Multi-user uplink communications within multiple user, multiple access, and/or MIMO wireless communication systems

• US 20110164597A1
• Filed: 08/17/2010
• Published: 07/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fischer, Matthew James, Lauer, Joseph Paul, Amini, Peiman, Kim, Joonsuk, Erceg, Vinko
• Granted Patent: US 8,848,624 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0041 Arrangements at the transmitter end
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0045 Arrangements at the receiver end
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2603 Signal structure ensuring backward compatibility with legacy system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2607 Cyclic extensions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2627 Modulators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2649 Demodulators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2657 Carrier synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2662 Symbol synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2689 Link with other circuits, i.e. special connections between synchronisation arrangements and other circuits for achieving synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0035 detecting errors in frequency or phase

Abstract

Within such communication systems, uplink communications from various receiving wireless communication devices (e.g., STAs) to a transmitting wireless communication device (e.g., AP) may occur in any of a number of various dimensions or combinations thereof including MU-MIMO dimension and frequency dimension (asynchronous FDM or synchronous FDM). In accordance with such uplink communications, various considerations such as time synchronization, frequency synchronization, and/or power control (including wireless communication device grouping). When performing uplink asynchronous FDM signaling, power control as grouping is used. When performing uplink synchronous FDM signaling, time synchronization, frequency synchronization, and power control (such as including wireless communication device grouping) is performed.

Claims

1. A method for operating a wireless communication device, the method comprising:

from a plurality of wireless communication devices, employing at least one of a plurality of antennae of the wireless communication device for receiving a first multi-user packet including a first plurality of signals such that each one of the first plurality of signals being from a respective one of the plurality of wireless communication devices;

based on the first plurality of signals, calculating a plurality of carrier frequency offsets (CFOs) such that each one of the plurality of CFOs corresponding to a respective one of the first plurality of signals; and

transmitting a second multi-user packet to the plurality of wireless communication devices, wherein the second multi-user packet including the plurality of CFOs for use in synchronizing frequencies of a second plurality of signals within a third multi-user packet.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

at least one of the first multi-user packet, the second multi-user packet, and the third multi-user packet being a multiple input multiple output (MU-MIMO) packet or an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) packet.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

each of the plurality of wireless communication devices receiving the second multi-user packet;

each of the plurality of wireless communication devices employing a respective one of the plurality of CFOs for generating a respective one of the second plurality of second signals being CFO-compensated; and

the plurality of wireless communication devices transmitting the third multi-user packet to wireless communication device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

aggregating data intended for at least one of the plurality of wireless communication devices with the plurality of CFOs thereby generating the second multi-user packet.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

combining a management frame corresponding to at least one of the plurality of wireless communication devices with the plurality of CFOs thereby generating the second multi-user packet.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the first plurality of signals of the first multi-user packet via a plurality of clusters such each of the first plurality of signals being received via a respective one of the plurality of clusters.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

employing the plurality of antennae of the wireless communication device for receiving the first plurality of signals of the first multi-user packet such each of the first plurality of signals being received via a respective one of the plurality of antennae.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after gaining medium access, transmitting a management frame to the plurality of wireless communication devices, wherein the management frame indicating the wireless communication device having medium access; and

the plurality of wireless communication devices beginning transmission of the first plurality of signals of the first multi-user packet to the wireless communication device in response to the management frame.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

based on a plurality of capabilities of the plurality of wireless communication devices, determining a time period for the plurality of wireless communication devices transmitting the third multi-user packet to wireless communication device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the wireless communication device being an access point (AP); and

the plurality of wireless communication devices being a plurality of wireless stations (STAs).

17. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the wireless communication device being an access point (AP); and

the plurality of wireless communication devices being a plurality of wireless stations (STAs).

