Physical layer repeater configuration for increasing MIMO performance

• US 8,059,727 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2006
• Issued: 11/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Proctor, James A. Jr., Otto, James C., Gainey, Kenneth M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahn; Sam K
• Application Number:
  US11/340,838
• Publication Number:
  US 20060193271A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,118 Days
• Field of Search: 375/211, 375/212, 375/213, 375/214, 375/215, 375/260, 375/267, 375/294, 375/315, 375/295, 375/347, 375/349, 700/53, 455/7, 455/11.1, 455/101, 455132-141
• US Class Current: 375/260
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/022 Site diversity; Macro-diversity using two or more spaced independent antennas H04B7/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2606 Arrangements for base station coverage control, e.g. by using relays in tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2027/0044 Control loops for carrier regulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/24 Relay circuits using discharge tubes or semiconductor devices H04L25/22 takes precedence

Abstract

A wireless network includes at least one Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) wireless network station and two or more physical layer repeaters. Each of the physical layer repeaters is for receiving a wireless signal to or from the at least one MIMO wireless network station and re-transmitting the wireless signal while continuing to receive the wireless signal. The repeaters may be either frequency translating repeaters or non-frequency translating repeaters.

Claims

1. A time division duplex (TDD) wireless repeater configuration, comprising:

a first TDD wireless repeater capable of recognizing that it is operating in a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) wireless network;

a second TDD wireless repeater spatially separated from the first TDD wireless repeater;

wherein

the first TDD wireless repeater is capable of identifying a presence of the second TDD wireless repeater, entering into a mode with the second TDD wireless repeater to receive wireless transmissions in a synchronous manner with the second TDD wireless repeater on a same first frequency, and of re-transmitting the wireless transmissions in a manner that is synchronous with the second TDD wireless repeater on a same second frequency,

and wherein after MIMO signals are detected on both the same first frequency and the same second frequency, the first TDD wireless repeater is further capable of simultaneously re-transmitting a first portion of the wireless transmissions while receiving a second portion of the wireless transmissions.

2. The TDD wireless repeater configuration of claim 1, wherein the first TDD wireless repeater comprises a master repeater and the second TDD wireless repeater comprises a slave repeater.

3. The TDD wireless repeater configuration of claim 2, wherein the master repeater is adapted to re-transmit the wireless transmissions independently of the slave repeater, and the slave repeater is for re-transmitting the wireless transmissions only after re-transmission of the wireless transmissions by the master repeater.

4. The TDD wireless repeater configuration of claim 3, wherein the master repeater is adapted to communicate a master/slave protocol to the slave repeater to activate the slave repeater in a slave mode.

5. The TDD wireless repeater configuration of claim 2, wherein the slave repeater includes an oscillation detection circuit for identifying whether a frequency translation direction is erroneously chosen by the master repeater and for terminating re-transmission of the wireless transmissions.

6. The TDD wireless repeater configuration of claim 2, wherein the first TDD wireless repeater and the second TDD wireless repeater comprise a first TDD frequency translating wireless repeater and a second TDD frequency translating wireless repeater.

7. The TDD wireless repeater configuration of claim 2, wherein the master repeater comprises a repeater that is first to be activated, or a repeater having the strongest signal power with respect to a MIMO base station.

8. The TDD wireless repeater configuration of claim 2, wherein the first TDD wireless repeater and the second TDD wireless repeater comprise a first TDD non-frequency translating wireless repeater and a second TDD non-frequency translating wireless repeater.

9. The TDD wireless repeater configuration of claim 1, wherein the second TDD wireless repeater is capable of simultaneously re-transmitting the wireless transmissions at the same time as receiving the wireless transmissions.

10. The TDD wireless repeater configuration of claim 1, wherein the first TDD wireless repeater is capable of simultaneously re-transmitting the wireless transmissions on the same first frequency at the same time as receiving the wireless transmissions on the same second frequency.

11. The TDD wireless repeater configuration of claim 1, wherein the first TDD wireless repeater stops transmitting on the second frequency after the first TDD wireless repeater no longer detects the presence of the received signal on the first frequency.

