System and method for allowing multiple stations in a network to use MU-MIMO transmit beamforming

• US 9,287,944 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2011
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Celeno Communications, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Celeno Communications, Ltd.
• Inventors: Shapira, Nir
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Warner
• Application Number:
  US13/330,282
• Publication Number:
  US 20120155401A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,548 Days
• Field of Search: 370310-350
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0452 Multi-user MIMO systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1059 Inter-group management mechanisms, e.g. splitting, merging or interconnection of groups
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/046 the resource being in the space domain, e.g. beams
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/121 for groups of terminals or users

Abstract

System and method for Multi-User (MU) Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output (MIMO) transmission, the method including assigning to an originator station in a MU-MIMO wireless communication network, said originator station separate from a primary beamformer of the MU-MIMO communication network, permission for MU group management, and performing MU-MIMO transmission by the originator station to a plurality of stations in the MU-MIMO communication network.

Claims

1. A method for Multi-User (MU) Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output (MIMO) transmission, the method comprising:

assigning permission for MU group management to an originator station having MU MIMO group management capabilities in a MU-MIMO wireless communication network, wherein said originator station is separated from a primary beamformer of the MU-MIMO communication network,

wherein assigning said permission for MU group management comprises allocating to said originator station a dedicated plurality of Multi-User (MU) groups, and

wherein the primary beamformer refrains from performing MU-MIMO transmission to the dedicated plurality of MU groups while the permission for MU-MIMO transmission is assigned to the originator station.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing MU-MIMO transmission by the originator station to a plurality of stations in the MU-MIMO communication network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the primary beamformer in the MU-MIMO communication network refrains from:

performing MU-MIMO transmission and managing the MU-MIMO groups while permission for MU-MIMO group management is assigned to the originator station.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein assigning said permission for MU group management comprises transferring to the originator station Multi-User (MU) group definitions that were previously made by the primary beamformer.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising transmitting a notification by the primary beamformer to a plurality of stations in the MU-MIMO communication network, said notification identifying the originator station as a permitted MU-MIMO group manager.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning said permission for MU group management comprises allocating to said originator station a dedicated plurality of Multi-User (MU) groups.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising performing MU-MIMO transmission by the originator station to stations pertaining to said dedicated plurality of MU groups.

15. The method of claim 1, comprising:

receiving a request from the originator station to be assigned permission for MU-MIMO group management prior to assigning said permission for MU group management.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the primary beamformer is an access point (AP).

8. A method for Multi-User (MU) Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output (MIMO) transmission, the method comprising:

assigning to an originator station in a MU-MIMO wireless communication network, said originator station separate from a primary beamformer of the MU-MIMO communication network, permission for MU group management,

wherein assigning said permission for MU group management comprises allocating to said originator station a dedicated plurality of Multi-User (MU) groups, and

wherein the primary beamformer refrains from performing MU-MIMO transmission to the dedicated plurality of MU groups while the permission for MU-MIMO transmission is assigned to the originator station, and wherein the primary beamformer continues to perform MU-MIMO transmission to MU groups excluding the dedicated plurality of MU groups.

9. A method for Multi-User (MU) Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output (MIMO) transmission, the method comprising:

assigning to an originator station in a MU-MIMO wireless communication network, said originator station separate from a primary beamformer of the MU-MIMO communication network, permission for MU group management,

wherein assigning said permission for MU group management comprises allocating to said originator station a dedicated plurality of Multi-User (MU) groups,

wherein assigning said permission for MU-MIMO transmission comprises allocating to said originator station a first dedicated plurality of Multi-User (MU) groups, the method further comprising;

assigning to at least one additional originator station in the MU-MIMO communication network, said additional originator station being separate from the primary beamformer, permission for MU-MIMO group management, wherein assigning said permission to said at least one additional originator station comprises allocating to each of said at least one additional originator station a corresponding dedicated plurality of Multi-User (MU) groups; and

wherein the primary beamformer refrains from performing MU-MIMO transmission to the dedicated plurality of MU groups while the permission for MU-MIMO transmission is assigned to the at least one additional originator station, and wherein the primary beamformer continues to perform MU-MIMO transmission to MU groups excluding the dedicated plurality of MU groups.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising performing MU-MIMO transmission by the additional originator station to stations pertaining to its respective of MU groups.

11. The method of claim 9, comprising transmitting a notification by the primary beamformer to said plurality of stations, said notification identifying the at least one additional originator station as a permitted MU-MIMO transmitter and informing of the dedicated MU groups respectively assigned to the at least one additional originator station.

