Path searcher using reconfigurable correlator sets

• US 7,082,286 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2003
• Issued: 07/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bass, David S., Reznik, Alexander, Hepler, Edward L., Kaewell, John David Jr., Koch, Michael, Meyer, Jan, Bohnhoff, Peter, Hackett, William C., Ferrante, Steven, Berghuis, Timothy
• Primary Examiner(s): Milord, Marceau
• Application Number:
  US10/412,475
• Publication Number:
  US 20040047439A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,201 Days
• Field of Search: 375/134, 375/142, 375/150, 375/144, 375/149, 375/147, 370/342, 370/320, 370/335, 455/65, 455/273
• US Class Current: 455/65
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7075 with code phase acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7077 Multi-step acquisition, e.g. multi-dwell, coarse-fine or validation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/709 Correlator structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7093 Matched filter type
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7113 Determination of path profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7117 Selection, re-selection, allocation or re-allocation of paths to fingers, e.g. timing offset control of allocated fingers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/712 Weighting of fingers for combining, e.g. amplitude control or phase rotation using an inner loop
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2201/7071 with dynamic control of receiver resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2201/70711 with modular structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0491 using two or more sectors, i.e. sector diversity

Abstract

A Node-B/base station has a path searcher and at least one antenna for receiving signals from users. The path searcher comprises a set of correlators. Each correlator correlates an inputted user code with an inputted antenna output of the at least one antenna. An antenna controller selectively couples any output of the at least one antenna to an input of each correlator of the set of correlators. A code phase controller selects a user code for input into the set of correlators. Each delay of a series of delays delays the selected user code by a predetermined amount and each correlator of the set of correlators receives a different code phase delay of the selected user code. A sorter and path selector sorts the output energy levels of each correlator of the sets of correlators and produces a path profile for a user based on the sorted output energy levels.

Claims

1. A Node-B/base station having:

at least one antenna for receiving signals from users; and

a path searcher comprising;

a set of reconfigurable correlators, each correlator for correlating an inputted user code with an inputted antenna output of the at least one antenna;

an antenna controller for selectively coupling any output of the at least one antenna to an input of each correlator of the set of correlators;

a code phase controller for selecting a user code for input into the set of correlators;

a series of delays, each delay delaying the selected user code by a predetermined amount and each correlator of the set of correlators receiving a different code phase delay of the selected user code; and

a sorter and path selector for sorting output energy levels of each correlator of the sets of correlators and producing a path profile for a user based on the sorted output energy levels.

2. The Node-B/base station of claim 1 wherein each delay of the series of delays delaying the selected user code by a one chip delay.

3. The Node-B/base station of claim 1 wherein the path searcher operating at a multiple of a chip rate of received user signals and the correlator set correlating a different user code and antenna combination for each multiple of the chip rate.

4. The Node-B/base station of claim 1 wherein the sorter and path selector produces a path profile for each user for each antenna that receives signals of that user.

5. The Node-B/base station of claim 1 wherein the sorter and path searcher produces a path profile for each user including paths of signals of that user received over multiple antennas.

6. The Node-B/base station of claim 5 wherein at least one of the path profiles includes paths from differing sectors of a cell.

7. The Node-B/base station of claim 1 wherein each correlator is a matched filter.

8. A scalable Node-B/base station comprising:

at least one antenna for receiving signals from users;

a path searcher comprising;

at least one application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) having;

at least one set of reconfigurable correlators, each correlator of each correlator set for correlating an inputted user code with an inputted antenna output of the at least one antenna;

a code phase controller for selecting a user code for input into each set of correlators;

an antenna controller for selectively coupling any output of the at least one antenna to an input of each correlator of each set of correlators;

for each set of correlators, a series of delays, each delay delaying the selected user code by a predetermined amount and each correlator of the set of correlators receiving a different code phase delay of the selected user code; and

a sorter and path selector for sorting output energy levels of each correlator of the sets of correlators and producing a path profile for a user based on the sorted output energy levels; and

software for reconfiguring the code phase controller and the antenna controller as additional ASICs are added to the path searcher at the Node-B/base station.

9. The scalable Node-B/base station of claim 8 wherein the path searcher servicing a plurality of sectors and each user within a cell of the scalable Node-B/base station being assigned to a single ASIC.

10. A method for increasing capacity of a base station, the method comprising:

providing a first application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) having at least one set of reconfigurable correlators, each correlator set configurable to process any of a plurality of user codes and any of a plurality of antenna outputs;

as the base station loading increases, adding an additional ASIC having an additional set of correlators; and

reconfiguring the first ASIC by software upon addition of the additional ASIC.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the base station servicing a plurality of sectors and each user within a cell of the base station being assigned to a single ASIC of the first and additional ASICs.

12. A method for utilizing path searcher hardware for a Node-B/base station, the method comprising:

providing hardware having at least one set of correlators, each set of correlators reconfigurable to process differing user codes, the hardware configured to process a peak user load;

at peak periods, assigning the at least one set of correlators to prepare user path profiles at a desired update rate; and

at non-peak periods, assigning the at least one set of correlators to prepare user path profiles at an update rate higher than the desired update rate so that all the at least one set of correlators is fully utilized.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein each set of correlators is reconfigurable to process differing antenna outputs.

14. A method for utilizing path searcher hardware for a Node-B/base station, the method comprising:

providing hardware having at least one set of correlators, each set of correlators reconfigurable to process differing user codes, the hardware configured to process a peak user load;

determining users requiring a higher quality of service; and

for each user determined to require a higher quality of service, assigning the at least one set of correlators to prepare each higher quality of service user path profiles at an update rate higher than other users.