12. A time division duplex (TDD) wireless repeater configuration, comprising:

a first TDD wireless repeater capable of recognizing that it is operating in a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) wireless network;

a second TDD wireless repeater spatially separated from the first TDD wireless repeater;

wherein

the first TDD wireless repeater is capable of identifying a presence of the second TDD wireless repeater, entering into a mode with the second TDD wireless repeater to receive wireless transmissions in a synchronous manner with the second TDD wireless repeater on a same first frequency, and of re-transmitting the wireless transmissions in a manner that is synchronous with the second TDD wireless repeater on a same second frequency,

wherein the first TDD wireless repeater comprises a master repeater and the second TDD wireless repeater comprises a slave repeater, and

wherein the slave repeater is adapted to re-transmit the wireless transmissions during periods of MIMO operation as designated by MIMO device generated messages, and the master repeater is adapted to re-transmit the wireless transmissions during both MIMO and non-MIMO periods of operation.

13. A time division duplex (TDD) wireless repeater configuration comprising:

a first TDD wireless repeater capable of recognizing that it is operating in a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) wireless network;

wherein

the first TDD wireless repeater is adapted to identify a presence of a second TDD wireless repeater spatially separated from the first TDD wireless repeater, further adapted to enter into a mode to receive wireless transmissions in a synchronous manner with the second TDD wireless repeater on a same first frequency, and further adapted to re-transmit the wireless transmissions in a manner that is synchronous with the second TDD wireless repeater on a same second frequency

and wherein after MIMO signals are detected on both the first frequency and the second frequency, the first TDD wireless repeater is further capable of simultaneously re-transmitting a first portion of the wireless transmissions while receiving a second portion of the wireless transmissions.

14. The TDD wireless repeater configuration of claim 13, wherein the first TDD wireless repeater comprises a master repeater and the second TDD wireless repeater comprises a slave repeater, and further comprising the second TDD wireless repeater.

15. The TDD wireless repeater configuration of claim 14, wherein the master repeater is adapted to re-transmit the wireless transmissions independently of the slave repeater and the slave repeater is for re-transmitting the wireless transmissions only after re-transmission of the wireless transmissions by the master repeater.

16. The TDD wireless repeater configuration of claim 15, wherein the master repeater is adapted to communicate a master/slave protocol to the slave repeater, wherein the master/slave protocol is adapted to activate a slave mode of the slave repeater.

17. The TDD wireless repeater configuration of claim 14, wherein the slave repeater is adapted to re-transmit the wireless transmissions during periods of MIMO operation as designated by MIMO device generated messages, and the master repeater is adapted to re-transmit the wireless transmissions during both MIMO and non-MIMO periods of operation.

18. The TDD wireless repeater configuration of claim 14, wherein the master repeater comprises a repeater that is first to be activated, or a repeater having the strongest signal power with respect to a MIMO base station.

19. The TDD wireless repeater of claim 14, wherein the slave repeater includes an oscillation detection circuit to identify whether a frequency translation direction is erroneously chosen by the master repeater and to terminate re-transmission of the wireless transmissions.

20. The TDD wireless repeater configuration of claim 14, wherein the first TDD wireless repeater and the second TDD wireless repeater comprise a first TDD frequency translating wireless repeater and a second TDD frequency translating wireless repeater.

21. The TDD wireless repeater configuration of claim 14, wherein the first TDD wireless repeater and the second TDD wireless repeater comprise a first TDD non-frequency translating wireless repeater and a second TDD non-frequency translating wireless repeater.

22. A method of operating a repeater configuration comprising:

determining, at a first TDD wireless repeater, that it is operating in a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) wireless network;

identifying a presence of a second TDD wireless repeater spatially separated from the first TDD wireless repeater; and

implementing a master slave mode, where implementing the master slave mode comprises;

receiving wireless transmissions in a synchronous manner with the second TDD wireless repeater on a same first frequency and, after MIMO signals are detected on both a first frequency and a second frequency, simultaneously re-transmitting a first portion of the wireless transmissions while receiving a second portion of the wireless transmissions in a manner that is synchronous with the second TDD wireless repeater on a same second frequency.

