Interference mitigation in downlink signal communication to a mobile terminal

• US 8,761,117 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2009
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Falconetti, Laetitia, Hoymann, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson, Jr., Otis L
• Application Number:
  US13/510,376
• Publication Number:
  US 20120281683A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,667 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/330
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 11/0023 Interference mitigation or co-ordination direct sequence spread spectrum [DSSS] systems H04B1/7097; frequency hopping H04B1/713; allocation criteria for ingress interference avoidance H04L5/0062; frequency allocation criteria for requirements on out-of-channel emissions H04L5/0066; arrangements for removing intersymbol interference or baseband equalisers H04L25/03006; peak power aspects in multicarrier modulation H04L27/2614; power management H04W52/00; traffic scheduling H04W72/54, H04W72/541
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0025 Transmission of mode-switching indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1896 ARQ related signaling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2001/0097 Relays
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

In downlink signal communication to a mobile terminal (200), the mobile terminal (200) is associated with a serving access node (100-1). Signal communication to a further mobile terminal (200; 200′″) may interfere with the signal communication between the serving access node (100-1) and the mobile terminal (200). In order to allow interference mitigation at the mobile terminal (200), the serving access node (100-1) obtains scheduling information pertaining to the signal communication to the further mobile terminal (200; 200′″). The obtained scheduling information is then forwarded to the mobile terminal (200) to be used for interference mitigation.

Claims

1. A method for downlink signal communication from a serving access node to a first mobile terminal associated with the serving access node, the method comprising the serving access node:

obtaining scheduling information pertaining to signal communication to a second mobile terminal;

forwarding the obtained scheduling information to the first mobile terminal so as to allow for using the scheduling information for interference mitigation at the first mobile terminal;

wherein the scheduling information indicates at least one of a frequency resource allocation and a time resource allocation used for the signal communications to the second mobile terminal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the scheduling information further indicates at least one of a modulation scheme, a coding scheme, a precoding matrix, a reference signal, and a transmit power, used for the signal communication to the second mobile terminal.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the scheduling information pertains to signal communication from the serving access node the second mobile terminal.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the scheduling information pertains to signal communication from a supporting access node to the second mobile terminal.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

determining a characteristic of a link between a further access node and the first mobile terminal;

selecting, on the basis of the determined characteristic, the further access node as the supporting access node.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising sending a message from the serving access node to the supporting access node to receive the scheduling information from the supporting access node.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the message comprises information relating to further scheduling information pertaining to signal communication from the serving access node to the first mobile terminal.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the message comprises information on an estimated signal quality of an interfering signal received at the first mobile terminal from the supporting access node.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising scheduling signal communication from the supporting access node to the second mobile terminal on the basis of the information in the message.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising sending further scheduling information from the serving access node to at least one further access node, the further scheduling information pertaining to signal communication from the serving access node to the first mobile terminal.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the further scheduling information indicates at least one of a modulation scheme, a coding scheme, a precoding matrix, a reference signal, a transmit power, a frequency resource allocation, and a time resource allocation, used for the signal communication from the serving access node to the first mobile terminal.

12. A method for downlink signal communication from a serving access node to a first mobile terminal associated with the serving access node, the method comprising the first mobile terminal:

receiving, from the serving access node, scheduling information pertaining to signal communication to a second mobile terminal;

receiving a communication signal from the serving access node;

receiving an interfering signal due to the signal communication to the second mobile terminal;

removing, on the basis of the received scheduling information, at least a signal portion of the interfering signal from the communication signal;

wherein the scheduling information indicates at least one of a frequency resource allocation and a time resource allocation used for the signal communications to the second mobile terminal.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the removing comprises decoding of the interfering signal on the basis of the received scheduling information.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the removing comprises determining, on the basis of the received scheduling information, an interference covariance matrix of the interfering signal.

15. A network device configured to operate as a serving access node serving a first mobile terminal, comprising:

a wireless interface for communication with the first mobile terminal;

a processor operatively connected to the interface, the processor configured to;

obtain scheduling information pertaining to signal communication to a second mobile terminal;

forward, via the wireless interface, the obtained scheduling information to the first mobile terminal so as to allow for using the scheduling information for interference mitigation at the first mobile terminal;

wherein the scheduling information indicates at least one of a frequency resource allocation and a time resource allocation used for the signal communications to the second mobile terminal.

16. The network device of claim 15 wherein the scheduling information further indicates at least one of a modulation scheme, a coding scheme, a precoding matrix, a reference signal, and a transmit power, used for the signal communication to the second mobile terminal.

17. A first mobile terminal, comprising:

a wireless interface configured for communication with a serving access node serving the first mobile terminal;

a processor operatively connected to the interface, the processor configured to;

receive, via the wireless interface, scheduling information pertaining to signal communication to a second mobile terminal;

receive, via the wireless interface, a communication signal from the serving access node and an interfering signal due to the signal communication to the second mobile terminal;

remove, on the basis of the received scheduling information, at least a signal portion of the interfering signal from the communication signal;

wherein the scheduling information indicates at least one of a frequency resource allocation and a time resource allocation used for the signal communications to the second mobile terminal.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 17 wherein the scheduling information further indicates at least one of a modulation scheme, a coding scheme, a precoding matrix, a reference signal, and a transmit power, used for the signal communication to the second mobile terminal.

19. A computer program product stored in a non-transient computer readable medium for controlling a processor of a network device, the computer program product comprising software code instructions which, when run on the processor, causes the network device to:

obtain scheduling information pertaining to signal communication to a second mobile terminal;

forward the obtained scheduling information to a first mobile terminal so as to allow for using the scheduling information for interference mitigation at the first mobile terminal;

wherein the scheduling information indicates at least one of a frequency resource allocation and a time resource allocation used for the signal communications to the second mobile terminal.

20. A computer program product stored in a non-transient computer readable medium for controlling a processor of a first mobile terminal, the computer program product comprising software code instructions which, when run on the processor, causes the mobile terminal to:

receive, from a serving access node serving the first mobile terminal, scheduling information pertaining to signal communication to a second mobile terminal;

receive a communication signal from the serving access node;

receive an interfering signal due to the signal communication to the second mobile terminal;

remove, on the basis of the received scheduling information, at least a signal portion of the interfering signal from the communication signal;

wherein the scheduling information indicates at least one of a frequency resource allocation and a time resource allocation used for the signal communications to the second mobile terminal.

21. A system, comprising:

a first mobile terminal;

a serving access node serving the first mobile terminal, the serving access node comprising;

a wireless interface for communication with the first mobile terminal;

a processor operatively connected to the interface, the processor configured to;

obtain scheduling information pertaining to signal communication to a second mobile terminal;

forward, via the wireless interface, the obtained scheduling information to the first mobile terminal so as to allow for using the scheduling information for interference mitigation at the first mobile terminal;

the first mobile terminal comprising;

a wireless interface configured for communication with the serving access node;

a processor operatively connected to the interface, the processor configured to;

receive, via the wireless interface, scheduling information pertaining to signal communication to a second mobile terminal;

receive, via the wireless interface, a communication signal from the network device and an interfering signal due to the signal communication to the second mobile terminal;

remove, on the basis of the received scheduling information, at least a signal portion of the interfering signal from the communication signal;

wherein the scheduling information indicates at least one of a frequency resource allocation and a time resource allocation used for the signal communications to the second mobile terminal.