LOCATION-ASSISTED BEAMFORMING
First Claim
1. A first communication device comprising a signal receiver for receiving signals from a plurality of directions, the first communication device being configured to:
- at a time t determine the direction in which a second communication device lies with respect to the first communication device through an adaptive beamforming communication with the second communication device; and
(i) if the communication device comprises a signal transmitter for transmitting signals in a plurality of directions, subsequently arrange the transmitter to favour transmitting signals in a first direction with respect to the first communication device; and
/or(ii) subsequently arrange the signal receiver to favour receiving signals in a second direction with respect to the first communication device,wherein the first and second directions are chosen from the said plurality of directions according to the determination of the direction in which the second communication device lies with respect to the first communication device at time t;
the first communication device being further configured to;
determine time t in dependence on position data from one or both of the first and second communication devices that indicates, or may be used to estimate, their relative positions and/or any change therein.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to improving the throughput and power efficiency of communication systems that use beamforming to accurately orient transmission of signals between emitters and receivers. A first communication device implements adaptive beamforming with respect to a second communication device. That is, the first communication device controls the degree and/or direction of the anisotropy of a receiver and/or transmitter that it comprises according to the direction in which the second communication device is determined to lie, said determination being made using a communication between the first and second devices at a particular time. A suitable time for that adaptive beamforming communication to be made is chosen according to position data obtained from one or both of the communication devices.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A first communication device comprising a signal receiver for receiving signals from a plurality of directions, the first communication device being configured to:
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at a time t determine the direction in which a second communication device lies with respect to the first communication device through an adaptive beamforming communication with the second communication device; and (i) if the communication device comprises a signal transmitter for transmitting signals in a plurality of directions, subsequently arrange the transmitter to favour transmitting signals in a first direction with respect to the first communication device; and
/or(ii) subsequently arrange the signal receiver to favour receiving signals in a second direction with respect to the first communication device, wherein the first and second directions are chosen from the said plurality of directions according to the determination of the direction in which the second communication device lies with respect to the first communication device at time t; the first communication device being further configured to; determine time t in dependence on position data from one or both of the first and second communication devices that indicates, or may be used to estimate, their relative positions and/or any change therein. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for adaptive beamforming comprising the steps of:
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at a time t, determining the direction in which a second communication device lies with respect to a first communication device through an adaptive beamforming communication between the first and second communication devices; subsequently (i) arranging a signal transmitter unit of the first communication device to favour transmitting signals in a first direction chosen from a plurality of directions in which said signal transmitter unit can transmit, and/or (ii) arranging a signal receiver unit of the first communication device to favour receiving signals in a second direction chosen from a plurality of directions in which said signal receiver unit can receive, according to the determination of the direction in which the second communication device lies with respect to the first communication device at time t;
whereinthe time t is determined in dependence on position data from one or both of the first and second communication devices that indicates, or may be used to estimate, their relative positions and/or any change therein.
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26. (canceled)
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27. (canceled)
Specification