23. method of claim 22, wherein the first TDD wireless repeater comprises a master repeater and the second TDD wireless repeater comprises a slave repeater.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein implementing the master slave mode comprises re-transmitting the wireless transmissions at the master repeater independently of the slave repeater and re-transmitting the wireless transmissions at the slave repeater only after re-transmission of the wireless transmissions by the master repeater.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein implementing the master slave mode comprises, at the slave repeater, re-transmitting the wireless transmissions during periods of MIMO operation as designated by MIMO device generated messages, and, at the master repeater, re-transmitting the wireless transmissions during both MIMO and non-MIMO periods of operation.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

determining at the first repeater that it is first to be activated, or a repeater having the strongest signal power with respect to a MIMO base station; and

based on the determining, designating the first repeater as the master repeater.

27. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

at the slave repeater, identifying whether a frequency translation direction is erroneously chosen by the master repeater and terminating re-transmission of the wireless transmissions.

28. The repeater configuration of claim 27, wherein the first TDD wireless repeater comprises a master repeater and the second TDD wireless repeater comprises a slave repeater.

29. A repeater configuration comprising:

means for determining, at a first TDD wireless repeater, that it is operating in a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) wireless network;

means for identifying a presence of a second TDD wireless repeater spatially separated from the first TDD wireless repeater; and

means for implementing a master slave mode, where means for implementing the master slave mode comprises;

means for receiving wireless transmissions in a synchronous manner with the second TDD wireless repeater on a same first frequency and, after MIMO signals are detected on both the first same frequency and a second same frequency, simultaneously re-transmitting a first portion of the wireless transmissions while receiving a second portion of the wireless transmissions in a manner that is synchronous with the second TDD wireless repeater on the same second frequency.

30. The repeater configuration of claim 29, wherein means for implementing the master slave mode comprises means for re-transmitting the wireless transmissions at the master repeater independently of the slave repeater and means for re-transmitting the wireless transmissions at the slave repeater only after re-transmission of the wireless transmissions by the master repeater.

31. The repeater configuration of claim 29, wherein means for implementing the master slave mode comprises means for re-transmitting the wireless transmissions during periods of MIMO operation as designated by MIMO device generated messages at the slave repeater, and means for re-transmitting the wireless transmissions during both MIMO and non-MIMO periods of operation at the master repeater.

32. The repeater configuration of claim 29, further comprising:

means for determining at the first repeater that it is first to be activated, or a repeater having the strongest signal power with respect to a MIMO base station; and

means for designating the first repeater as the master repeater based on the determining.

33. The repeater configuration of claim 29, further comprising:

means for identifying whether a frequency translation direction is erroneously chosen by the master repeater and terminating re-transmission of the wireless transmissions at the slave repeater.

34. A device comprising:

two or more physical layer repeaters to;

receive a wireless signal transmitted to or received from at least one Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) wireless network station on a first frequency; and

after MIMO signals are detected on both the first frequency and a second frequency, simultaneously re-transmit said wireless signal on the second frequency while continuing to receive said wireless signal on the first frequency.

35. The device of claim 34, wherein said received wireless signal comprises at least one MIMO packet.

36. The device of claim 35, wherein said received MIMO packet comprises a first plurality of information streams.

37. The device of claim 36, wherein said two or more physical layer repeaters are adapted to support either a MIMO period of operation or a non-MIMO period of operation, based at least in part on receiving said communication.

38. The device of claim 35, wherein said two or more physical layer repeaters comprise time division duplex (TDD) repeaters.

39. The device of claim 38, wherein the two or more TDD repeaters are each adapted to receive the wireless signal and re-transmit the wireless signal in a synchronized manner while operating in a frequency translating mode.

40. The device of claim 38, wherein the two or more TDD repeaters are each adapted to receive the wireless signal and re-transmit the wireless signal in a synchronized manner while operating in a non-frequency translating mode.

