Dedicated reference signal design for network MIMO

• US 9,391,747 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2013
• Issued: 07/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Hou, Jilei, Montojo, Juan, Palanki, Ravi
• Primary Examiner(s): Masur, Paul H
• Application Number:
  US14/027,021
• Publication Number:
  US 20140016603A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/024 Co-operative use of antennas of several sites, e.g. in co-ordinated multipoint or co-operative multiple-input multiple-output [MIMO] systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0035 Resource allocation in a cooperative multipoint environment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0048 Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/04 Large scale networks; Deep hierarchical networks

Abstract

Aspects describe utilizing a dedicated reference signal for supporting Network MIMO, distributed MIMO, Coordinated MultiPoint, and the like. A data modulation symbol is transmitting in the same direction as a pilot modulation symbol is transmitted. Two or more wireless devices can coordinate communications such that transmission of the same pilot modulation symbol and the same data modulation symbol are transmitted to a device in different directions, each direction associated with a wireless device and intended for a particular mobile device. Cluster-specific scrambling and/or user-group specific scrambling can be employed and a scrambling code can be communicated prior to transmission of the pilot modulation symbols and data modulation symbols.

Claims

1. A method performed by a mobile device in a coordinated multipoint (CoMP) communication, comprising:

receiving from a first cell a first dedicated reference signal for use by the mobile device, the first dedicated reference signal comprising a pilot modulation symbol having a first beam direction corresponding to first beam coefficients applied by the first cell;

receiving from a second cell a second dedicated reference signal for use by the mobile device, the second dedicated reference signal comprising the pilot modulation symbol having a second beam direction corresponding to second beam coefficients applied by the second cell in cooperation with the first cell;

demodulating, by the mobile device, a data communication comprising first and second data modulation symbols based on the respective first and second pilot modulation symbols, said first and second data modulation symbols being received from the respective first and second cell and having same beam directions as said first and second pilot symbols.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first and second pilot modulation symbols are received on orthogonal resources.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the orthogonal resources comprise at least one of Time Division Multiplexed resources, Frequency Division Multiplexed resources, Code Division Multiplexed resources, or Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed resources.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data communication comprises a first and second layer corresponding to transmissions by the first and second cells.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein each layer has its own set of pilot resources.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying the first beam coefficients and the second beam coefficients based on the first and second pilot symbols.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving a common reference signal; and

estimating a channel based on the common reference signal and the identified first beam coefficients and second beam coefficients.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second pilot modulation symbol is received substantially concurrently with the first pilot modulation symbol.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the second data modulation symbol is received substantially concurrently with the first data modulation symbol.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving on a control channel a cluster-specific scrambling code for a cluster-specific scrambling; and

unscrambling the first and second pilot symbols based on the cluster-specific scrambling code, wherein the first and second pilot symbols are scrambled with the cluster-specific scrambling.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving on a control channel a user-group specific scrambling code for a user-group specific scrambling; and

unscrambling the first and second pilot symbols based on the user-group specific scrambling code, wherein the first and second pilot symbols are scrambled with the user-group specific scrambling.

12. A mobile device for wireless communication, comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor; and

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to;

receive from a first cell a first dedicated reference signal for use by the mobile device, the first dedicated reference signal comprising a pilot modulation symbol having a first beam direction corresponding to first beam coefficients applied by the first cell;

receive from a second cell a second dedicated reference signal for use by the mobile device, the second dedicated reference signal comprising the pilot modulation symbol having a second beam direction corresponding to second beam coefficients applied by the second cell in cooperation with the first cell;

demodulate a data communication comprising first and second data modulation symbols based on the respective first and second pilot modulation symbols, said first and second data modulation symbols being received from the respective first and second cell and having same beam directions as said first and second pilot symbols.

13. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein said first and second pilot modulation symbols are received on orthogonal resources.

14. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the orthogonal resources comprise at least one of Time Division Multiplexed resources, Frequency Division Multiplexed resources, Code Division Multiplexed resources, or Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed resources.

15. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the data communication comprises a first and second layer corresponding to transmissions by the first and second cells.

16. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein each layer has its own set of pilot resources.

17. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

identify the first beam coefficients and the second beam coefficients based on the first and second pilot symbols.

18. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

receive a common reference signal; and

estimate a channel based on the common reference signal and the identified first beam coefficients and second beam coefficients.

19. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the second pilot modulation symbol is received substantially concurrently with the first pilot modulation symbol.

20. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the second data modulation symbol is received substantially concurrently with the first data modulation symbol.

21. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

receive on a control channel a cluster-specific scrambling code for a cluster-specific scrambling; and

unscramble the first and second pilot symbols based on the cluster-specific scrambling code, wherein the first and second pilot symbols are scrambled with the cluster-specific scrambling.

22. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

receive on a control channel a user-group specific scrambling code for a user-group specific scrambling; and

unscramble the first and second pilot symbols based on the user-group specific scrambling code, wherein the first and second pilot symbols are scrambled with the user-group

specific scrambling.

23. A mobile device for wireless communication, comprising:

means for receiving from a first cell a first dedicated reference signal for use by the mobile device, the first dedicated reference signal comprising a pilot modulation symbol having a first beam direction corresponding to first beam coefficients applied by the first cell;

means for receiving from a second cell a second dedicated reference signal for use by the mobile device, the second dedicated reference signal comprising the pilot modulation symbol having a second beam direction corresponding to second beam coefficients applied by the second cell in cooperation with the first cell;

means for demodulating a data communication comprising first and second data modulation symbols based on the respective first and second pilot modulation symbols, said first and second data modulation symbols being received from the respective first and second cell and having same beam directions as said first and second pilot symbols.

24. The mobile device of claim 23, wherein said first and second pilot modulation symbols are received on orthogonal resources.

25. The mobile device of claim 24, wherein the orthogonal resources comprise at least one of Time Division Multiplexed resources, Frequency Division Multiplexed resources, Code Division Multiplexed resources, or Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed resources.

26. The mobile device of claim 23, wherein the data communication comprises a first and second layer corresponding to transmissions by the first and second cells.

27. The mobile device of claim 26, wherein each layer has its own set of pilot resources.

28. The mobile device of claim 23, further comprising:

means for identifying the first beam coefficients and the second beam coefficients based on the first and second pilot symbols.

29. The mobile device of claim 28, further comprising:

means for receiving a common reference signal; and

means for estimating a channel based on the common reference signal and the identified first beam coefficients and second beam coefficients.

30. The mobile device of claim 23, wherein the second pilot modulation symbol is received substantially concurrently with the first pilot modulation symbol.

31. The mobile device of claim 23, wherein the second data modulation symbol is received substantially concurrently with the first data modulation symbol.

32. The mobile device of claim 23, further comprising:

means for receiving on a control channel a cluster-specific scrambling code for a cluster-specific scrambling; and

means for unscrambling the first and second pilot symbols based on the cluster-specific scrambling code, wherein the first and second pilot symbols are scrambled with the cluster-specific scrambling.

33. The mobile device of claim 23, further comprising:

means for receiving on a control channel a user-group specific scrambling code for a user-group specific scrambling; and

means for unscrambling the first and second pilot symbols based on the user-group specific scrambling code, wherein the first and second pilot symbols are scrambled with the user-group specific scrambling.

34. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a processor to:

receive from a first cell a first dedicated reference signal for use by a mobile device, the first dedicated reference signal comprising a pilot modulation symbol having a first beam direction corresponding to first beam coefficients applied by the first cell;

receive from a second cell a second dedicated reference signal for use by the mobile device, the second dedicated reference signal comprising the pilot modulation symbol having a second beam direction corresponding to second beam coefficients applied by the second cell in cooperation with the first cell;

demodulate a data communication comprising first and second data modulation symbols based on the respective first and second pilot modulation symbols, said first and second data modulation symbols being received from the respective first and second cell and having same beam directions as said first and second pilot symbols.