Using Multiple Frequency Bands With Beamforming Assistance in a Wireless Network

• US 20140148107A1
• Filed: 11/28/2012
• Published: 05/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Maltsev, Alexander, Sadri, Ali S., Sergeyev, Vadim, Davydov, Alexei
• Granted Patent: US 9,692,459 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/91
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/02 Transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2626 Arrangements specific to the transmitter only

Abstract

A communication device communicates with other communication devices in a wireless network using a first and a second frequency band. In accordance with some embodiments, inter-band beamforming assistance may be provided by the lower frequency band.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

using a second frequency band for communication;

using a first frequency band, lower than said first frequency band, for another signal; and

using said first frequency band for beamforming assistance for said second frequency band in a dual band millimeter-wave system using collocated transmitters.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein beamforming includes determining one or more beam directions.

3. The method of claim 1 including making the beam width of the second frequency band less than the beam width of the first frequency band.

4. The method of claim 1 including using one or more line of sight components for beamforming in said first frequency band.

5. The method of claim 1 including using one or more strongest beams for beamforming in said first frequency band.

6. The method of claim 1 including using power adjustment to equalize coverage of the first and second frequency bands.

7. The method of claim 1 including using antenna systems of different directivity for different bands.

8. The method of claim 1 including using line of sight, if available and otherwise using strongest beam for beamforming in said first frequency band.

9. The method of claim 1 including using a dual frequency band base station for said first and second frequencies.

10. The method of claim 9 including using millimeter wave frequency for said band.

11. One or more non-transitory computer readable media storing instructions executed by a processor to perform a sequence comprising:

estimating beam directions for a first frequency band; and

applying beam direction refinement for a second frequency band higher than said first frequency band using said beam directions in a dual band millimeter-wave system using collocated transmitters.

12. The media of claim 11 further storing instructions to perform a sequence including determining one or more beam directions.

13. The media of claim 11 further storing instructions to perform a sequence including making the beam width of the second frequency band less than the beam width of the first frequency band.

14. The media of claim 11 further storing instructions to perform a sequence including using one or more line of sight component for beamforming in said first frequency band.

15. The media of claim 11 further storing instructions to perform a sequence including using one or more strongest beams for beamforming in said first frequency band.

16. The media of claim 11 further storing instructions to perform a sequence including using power adjustment to equalize coverage of the first and second frequency bands.

17. The media of claim 11 further storing instructions to perform a sequence including using antenna systems of different directivity for different bands.

18. The media of claim 11 further storing instructions to perform a sequence including using line of sight, if available and otherwise using strongest beam for beamforming in said first frequency band.

19. The media of claim 11 further storing instructions to use a dual frequency band base station for said first and second frequencies.

20. The media of claim 11 further storing instructions to use a millimeter wave frequency for said band.

21. An apparatus comprising:

a first transmitter to transmit in a lower frequency band, and

a second transmitter to transmit in a higher frequency band and said second transmitter to obtain beamforming assistance from said first transmitter in a dual band millimeter-wave system using collocated transmitters.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 including a controller to determine one or more beam directions.

23. The apparatus of claim 21 including a controller to make a beam width of the second frequency band less than the beam width of the first frequency band.

24. The apparatus of claim 21 including a controller to use one or more line of sight components for beamforming in said first frequency band.

25. The apparatus of claim 21 including a controller to use one or more strongest beams for beamforming in said first frequency band.

26. The apparatus of claim 21 including a controller to use power adjustment to equalize coverage of the first and second frequency bands.

27. The apparatus of claim 21 including a controller to use antenna systems of different directivity for different bands

28. The apparatus of claim 21 including a controller to use line of sight, if available and otherwise using strongest beam for beamforming in said first frequency band.

29. The apparatus of claim 21 that is a base station.

30. The apparatus of claim 21 that is a mobile station.