41. The device of claim 35, wherein said two or more physical layer repeaters comprise non-frequency translating repeaters.

42. The device of claim 35, wherein said wireless signal is transmitted according to an 802.11n protocol.

43. The device of claim 35, wherein said two or more physical layer repeaters are adapted to receive a communication defining one or more periods of operation for said two or more modes of said wireless protocol.

44. The device of claim 34, wherein said two or more physical layer repeaters are further adapted to retransmit said received MIMO packet as a second plurality of information streams corresponding with said first plurality of information streams.

45. The device of claim 34, wherein said two or more physical layer repeaters are co-located and/or physically integrated in a single package.

46. The device of claim 34, wherein said two or more physical layer repeaters are adapted to support two or more modes of a wireless protocol.

47. The device of claim 34, wherein said two or more physical layer repeaters are adapted to receive a communication defining one or more periods of operation for said two or more modes of said wireless protocol.

48. The device of claim 34, wherein said two or more physical layer repeaters are adapted to support either a MIMO period of operation or a non-MIMO period of operation, based at least in part on receiving said communication.

49. A device comprising:

two or more physical layer repeaters to receive a wireless signal from at least one multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) wireless network station and for simultaneously re-transmitting said wireless signal while continuing to receive said wireless signal,

wherein said two or more physical layer repeaters are adapted to receive said wireless signal from said at least one MIMO wireless network station on a first frequency and synchronously re-transmit said wireless signal while continuing to receive said wireless signal on a second frequency, after MIMO signals are detected on both the first frequency and the second frequency.

50. The device of claim 49, wherein said wireless signal is transmitted according to an 802.11n protocol.

51. The device of claim 49, wherein said received wireless signal comprises a MIMO packet.

52. The device of claim 51, wherein said received MIMO packet comprises a first plurality of information streams.

53. The device of claim 52, wherein said two or more physical layer repeaters are further adapted to retransmit said received MIMO packet as a second plurality of information streams corresponding with said first plurality of information streams.

54. The device of claim 49, wherein said two or more physical layer repeaters are co-located and/or physically integrated in a single package.

55. The device of claim 49, wherein said two or more physical layer repeaters comprise time division duplex (TDD) repeaters.

56. The device of claim 55, wherein said TDD repeaters are adapted to re-transmit said wireless signal in a synchronized manner if operating in a frequency translating mode.

57. The device of claim 55, wherein said TDD repeaters are adapted to re-transmit said wireless signal in a synchronized manner if operating in a non-frequency translating mode.

58. The device of claim 49, wherein said two or more physical layer repeaters comprise frequency division duplex (FDD) repeaters.

59. The device of claim 49, wherein said two or more physical layer repeaters comprise non-frequency translating repeaters.

60. The device of claim 49, wherein said two or more physical layer repeaters are adapted to support two or more modes of a wireless protocol.

61. A method comprising:

operating in a multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) wireless network at a first time division duplex (TDD) wireless repeater;

identifying a presence of a second TDD wireless repeater that is spatially separated from said first TDD wireless network;

entering into a mode with said second TDD wireless repeater to receive wireless transmissions in a synchronous manner with said second TDD wireless repeater on a same first frequency; and

simultaneously re-transmitting a first portion of said wireless transmissions while receiving a second portion of said wireless transmissions in a manner that is synchronous with said second TDD wireless repeater on a same second frequency, after MIMO signals are detected on both the same first frequency and the same second frequency.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein the first TDD wireless repeater comprises a master repeater and the second TDD wireless repeater comprises a slave repeater.

63. The method of claim 61, wherein the first TDD wireless repeater and the second TDD wireless repeater comprise a first TDD frequency translating wireless repeater and a second TDD frequency translating wireless repeater, respectively.

64. The method of claim 61, wherein the first TDD wireless repeater and the second TDD wireless repeater comprise a first TDD non-frequency translating wireless repeater and a second TDD non-frequency translating wireless repeater, respectively.