11. A method for operating a wireless communication device, the method comprising:

gaining medium access;

after gaining medium access, employing a first at least one of a plurality of antennae of the wireless communication device for transmitting a first multi-user packet to a plurality of wireless communication devices, wherein the first multi-user packet indicating the wireless communication device having medium access;

from the plurality of wireless communication devices, employing a second at least one of the plurality of antennae of the wireless communication device for receiving a second multi-user packet including a first plurality of signals such that each one of the first plurality of signals being from a respective one of the first plurality of wireless communication devices;

based on the first plurality of signals;

determining a plurality of capabilities of the plurality of wireless communication devices such that each of the plurality of capabilities corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of wireless communication devices;

based on the plurality of capabilities, determining a time period for an uplink multi-user multiple input multiple output (MU-MIMO) communication from the plurality of wireless communication devices; and

calculating a plurality of carrier frequency offsets (CFOs) such that each one of the plurality of CFOs corresponding to a respective one of the first plurality of signals; and

transmitting a third multi-user packet to the plurality of wireless communication devices, wherein the third multi-user packet including the time period and the plurality of CFOs for use in synchronizing frequencies of a second plurality of signals within a fourth multi-user packet.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein:

at least one of the first multi-user packet, the second multi-user packet, the third multi-user packet, and the fourth multi-user packet being a multiple input multiple output (MU-MIMO) packet or an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) packet.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the second at least one of the plurality of antennae of the wireless communication device being the first at least one of the plurality of antennae of the wireless communication device.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

each of the plurality of wireless communication devices receiving the third multi-user packet;

each of the plurality of wireless communication devices employing a respective one of the plurality of CFOs for generating a respective one of the second plurality of second signals being CFO-compensated; and

the plurality of wireless communication devices transmitting the third multi-user packet to wireless communication device.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

aggregating data intended for at least one of the plurality of wireless communication devices with the plurality of CFOs thereby generating the third multi-user packet.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

combining a management frame corresponding to at least one of the plurality of wireless communication devices with the plurality of CFOs thereby generating the third multi-user packet.

18. An apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of antennae, wherein a first at least one of the plurality of antennae receiving a first multi-user packet including a first plurality of signals such that each one of the first plurality of signals being from a respective one of a plurality of wireless communication devices;

a baseband processing module for, based on the first plurality of signals, calculating a plurality of carrier frequency offsets (CFOs) such that each one of the plurality of CFOs corresponding to a respective one of the first plurality of signals; and

wherein;

a second at least one of the plurality of the antennae transmitting a second multi-user packet to the plurality of wireless communication devices; and

the second multi-user packet including the plurality of CFOs for use in synchronizing frequencies of a second plurality of signals within a third multi-user packet.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein:

at least one of the first multi-user packet, the second multi-user packet, and the third multi-user packet being a multiple input multiple output (MU-MIMO) packet or an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) packet.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein:

each of the plurality of wireless communication devices receiving the second multi-user packet;

each of the plurality of wireless communication devices employing a respective one of the plurality of CFOs for generating a respective one of the second plurality of second signals being CFO-compensated; and

the plurality of wireless communication devices transmitting the third multi-user packet to apparatus.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein:

the baseband processing module aggregating data intended for at least one of the plurality of wireless communication devices with the plurality of CFOs thereby generating the second multi-user packet.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein:

the baseband processing module combining a management frame corresponding to at least one of the plurality of wireless communication devices with the plurality of CFOs thereby generating the second multi-user packet.

23. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein:

the apparatus receiving the first plurality of signals of the first multi-user packet via a plurality of clusters such each of the first plurality of signals being received via a respective one of the plurality of clusters.

24. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein:

the plurality of antennae of apparatus receiving the first plurality of signals of the first multi-user packet such each of the first plurality of signals being received via a respective one of the plurality of antennae.

25. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein:

after the apparatus gaining medium access, a third at least one of the plurality of the antennae transmitting a management frame to the plurality of wireless communication devices;

the management frame indicating the apparatus having medium access; and

the plurality of wireless communication devices beginning transmission of the first plurality of signals of the first multi-user packet to the apparatus in response to the management frame.

26. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein:

based on a plurality of capabilities of the plurality of wireless communication devices, the baseband processing module determining a time period for the plurality of wireless communication devices transmitting the third multi-user packet to wireless communication device.

27. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein:

the apparatus being an access point (AP); and

the plurality of wireless communication devices being a plurality of wireless stations (STAs).