Cooperative multiple beam transmission

• US 9,473,276 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2013
• Issued: 10/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc., Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel IP Corporation (Intel Corporation)
• Inventors: Sajadieh, Masoud, Shirani-Mehr, Hooman, Chatterjee, Debdeep, Papathanassiou, Apostolos, Fwu, Jong-Kae
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhao, Wei
• Application Number:
  US14/142,293
• Publication Number:
  US 20150043439A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,026 Days
• Field of Search: 370/329
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 23/0218 Increasing or restoring the load-bearing capacity of building construction elements E04G23/0203 and E04G23/0266 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 9/025 Structures with concrete columns
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0408 using two or more beams, i.e. beam diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0452 Multi-user MIMO systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0626 Channel coefficients, e.g. channel state information [CSI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0639 Using selective indices, e.g. of a codebook, e.g. pre-distortion matrix index [PMI] or for beam selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1812 Hybrid protocols; Hybrid automatic repeat request [HARQ]
• 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: H04L 5/0053 Allocation of signaling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0058 Allocation criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/006 Quality of the received signal, e.g. BER, SNR, water filling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/14 Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/1469 using time-sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/26 Cell enhancers or enhancement, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/00692 using simultaneous multiple data streams, e.g. cooperative multipoint [CoMP], carrier aggregation [CA] or multiple input multiple output [MIMO] allocation of physical resources in CoMP or in CA H04L5/0035
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/085 : involving beams of access points
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 : Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/28 : involving a plurality of connections, e.g. multi-call or multi-bearer connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/32 : by location or mobility data, e.g. speed data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 : using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 : Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/12 : using downlink control channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 : Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0206 : in access points, e.g. base stations access point devices per se H04W88/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0209 : in terminal devices terminal devices per se H04W88/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0219 : where the power saving management affects multiple terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0005 : synchronizing of arrival of multiple uplinks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 : with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 : Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 : Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 : using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0833 : Random access procedures, e.g. with 4-step access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 : Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 : Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 : Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 : Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 : adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Briefly, in accordance with one or more embodiments, cooperation of multiple beams for transmission is provided by identifying at least two beams among multiple beams that are dominant for a user, determining if there is any beam collision between the at least two beams, and, if there is beam collision between the at least two beams, delaying scheduling on one or more weaker ones of the at least two beams for other users and combining the two or more beams for transmission to the user. Alternatively, cooperation of multiple beams for transmission is provided by, if there is beam collision between the at least two beams, muting one or more weaker ones of the at least two beams and transmitting to the user with a stronger one of the at least two beams.

Claims

1. An enhanced Node B (eNB) to provide cooperation of multiple beams for transmission, comprising:

a transceiver to transmit multiple beams to serve a user equipment (UE); and

a processor coupled to the transceiver to;

identify a strongest beam for transmission from the eNB to the UE and two additional beams among multiple beams that are dominant for the UE;

determine if there is any beam collision between the strongest beam and at least one of the two additional beams; and

in response to a determination that there is no beam collision between the strongest beam and at least one of the two additional beams, select the strongest beam for transmission from the eNB to the UE;

or

in response to a determination that there is beam collision between the strongest beam and at least one of the two additional beams, delay scheduling on one or more of the two additional beams for other users.

2. The eNB of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configurable to:

perform two-dimensional (2D) subsampling of a subset of a total number of antennas available for transmission for training to approximate a channel, and interpolate the approximate channel to arrive at an estimate of the channel for the total number of antennas.

3. The eNB of claim 2, wherein the processor is further configurable to repeat the 2D subsampling with a new subset of the total number of antennas if said interpolating is too coarse.

4. The eNB of claim 2, wherein the processor is further configurable to identify the two additional beams based at least in part on an extent of alignment between the estimate of the channel and a fixed basis function to generate the two additional beams.

5. The eNB of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configurable to identify the two additional beams by performing a horizontal channel mapping and a vertical channel mapping and combining the horizontal and vertical channel mappings to arrive at a compound channel for an entirety of an array of antennas.

6. The eNB of claim 5, wherein the horizontal channel mapping and the vertical channel mapping occur in consecutive subframes.

7. The eNB of claim 5, wherein the horizontal channel mapping and the vertical channel mapping occur in different frequency bands in a same subframe.

8. The eNB of claim 5, wherein the processor is further configurable to identify the two additional beams based at least in part on an extent of alignment between the compound channel and a fixed basis function to generate the two additional beams.

9. An enhanced Node B (eNB) to provide cooperation of multiple beams for transmission, comprising:

a transceiver to transmit multiple beams to serve a user equipment (UE); and

a processor coupled to the transceiver to;

identify a strongest beam for transmission from the eNB to the UE and two additional beams among multiple beams that are dominant for the UE;

determine if there is any beam collision between the strongest beam and at least one of the two additional beams; and

in response to a determination that there is no beam collision between the strongest beam and at least one of the two additional beam, select the strongest beam for transmission from the eNB to the UE;

or

in response to a determination that there is beam collision between the strongest beam and at least one of the two additional beams, mute one or more of the two additional beams.