65. An article comprising a non-transitory storage medium comprising machine-readable instructions stored thereon which, if executed by a computing platform, are adapted to enable said computing platform to:

operate in a multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) wireless network at a first time division duplex (TDD) wireless repeater;

identify a presence of a second TDD wireless repeater that is spatially separated from said first TDD wireless network;

enter into a mode with said second TDD wireless repeater to receive wireless transmissions in a synchronous manner with said second TDD wireless repeater on a same first frequency; and

simultaneously re-transmit a first portion of said wireless transmissions while receiving a second portion of said wireless transmissions in a manner that is synchronous with said second TDD wireless repeater on a same second frequency, after MIMO signals are detected on both the same first frequency and the same second frequency.

66. The article of claim 65, wherein the first TDD wireless repeater comprises a master repeater and the second TDD wireless repeater comprises a slave repeater.

67. The article of claim 65, wherein the first TDD wireless repeater and the second TDD wireless repeater comprise a first TDD frequency translating wireless repeater and a second TDD frequency translating wireless repeater, respectively.

68. The article of claim 65, wherein the first TDD wireless repeater and the second TDD wireless repeater comprise a first TDD non-frequency translating wireless repeater and a second TDD non-frequency translating wireless repeater, respectively.

69. An apparatus comprising:

means for operating in a multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) wireless network at a first time division duplex (TDD) wireless repeater;

means for identifying a presence of a second TDD wireless repeater that is spatially separated from said first TDD wireless network;

means for entering into a mode with said second TDD wireless repeater to receive wireless transmissions in a synchronous manner with said second TDD wireless repeater on a same first frequency; and

means for simultaneously re-transmitting a first portion of said wireless transmissions while receiving a second portion of said wireless transmissions in a manner that is synchronous with said second TDD wireless repeater on a same second frequency, after MIMO signals are detected on both the same first frequency and the same second frequency.

70. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein the first TDD wireless repeater comprises a master repeater and the second TDD wireless repeater comprises a slave repeater.

71. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein the first TDD wireless repeater and the second TDD wireless repeater comprise a first TDD frequency translating wireless repeater and a second TDD frequency translating wireless repeater, respectively.

72. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein the first TDD wireless repeater and the second TDD wireless repeater comprise a first TDD non-frequency translating wireless repeater and a second TDD non-frequency translating wireless repeater, respectively.

73. A device comprising:

two or more physical layer repeaters to;

operate in a multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) wireless network at a first time division duplex (TDD) wireless repeater;

identify a presence of a second TDD wireless repeater that is spatially separated from said first TDD wireless network;

enter into a mode with said second TDD wireless repeater to receive wireless transmissions in a synchronous manner with said second TDD wireless repeater on a same first frequency; and

simultaneously re-transmit a first portion of said wireless transmissions while receiving a second portion of said wireless transmissions in a manner that is synchronous with said second TDD wireless repeater on a same second frequency, after MIMO signals are detected on both the same first frequency and the same second frequency.

74. The device of claim 73, wherein the first TDD wireless repeater comprises a master repeater and the second TDD wireless repeater comprises a slave repeater.

75. The device of claim 73, wherein the first TDD wireless repeater and the second TDD wireless repeater comprise a first TDD frequency translating wireless repeater and a second TDD frequency translating wireless repeater, respectively.

76. The device of claim 73, wherein the first TDD wireless repeater and the second TDD wireless repeater comprise a first TDD non-frequency translating wireless repeater and a second TDD non-frequency translating wireless repeater, respectively.

77. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a wireless signal transmitted to or received from at least one Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) wireless network station on a first frequency; and

means for simultaneously re-transmitting said wireless signal on a second frequency while continuing to receive said wireless signal on the first frequency, after MIMO signals are detected on both the first frequency and the second frequency.

78. The apparatus of claim 77, wherein said means for re-transmitting is performed synchronously with received MIMO packets.

