Linear precoding for spatially correlated channels

• US 8,385,433 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2006
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Wang, Jibing, Barriac, Gwendolyn D., Sampath, Hemanth, Kadous, Tamer, Gorokhov, Alexei
• Primary Examiner(s): Burd, Kevin M
• Application Number:
  US11/552,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20070174038A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,316 Days
• Field of Search: 375/259, 375/260, 375/316, 375/346
• US Class Current: 375/259
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0417 Feedback systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0639 Using selective indices, e.g. of a codebook, e.g. pre-distortion matrix index [PMI] or for beam selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0019 in which mode-switching is based on a statistical approach
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0026 Transmission of channel quality indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0035 evaluation of received explicit signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0073 Special arrangements for feedback channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0631 Receiver arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2025/03414 Multicarrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2025/03426 transmission using multiple-input and multiple-output channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2025/03802 Signalling on the reverse channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2025/03808 Transmission of equaliser coefficients
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/0204 of multiple channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/021 Estimation of channel covariance
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/0248 Eigen-space methods
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/03343 Arrangements at the transmitter end
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0023 Time-frequency-space
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/42 in systems with time, space, frequency or polarisation diversity

Abstract

Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate estimating transmit covariance from evaluation of a channel (e.g., forward link channel, reverse link channel, . . . ) to be utilized in linear precoding for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) wireless communication systems. Predefined codebooks that include any number of precoding matrices may be modified based upon transmit covariance estimations to yield improved precoding performance. Further, channel related feedback may be generated and analyzed by utilizing the modified codebooks.

Claims

1. A method for generating feedback for linear precoding based upon a transmit covariance, the method being performed by a communications apparatus, the method comprising:

determining the transmit covariance from observation of a forward link channel;

estimating the forward link channel to yield a channel estimate;

using a codebook modifier for modifying a predefined codebook based upon the transmit covariance, wherein a disparate communications apparatus maintains a codebook that is substantially similar to the predefined codebook, wherein modifications made to the disparate communications apparatus'"'"' codebook are substantially similar to modifications made to the predefined codebook by the communications apparatus, and wherein the predefined codebook comprises at least one matrix having a dimension that is a rank of the forward link channel, wherein the modifying comprises determining a product of a square root of a transmit covariance matrix and an original matrix from the predefined codebook;

quantizing the channel estimate by selecting a precoding matrix from the modified predefined codebook; and

generating feedback related to the forward link channel by utilizing the modified codebook, wherein the feedback is used for linear precoding.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying an index associated with the selected precoding matrix; and

transmitting the index over a reverse link channel.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

estimating the forward link channel to yield a channel matrix; and

determining a channel unitary matrix corresponding to the channel matrix by effectuating eigen decomposition upon the channel matrix; and

quantizing the channel unitary matrix.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the predefined codebook further comprises generating an altered codebook C₁ by evaluating C₁={eigen_vector(R^1/2F_jF_j^HR^H/2)}_j=1^N, where R is a transmit covariance matrix, R^1/2 is the square root of the matrix R, F_j is a j-th original matrix from the predefined codebook, F_j^H is the conjugate transpose of the j-th original matrix from predefined codebook, and N is a number of matrices included in the altered codebook.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the predefined codebook further comprises building a modified codebook C₂={proper_normalizationof(R^1/2F_j)}_j=1^N, where R is a transmit covariance matrix, R^1/2 is the square root of the matrix R, F_j is a j-th original matrix from the predefined codebook, and N is a number of matrices included in the modified codebook.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmit covariance is at least one of a transmit covariance matrix and a correlation.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the forward link channel is associated with a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmit covariance determined from observation of the forward link channel is substantially similar to an estimation of a covariance from a reverse link channel.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined codebook includes N unitary matrices, where N may be an integer.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising quantizing a subspace spanned by one or more dominant eigen vectors of a transmit covariance matrix.

11. A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:

a memory that retains a preset codebook and instructions related to estimating a transmit covariance associated with a forward link channel, altering matrices in the preset codebook based upon the transmit covariance, and generating feedback by leveraging the altered matrices, wherein the feedback is used for linear precoding, wherein at least one matrix of the matrices in the preset codebook comprises a dimension that is a rank of the forward link channel, wherein the altering comprises determining a product of a square root of a transmit covariance matrix and an original matrix from the preset codebook; and

a processor, coupled to the memory, configured to execute the instructions retained in the memory;

wherein a disparate communications apparatus maintains a codebook that is substantially similar to the preset codebook, wherein alterations to matrices in the codebook of the disparate communications apparatus'"'"' codebook are substantially similar to alterations to matrices in the preset codebook made by the communications apparatus.

12. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 11, wherein the memory further retains instructions for estimating the forward link channel, selecting a particular matrix from the altered matrices, and determining an index associated with the particular matrix.

13. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 11, wherein the memory further retains instructions for quantizing a subspace spanned by dominant eigen-vectors of a transmit covariance matrix.

14. A wireless communications apparatus that generates feedback for linear precoding by utilizing transmit covariance, comprising:

means for estimating transmit covariance from a forward link channel;

means for altering a predefined codebook based upon the transmit covariance, wherein a disparate communications apparatus maintains a codebook that is substantially similar to the predefined codebook, wherein alterations made to the disparate communications apparatus'"'"' codebook are substantially similar to alterations made to the predefined codebook by the communications apparatus, and wherein the predefined codebook comprises at least one matrix having a dimension that is a rank of the forward link channel, wherein the altering comprises determining a product of a square root of a transmit covariance matrix and an original matrix from the predefined codebook; and

means for generating feedback based upon an estimate of the forward link channel and the altered codebook, wherein the feedback is used for linear precoding.

15. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 14, further comprising means for estimating a channel matrix associated with the forward link channel.

16. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 14, wherein the transmit covariance from the forward link channel is substantially similar to an estimate of a transmit covariance from a reverse link channel.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to generate feedback for linear precoding based upon a transmit covariance, the computer-executable instructions being executed at a communications apparatus, the executable instructions comprising instructions for:

estimating the transmit covariance from a forward link channel;

estimating a matrix related to the forward link channel;

modifying a predefined codebook that includes a plurality of matrices based upon the transmit covariance, wherein a disparate communications apparatus maintains a codebook that is substantially similar to the predefined codebook, wherein modifications made to the disparate communications apparatus'"'"' codebook are substantially similar to modifications made to the predefined codebook by the communications apparatus, and wherein at least one matrix of the plurality of matrices has a dimension that is a rank of the forward link channel, wherein the modifying comprises determining a product of a square root of a transmit covariance matrix and an original matrix from the predefined codebook;

identifying a particular one of the plurality of matrices as a function of the estimated matrix; and

transmitting feedback related to the particular one of the plurality of matrices over a reverse link channel, wherein the feedback is used for linear precoding.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the computer-executable instructions further comprise instructions for determining a channel related unitary matrix from the estimated matrix related to the forward link channel.

19. In a wireless communication system, an apparatus that generates feedback for linear precoding based upon a transmit covariance, the method being performed by a communications apparatus, the method comprising:

a processor configured to;

determine the transmit covariance pertaining to a forward link channel;

adjust precoding matrices included in a predefined codebook based upon the transmit covariance, wherein a disparate communications apparatus maintains a codebook that is substantially similar to the predefined codebook, wherein adjustments made to precoding matrices in the disparate communications apparatus'"'"' codebook are substantially similar to adjustments made to precoding matrices in the predefined codebook by the communications apparatus, and wherein the predefined codebook comprises at least one matrix having a dimension that is a rank of the forward link channel, wherein the adjusting comprises determining a product of a square root of a transmit covariance matrix and an original matrix from the predefined codebook; and

yield precoding feedback based upon the adjusted precoding matrices, wherein the feedback is used for linear precoding.

20. A method for controlling forward link transmission based upon linear precoding that utilizes a measure of a transmit covariance, the method being performed by a communications apparatus, the method comprising:

determining the transmit covariance from an analysis of a reverse link channel;

altering a predefined codebook based upon the transmit covariance, wherein a disparate communications apparatus maintains a codebook that is substantially similar to the predefined codebook, wherein alterations made to the disparate communications apparatus'"'"' codebook are substantially similar to alterations made to the predefined codebook by the communications apparatus, and wherein the predefined codebook comprises at least one matrix having a dimension that is a rank of a forward link channel, wherein the altering comprises determining a product of a square root of a transmit covariance matrix and an original matrix from the predefined codebook;

analyzing received feedback based upon the altered codebook; and

controlling transmission over the forward link channel by applying the analyzed feedback, wherein the feedback is used for linear precoding.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising effectuating beamforming based upon the analyzed feedback.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the reverse link channel and the forward link channel are associated with a multiple-input multiple-output environment.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the reverse link channel and the forward link channel utilize frequency division duplexing.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the reverse link channel and the forward link channel employ time division duplexing.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the transmit covariance determined from analysis of the reverse link channel is substantially similar to an estimation of a covariance from a forward link channel related to the received feedback.

