Apparatus and methods for reducing channel estimation noise in a wireless transceiver

• US 8,442,146 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2010
• Issued: 05/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Wang, Michael Mao
• Primary Examiner(s): Joseph, Jaison
• Application Number:
  US12/911,650
• Publication Number:
  US 20110116533A1
• Time in Patent Office: 932 Days
• Field of Search: 375/260, 375/278, 375/346, 375/349, 369/95
• US Class Current: 375/278
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/0216 with estimation of channel length
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2647 Arrangements specific to the receiver only equalisation H04L27/01

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for use in a wireless communication system are disclosed for reducing channel estimation noise in a device such as a wireless transceiver. A disclosed apparatus includes a processor that determines a channel activity portion and a noise portion of a channel estimation. The processor also determines a threshold noise level based on channel estimate values in the noise portion of the channel estimation. The processor compares channel estimate energy values in the channel estimation to the threshold noise level and sets each of the channel estimate energy values being less than the threshold noise level to a predetermined value such as zero in order to reduce or eliminate the noise. Similar methods are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for reducing noise in a channel estimation of a communication signal comprising:

dividing a channel estimation in accordance with a zoning scheme to determine a channel activity portion of a channel estimation and a noise portion of the channel estimation based on channel activity in the channel estimation;

determining a noise energy density value of channel estimates occurring during the noise portion of the channel estimation determined by the zoning scheme;

comparing energy values of channel estimates for at least a portion of the channel estimation to the noise energy density value; and

setting channel estimate values to a predetermined value for each channel estimate having an energy value less than the noise energy density value.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

comparing energy values of all channel estimates in the channel estimation to the noise energy density value.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least a portion of the channel estimation includes the noise portion of the channel estimation.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein determining the noise energy density value of channel estimates occurring during the noise portion of the channel estimation further includes adjusting the noise energy density value by a predetermined constant.

5. The method as defined in claim 4, wherein the predetermined constant is set to account for over estimation of the determined noise energy density value resulting from overlap between the channel activity portion of the channel estimation and the noise portion of the channel estimation.

6. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the predetermined value is zero.

7. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein determining the noise energy density value of channel estimates occurring during, the noise portion of the channel estimation further includes utilizing channel estimates occurring in at least a noise portion of at least one previous channel estimation.

8. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

setting channel estimate values to the channel estimate value for each channel estimate having an energy density value greater than the noise energy density value.

9. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the method is used for reducing noise of channel estimations for orthogonal frequency division multiplexed signals.

61. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing time-domain channel estimation to obtain the channel estimation.

62. The method of claim 1, further comprising dividing a channel estimation in accordance with the zoning scheme depending on timing tracking schemes, length of the channel estimation, and maximum channel spread of the channel estimation.

10. A method for reducing noise in a communications channel estimation comprising:

dividing a channel estimation in accordance with a zoning scheme to determine a channel activity portion and a noise portion of a channel estimation based on channel activity in the channel estimation;

determining a threshold noise level based on channel estimate values in the noise portion of the channel estimation determined by the zoning scheme;

comparing at least a portion of channel estimate values in the channel estimation to the threshold noise level; and

setting each of the at least a portion of channel estimate energy values being less than the threshold noise level to a predetermined value.

11. The method as defined in claim 10, further comprising:

comparing energy values of all channel estimates in the channel estimation to the threshold noise level.

12. The method as defined in claim 10, wherein the at least a portion of the channel estimation includes the noise portion of the channel estimation.

13. The method as defined in claim 10, wherein determining the noise threshold value includes determining a noise energy density value of channel estimates occurring during the noise portion of the channel estimation.

14. The method as defined in claim 13, wherein the energy density value of channel estimates occurring during the noise portion of the channel estimation further includes adjusting the noise energy density value by a predetermined constant.

15. The method as defined in claim 14, wherein the predetermined constant is set to account for over estimation of the determined noise energy density value resulting from overlap between the channel activity portion of the channel estimation and the noise portion of the channel estimation.

