FACILITATING CHANNEL SOUNDING FOR MULTIPLE INPUT AND MULTIPLE OUTPUT (MIMO) TRANSMISSIONS
First Claim
1. A method operational on an access terminal, the method comprising:
- receiving a data frame via a plurality of spatial streams and using a plurality of antennas, the data frame being received during a first transmission opportunity; and
transmitting an acknowledgement frame during a second transmission opportunity, the acknowledgement frame being transmitted as a sounding signal and to acknowledge receipt of the data frame.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatuses are provided for facilitating channel sounding for multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) transmissions between an access terminal and an access point. According to one feature, the access point may transmit a data frame to an access terminal using a plurality of spatial streams and a plurality of antennas. The access terminal may transmit an acknowledgement frame back to the access point, where the acknowledgement frame is transmitted as both a sounding signal and as to acknowledge receipt of the data frame. According to another feature, the access point may transmit a data frame and a matrix request frame to an access terminal. The access terminal may determine channel matrix information, and may send the channel matrix information together with an acknowledgement frame back to the access point.
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Citations
49 Claims
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1. A method operational on an access terminal, the method comprising:
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receiving a data frame via a plurality of spatial streams and using a plurality of antennas, the data frame being received during a first transmission opportunity; and transmitting an acknowledgement frame during a second transmission opportunity, the acknowledgement frame being transmitted as a sounding signal and to acknowledge receipt of the data frame. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An access terminal, comprising:
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a communications interface including a plurality of antennas adapted to facilitate wireless communications; and a processing circuit coupled to the communications interface, the processing circuit adapted to; receive a data frame via a plurality of spatial streams and using at least some of the plurality of antennas of the communications interface, the data frame being received during a first transmission opportunity; and send an acknowledgement frame during a second transmission opportunity, the acknowledgement frame being sent as a sounding signal and to acknowledge receipt of the data frame.
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11. An access terminal, comprising:
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means for receiving a data frame via a plurality of spatial streams using a plurality of antennas, the data frame being received during a first transmission opportunity; and means for transmitting an acknowledgement frame during a second transmission opportunity, the acknowledgement frame being transmitted as a sounding signal and to acknowledge receipt of the data frame.
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12. A processor-readable medium comprising one or more instructions operational on an access terminal, which when executed by a processing circuit, causes the processing circuit to:
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receive a data frame via a plurality of spatial streams using a plurality of antennas, the data frame being received during a first transmission opportunity; and transmit an acknowledgement frame during a second transmission opportunity, the acknowledgement frame being transmitted as a sounding signal and to acknowledge receipt of the data frame.
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13. A method operational on an access point, the method comprising:
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transmitting a respective data frame to each access terminal of a plurality of access terminals during a first transmission opportunity, wherein each data frame is transmitted to each access terminal via a plurality of spatial streams and using a plurality of antennas; receiving an acknowledgement frame from each access terminal during a second transmission opportunity, each acknowledgement frame being received as a sounding signal and to acknowledge receipt of the data frame; and determining channel matrix information associated with each access terminal using reception of the acknowledgement frame to ascertain one or more channel characteristics. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An access point, comprising:
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a communications interface adapted to facilitate wireless communications; and a processing circuit coupled to the communications interface, the processing circuit adapted to; transmit a respective data frame to each access terminal of a plurality of access terminals during a first transmission opportunity, wherein each data frame is transmitted to each access terminal via a plurality of spatial streams and using a plurality of antennas of the communications interface; receive an acknowledgement frame from each access terminal during a second transmission opportunity, wherein each acknowledgement frame is received as a sounding signal and to acknowledge receipt of the data frame; and determine channel matrix information associated with each access terminal using reception of the acknowledgement frame to ascertain one or more channel characteristics. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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25. An access point, comprising:
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means for transmitting a respective data frame to each access terminal of a plurality of access terminals during a first transmission opportunity, wherein each data frame is transmitted to each access terminal via a plurality of spatial streams and using a plurality of antennas; means for receiving an acknowledgement frame from each access terminal during a second transmission opportunity, each acknowledgement frame being received as a sounding signal and to acknowledge receipt of the data frame; and means for determining channel matrix information associated with each access terminal using reception of the acknowledgement frame to ascertain one or more channel characteristics.
