Interference management in a wireless communication system using beam and null steering

• US 8,837,305 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2008
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Nanda, Sanjiv, Walton, Jay Rodney, Yavuz, Mehmet
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi
• Assistant Examiner(s): HYUN, SOON D
• Application Number:
  US12/276,894
• Publication Number:
  US 20090137221A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,122 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1825 Adaptation of specific ARQ protocol parameters according to transmission conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0092 Indication of how the channel is divided
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/04 Error control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/143 Downlink power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/20 using error rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/244 Interferences in heterogeneous networks, e.g. among macro and femto or pico cells or other sector / system interference [OSI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/32 TPC of broadcast or control channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/322 Power control of broadcast channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/325 Power control of control or pilot channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/38 TPC being performed in particular situations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/44 in connection with interruption of transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/001 Synchronization between nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0015 one node acting as a reference for the others
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0025 synchronizing potentially movable access points
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/04 Scheduled access hybrid access H04W74/02

Abstract

Interference that occurs during wireless communication may be managed through the use of beam and null steering techniques. A method, apparatus and medium of communication determine an interference direction of a non-associated access terminal generating an interfering signal. Transmitted and received signals are then transceived away from the interference direction.

Claims

1. A method of communication, comprising:

determining an interference direction of a non-associated access terminal generating an interfering signal; and

transceiving signals away from the interference direction when the interfering signal from the non-associated access terminal exceeds a high signal strength threshold, wherein the high signal strength threshold indicates that a non-interfering signal from any associated access terminal located in the interference direction would not be decodable.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the interference direction comprises:

receiving the interfering signal from the non-associated access terminal;

comparing a characteristic of the interfering signal with a threshold; and

designating an interfering direction of the interfering signal when the characteristic exceeds the threshold.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the characteristic of the interfering signal is a transmissions power level of the interfering signal.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising periodically determining if the non-associated access terminal continues to generate the interfering signal.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein periodically determining comprises:

omnidirectionally receiving transmission signals from a current non-associated access terminal; and

updating the interference direction toward the current non-associated access terminal if an interfering signal is determined.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein periodically determining comprises:

eliminating a null in the interference direction during reception of the signals;

receiving transmission signals from any current non-associated access terminal; and

updating the interference direction toward the current non-associated access terminal.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the periodic determination occurs once per second.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein transceiving signals comprises:

forming a signal transmission beam in a transmit direction not inclusive of the interference direction; and

transmitting the signals in the signal transmission beam.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein transceiving signals comprises:

forming a signal reception null in a receive direction coinciding with the interference direction; and

receiving the signals in the receive direction not inclusive of the signal reception null.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising omnidirectionally transceiving signals when the interfering signal is determined to be non-interfering.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the interference direction comprises:

beam steering and null steering in different directions until a maximum received signal quality from an associated access terminal is determined.

12. An apparatus for communication, comprising:

an interference controller configured to determine an interference direction of a non-associated access terminal generating an interfering signal; and

a communication controller configured to transceive signals away from the interference direction when the interfering signal from the non-associated access terminal exceeds a high signal strength threshold, wherein the high signal strength threshold indicates that a non-interfering signal from any associated access terminal located in the interference direction would not be decodable.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the interference controller is further configured to:

receive the interfering signal from the non-associated access terminal;

compare a characteristic of the interfering signal with a threshold; and

designate an interfering direction of the interfering signal when the characteristic exceeds the threshold.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the characteristic of the interfering signal is a transmissions power level of the interfering signal.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the interference controller is further configured to periodically determine if the non-associated access terminal continues to generate the interfering signal.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the interference controller is further configured to:

omnidirectionally receive transmission signals from a current non-associated access terminal; and

update the interference direction toward the current non-associated access terminal if an interfering signal is determined.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the interference controller is further configured to:

eliminate a null in the interference direction during reception of the signals;

receive transmission signals from any current non-associated access terminal; and

update the interference direction toward the current non-associated access terminal.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the communication controller is further configured to:

form a signal transmission beam in a transmit direction not inclusive of the interference direction; and

transmit the signals in the signal transmission beam.

19. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the communication controller is further configured to:

form a signal reception null in a receive direction coinciding with the interference direction; and

receive the signals in the receive direction not inclusive of the signal reception null.

20. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the communication controller is further configured to omnidirectionally transceive signals when the interfering signal is determined to be non-interfering.

21. An apparatus for communication, comprising:

means for determining an interference direction of a non-associated access terminal generating an interfering signal; and

means for transceiving signals away from the interference direction when the interfering signal from the non-associated access terminal exceeds a high signal strength threshold, wherein the high signal strength threshold indicates that a non-interfering signal from any associated access terminal located in the interference direction would not be decodable.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the means for determining the interference direction comprises:

means for receiving the interfering signal from the non-associated access terminal;

means for comparing a characteristic of the interfering signal with a threshold; and

means for designating an interfering direction of the interfering signal when the characteristic exceeds the threshold.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the characteristic of the interfering signal is a transmissions power level of the interfering signal.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising means for periodically determining if the non-associated access terminal continues to generate the interfering signal.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the means for periodically determining comprises:

means for omnidirectionally receiving transmission signals from a current non-associated access terminal; and

means for updating the interference direction toward the current non-associated access terminal if an interfering signal is determined.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the means for periodically determining comprises:

means for eliminating a null in the interference direction during reception of the signals;

means for receiving transmission signals from any current non-associated access terminal; and

means for updating the interference direction toward the current non-associated access terminal.

27. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the means for transceiving signals comprises:

means for forming a signal transmission beam in a transmit direction not inclusive of the interference direction; and

means for transmitting the signals in the signal transmission beam.

28. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the means for transceiving signals comprises:

means for forming a signal reception null in a receive direction coinciding with the interference direction; and

means for receiving the signals in the receive direction not inclusive of the signal reception null.

29. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising means for omnidirectionally transceiving signals when the interfering signal is determined to be non-interfering.

30. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising codes for causing a computer to:

determine an interference direction of a non-associated access terminal generating an interfering signal; and

transceive signals away from the interference direction when the interfering signal from the non-associated access terminal exceeds a high signal strength threshold, wherein the high signal strength threshold indicates that a non-interfering signal from any associated access terminal located in the interference direction would not be decodable.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the codes for causing the computer to determine an interference direction comprise codes for causing the computer to:

receive the interfering signal from the non-associated access terminal;

compare a characteristic of the interfering signal with a threshold; and

designate an interfering direction of the interfering signal when the characteristic exceeds the threshold.

32. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 31, wherein the characteristic of the interfering signal is a transmissions power level of the interfering signal.

33. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30, further comprising codes for causing the computer to periodically determine if the non-associated access terminal continues to generate the interfering signal.

34. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 33, wherein the codes for causing the computer to periodically determine comprise codes for causing the computer to:

omnidirectionally receive transmission signals from a current non-associated access terminal; and

update the interference direction toward the current non-associated access terminal if an interfering signal is determined.

35. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 33, wherein the codes for causing the computer to periodically determine comprise codes for causing the computer to:

eliminate a null in the interference direction during reception of the signals;

receive transmission signals from any current non-associated access terminal; and

update the interference direction toward the current non-associated access terminal.

36. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the codes for causing the computer to transceiver signals comprise codes for causing the computer to:

form a signal transmission beam in a transmit direction not inclusive of the interference direction; and

transmit the signals in the signal transmission beam.

37. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the codes for causing the computer to transceiver signals comprise codes for causing the computer to:

form a signal reception null in a receive direction coinciding with the interference direction; and

receive the signals in the receive direction not inclusive of the signal reception null.

38. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30, further comprising codes for causing the computer to omnidirectionally transceive signals when the interfering signal is determined to be non-interfering.