METHOD FOR DISTRIBUTED MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS, CORRESPONDING SYSTEM AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT

• US 20110268033A1
• Filed: 12/30/2008
• Published: 11/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telecom Italia S.p.A.
• Original Assignee: Telecom Italia S.p.A.
• Inventors: Melis, Bruno, Ruscitto, Alfredo, Boldi, Mauro, Gianola, Paolo
• Granted Patent: US 10,014,910 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/022 Site diversity; Macro-diversity using two or more spaced independent antennas H04B7/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/10 between terminal device and access point, i.e. wireless air interface

Abstract

A method of arranging exchange of signals between user terminals in a cellular communication system and at least one base station. The base station includes a central unit and a plurality of remote units. The signals are exchanged between the central unit and the remote units as aggregated signals for plural user terminals. The signals are processed at the remote units as distinct signals each associated with a respective one of the plural user terminals.

Claims

1-14. -14. (canceled)

15. A method of arranging exchange of signals between user terminals in a cellular communication system and at least one base station comprising a central unit and a plurality of remote units, wherein said signals are exchanged between said central unit and said remote units as aggregated signals for plural user terminals, comprising processing said signals at said remote units as distinct signals each associated with a respective one of said plural user terminals.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein processing said signals at said remote units as distinct signals each associated with a respective one of said plural users comprises applying complex weights to said signals each associated with a respective one of said plural user terminals.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said complex weights are applied for performing an adaptive beamforming on a per-user basis.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein said signals are orthogonal frequency division multiple access signals.

19. The method of claim 18, comprising performing at said remote units at least one of:

an inverse fast Fourier transformation on the processed orthogonal frequency division multiple access signals to be sent to said plural user terminals for converting said processed orthogonal frequency division multiple access signals from frequency to time domain; and

a fast Fourier transformation on the orthogonal frequency division multiple access signals received from said plural user terminals for converting said received orthogonal frequency division multiple access signals from a time to frequency domain before said signals are processed at said remote units as distinct signals each associated a respective one of said plural user terminals.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said aggregated signal for plural user terminals being exchanged between said central unit and said remote units are respective orthogonal frequency division multiple access signals in the frequency domain.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein said aggregated signal for plural user terminals being transmitted from said central unit to said remote units are respective orthogonal frequency division multiple access signals in a time domain, and wherein the method comprises performing at said remote units a fast Fourier transformation for converting said orthogonal frequency division multiple access signals received from said central unit from the time to frequency domain before said signals are processed at said remote units as distinct signals each associated with a respective one of said plural users.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein said aggregated signal for plural user terminals being transmitted from said remote units to said central unit are respective orthogonal frequency division multiple access signals in a time domain, and wherein the method comprises performing at said remote units an inverse fast Fourier transformation for converting said processed orthogonal frequency division multiple access signals from frequency to time domain before said signals are transmitted to said central unit.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein said signals are code division multiple access signals.

24. The method of claim 23, comprising performing at said remote units at least one of:

a spreading operation on processed code division multiple access signals to be sent to said plural user terminals for converting said processed code division multiple access signals from symbol to chip level before said signals are processed at said remote units as distinct signals each associated with a respective one of said plural users; and

a despreading operation on the code division multiple access signals received from said plural user terminals for converting said received code division multiple access signals from chip to symbol level.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein said aggregated signal for plural users being exchanged between said central unit and said remote units are respective code division multiple access signals at symbol level.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein said aggregated signal for plural user terminals being transmitted from said central unit to said remote units are the respective code division multiple access signals at chip level, and wherein the method comprises performing at said remote units at least one despreading operation for converting said code division multiple access signals received from said central units from chip to symbol level before said signals are processed at said remote units as distinct signals each associated with a respective one of said plural user terminals.

27. A distributed antenna system for exchanging signals with user terminals in a cellular communication system, comprising a central unit and a plurality of remote units, wherein said distributed antenna system is capable of being configured for performing the method of claim 15.

28. A computer program product, loadable in the memory of at least one computer and comprising software code portions capable of performing the method of claim 15 when the computer program product is run on a computer.