12. The method of claim 9, comprising dynamically allocating the dedicated MU groups to the originator stations.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein dynamically allocating the dedicated MU groups comprises:

requesting a first selected originator station to stop transmitting to a selected MU group, the selected MU group has been previously assigned to the first selected originator station; and

allocating the selected MU group to a second selected originator station.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein dynamically allocating the dedicated MU groups comprises:

receiving an acknowledgment from the first selected originator station that it is no longer transmitting to the selected MU group prior to allocating the selected MU group to the second selected originator station.

17. A method for Multi-User (MU) Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output (MIMO) group management by a non-primary beamformer originator station of a MU-MIMO communication network having MU MIMO group management capabilities, the method comprising:

receiving, at the non-primary beamformer originator station, notification of an assignment, from a primary beamformer of the MU-MIMO communication network, of permission for MU-MIMO group management by the non-primary beamformer originator station,

wherein assigning said permission for MU group management comprises allocating to said originator station a dedicated plurality of Multi-User (MU) groups, and

wherein the primary beamformer refrains from performing MU-MIMO transmission to the dedicated plurality of MU groups while the permission for MU-MIMO transmission is assigned to the originator station.

18. The method of claim 17, comprising:

performing MU-MIMO transmission by the non-primary beamformer originator station to a plurality of stations in the MU-MIMO communication network.

19. The method of claim 17, comprising:

receiving, at the non-primary beamformer originator station from the primary beamformer, a notification comprising indices of dedicated Multi-User (MU) groups allocated to the originator station.

21. The method of claim 17, comprising:

receiving at the non-primary beamformer originator station, from the primary beamformer, Multi-User (MU) group definitions.

23. The method of claim 17, comprising:

forming at the non-primary beamformer originator station Multi-User (MU) groups.

24. The method of claim 17, comprising:

prior to receiving notification of said assignment, sending by the non-primary beamformer originator station a request to the primary beamformer to be assigned permission for MU-MIMO transmission.

20. A method for Multi-User (MU) Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output (MIMO) group management by a non-primary beamformer originator station of a MU-MIMO communication network, the method comprising:

receiving, at the non-primary beamformer originator station, notification of an assignment, from a primary beamformer of the MU-MIMO communication network, of permission for MU-MIMO group management by the non-primary beamformer originator station; and

transmitting, a notification by the non-primary beamformer originator station to a plurality of stations in the MU-MIMO communication network, said notification informing the receiving stations of their MU group membership status and of the corresponding range of MU group indices that were allocated to the non-primary beamformer originator station.

22. A method for Multi-User (MU) Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output (MIMO) group management by a non-primary beamformer originator station of a MU-MIMO communication network, the method comprising:

receiving, at the non-primary beamformer originator station, notification of an assignment, from a primary beamformer of the MU-MIMO communication network, of permission for MU-MIMO group management by the non-primary beamformer originator station; and

transmitting a notification to the primary beamformer, said notification indicating that the non-primary beamformer originator station is no longer transmitting to a MU group that has been previously assigned to the non-primary beamformer originator station.

25. A primary beamformer comprising:

a processor; and

a computer usable medium connected to the processor, wherein the computer usable medium contains a set of instructions for performing a multiple-user multiple-input multiple-output (MU-MIMO) transmission in a MU-MIMO communication network, wherein the processor is designed to carry out a set of instructions to perform a method of;

assigning to an originator station in a MU-MIMO wireless communication network having MU MIMO group management capabilities, said originator station being separated from the primary beamformer of the MU-MIMO communication network, permission for MU group management,

wherein assigning said permission for MU group management comprises allocating to said originator station a dedicated plurality of Multi-User (MU) groups, and

wherein the primary beamformer refrains from performing MU-MIMO transmission to the dedicated plurality of MU groups while the permission for MU-MIMO transmission is assigned to the originator station.

26. The primary beamformer of claim 25, wherein the processor is designed to carry out a set of instructions to further perform a method of:

refraining from performing MU-MIMO transmission while permission for MU-MIMO group management is assigned to the originator station.

27. The primary beamformer of claim 26, wherein the processor is designed to carry out a set of instructions to further perform a method of:

transferring to the originator station Multi-User (MU) group definitions that were previously made by the primary beamformer.

28. The primary beamformer of claim 26 wherein the processor is designed to carry out a set of instructions to further perform a method of:

transmitting a notification by the primary beamformer to a plurality of stations in the MU-MIMO communication network, said notification identifying the originator station as a permitted MU-MIMO group manager.

29. The primary beamformer of claim 25, wherein the processor is designed to carry out a set of instructions to further perform a method of:

allocating to said originator station a dedicated plurality of Multi-User (MU) groups.

30. The primary beamformer of claim 29, wherein the processor is designed to carry out a set of instructions to further perform a method of:

refraining from performing MU-MIMO transmission to the dedicated plurality of MU groups while the permission for MU-MIMO transmission is assigned to the originator station; and

continuing to perform MU-MIMO transmission to MU groups excluding the dedicated plurality of MU groups.

