ALLOCATION OF UPLINK REFERENCE SIGNALS IN A MOBILE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A method of operating a network node that serves a plurality of user equipments in a mobile communication system, the method comprising:
- providing the network node with a number, NRS, of orthogonal reference signals for uplink signal transmissions, wherein NRS is less than a maximum number, NMAX—
AP, of user equipment antenna ports that can be served by the network node; and
for each of the antenna ports, ascertaining a channel quality of a channel between the antenna port and the network node;
whenever a number of antenna ports of user equipments being served by the network node exceeds the number, NRS, of orthogonal reference signals, allocating all NRS orthogonal reference signals to a subset of all of the antenna ports by means of an allocation process such that;
each orthogonal reference signal is allocated to only one of the antenna ports;
each antenna port has no more than one orthogonal reference signal allocated to it; and
allocation decisions made by the allocation process are a function of the channel qualities of the respective antenna ports such that the higher the channel quality, the higher priority the corresponding antenna port is given as a candidate for receiving an orthogonal reference signal allocation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A mobile communication system network node (NN) that serves user equipments (UEs) has fewer orthogonal reference signals (RSs) than a maximum number of UE antenna ports (APs) that can be served by the NN. A channel quality of a channel between the AP and the network node is ascertained for each of the APs. Whenever a number of APs of UEs served by the NN exceeds the number of RSs, all RSs are allocated to a subset of all of the APs by means of an allocation process such that: each RS is allocated to only one of the APs; each AP has no more than one RS allocated to it; and allocation decisions are a function of the channel qualities of the respective APs such that the higher the channel quality, the higher priority the corresponding AP is given as a candidate for receiving an RS allocation.
17 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of operating a network node that serves a plurality of user equipments in a mobile communication system, the method comprising:
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providing the network node with a number, NRS, of orthogonal reference signals for uplink signal transmissions, wherein NRS is less than a maximum number, NMAX — AP, of user equipment antenna ports that can be served by the network node; andfor each of the antenna ports, ascertaining a channel quality of a channel between the antenna port and the network node; whenever a number of antenna ports of user equipments being served by the network node exceeds the number, NRS, of orthogonal reference signals, allocating all NRS orthogonal reference signals to a subset of all of the antenna ports by means of an allocation process such that; each orthogonal reference signal is allocated to only one of the antenna ports; each antenna port has no more than one orthogonal reference signal allocated to it; and allocation decisions made by the allocation process are a function of the channel qualities of the respective antenna ports such that the higher the channel quality, the higher priority the corresponding antenna port is given as a candidate for receiving an orthogonal reference signal allocation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus for controlling a network node that serves a plurality of user equipments in a mobile communication system, the apparatus comprising:
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a processor configured to execute logic; and at least one computer readable carrier that stores logic executable by the processor, the computer readable carrier comprising; logic configured to provide the network node with a number, NRS, of orthogonal reference signals for uplink signal transmissions, wherein NRS is less than a maximum number, NMAX — AP, of user equipment antenna ports that can be served by the network node; andlogic configured to ascertain, for each of the antenna ports, a channel quality of a channel between the antenna port and the network node; logic configured to allocate all NRS orthogonal reference signals to a subset of all of the antenna ports by means of an allocation process such that, whenever a number of antenna ports of user equipments being served by the network node exceeds the number, NRS, of orthogonal reference signals; each orthogonal reference signal is allocated to only one of the antenna ports; each antenna port has no more than one orthogonal reference signal allocated to it; and allocation decisions made by the allocation process are a function of the channel qualities of the respective antenna ports such that the higher the channel quality, the higher priority the corresponding antenna port is given as a candidate for receiving an orthogonal reference signal allocation. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification