Conveying information through phase offset on PSS relative to DL-RS

• US 8,948,208 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2009
• Issued: 02/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Malladi, Durga Prasad, Montojo, Juan, Farajidana, Amir, Bhattad, Kapil
• Primary Examiner(s): Chung, Hoon J
• Application Number:
  US12/611,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20100118839A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,918 Days
• Field of Search: 370/215, 370/310.2, 370328-339, 370/349, 370516-519, 455/23, 455/42, 455/60, 455/139, 455/205, 455/276.1, 455/304, 455/422.1, 375/269, 375/273, 375279-284, 375/308, 375/323, 375329-333, 375362-376
• US Class Current: 370/503
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 11/00 Orthogonal multiplex systems, e.g. using WALSH codesH04J13/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/261 Details of reference signals

Abstract

Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate conveying information utilizing a constant phase offset on Primary Synchronization Signal (PSS). In general, the subject innovation can employ a fixed set of beams and phases in which a PSS and a Secondary Synchronization Signal (SSS) can be transmitted with the fixed set of beams and phases. Furthermore, the phase offset for PSS and SSS can be the same such that legacy user equipment is unaffected or aware of such transmissions.

Claims

1. A method used in a wireless communications system, comprising:

identifying a beam within a wireless communications environment;

employing a fixed number of phases for the beam; and

transmitting at least one of a Primary Synchronization Signal (PSS) or a Secondary Synchronization Signal (SSS) with the fixed number of phases for the beam; and

utilizing the fixed number of phases for the beam to convey information to a User Equipment (UE),

wherein the conveyed information is related to a number of antennas deployed in the wireless communication system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising employing the fixed number of phases for more than one beam within the wireless communications environment.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising employing the fixed number of phases for the beam such that the fixed number of phases is relative to a downlink reference signal.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising utilizing a first phase for the PSS within a subframe and the first phase for the SSS within the subframe.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the beam is at least one of an available antenna port or a combination of available antenna ports.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting at least one of the PSS or the SSS the UE that is compatible with more than four antenna ports.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying at least one phase or beam based upon the conveyed information.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a set of fixed beams from linear combination of available reference signal ports;

partitioning the set into disjoint subsets; and

conveying information in a subset index.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

identifying the subset index based on the information to convey;

selecting the beam from at least one of the disjoint subsets; and

communicating at least one of the PSS or the SSS with the beam.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising keeping phase of the PSS and the SSS identical.

11. A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

identify a beam within a wireless communications environment;

employ a fixed number of phases for the beam;

transmit at least one of a Primary Synchronization Signal (PSS) or a Secondary Synchronization Signal (SSS) with the fixed number of phases for the beam;

utilize the fixed number of phases for the beam to convey information to a User Equipment (UE), wherein the conveyed information is related to a number of antennas deployed in the wireless communications environment; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor.

12. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 11, further comprising the at least one processor configured to employ the fixed number of phases for more than one beam within the wireless communications environment.

13. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 11, further comprising the at least one processor configured to employ the fixed number of phases for the beam such that the fixed number of phases is relative to a downlink reference signal.

14. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 11, further comprising the at least one processor configured to utilize a first phase for the PSS within a subframe and the first phase for the SSS within the subframe.

15. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 11, wherein the beam is at least one of an available antenna port or a combination of available antenna ports.

16. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 11, further comprising the at least one processor configured to transmit at least one of the PSS or the SSS the UE that is compatible with more than four antenna ports.

17. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 16, further comprising the at least one processor configured to identify at least one phase or beam based upon the conveyed information.

18. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

the at least one processor configured to;

identify a set of fixed beams from linear combination of available reference signal ports;

partition the set into disjoint subsets; and

convey information in a subset index.

19. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

the at least one processor configured to;

identify the subset index based on information to convey;

select the beam from at least one of the disjoint subsets; and

communicate at least one of PSS or SSS with the beam.

20. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 11, further comprising keeping phase of the PSS and the SSS identical.

21. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising;

code for causing the at least one computer to identify a beam within a wireless communications environment;

code for causing the at least one computer to employ a fixed number of phases for the beam;

code for causing the at least one computer to utilizing the fixed number of phases for the beam to convey information to a User Equipment (UE), wherein the conveyed information is related to a number of antennas deployed in the wireless communications environment; and

code for causing the at least one computer to transmit at least one of a Primary Synchronization Signal (PSS) or a Secondary Synchronization Signal (SSS) with the fixed number of phases for the beam.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises:

code for keeping phase of the PSS and the SSS identical.

23. A method used in a wireless communications system, comprising:

identifying a fixed set of phases and beams;

receiving at least one of a Primary Synchronization Signal (PSS) or a Secondary Synchronization Signal (SSS); and

identifying a phase offset associated with the PSS, wherein the phase offset conveys information relating to a number of antennas deployed in the wireless communications system.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising identifying at least one of the PSS or the SSS without knowledge of the fixed set of phases and beams.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising estimating a channel based upon a reference signal.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising identifying a beam and a phase from the fixed set of phases and beams based upon a channel estimate.

27. The method of claim 23, further comprising estimating a channel gain on the PSS and the SSS based upon at least one received beam.

28. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

estimating a channel from at least one reference signal port; and

decoding a subset index utilized to identify transmitted information.

29. A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

identify a fixed set of phases and beams;

receive at least one of a Primary Synchronization Signal (PSS) or a Secondary Synchronization Signal (SSS);

identify a phase offset associated with the PSS, wherein the phase offset conveys information relating to a number of antennas deployed in a wireless communications system; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor.

30. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 29, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to identify the at least one of the PSS or the SSS without the fixed set of phases and beams.

31. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 29, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to estimate a channel based upon a reference signal.

32. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 29, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to identify a beam and a phase from the fixed set of phases and beams based upon a channel estimate.

33. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 29,

wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

estimate a channel from at least one reference signal port; and

decode a subset index utilized to identify transmitted information.

34. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising;

code for causing the at least one computer to identify a fixed set of phases and beams; and

code for causing the at least one computer to receive at least one of a Primary Synchronization Signal (PSS) or a Secondary Synchronization Signal (SSS); and

code for causing the at least one computer to identify a phase offset associated with the PSS, wherein the phase offset conveys information relating to a number of antennas deployed in the wireless communications system.