation regarding the imaginary number term for components corresponding to the unnecessary signal orthogonal to the components of the desired signal, and adds a corrected signal regarding the real number term for the desired signal and a corrected signal regarding the imaginary number term for the components of the unnecessary wave orthogonal to the components of the desired signal regarding the channel of the different reception antenna to acquire an output signal corresponding to the transmission subject signal, or

said demodulation functional unit carries out demodulation by synchronous detection of reception signals received by the plural reception antennae, and said transmission characteristic correction unit carries out, for each of channels of the plural reception antennae, correction calculation regarding the real number term corresponding to the desired wave and correction calculation regarding the real number term corresponding to the unnecessary wave for demodulation components demodulated by the synchronous detection by said demodulation functional unit, and adds a corrected signal regarding the real number term corresponding to the desired wave and a corrected signal regarding the real number term corresponding to the unnecessary wave regarding the channel of the different reception antenna to acquire an output signal corresponding to the transmission subject signal.

20. A wireless transmission method for a system which includes a plurality of antenna pairs each formed from a combination of a transmission antenna and a reception antenna which correspond to each other and arranged such that a wireless signal transmitted from the transmission antenna of one of the plural antenna pairs directly arrives as a desired wave at the reception antenna of the one antenna pair and a wireless signal transmitted from the transmission antenna of a different one of the plural antenna pairs different from the one antenna pair directly arrives as an unnecessary wave at the reception antenna of the one antenna pair, the wireless transmission method comprising the steps of:

carrying out wireless transmission of modulation signals by space division multiplexing from the transmission antennae; and

carried out by a wireless communication apparatus on the reception side, receiving the modulation signals by means of the reception antennae, demodulating the received modulation signals and carrying out correction calculation based on a transmission characteristic of a transmission space between the transmission antennae and the reception antennae based on the demodulated signals corresponding to the reception antennae to acquire an output signal corresponding to a transmission subject signal.