10. The eNB of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configurable to identify the at least two or more beams by performing two-dimensional (2D) subsampling of a subset of a total number of antennas available for transmission for training to approximate a channel, and interpolating the approximate channel to arrive at an estimate of the channel for the total number of antennas.

11. The eNB of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configurable to repeating the subsampling with a new subset of the total number of antennas if the interpolation is too coarse.

12. The eNB of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configurable to identify the at least two or more beams based at least in part on an extent of alignment between the estimate of the channel and a fixed basis function to generate the at least two or more beams.

13. The eNB of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configurable to identify the two additional beams by performing a horizontal channel mapping and a vertical channel mapping and combining the horizontal and vertical channel mappings to arrive at a compound channel for an entirety of an array of antennas.

14. The eNB of claim 13, wherein the horizontal channel mapping and the vertical channel mapping occur in consecutive subframes.

15. The eNB of claim 13, wherein the horizontal channel mapping and the vertical channel mapping occur in different frequency bands in a same subframe.

16. The eNB of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configurable to identify the two additional beams based at least in part on an extent of alignment between the compound channel and a fixed basis function to generate the at least two or more beams.

17. A non-transitory machine-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed on a processor in an enhanced Node B (eNB), provide cooperation of multiple beams for transmission to a user equipment (UE), by:

identifying a strongest beam for transmission from the eNB to the UE and two additional beams among multiple beams that are dominant for the UE;

determining if there is any beam collision between the strongest beam and at least one of the two additional beams; and

in response to a determination that there is no beam collision between the strongest beam and at least one of the two additional beam, selecting the strongest beam for transmission from the eNB to the UE;

or;

in response to a determination that there is beam collision between the strongest beam and at least one of the two additional beams, delaying scheduling on one or more of the two additional beams for other users.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions, if executed, further result in:

if there is no beam collision between the two additional beams, transmitting to the user with a stronger one of the two additional beams.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein said identifying comprises performing two-dimensional (2D) subsampling of a subset of a total number of antennas available for transmission for training to approximate a channel, and interpolating the approximate channel to arrive at an estimate of the channel for the total number of antennas.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the instructions, if executed, further result in, if said interpolating is too coarse, repeating said performing of a new subset of the total number of antennas.

21. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 19, wherein said identifying is based at least in part on an extent of alignment between the estimate of the channel and a fixed basis function to generate the at least two or more beams.

22. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein said identifying comprises performing a horizontal channel mapping and a vertical channel mapping and combining the horizontal and vertical channel mappings to arrive at a compound channel for an entirety of an array of antennas.

23. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the horizontal channel mapping and the vertical channel mapping occur in consecutive subframes.

24. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the horizontal channel mapping and the vertical channel mapping occur in different frequency bands in a same subframe.

25. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 22, wherein said identifying is based at least in part on an extent of alignment between the compound channel and a fixed basis function to generate the at least two or more beams.

26. A non-transitory machine-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed on a processor in an enhanced Node B (eNB), provide cooperation of multiple beams for transmission to a user equipment (UE), by:

identifying a strongest beam for transmission from the eNB to the UE and two additional beams among multiple beams that are dominant for the UE;

determining if there is any beam collision between the strongest beam and at least one of the two additional beams; and

in response to a determination that there is no beam collision between the strongest beam and at least one of the two additional beam, selecting the strongest beam for transmission from the eNB to the UE;

or

in response to a determination that there is beam collision between the strongest beam and at least one of the two additional beams, muting one or more of the two additional beams.

27. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 26, wherein said identifying comprises performing two-dimensional (2D) subsampling of a subset of a total number of antennas available for transmission for training to approximate a channel, and interpolating the approximate channel to arrive at an estimate of the channel for the total number of antennas.

28. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the instructions, if executed, further result in, if said interpolating is too coarse, repeating said performing of a new subset of the total number of antennas.

29. The non-transitory machine-readable medium as claimed in claim 26, wherein said identifying is based at least in part on an extent of alignment between the estimate of the channel and a fixed basis function to generate the at least two or more beams.

30. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 26, wherein said identifying comprises performing a horizontal channel mapping and a vertical channel mapping and combining the horizontal and vertical channel mappings to arrive at a compound channel for an entirety of an array of antennas.

31. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the horizontal channel mapping and the vertical channel mapping occur in consecutive subframes.

32. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the horizontal channel mapping and the vertical channel mapping occur in different frequency bands in a same subframe.

33. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 30, wherein said identifying is based at least in part on an extent of alignment between the compound channel and a fixed basis function to generate the at least two or more beams.