Calibration correction for implicit beamformer using an explicit beamforming technique in a wireless MIMO communication system

• US 9,444,577 B1
• Filed: 02/26/2014
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP USA, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Marvell International Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Zhang, Hongyuan, Nabar, Rohit U., Srinivasa, Sudhir
• Primary Examiner(s): SWEET, LONNIE V
• Application Number:
  US14/190,988
• Time in Patent Office: 930 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0413 MIMO systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0619 using feedback from receiving side feedback signaling for adaptive modulation/coding H04L1/0001
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0667 of delayed versions of same signal using space-time coding H04L1/0618
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/068 using space frequency diversity space-frequency coding H04L1/0606
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0026 Transmission of channel quality indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/16 in which the return channel carries supervisory signals, e.g. repetition request signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/0204 of multiple channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/03 Shaping networks in transmitter or receiver, e.g. adaptive shaping networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/03949 equalizer selection or adaptation based on feedback multiple signaling inclusive of a precoding command for adapting the transmitter H04L1/0031; feedback for transmit diversity systems H04B7/0619; selection of codebook or precoding matrix for MIMO diversity systems H04B7/0456

Abstract

A bi-directionally calibrated beamforming technique for use in a MIMO wireless communication system includes a transmitter communicating a calibration initiation signal to a receiver requesting the receiver send a non-sounding packet containing an estimated description of the forward channel. The receiver also sends a sounding packet to the transmitter. The transmitter determining a partial or full estimated description of a reverse channel based on the received non-sounding packet and/or the receiving sounding packet. The transmitter further determines one or more transmitter correction matrices from receiving estimated description of the forward channel and the partial or full estimated description of the reverse channel. The transmitter sending the partial or full estimated description of the reverse channel to the receiver, which determines one or more receiver correction matrices.

Claims

1. A method of beamforming within a communication system having (i) a first transceiver device having a first plurality of antennas and (ii) a second transceiver device having a second plurality of antennas, the method comprising:

transmitting, from the first transceiver device to the second transceiver device, via a forward channel a first calibration signal requesting a non-sounding packet from the second transceiver device, where the non-sounding packet from the second transceiver device is to include a description of the forward channel;

receiving, at the first transceiver device, via a reverse channel the non-sounding packet from the second transceiver device;

receiving, at the first transceiver device from the second transceiver device, via the reverse channel a second calibration signal requesting a non-sounding packet from the first transceiver device, where the non-sounding packet from the first transceiver device is to include a description of the reverse channel;

determining, at the first transceiver device, (i) a partial dimensional description of the reverse channel based on receipt of the non-sounding packet from the second transceiver device or (ii) a full dimensional description of the reverse channel based on receipt of the second calibration signal requesting the non-sounding packet from the first transceiver device; and

determining, at the first transceiver device, a first device correction matrix from the received non-sounding packet from the second transceiver device and (i) the partial dimensional description of the reverse channel or (ii) full dimensional description of the reverse channel, wherein the first transceiver is to use the correction matrix to process signals to be transmitted via the forward channel, where the first device correction matrix is for use in transmitting data via the forward channel.

2. A method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting (i) the partial dimensional description of the reverse channel based on receipt of the non-sounding packet from the second transceiver device or (ii) the full dimensional description of the reverse channel based on receipt of the second calibration signal requesting the non-sounding packet from the first transceiver device, to the second transceiver device.

3. A method of claim 2, further comprising determining, at the second transceiver device, a second device correction matrix from the non-sounding packet from the second transceiver device and from the non-sounding packet from the first transceiver device which includes either (i) the partial dimensional description of the reverse channel or (ii) full dimensional description of the reverse channel, transmitted from the first transceiver device.

4. A method of claim 1, wherein the wherein the non-sounding packet from the second transceiver device includes a full dimensional description of the forward channel.

5. A method of claim 4, wherein the description of the forward channel in the non-sounding packet from the second transceiver device is an estimate of the forward channel.