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26. A processor-readable medium comprising one or more instructions operational on an access point, which when executed by a processing circuit, causes the processing circuit to:
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transmit a respective data frame to each access terminal of a plurality of access terminals during a first transmission opportunity, wherein each data frame is transmitted to each access terminal via a plurality of spatial streams and using a plurality of antennas; receive an acknowledgement frame from each access terminal during a second transmission opportunity, each acknowledgement frame being received as a sounding signal and to acknowledge receipt of the data frame; and determine channel matrix information associated with each access terminal using reception of the acknowledgement frame to ascertain one or more channel characteristics.
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27. A method operational on an access terminal, the method comprising:
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receiving a first transmission including a data frame and a matrix request frame; determining channel matrix information for the access terminal; and transmitting a second transmission including an acknowledgement frame to acknowledge receipt of the data frame and a channel matrix information frame that includes the channel matrix information determined by the access terminal. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. An access terminal, comprising:
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a communications interface adapted to facilitate wireless communications; and a processing circuit coupled to the communications interface, the processing circuit adapted to; receive a first transmission via the communications interface, the first transmission including a data frame and a matrix request frame; determine channel matrix information for the access terminal; and send a second transmission via the communications interface, the second transmission including an acknowledgement frame to acknowledge receipt of the data frame and a channel matrix information frame that includes the channel matrix information determined by the access terminal. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37)
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38. An access terminal, comprising:
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means for receiving a first transmission including a data frame and a matrix request frame; means for determining channel matrix information for the access terminal; and means for transmitting a second transmission including an acknowledgement frame to acknowledge receipt of the data frame and a channel matrix information frame that includes the channel matrix information determined by the access terminal.
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39. A processor-readable medium comprising one or more instructions operational on an access terminal, which when executed by a processing circuit, causes the processing circuit to:
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receive a first transmission including a data frame and a matrix request frame; determine channel matrix information for the access terminal; and transmit a second transmission including an acknowledgement frame to acknowledge receipt of the data frame and a channel matrix information frame that includes the channel matrix information determined by the access terminal.
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40. A method operational on an access point, the method comprising:
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transmitting to an access terminal a first transmission including a data frame and a matrix request frame, wherein the first transmission is transmitted in parallel with at least one other transmission sent to at least one other access terminal; and receiving a second transmission including an acknowledgement frame to acknowledge receipt of the data frame and a channel matrix information frame that includes channel matrix information determined by the access terminal. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. An access point, comprising:
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a communications interface adapted to facilitate wireless communications; and a processing circuit coupled to the communications interface, the processing circuit adapted to; transmit a first transmission to an access terminal via the communications interface, the first transmission including a data frame and a matrix request frame, wherein the first transmission is transmitted in parallel with at least one other transmission sent to at least one other access terminal; and receive a second transmission via the communications interface, the second transmission including an acknowledgement frame to acknowledge receipt of the data frame and a channel matrix information frame that includes channel matrix information determined by the access terminal. - View Dependent Claims (47)
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48. An access point, comprising:
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means for transmitting to an access terminal a first transmission including a data frame and a matrix request frame, wherein the first transmission is transmitted in parallel with at least one other transmission sent to at least one other access terminal; and means for receiving a second transmission including an acknowledgement frame to acknowledge receipt of the data frame and a channel matrix information frame that includes channel matrix information determined by the access terminal.
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49. A processor-readable medium comprising one or more instructions operational on an access point, which when executed by a processing circuit, causes the processing circuit to:
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transmit to an access terminal a first transmission including a data frame and a matrix request frame, wherein the first transmission is transmitted in parallel with at least one other transmission sent to at least one other access terminal; and receive a second transmission including an acknowledgement frame to acknowledge receipt of the data frame and a channel matrix information frame that includes channel matrix information determined by the access terminal.
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Specification