Multiple-input Multiple-output (MIMO) with relay nodes

• US 8,699,547 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2011
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Yu, Yi, Womack, James Earl, Cai, Zhijun
• Primary Examiner(s): Vlahos, Sophia
• Application Number:
  US13/216,819
• Publication Number:
  US 20110305191A1
• Time in Patent Office: 965 Days
• Field of Search: 375/211, 455/7, 455/10, 455/11.1, 455/12.1, 455/13.3, 455/15, 455/17, 455 20- 24, 455/69, 370/252, 370/293, 370/315
• US Class Current: 375/211
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/026 Co-operative diversity, e.g. using fixed or mobile stations as relays
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0632 Channel quality parameters, e.g. channel quality indicator [CQI]
• 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: H04B 7/0658 Feedback reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0026 Transmission of channel quality indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0027 Scheduling of signalling, e.g. occurrence thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0028 Formatting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2025/03808 Transmission of equaliser coefficients
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0007 the frequencies being orthogonal, e.g. OFDM(A), DMT

Abstract

A method for providing multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) feedback information and configuration information. The method includes transporting the MIMO feedback information, configuration information, or both over an uplink relay link using higher layer signaling. Also included is a method for providing uplink data transmission over an access link. The method includes transporting the uplink data over an uplink access link using orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing access (OFDMA). Also included is a relay node comprising a processor configured to promote transmitting MIMO feedback information, configuration information, or both over an uplink relay link using higher layer signaling. Also included is a user agent (UA) comprising a processor configured to promote transmitting uplink data over an uplink access link using OFDMA.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting uplink data by a user agent, comprising:

establishing an uplink access link with a relay node that has a relay link to an access device, wherein the uplink access link utilizes an orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) access scheme between the user agent and the relay node regardless of the access scheme used between the relay node and the access device; and

transmitting OFDM physical layer feedback to the relay node via the uplink access link,

wherein the uplink access link is established using layer 1 signaling, and wherein the relay link is established using higher layer signaling, the higher layer signaling being higher than layer 1 signaling,

wherein feedback information is transported more frequently to the relay node via the uplink access link as compared to feedback information transported to the access device via the relay link, wherein the feedback information transported to the relay node comprises the OFDM physical layer feedback.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a distance from the user agent to the relay node is substantially less than a distance from the relay node to the access device.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

obtaining a subset of assigned OFDM resources that are used to transport the OFDM physical layer feedback.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the subset of assigned OFDM resources is obtained over a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH).

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the subset of assigned OFDM resources is indicated using a bitmap of assigned individual resource blocks.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the assigned resource blocks are discontinuous.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the subset of assigned OFDM resources is indicated using the first and last resource block for each assigned subset of continuous resource blocks.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the subset of assigned OFDM resources is indicated using at least one of a downlink control information (DCI) format 1, DCI format 1A, DCI format 2, and DCI format 2A.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the uplink access link between the user agent and the relay node is a Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) connection, and the OFDM physical layer feedback includes MIMO feedback information.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein path loss between the user agent and the relay node is substantially less than path loss between the relay node and the access device.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising using lower order modulation to transmit data over the uplink access link, the lower order modulation being lower than modulation rates used to transmit data over the relay link.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising using layer 1 signaling to transmit the OFDM physical layer feedback.

12. A user agent (UA) comprising:

a processor configured to promote establishing an uplink access link with a relay node that has a relay link to an access device, wherein the uplink access link utilizes an orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM)scheme between the user agent and the relay node regardless of the access scheme used between the relay node and the access device; and

the processor further configured to promote transmitting OFDM physical layer feedback to the relay node via the uplink access link,

wherein the uplink access link is established using layer 1 signaling, and wherein the relay link is established using higher layer signaling, the higher layer signaling being higher than layer 1 signaling,

wherein feedback information is transported more frequently to the relay node via the uplink access link as compared to feedback information transported to the access device via the relay link, wherein the feedback information transported to the relay node comprises the OFDM physical layer feedback.

13. The UA of claim 12, wherein a distance associated with the uplink access link is substantially less than a distance associated with a direct link.

14. The UA of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to obtain a subset of assigned OFDM resources that are used to transport feedback information, configuration information, or both.

15. The UA of claim 14, wherein the subset of assigned OFDM resources is obtained over a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH).

16. The UA of claim 14, wherein the subset of assigned OFDM resources is indicated using a bitmap of assigned individual resource blocks.

17. The UA of claim 16, wherein the assigned resource blocks are discontinuous.

18. The UA of claim 14, wherein the subset of assigned OFDM resources is indicated using the first and last resource block for each assigned subset of continuous resource blocks.

19. The UA of claim 14, wherein the subset of assigned OFDM resources is indicated using at least one of a downlink control information (DCI) format 1, DCI format 1A, DCI format 2, and DCI format 2A.

20. The UA of claim 13, wherein path loss associated with the uplink access link is substantially less than path loss associated with the direct link.

22. The UA of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to promote using layer 1 signaling to transmit the OFDM physical layer feedback.

23. The UA of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to promote using lower order modulation to transmit data over the uplink access link, the lower order modulation being lower than modulation rates used to transmit data over the relay link.