6. A method of claim 4, wherein the description of the forward channel in the non-sounding packet from the second transceiver device is a steering matrix for communicating on the forward channel.

7. A method of claim 1, wherein the non-sounding packet from the first transceiver device includes a full dimensional description of the reverse channel.

8. A method of claim 7, wherein the full dimensional description of the reverse channel in the non-sounding packet from the first transceiver device is an estimate of the reverse channel.

9. A method of claim 7, wherein the full dimensional description of the reverse channel in the non-sounding packet from the first transceiver device is a steering matrix for communicating on the reverse channel.

10. A method of claim 1, wherein the first calibration signal includes a request for both the non-sounding packet from the second transceiver device and a sounding packet from the second transceiver device.

11. A method of claim 1, wherein determining the first device correction matrix comprises:

determining, at the first transceiver device, phase difference information regarding phase differences between

(i) the description of the forward channel, and

(ii) (a) the partial dimensional description of the reverse channel or (b) the full dimensional description of the reverse channel; and

determining the first device correction matrix based on the phase difference information.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein determining the first device correction matrix comprises normalizing a diagonal of the first device correction matrix such that the first device correction matrix corresponds to phase shifts.

13. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

applying, in a frequency domain, the first device correction matrix to a signal to be transmitted via the forward channel.

14. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

applying, in a time domain, the first device correction matrix to a signal to be transmitted via the forward channel.

15. A method according to claim 1, further comprising, the first transceiver device, determining an additional correction matrix based on the first transceiver correction matrix, where the additional correction matrix is for use in processing data received via the reverse channel.

16. A method according to claim 15, further comprising:

applying, in a frequency domain, the additional correction matrix to a signal received via the reverse channel.

17. A method according to claim 15, further comprising:

applying, in a time domain, the additional correction matrix to a signal received via the reverse channel.

18. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, by the first transceiver device, a first signal that includes an identification of the first transceiver device as an implicit beamformer device and that includes a request for identification from the second transceiver device; and

receiving, from the second transceiver device, a second signal that identifies the second transceiver device as an implicit beamformer device.

19. An apparatus, comprising:

a first transceiver device having one or more integrated circuit devices configured to

transmit a first calibration signal to a second transceiver device via a forward channel, the first calibration signal requesting a non-sounding packet from the second transceiver device, where the non-sounding packet from the second transceiver device is to include a description of the forward channel,

receive the non-sounding packet from the second transceiver device via a reverse channel,

receive a second calibration signal from the second transceiver device via the reverse channel, the second calibration signal requesting a non-sounding packet from the first transceiver device, where the non-sounding packet from the first transceiver device is to include a description of the reverse channel,

determine (i) a partial dimensional description of the reverse channel based on receipt of the non-sounding packet from the second transceiver device or (ii) a full dimensional description of the reverse channel based on receipt of the second calibration signal requesting the non-sounding packet from the first transceiver device,

determine a first device correction matrix from the received non-sounding packet from the second transceiver device and (i) the partial dimensional description of the reverse channel or (ii) full dimensional description of the reverse channel, and

use the first device correction matrix to process signals transmitted via the forward channel.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the wherein the non-sounding packet from the second transceiver device includes a full dimensional description of the forward channel.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the description of the forward channel in the non-sounding packet from the second transceiver device is a steering matrix for communicating on the forward channel.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the non-sounding packet from the first transceiver device includes a full dimensional description of the reverse channel.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the full dimensional description of the reverse channel in the non-sounding packet from the first transceiver device is a steering matrix for communicating on the reverse channel.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the first calibration signal includes a request for both the non-sounding packet from the second transceiver device and a sounding packet from the second transceiver device.

25. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein determining the first device correction matrix comprises:

determining, at the first transceiver device, phase difference information regarding phase differences between

(i) the description of the forward channel, and

(ii) (a) the partial dimensional description of the reverse channel or (b) the full dimensional description of the reverse channel; and

determining the first device correction matrix based on the phase difference information.