16. The method as defined in claim 10, wherein the predetermined value is zero.

17. The method as defined in claim 10, wherein determining the noise threshold value based on channel estimates occurring during the noise portion of the channel estimation further includes utilizing channel estimates occurring in at least a noise portion of at least one previous channel estimation.

18. The method as defined in claim 10, further comprising:

setting channel estimate values to the channel estimate value for each channel estimate having an energy greater than the noise threshold level.

19. The method as defined in claim 10, wherein the method is used for reducing noise of channel estimations for orthogonal frequency division multiplexed signals.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the stored instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method to reduce noise in a communications channel estimation, the method comprising:

dividing a channel estimation in accordance with a zoning scheme to determine a channel activity portion of a channel estimation and a noise portion of the channel estimation based on channel activity tracked in the channel estimation;

determining a noise energy density value of channel estimates occurring during the noise portion of the channel estimation determined by the zoning scheme;

comparing energy values of channel estimates for at least a portion of the channel estimation to the noise energy density value; and

setting channel estimate values to a predetermined value for each channel estimate having an energy value less than the noise energy density value.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim 20, wherein the method further includes comparing energy values of all channel estimates in the channel estimation to the noise energy density value.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim 20, wherein the method further includes the at least a portion of the channel estimation including the noise portion of the channel estimation.

23. The non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim 20, wherein determining the noise energy density value of channel estimates occurring during the noise portion of the channel estimation further includes adjusting the noise energy density value by a predetermined constant.

24. The non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim 23, wherein the predetermined constant is set to account for over estimation of the determined noise energy density value resulting from overlap between the channel activity portion of the channel estimation and the noise portion of the channel estimation.

25. The non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim 20, wherein the predetermined value is zero.

26. The non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim 20, wherein determining the noise energy density value of channel estimates occurring during the noise portion of the channel estimation further includes utilizing channel estimates occurring in at least a noise portion of at least one previous channel estimation.

27. The non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim 20, wherein the method further includes setting channel estimate values to the channel estimate value for each channel estimate having an energy density value greater than the noise energy density value.

28. The non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim 20, wherein the computer readable medium is used in a transceiver for reducing noise of channel estimations for orthogonal frequency division multiplexed signals.

29. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the stored instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method to reduce noise in a communications channel estimation, the method comprising:

dividing a channel estimation in accordance with a zoning scheme to determine a channel activity portion and a noise portion of a channel estimation based on channel activity in the channel estimation;

determining a threshold noise level based on channel estimate values in the noise portion of the channel estimation determined by the zoning scheme;

comparing at least a portion of channel estimate values in the channel estimation to the threshold noise level; and

setting each of the at least a portion of channel estimate energy values being less than the threshold noise level to a predetermined value.

30. The non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim 29, wherein the method further includes comparing energy values of all channel estimates in the channel estimation to the threshold noise level.

31. The non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim 29, wherein the at least a portion of the channel estimation includes the noise portion of the channel estimation.

32. The non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim 31, wherein determining the noise threshold value includes determining a noise energy density value of channel estimates occurring during the noise portion of the channel estimation.

33. The non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim 32, wherein the energy density value of channel estimates occurring during the noise portion of the channel estimation further includes adjusting the noise energy density value by a predetermined constant.

34. The non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim 33, wherein the predetermined constant is set to account for over estimation of the determined noise energy density value resulting from overlap between the channel activity portion of the channel estimation and the noise portion of the channel estimation.

35. The non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim 29, wherein the predetermined value is zero.

36. The non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim 29, wherein determining the noise threshold value based on channel estimates occurring during the noise portion of the channel estimation further includes utilizing channel estimates occurring in at least a noise portion of at least one previous channel estimation.

37. The non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim 29, further comprising:

setting channel estimate values to the channel estimate value for each channel estimate having an energy greater than the noise threshold level.

38. The non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim 29, wherein the computer readable medium is used in a transceiver for reducing noise of channel estimations for orthogonal frequency division multiplexed signals.

39. A transceiver apparatus configured to reduce noise in a channel estimation comprising:

a channel estimator processor configured to;

divide a channel estimation in accordance with a zoning scheme to determine a channel activity portion of a channel estimation and a noise portion of the channel estimation based on channel activity in the channel estimation;

determine a noise energy density value of channel estimates occurring during the noise portion of the channel estimation determined based on zoning scheme;

compare energy values of channel estimates for at least a portion of the channel estimation to the noise energy density value; and

set channel estimate values to a predetermined value for each channel estimate having an energy value less than the noise energy density value.

40. The transceiver as defined in claim 39, wherein the processor is further configured to compare energy values of all channel estimates in the channel estimation to the noise energy density value.

41. The transceiver as defined in claim 39, wherein the at least a portion of the channel estimation includes the noise portion of the channel estimation.

42. The transceiver as defined in claim 39, wherein the processor is configured to adjust the noise energy density value by a predetermined constant in order to determine the noise energy density value of channel estimates occurring during the noise portion of the channel estimation.

43. The transceiver as defined in claim 42, wherein the processor is further configured to set the predetermined constant to account for over estimation of the determined noise energy density value resulting from overlap between the channel activity portion of the channel estimation and the noise portion of the channel estimation.

44. The transceiver as defined in claim 39, wherein the predetermined value is zero.

45. The transceiver as defined in claim 39, wherein the processor is further configured to use channel estimates occurring in at least the noise portion of at least one previous channel estimation to determine the noise energy density value of channel estimates occurring during a noise portion of the channel estimation further includes.

46. The transceiver as defined in claim 39, wherein the processor is further configured to set channel estimate values to the channel estimate value for each channel estimate having an energy density value greater than the noise energy density value.

47. The transceiver as defined in claim 39, wherein the transceiver is configured to receive orthogonal frequency division multiplexed signals.

48. A transceiver apparatus configured to reduce noise in a channel estimation comprising:

a channel estimator processor configured to;

divide a channel estimation in accordance with a zoning scheme to determine a channel activity portion and a noise portion of a channel estimation based on channel activity in the channel estimation;

determine a threshold noise level based on channel estimate values in the noise portion of the channel estimation determined by the zoning scheme;

compare at least a portion of channel estimate values in the channel estimation to the threshold noise level; and

set each of the at least a portion of channel estimate energy values being less than the threshold noise level to a predetermined value.

49. The transceiver as defined in claim 48, wherein the processor is further configured to compare energy values of all channel estimates in the channel estimation to the threshold noise level.

50. The transceiver as defined in claim 48, wherein the at least a portion of the channel estimation includes the noise portion of the channel estimation.

51. The transceiver as defined in claim 48, wherein the processor in further configured to determine a noise energy density value of channel estimates occurring during the noise portion of the channel estimation in order to determine the noise threshold value.

52. The transceiver as defined in claim 51, wherein the processor is further configured to adjust the noise energy density value by a predetermined constant in order to determine the energy density value of channel estimates occurring during the noise portion of the channel estimation.

53. The transceiver as defined in claim 52, wherein the processor is configured to set predetermined constant to account for over estimation of the determined noise energy density value resulting from overlap between the channel activity portion of the channel estimation and the noise portion of the channel estimation.

54. The transceiver as defined in claim 48, wherein the predetermined value is zero.

55. The transceiver as defined in claim 48, wherein the processor is further configured to use channel estimates occurring in at least a noise portion of at least one previous channel estimation in order to determine the noise threshold value based on channel estimates occurring during the noise portion of the channel estimation.

56. The transceiver as defined in claim 48, wherein the processor is further configured to set channel estimate values to the channel estimate value for each channel estimate having an energy greater than the noise threshold level.

57. The transceiver as defined in claim 48, wherein the transceiver is configured to receive orthogonal frequency division multiplexed signals.

58. An apparatus for resolving timing in a wireless communication device comprising:

means for dividing a channel estimation in accordance with a zoning scheme for determining a channel activity portion of a channel estimate and a noise portion of the channel estimate based on channel activity in the channel estimation;

means for determining a noise energy density of the channel estimate occurring during the noise portion of the channel estimate determined by the zoning scheme;

means for determining whether energy of at least a portion of kth channel estimates are less than a value of the noise energy density; and

means for setting the channel estimate to a predetermined value when the energy of a channel, estimate is less than the value of the noise energy density.

59. The apparatus as defined in claim 58, further comprising:

means for setting the channel estimate equal to an actual channel estimate when the energy of a channel estimate is greater than the value of the noise energy density.

60. The apparatus as defined in claim 58, further comprising:

means for determining an adjusted noise energy density value.

63. The apparatus as defined in claim 58, further comprising:

means for comparing energy values of all channel estimates in the channel estimation to the noise energy density value.

64. The apparatus as defined in claim 58, wherein the at least a portion of the channel estimation includes the noise portion of the channel estimation.

65. The apparatus as defined in claim 58, wherein the means for determining the noise energy density of the channel estimate occurring during the noise portion of the channel estimate comprises means for adjusting the noise energy density value by a predetermined constant.

66. The apparatus as defined in claim 65, wherein the predetermined constant is set to account for over estimation of the determined noise energy density value resulting from overlap between the channel activity portion of the channel estimation and the noise portion of the channel estimate.

67. The apparatus as defined in claim 58, wherein the predetermined value is zero.

68. The apparatus as defined in claim 58, wherein the means for determining the noise energy density of the channel estimate occurring during the noise portion of the channel estimate comprises means for means for utilizing channel estimates occurring in at least the noise portion of at least one previous channel estimation.

69. The apparatus as defined in claim 58, further comprising means for reducing noise of channel estimations for orthogonal frequency division multiplexed signals.

70. The apparatus as defined in claim 58, further comprising means for performing time-domain channel estimation to obtain the channel estimation.

71. The apparatus as defined in claim 58, further comprising means for dividing a channel estimation in accordance with the zoning scheme depending on timing tracking schemes, length of the channel estimation, and maximum channel spread of the channel estimation.

72. An apparatus for resolving timing in a wireless communication device comprising:

means for dividing a channel estimation in accordance with a zoning scheme to determine a channel activity portion and a noise portion of a channel estimation based on channel activity in the channel estimation;

means for determining a threshold noise level based on channel estimate values in the noise portion of the channel estimation determined by the zoning scheme;

means for comparing at least a portion of channel estimate values in the channel estimation to the threshold noise level; and

means for setting each of the at least a portion of channel estimate energy values being less than the threshold noise level to a predetermined value.

73. The apparatus as defined in claim 72, further comprising:

means for comparing energy values of all channel estimates in the channel estimation to the noise energy density value.

74. The apparatus as defined in claim 72, wherein the at least a portion of the channel estimation includes the noise portion of the channel estimation.

75. The apparatus as defined in claim 72, wherein the means for determining the noise energy density of the channel estimate occurring during the noise portion of the channel estimate comprises means for adjusting the noise energy density value by a predetermined constant.

76. The apparatus as defined in claim 75, wherein the predetermined constant is set to account for over estimation of the determined noise energy density value resulting from overlap between the channel activity portion of the channel estimation and the noise portion of the channel estimate.

77. The apparatus as defined in claim 72, wherein the predetermined value is zero.

78. The apparatus as defined in claim 72, wherein the means for determining the noise energy density of the channel estimate occurring during the noise portion of the channel estimate comprises means for means for utilizing channel estimates occurring in at least the noise portion of at least one previous channel estimation.

79. The apparatus as defined in claim 72, further comprising means for reducing noise of channel estimations for orthogonal frequency division multiplexed signals.

80. The apparatus as defined in claim 72, further comprising means for performing time-domain channel estimation to obtain the channel estimation.

81. The apparatus as defined in claim 72, further comprising means for dividing a channel estimation in accordance with the zoning scheme depending on timing tracking schemes, length of the channel estimation, and maximum channel spread of the channel estimation.