Method and apparatus for providing uplink signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) estimation in a wireless communication system

• US 8,548,387 B2
• Filed: 01/02/2007
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Malladi, Durga P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Milord, Marceau
• Application Number:
  US11/619,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20070111669A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,464 Days
• Field of Search: 455/67.11, 455/67.13, 455/450, 455/63.1, 455/446, 455/447, 455/501, 455/522, 455/115, 455/452.1, 381/94.3, 381/317, 370/330, 370/337, 370/342, 375/260, 375/343
• US Class Current: 455/67.11
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/336 Signal-to-interference ratio [SIR] or carrier-to-interference ratio [CIR]

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing uplink signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) estimation in a wireless communication system. A first signal is received over a first channel and a second signal is received over a second channel, where the second signal is received at a higher signal power level than said first signal. A signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the second signal is measured, and the SNR of the first signal is determined based at least in part upon the measured SNR of the second signal.

Claims

1. A method for a wireless communication system, comprising:

receiving a first signal over a first channel by a receiver and a second signal over a second channel by the receiver, said second signal received at a different signal power level than said first signal; and

determining the SNR of the first signal based upon a measured SNR of the second signal at the receiver.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving at least a first signal over a first channel and a second signal over a second channel further comprises:

receiving at least a pilot signal over the first channel and a rate indicator signal over the second channel, said rate indicator signal indicating a data rate at which a data signal is received over a third channel.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said data signal is received over the third channel by the receiver at a higher signal power level than said rate indicator signal and said pilot signal.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining a first energy-per-chip ratio between the rate indicator and pilot signals based at least in part upon said data rate at which said data signal is received over said third channel.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said determining the SNR of the first signal further comprises:

determining the SNR of the pilot signal based on the measured SNR of the rate indicator signal and the first energy-per-chip ratio between the rate indicator and pilot signals.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining a second energy-per-chip ratio between the data and pilot signals based at least in part upon said data rate at which said data signal is received over the third channel.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining the SNR of the data signal based at least upon the measured SNR of the rate indicator signal and the first and second energy-per-chip ratios.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one transmitter for transmitting a first signal over a first channel and a second signal over a second channel, said second signal transmitted at a different signal power level than said first signal; and

at least one receiver for receiving the first and second signals;

the receiver to determine the SNR of the first signal based upon a measured SNR of the second signal.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said first signal is a pilot signal and said second signal is a rate indicator signal;

and

wherein said rate indicator signal indicates a data rate at which a data signal is received from the transmitter over a third channel.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said data signal is received over the third channel at a higher signal power level than said rate indicator signal and said pilot signal.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said receiver determines a first energy-per-chip ratio between the rate indicator and pilot signals based at least in part upon said data rate at which said data signal is received over said third channel.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said receiver determines the SNR of the pilot signal based on the measured SNR of the rate indicator signal and the first energy-per-chip ratio between the rate indicator and pilot signals.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said receiver determines a second energy-per-chip ratio between the data and pilot signals based at least in part upon said data rate at which said data signal is received over the third channel.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said receiver determines the SNR of the data signal based at least upon the measured SNR of the rate indicator signal and the first and second energy-per-chip ratios.

15. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said transmitter is a mobile terminal and said receiver is a base transceiver site.

16. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said transmitter and said receiver communicate via a code division multiple access (CDMA) scheme.

17. A device, comprising:

a receiver for receiving a first signal over a first channel and a second signal over a second channel, said second signal received at a different signal power level than said first signal; and

a processor for determining the SNR of the first signal based upon a measured SNR of the second signal.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein said first signal is a pilot signal and said second signal is a rate indicator signal;

and

wherein said rate indicator signal indicates a data rate at which a data signal is received by said receiver over a third channel.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein said data signal is received over the third channel at a higher signal power level than said rate indicator signal and said pilot signal.

20. The device of claim 18, wherein said processor determines a first energy-per-chip ratio between the rate indicator and pilot signals based at least in part upon said data rate at which said data signal is received over said third channel.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein said processor determines the SNR of the pilot signal based on the measured SNR of the rate indicator signal and the first energy-per-chip ratio between the rate indicator and pilot signals.

22. The device of claim 20, wherein said processor determines a second energy-per-chip ratio between the data and pilot signals based at least in part upon said data rate at which said data signal is received over the third channel.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein said processor determines the SNR of the data signal based at least upon the measured SNR of the rate indicator signal and the first and second energy-per-chip ratios.

24. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting a first signal over a first channel and a second signal over a second channel to a base transceiver site, said second signal transmitted at a different signal power level than said first signal; and

said base transceiver site to receive said first and second signals, and to determine the SNR of the first signal based upon a measured SNR of the second signal.

25. The mobile terminal of claim 24, wherein said first signal is a pilot signal and said second signal is a rate indicator signal;

and

wherein said rate indicator signal indicates a data rate at which a data signal is received by said base transceiver site over a third channel.

26. The mobile terminal of claim 25, wherein said data signal is received over the third channel at a higher signal power level than said rate indicator signal and said pilot signal.

27. The mobile terminal of claim 25, wherein said base transceiver site determines a first energy-per-chip ratio between the rate indicator and pilot signals based at least in part upon said data rate at which said data signal is received over said third channel.

28. The mobile terminal of claim 27, wherein said base transceiver site determines the SNR of the pilot signal based on the measured SNR of the rate indicator signal and the first energy-per-chip ratio between the rate indicator and pilot signals.

29. The mobile terminal of claim 27, wherein said base transceiver site determines a second energy-per-chip ratio between the data and pilot signals based at least in part upon said data rate at which said data signal is received over the third channel.

30. The mobile terminal of claim 29, wherein said base transceiver site determines the SNR of the data signal based at least upon the measured SNR of the rate indicator signal and the first and second energy-per-chip ratios.

31. A computer readable media embodying comprising:

instructions for causing a receiver to receive a first signal over a first channel and a second signal over a second channel, said second signal received at a different signal power level than said first signal; and

instructions for causing a determination of the SNR of the first signal based upon a measured SNR of the second signal.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said instructions for causing a receiver to receive a first signal over a first channel and a second signal over a second channel further comprises:

instructions for causing the receiver to receive least a pilot signal over a first channel and a rate indicator signal over a second channel, said rate indicator signal indicating a data rate at which a data signal is received over a third channel.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein said data signal is received over the third channel at a higher signal power level than said rate indicator signal and said pilot signal.

34. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

instructions for causing a determination of a first energy-per-chip ratio between the rate indicator and pilot signals based at least in part upon said data rate at which said data signal is received over said third channel.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein said instructions for causing a determination of the SNR of the first signal further comprises:

instructions for causing a determination of the SNR of the pilot signal based on the measured SNR of the rate indicator signal and the first energy-per-chip ratio between the rate indicator and pilot signals.

36. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

instructions for causing a determination of a second energy-per-chip ratio between the data and pilot signals based at least in part upon said data rate at which said data signal is received over the third channel.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

instructions for causing a determination of the SNR of the data signal based at least upon the measured SNR of the rate indicator signal and the first and second energy-per-chip ratios.