Method and apparatus for providing antenna diversity in a wireless communication system

• US 9,660,776 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2011
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Khandekar, Aamod, Gore, Dhananjay Ashok, Kadous, Tamer, Gorokhov, Alexei
• Primary Examiner(s): TSE, YOUNG TOI
• Application Number:
  US13/271,121
• Publication Number:
  US 20120120925A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,051 Days
• Field of Search: 375132, 375133, 375135, 375136, 375141, 375146-148, 375260, 375267, 375299, 375347, 370208, 370210, 370320, 370321, 370335, 370337, 370342, 370347, 455500
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0456 Selection of precoding matrices or codebooks, e.g. using matrices antenna weighting
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/061 using feedback from receiving side
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0671 using different delays between antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0691 using subgroups of transmit antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0697 using spatial multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/26035 Maintenance of orthogonality, e.g. for signals exchanged between cells or users, or by using covering codes or sequences using different training sequence per antenna H04B7/0684; code allocation H04J13/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0023 Time-frequency-space

Abstract

Apparatus and methods implementing transmission schemes that can flexibly achieve the desired spatial multiplexing order, spatial diversity order, and channel estimation overhead order are provided. For example, an apparatus is provided that includes a processor configured to allocate different subcarriers to different antennas at different times. A memory is coupled to the processor. The processor can be further configured to map a traffic channel to a specific sequence of the different subcarriers at the different times. The processor can also be further configured to transmit the traffic channel on only one of the different subcarriers at each time in the different times. The processor can be integrated with at least one of a base station and a terminal.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor configured to allocate a first set of subcarriers in a plurality of subcarriers to a first antenna during a first symbol period and a second set of subcarriers in the plurality of subcarriers to a second antenna during a second symbol period, wherein the first and second sets of subcarriers differ;

a transmitter configured to transmit a first pilot signal on at least one subcarrier in the first set of subcarriers during the first symbol period and a second pilot signal on at least one subcarrier in the second set of subcarriers during the second symbol period; and

a memory coupled to the processor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to map a traffic channel to a specific sequence of the first or second set of subcarriers at the first or second symbol period.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to transmit the traffic channel on only one of the first and second sets of subcarriers at each of the first or second symbol period.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one of a base station or a terminal, with which the processor is integrated.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to equalize transmit power across the first and second antennas by applying a plurality of different orthonormal matrices to a plurality of vectors.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein each vector includes output symbols to be sent during a symbol period and via a subcarrier in the plurality of subcarriers;

and

wherein the applying includes using different orthonormal matrices in the plurality of different orthonormal matrices during time intervals having different durations that span at least one symbol period.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

during the first symbol period, the processor is configured to allocate the first set of subcarriers to the first antenna and the second set of subcarriers to the second antenna in the plurality of antennas; and

during the second symbol period, the processor is configured to allocate the first set of subcarriers to the second antenna and the second set of subcarriers to the first antenna.

8. A method, comprising:

allocating a first set of subcarriers in a plurality of subcarriers to a first antenna during a first symbol period and a second set of subcarriers in the plurality of subcarriers to a second antenna during a second symbol period, wherein the first and second sets of subcarriers differ;

transmitting a first pilot signal on at least one subcarrier in the first set of subcarriers during the first symbol period on the first antenna; and

transmitting a second pilot signal on at least one subcarrier in the second set of subcarriers during the second symbol period on the second antenna.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising mapping a traffic channel to a specific sequence of the first or second set of subcarriers at the first or second symbol period.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising transmitting the traffic channel on only one of the first and second sets of subcarriers at each of the first or second symbol period.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

equalizing transmit power across the first and second antennas by applying a plurality of different orthonormal matrices to a plurality of vectors.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein each vector includes output symbols to be sent during a symbol period and via a subcarrier in the plurality of subcarriers;

and

wherein the applying includes using different orthonormal matrices in the plurality of different orthonormal matrices during time intervals having different durations that span at least one symbol period.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the allocating comprises:

selecting different subcarriers from the plurality of subcarriers;

selecting different antennas from at least the first and second antennas; and

allocating the different subcarriers to the first and second antennas at the first and second symbol periods.

14. An apparatus, comprising:

means for allocating a first set of subcarriers in a plurality of subcarriers to a first antenna during a first symbol period and a second set of subcarriers in the plurality of subcarriers to a second antenna during a second symbol period, wherein the first and second sets of subcarriers differ;

means for transmitting a first pilot signal on at least one subcarrier in the first set of subcarriers during the first symbol period and a second pilot signal on at least one subcarrier in the second set of subcarriers during the second symbol period; and

a memory coupled to the means for allocating.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising means for mapping a traffic channel to a specific sequence of the first or second set of subcarriers at the first or second symbol period.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising means for transmitting the traffic channel on only one of the first and second sets of subcarriers at each of the first or second symbol period.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising at least one of a base station or a terminal, with which the means for allocating the first and second sets of subcarriers is integrated.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising means for equalizing transmit power across the first and second antennas by applying a plurality of different orthonormal matrices to a plurality of vectors.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein each vector includes output symbols to be sent during a symbol period and via a subcarrier in the plurality of subcarriers;

and

wherein the applying includes using different orthonormal matrices in the plurality of different orthonormal matrices during time intervals having different durations that span at least one symbol period.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising processor-executable instructions stored thereon that are configured to cause a processor to:

allocate a first set of subcarriers in a plurality of subcarriers to a first antenna during a first symbol period and a second set of subcarriers in the plurality of subcarriers to a second antenna during a second symbol period, wherein the first and second sets of subcarriers differ; and

transmit a first pilot signal on at least one subcarrier in the first set of subcarriers during the first symbol period and a second pilot signal on at least one subcarrier in the second set of subcarriers during the second symbol period.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the processor-executable instructions are further configured to cause the processor to map a traffic channel to a specific sequence of the first or second set of subcarriers at the first or second symbol period.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the processor-executable instructions are further configured to cause the processor to transmit the traffic channel on only one of the first and second sets of subcarriers at each of the first or second symbol period.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the processor-executable instructions are further configured to cause the processor to equalize transmit power across the first and second antennas by applying a plurality of different orthonormal matrices to a plurality of vectors.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein each vector includes output symbols to be sent during a symbol period and via a subcarrier in the plurality of subcarriers;

and

wherein the applying includes using different orthonormal matrices in the plurality of different orthonormal matrices during time intervals having different durations that span at least one symbol period.

25. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

a non-transitory computer-readable medium coupled to the processor and comprising processor-executable instructions stored thereon that are configured to cause the processor to allocate a first set of subcarriers in a plurality of subcarriers to a first antenna during a first symbol period and a second set of subcarriers in the plurality of subcarriers to a second antenna during a second symbol period, wherein the first and second sets of subcarriers differ, and transmit a first pilot signal on at least one subcarrier in the first set of subcarriers during the first symbol period and a second pilot signal on at least one subcarrier in the second set of subcarriers during the second symbol period; and

at least one of a base station integrated with the processor or a terminal integrated with the processor.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the processor-executable instructions are further configured to cause the processor to equalize transmit power across the first and second antennas by applying a plurality of different orthonormal matrices to a plurality of vectors.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein each vector includes output symbols to be sent during a symbol period and via a subcarrier in the plurality of subcarriers;

and

wherein the applying includes using different orthonormal matrices in the plurality of different orthonormal matrices during time intervals having different durations that span at least one symbol period.