79. The apparatus of claim 77, wherein said means for re-transmitting comprises time division duplexing (TDD).

80. The apparatus of claim 77, wherein said received wireless signal comprises at least one MIMO packet.

81. The apparatus of claim 80, wherein said wireless signal is transmitted according to an 802.11n protocol.

82. The apparatus of claim 77, wherein said received MIMO packet comprises a first plurality of information streams.

83. An article comprising a non-transitory storage medium comprising machine-readable instructions stored thereon which, if executed by a computing platform, are adapted to enable said computing platform to:

receive a wireless signal transmitted to or received from at least one Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) wireless network station on a first frequency; and

simultaneously re-transmit said wireless signal on a second frequency while continuing to receive said wireless signal on the first frequency, after MIMO signals are detected on both the first frequency and the second frequency.

84. The article of claim 83, wherein said re-transmitting is performed synchronously with received MIMO packets.

85. The article of claim 83, wherein said re-transmitting comprises time division duplexing (TDD).

86. The article of claim 83, wherein said received wireless signal comprises at least one MIMO packet.

87. The article of claim 86, wherein said received MIMO packet comprises a first plurality of information streams.

88. The article of claim 86, wherein said wireless signal is transmitted according to an 802.11n protocol.

89. A method comprising:

receiving a wireless signal from at least one multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) wireless network station; and

simultaneously re-transmitting said wireless signal while continuing to receive said wireless signal, wherein two or more physical layer repeaters are adapted to receive said wireless signal from said at least one MIMO wireless network station on a first frequency and synchronously re-transmit said wireless signal while continuing to receive said wireless signal on a second frequency, after MIMO signals are detected on both the first frequency and the second frequency.

90. The method of claim 89, wherein said wireless signal is transmitted according to an 802.11n protocol.

91. The method of claim 89, wherein said received wireless signal comprises a MIMO packet.

92. The method of claim 91, wherein said received MIMO packet comprises a first plurality of information streams.

93. The method of claim 89, wherein said two or more physical layer repeaters comprise frequency division duplex (FDD) repeaters.

94. The method of claim 89, wherein said two or more physical layer repeaters are adapted to support two or more modes of a wireless protocol.

95. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a wireless signal from at least one multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) wireless network station; and

means for simultaneously re-transmitting said wireless signal while continuing to receive said wireless signal, wherein two or more physical layer repeaters are adapted to receive said wireless signal from said at least one MIMO wireless network station on a first frequency and synchronously re-transmit said wireless signal while continuing to receive said wireless signal on a second frequency, after MIMO signals are detected on both the first frequency and the second frequency.

96. The apparatus of claim 95, wherein said wireless signal is transmitted according to an 802.11n protocol.

97. The apparatus of claim 95, wherein said received wireless signal comprises a MIMO packet.

98. The apparatus of claim 97, wherein said received MIMO packet comprises a first plurality of information streams.

99. The apparatus of claim 95, wherein said two or more physical layer repeaters comprise frequency division duplex (FDD) repeaters.

100. The apparatus of claim 95, wherein said two or more physical layer repeaters are adapted to support two or more modes of a wireless protocol.

101. An article comprising a non-transitory storage medium comprising machine-readable instructions stored thereon which, if executed by a computing platform, are adapted to enable said computing platform to:

receive a wireless signal from at least one multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) wireless network station; and

simultaneously re-transmit said wireless signal while continuing to receive said wireless signal, wherein two or more physical layer repeaters are adapted to receive said wireless signal from said at least one MIMO wireless network station on a first frequency and synchronously re-transmit said wireless signal while continuing to receive said wireless signal on a second frequency, after MIMO signals are detected on both the first frequency and the second frequency.

102. The article of claim 101, wherein said wireless signal is transmitted according to an 802.11n protocol.

103. The article of claim 101, wherein said received wireless signal comprises a MIMO packet.

104. The article of claim 103, wherein said received MIMO packet comprises a first plurality of information streams.

105. The article of claim 101, wherein said two or more physical layer repeaters comprise frequency division duplex (FDD) repeaters.

106. The article of claim 101, wherein said two or more physical layer repeaters are adapted to support two or more modes of a wireless protocol.