System and method for uplink multiple input multiple output transmission

• US 9,516,609 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2011
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Sambhwani, Sharad Deepak, Akkarakaran, Sony John
• Primary Examiner(s): Hsu, Alpus H
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUO, ANTHONY L
• Application Number:
  US13/291,056
• Publication Number:
  US 20120287798A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,856 Days
• Field of Search: 370/252, 370/335, 370/311, 455/422.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0413 MIMO systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1887 Scheduling and prioritising arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/08 Closed loop power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/12 Outer and inner loops
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/146 Uplink power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/16 Deriving transmission power values from another channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/241 taking into account channel quality metrics, e.g. SIR, SNR, CIR, Eb/lo
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/286 during data packet transmission, e.g. high speed packet access [HSPA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/325 Power control of control or pilot channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/60 using different transmission rates for TPC commands
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses are provided for uplink MIMO transmissions in a wireless communication system. In particular, a single inner loop power control may be utilized to control a power of both a primary stream and a secondary stream, in a system where the power of the secondary stream is linked to the power of the primary stream. That is, a single transmit power control command calculated according to the primary stream and directly controlling the power of the primary stream can effectively control the power of both uplink streams. Further, the disclosure provides outer loop power control, where a signal-to-interference ratio target used in the inner loop power control can be adjusted. Here, the SIR target may be adjusted in accordance with at least one of a block error rate performance or a HARQ failure performance of one of the primary stream or the secondary stream.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an uplink power, comprising:

receiving, utilizing an antenna array, a first stream of a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) uplink from a first user equipment, the first stream comprising a primary data channel and a primary pilot channel;

receiving, utilizing the antenna array, a second stream of the MIMO uplink from the first user equipment, the second stream comprising a secondary data channel and a secondary pilot channel;

controlling a power of the first stream and a power of the second stream of the MIMO uplink by utilizing a single inner loop power control, comprising;

determining a signal-to-interference ratio corresponding to the primary pilot channel; and

generating a power control command in accordance with a comparison between the determined signal-to-interference ratio and a signal-to-interference ratio target, wherein the signal-to-interference ratio target is a variable controllable by an outer loop power control procedure,

wherein the power control command comprises a traffic to pilot power ratio (T/P) configured to control the power of the first stream and the power of the second stream, such that a ratio between a power level of the primary data channel and a power level of the primary pilot channel is determined corresponds to the T/P, and a ratio between a power level of the secondary data channel and a power level of the secondary pilot channel is determined corresponds to the same T/P; and

executing two hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) processes in a transmission time interval, including a first HARQ process for the first stream and a second HARQ process for the second stream.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first stream and the second stream are in the same carrier frequency.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adjusting the signal-to-interference ratio target in accordance with at least one of a block error rate performance or a HARQ failure performance of at least one of the first stream or the second stream.

4. A network node configured for controlling an uplink transmission power, comprising:

means for receiving, utilizing an antenna array, a first stream of a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) uplink from a first user equipment, the first stream comprising a primary data channel and a primary pilot channel;

means for receiving, utilizing the antenna array, a second stream of the MIMO uplink from the first user equipment, the second stream comprising a secondary data channel and a secondary pilot channel;

means for controlling a power of the first stream and a power of the second stream of the MIMO uplink by utilizing a single inner loop power control, configured to;

determine a signal-to-interference ratio corresponding to the primary pilot channel; and

determine a power control command in accordance with a comparison between the determined signal-to-interference ratio and a signal-to-interference ratio target, wherein the signal-to-interference ratio target is a variable controllable by an outer loop power control procedure,

wherein the power control command comprises a traffic to pilot power ratio (T/P) configured to control the power of the first stream and the power of the second stream, such that a ratio between a power level of the primary data channel and a power level of the primary pilot channel is determined corresponds to the T/P, and a ratio between a power level of the secondary data channel and a power level of the secondary pilot channel is determined corresponds to the same T/P; and

means for transmitting hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) information to two HARQ processes that are executed at the first user equipment in a transmission time interval, including a first HARQ process for the first stream and a second HARQ process for the second stream.

5. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions for causing a computer to;

receive, utilizing an antenna array, a first stream of a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) uplink from a first user equipment, the first stream comprising a primary data channel and a primary pilot channel;

receive, utilizing the antenna array, a second stream of the MIMO uplink from the first user equipment, the second stream comprising a secondary data channel and a secondary pilot channel;

control the power of a power of the first stream and a power of the second stream of the MIMO uplink by utilizing a single inner loop power control, comprising;

determine a signal-to-interference ratio corresponding to the primary pilot channel; and

generate a power control command in accordance with a comparison between the determined signal-to-interference ratio and a signal-to-interference ratio target, wherein the signal-to-interference ratio target is a variable controllable by an outer loop power control procedure,

wherein the power control command comprises a traffic to pilot power ratio (T/P) configured to control the power of the first stream and the power of the second stream, such that a ratio between a power level of the primary data channel and a power level of the primary pilot channel is determined corresponds to the T/P, and a ratio between a power level of the secondary data channel and a power level of the secondary pilot channel is determined corresponds to the same T/P; and

transmit hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) information to two HARQ processes that are executed at the first user equipment in a transmission time interval, including a first HARQ for the first stream and a second HARQ for the second stream.

6. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

at least one processor; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor,

wherein the at least one processor is configured to;

receive, utilizing an antenna array, a first stream of a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) uplink from a first user equipment, the first stream comprising a primary data channel and a primary pilot channel;

receive, utilizing the antenna array, a second stream of the MIMO uplink from the first user equipment, the second stream comprising a secondary data channel and a secondary pilot channel;

control the power of a power of the first stream and a power of the second stream of the MIMO uplink by utilizing a single inner loop power control, comprising;

determine a signal-to-interference ratio corresponding to the primary pilot channel; and

generate a power control command in accordance with a comparison between the determined signal-to-interference ratio and a signal-to-interference ratio target, wherein the signal-to-interference ratio target is a variable controllable by an outer loop power control procedure,

wherein the power control comprises a traffic to pilot power ratio (T/P) configured to control the power of the first stream and the power of the second stream, such that a ratio between a power level of the primary data channel and a power level of the primary pilot channel is determined corresponds to the T/P, and a ratio between a power level of the secondary data channel and a power level of the secondary pilot channel is determined corresponds to the same T/P; and

transmit hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) information to two HARQ processes that are executed at the first user equipment in a transmission time interval, including a first HARQ process for the first stream and a second HARQ process for the second stream.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first stream and the second stream are in the same carrier frequency.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to adjust the signal-to-interference ratio target in accordance with at least one of a block error rate performance or a HARQ failure performance of at least one of the first stream or the second stream.