METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR UPLINK BEAMFORMING CALIBRATION IN A MULTI-ANTENNA WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20110195670A1
• Filed: 02/08/2011
• Published: 08/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dakshinamurthy, Sriraman, Lorenz, Robert Gustav
• Granted Patent: US 8,428,529 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/73
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/2647 Retrodirective arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/12 of transmit antennas, e.g. of the amplitude or phase
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/309 Measuring or estimating channel quality parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0682 using phase diversity (e.g. phase sweeping)
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0691 using subgroups of transmit antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal

Abstract

A wireless transceiver, comprising a transmitter, a receiver and a plurality of antennas, determines transmit phase relationship between at least two of antennas based on radio frequency (RF) signals received via the at least two antennas from one or more antennas of a base station. RF signals are transmitted via the at least two antennas utilizing the determined transmit phase relationship. The receiver is calibrated based on receiver performance determined from the received RF signals for subsequent reception of RF signals. The transmit phase relationship is dynamically adjusted based on the transmit RF measurements and the determined receiver performance. Transmit channel qualities are determined for each transmit antenna based on the transmit RF measurements and the dynamically adjusted transmit phase relationship. Transmit antennas are dynamically selected based on the adjusted transmit phase relationship, the characterized transmit channel qualities and the determined receiver performance for subsequent transmission to the base station.

Claims

1. A method for communication, the method comprising:

in a wireless communication device comprising a receiver, a transmitter and a transmitter and a plurality of antennas;

determining transmit phase relationship between at least two of said plurality of antennas based on radio frequency signals received by said plurality of antennas, wherein said radio frequency signals are received from one or more antennas of a base station; and

transmitting radio frequency signals to said base station from said at least two of said plurality of antennas using said determined transmit phase relationship.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising receiving said radio frequency signals, from said one or more antennas of said base station, wherein subcarriers to be allocated for said transmission are a subset of subcarriers of said received radio frequency signals.

3. The method according to claim 1, comprising determining performance of said receiver on a frequency selective basis or on a non-frequency basis.

4. The method according to claim 3, comprising calibrating one or more receive paths of said receiver based on said determined performance of said receiver for subsequently receiving radio frequency signals via said at least two of said plurality of antennas from said one or more antennas of said base station.

5. The method according to claim 3, comprising measuring transmit power and transmit phase of said transmit radio frequency signals during said transmission for said determined performance of said receiver.

6. The method according to claim 5, comprising dynamically adjusting said determined transmit phase relationship between said at least two of said plurality of antennas based on said transmit power measurements and said transmit phase measurements over said selected transmit antennas, and said determined performance of said receiver.

7. The method according to claim 6, comprising determining transmit channel qualities for said at least two of said plurality of antennas based on said transmit power measurements and said transmit phase measurements over said selected transmit antennas, said dynamically adjusted transmit phase relationship and said determined performance of said receiver.

8. The method according to claim 7, comprising dynamically selecting two or more of said plurality of antennas and corresponding transmit power levels based on said dynamically adjusted transmit phase relationship, said determined transmit channel qualities and said determined performance of said receiver.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said dynamically selected corresponding transmit power levels correspond to majority of transmission power at said transmitter.

10. The method according to claim 8, comprising transmitting subsequent radio frequency signals to said one or more antennas of said base station utilizing said dynamically selected two or more of said plurality of antennas at said dynamically selected corresponding transmit power levels.

11. A system for communication, the system comprising,

one or more processors and/or circuits for use in a wireless communication device comprising a plurality of antennas, said one more processors and/or circuits comprising a receiver and a transmitter, and said one or more processors and/or circuits being operable to:

determine transmit phase relationship between at least two of said plurality of antennas based on radio frequency signals received by said plurality of antennas, wherein said radio frequency signals are received from one or more antennas of a base station; and

transmit radio frequency signals to said base station from said at least two of said plurality of antennas using said determined transmit phase relationship.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to receive said radio frequency signals, from said one or more antennas of said base station, wherein subcarriers to be allocated for said transmission are a subset of subcarriers of said received radio frequency signals.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to determine performance of said receiver on a frequency selective basis or on a non-frequency basis.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to calibrate one or more receive paths of said receiver based on said determined performance of said receiver for subsequently receiving radio frequency signals via said at least two of said plurality of antennas from said one or more antennas of said base station.

15. The system according to claim 13, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to measure transmit power and transmit phase of said transmit radio frequency signals during said transmission for said determined performance of said receiver.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to dynamically adjust said determined transmit phase relationship between said at least two of said plurality of antennas based on said transmit power measurements and said transmit phase measurements over said selected transmit antennas, and said determined performance of said receiver.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to determine transmit channel qualities for said at least two of said plurality of antennas based on said transmit power measurements and said transmit phase measurements over said selected transmit antennas, said dynamically adjusted transmit phase relationship and said determined performance of said receiver.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to dynamically select two or more of said plurality of antennas and corresponding transmit power levels based on said dynamically adjusted transmit phase relationship, said determined transmit channel qualities and said determined performance of said receiver.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein said dynamically selected corresponding transmit power levels correspond to majority of transmission power at said wireless transmitter.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to transmit subsequent radio frequency signals to said one or more antennas of said base station utilizing said dynamically selected two or more of said plurality of antennas at said dynamically selected corresponding transmit power levels.