31. The primary beamformer of claim 29, wherein assigning said permission for MU-MIMO transmission comprises allocating to said originator station a first dedicated plurality of Multi-User (MU) groups and wherein the processor is designed to carry out a set of instructions to further perform a method of:

assigning to at least one additional originator station in the MU-MIMO communication network, said additional originator station being separate from the primary beamformer, permission for MU-MIMO group management, wherein assigning said permission to said at least one additional originator station comprises allocating to each of said at least one additional originator station a corresponding dedicated plurality of Multi-User (MU) groups; and

refraining from performing MU-MIMO transmission to the dedicated plurality of MU groups while the permission for MU-MIMO transmission is assigned to the at least one additional originator station; and

continuing to perform MU-MIMO transmission to MU groups excluding the dedicated plurality of MU groups.

32. The primary beamformer of claim 31, wherein the processor is designed to carry out a set of instructions to further perform a method of:

transmitting a notification by the primary beamformer to said plurality of stations, said notification identifying the at least one additional originator station as a permitted MU-MIMO transmitter and informing of the dedicated MU groups respectively assigned to the at least one additional originator station.

33. The primary beamformer of claim 31, wherein the processor is designed to carry out a set of instructions to further perform a method of:

dynamically allocating the dedicated MU groups to the originator stations.

34. The primary beamformer of claim 33, wherein dynamically allocating the dedicated MU groups comprises:

requesting a first selected originator station to stop transmitting to a selected MU group, the selected MU group has been previously assigned to the first selected originator station; and

allocating the selected MU group to a second selected originator station.

35. The primary beamformer of claim 33, wherein dynamically allocating the dedicated MU groups comprises:

receiving an acknowledgment from the first selected originator station that it is no longer transmitting to the selected MU group prior to allocating the selected MU group to the second selected originator station.

36. The primary beamformer of claim 25, wherein the processor is designed to carry out a set of instructions to further perform a method of:

receiving a request from the originator station to be assigned permission for MU-MIMO group management prior to assigning said permission for MU group management.

37. A non-primary beamformer originator station comprising:

a processor; and

a computer usable medium connected to the processor, wherein the non-primary beamformer originator station has MU MIMO group management capabilities, wherein the computer usable medium contains a set of instructions for group management by the non-primary beamformer originator station in a MU-MIMO communication network, wherein the processor is designed to carry out a set of instructions to perform a method of;

receiving, at the non-primary beamformer originator station, notification of an assignment, from a primary beamformer of the MU-MIMO communication network, of permission for MU-MIMO group management by the non-primary beamformer originator station,

wherein assigning said permission for MU group management comprises allocating to said originator station a dedicated plurality of Multi-User (MU) groups, and

wherein the primary beamformer refrains from performing MU-MIMO transmission to the dedicated plurality of MU groups while the permission for MU-MIMO transmission is assigned to the originator station.

38. The originator station of claim 37, wherein the processor is designed to carry out a set of instructions to further perform a method of:

performing MU-MIMO transmission by the non-primary beamformer originator station to a plurality of stations in the MU-MIMO communication network.

39. The originator station of claim 37, wherein the processor is designed to carry out a set of instructions to further perform a method of:

receiving, at the non-primary beamformer originator station from the primary beamformer, a notification comprising indices of dedicated Multi-User (MU) groups allocated to the originator station.

40. The originator station of claim 37, wherein the processor is designed to carry out a set of instructions to further perform a method of:

transmitting, a notification by the non-primary beamformer originator station to a plurality of stations in the MU-MIMO communication network, said notification informing the receiving stations of their MU group membership status and of the corresponding range of MU group indices that were allocated to the non-primary beamformer originator station.

41. The originator station of claim 37, wherein the processor is designed to carry out a set of instructions to further perform a method of:

receiving at the non-primary beamformer originator station, from the primary beamformer, Multi-User (MU) group definitions.

42. The originator station of claim 37, wherein the processor is designed to carry out a set of instructions to further perform a method of:

transmitting a notification to the primary beamformer, said notification indicating that the non-primary beamformer originator station is no longer transmitting to a MU group that has been previously assigned to the non-primary beamformer originator station.

43. The originator station of claim 37, wherein the processor is designed to carry out a set of instructions to further perform a method of:

forming at the non-primary beamformer originator station Multi-User (MU) groups.

44. The originator station of claim 37, wherein the processor is designed to carry out a set of instructions to further perform a method of:

prior to receiving notification of said assignment, sending by the non-primary beamformer originator station a request to the primary beamformer to be assigned permission for MU-MIMO transmission.