26. The method of claim 20, further comprising analyzing received feedback obtained from a disparate communications apparatus that effectuated scalar quantization.

27. A wireless communications apparatus that controls forward link transmission by employing linear precoding with an estimation of a transmit covariance comprising:

a memory that retains a codebook and instructions for determining the transmit covariance, modifying a preset codebook based on the transmit covariance, wherein the preset codebook comprises at least one matrix having a dimension that is a rank of a forward link channel, and evaluating feedback based upon the modified codebook, wherein the feedback is used for linear precoding, wherein the modifying comprises determining a product of a square root of a transmit covariance matrix and an original matrix from the preset codebook; and

a processor, coupled to the memory, configured to execute the instructions retained in the memory;

wherein a disparate communications apparatus maintains a codebook that is substantially similar to the preset codebook, wherein modifications made to the disparate communications apparatus'"'"' codebook are substantially similar to modifications made to the preset codebook by the communications apparatus.

28. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 27, wherein the memory includes instructions for performing beamforming associated with forward link channel transmission, the beamforming being based upon the evaluated feedback.

29. A wireless communications apparatus that controls forward link transmission by employing linear precoding with an estimation of a transmit covariance, comprising:

means for identifying the transmit covariance based upon analysis of a reverse link channel;

means for adjusting a predefined codebook as a function of the transmit covariance, wherein a disparate communications apparatus maintains a codebook that is substantially similar to the predefined codebook, wherein adjustments made to the disparate communications apparatus'"'"' codebook are substantially similar to adjustments made to the predefined codebook by the communications apparatus, and wherein the predefined codebook comprises at least one matrix having a dimension that is a rank of a forward link channel, wherein the adjusting comprises determining a product of a square root of a transmit covariance matrix and an original matrix from the predefined codebook;

means for evaluating feedback by utilizing the adjusted codebook; and

means for controlling forward link transmission based upon the evaluated feedback, wherein the feedback is used for linear precoding.

30. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the steps for controlling forward link transmission based upon linear precoding that utilizes a measure of a transmit covariance matrix, the computer-executable instructions being executed at a communications apparatus, the computer-executable instructions comprising instructions for:

estimating the transmit covariance matrix from an evaluation of a reverse link channel;

modifying original precoding matrices in a predefined codebook based upon the transmit covariance matrix, wherein a disparate communications apparatus maintains a codebook that is substantially similar to the predefined codebook, wherein modifications made to precoding matrices in the disparate communications apparatus'"'"' codebook are substantially similar to modifications made to precoding matrices in the predefined codebook by the communications apparatus, and wherein the predefined codebook comprises at least one matrix having a dimension that is a rank of a forward link channel, wherein the modifying comprises determining a product of a square root of a transmit covariance matrix and at least one of the original matrices from the predefined codebook; and

controlling communications over a forward link channel based upon an evaluation of received feedback by employing the modified precoding matrices, wherein the feedback is used for linear precoding.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the computer-executable instructions further comprise instructions for identifying a particular modified precoding matrix associated with the received feedback.

32. In a wireless communication system, an apparatus that controls forward link transmission by employing linear precoding with an estimation of a transmit covariance comprising:

a processor configured to;

evaluate the transmit covariance associated with a reverse link channel;

alter a codebook at a communications apparatus based upon the transmit covariance, wherein a disparate communications apparatus maintains a codebook that is substantially similar to the codebook, wherein alterations made to the disparate communications apparatus'"'"' codebook are substantially similar to alterations made to the codebook by the communications apparatus, wherein the altering comprises determining a product of a square root of a transmit covariance matrix and an original matrix from the codebook;

receive feedback related to a forward link channel, wherein the codebook comprises at least one matrix having a dimension that is a rank of the forward link channel;

evaluate the feedback based upon the altered codebook, and control subsequent transmission over the forward link channel based upon the evaluation of the feedback, wherein the feedback is used for linear precoding.