Downlink beamforming using beam sweeping and subscriber feedback

• US 6,233,466 B1
• Filed: 04/08/1999
• Issued: 05/15/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Metawave Communications Corp.
• Inventors: Wong, Piu Bill, Scherzer, Shimon B.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THANH C
• Application Number:
  US09/289,774
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• Field of Search: 455/450, 455/452, 455/62, 455/63, 455/67.1, 455/565, 455/561, 455/562, 455/277.1, 455/277.2, 455/278.1, 455/279.1, 370/310, 370/329, 370/341, 370/342
• US Class Current: 455/562.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/00 Antennas or antenna systems providing at least two radiating patterns arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern H01Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0408 using two or more beams, i.e. beam diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering

Abstract

A system and method is provided for adaptive downlink beamforming in a wireless communication system. The technique involves using an antenna array to transmit downlink control signals from the base station to the subscribers in the cell. Rather than transmitting the control signals in a given direction continuously, the control signals in the present system are transmitted for only a short time interval using one of a sequence of specified directional beams. After a predetermined sweep cycle period, the control signal beam is then retransmitted again in the same direction. Typically, during this cycle period control signal beams are also transmitted in other specified directions. In one embodiment, for example, the control signal beams sweep around the base station once during each cycle. A subscriber located in the cell will receive a repeating pattern of signal pulses corresponding to the periodic beams directed toward the subscriber. Because the sweeping beam pattern is known a priori, after a small number of sweeping cycle periods, the subscriber can easily estimate from the pattern of received signal pulses the optimal downlink beam or combination of beams. Techniques are provided that allow the optimal downlink beam to be estimated with angular resolution higher than the resolution of the sweeping beams. This optimal downlink beam information is then transmitted back to the base station, which uses it to transmit information to the subscriber using the optimal downlink beam, or combination of beams. Meanwhile, the subscriber continues to monitor the pattern of control beam pulses, and notifies the base station if the optimal downlink beam or beams changes.

Claims

1. In a wireless communication system comprising a base station and at least one subscriber unit, a method for adaptive downlink beamforming, the method comprising:

transmitting from an antenna array at the base station a temporal sequence of control signal beams, wherein the beams radiate from the antenna array in a set of distinct directional patterns, wherein each transmitted beam contains a distinct control signal synchronization code;

receiving from the subscriber unit feedback signals containing downlink channel information for the sequence of control signal beams;

determining a transmit beamforming channel from the downlink channel information; and

adaptively transmitting from the antenna array information signals to the subscriber on the transmit beamforming channel.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the feedback signals comprise beam timing information.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the feedback signals comprise one or more beam identification numbers.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the transmit beamforming channel is determined with an angular resolution higher than an angular resolution of the control signal beams.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the temporal sequence of control signal beams is repeatedly transmitted from the antenna array, and wherein the receiving from the subscriber unit feedback signals takes place only when the downlink channel information changes.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the control synchronization code comprises a primary synchronization code and a secondary synchronization code.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the control synchronization code comprises a primary synchronization code, and wherein the method comprises continuously transmitting from the antenna array an omni-directional signal comprising a secondary synchronization code.

8. A wireless communications system base station for communicating with a plurality of subscriber units in a base station cell, the base station comprising:

a) an antenna array for transmitting and receiving signals to and from the subscriber units in the base station cell;

b) a radio transmitter connected to the antenna array for producing the signals transmitted to the subscriber units by the antenna array;

c) a radio receiver connected to the antenna array for detecting the signals received from the subscriber units by the antenna array; and

d) a base station signal processor connected to the transmitter and receiver for controlling the transmitter and receiver;

wherein the transmitter, under control of the signal processor, produces a temporal sequence of control signal beams transmitted by the antenna array to the subscriber units, where the temporal sequence of control signal beams sequentially radiates the cell in a set of distinct directional patterns with control signal synchronization codes;

wherein the receiver, under control of the signal processor, detects feedback signals from the subscribers, where the feedback signals contain downlink channel information for the sequence of control signal beams;

wherein the transmitter, under control of the signal processor, uses the downlink channel information to adaptively transmit information signals to the subscribers over customized spatial channels.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the feedback signals comprise beam timing information.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the feedback signals comprise one or more beam identification numbers.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the customized spatial channels are determined with an angular resolution higher than an angular resolution of the control signal beams.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the temporal sequence of control signal beams is repeatedly transmitted from the antenna array, and wherein the receiver detects feedback signals only when the downlink channel information changes.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the control synchronization code comprises a primary synchronization code and a secondary synchronization code.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the control synchronization code comprises a primary synchronization code, and wherein the transmitter continuously transmits from the antenna array an omni-directional signal comprising a secondary synchronization code.