Sub-band feedback for beamforming on downlink multiple user MIMO configurations
First Claim
1. A method in a communication network, the method comprising:
- receiving, at a first communication device, a sounding packet from a second communication device over a plurality of communication channels including a primary communication channel and one or more extension communication channel, the sounding packet having a packet bandwidth that spans the primary communication channel and the one or more extension communication channel;
identifying, at the first communication device, a subchannel block of the sounding packet, wherein the subchannel block i) spans at least one of the primary communication channel and the one or more extension communication channels, and ii) does not span all of the primary communication channel and the one or more extension communication channels;
performing, at the first communication device, a channel estimation on the subchannel block to determine partial channel estimate data that does not include channel estimate data for any of the primary communication channel and the one or more extension communication channels that are not included in the subchannel block; and
transmitting, by the first communication device, a communication frame to the second communication device, the communication frame i) including the partial channel estimate data and ii) not including channel estimate data corresponding to any of the primary communication channel and the one or more extension communication channels that are not included in the subchannel block.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method in a communication network includes an access point, using a multiple input multiple output antenna configuration, sending out a sounding packet to a plurality of client stations. The client stations determine a channel estimation of the sounding packet, but only a channel estimation of a portion of the entire sounding packet to avoid processing the entire packet. The resulting partial estimation is sent to the access point for using in transmit beamforming. In other examples, the client station sends a reverse link sounding packet over a portion a channel having a bandwidth less than the sounding packet, and from this the access point determines partial channel estimations and transmit beamforming conditions.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method in a communication network, the method comprising:
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receiving, at a first communication device, a sounding packet from a second communication device over a plurality of communication channels including a primary communication channel and one or more extension communication channel, the sounding packet having a packet bandwidth that spans the primary communication channel and the one or more extension communication channel; identifying, at the first communication device, a subchannel block of the sounding packet, wherein the subchannel block i) spans at least one of the primary communication channel and the one or more extension communication channels, and ii) does not span all of the primary communication channel and the one or more extension communication channels; performing, at the first communication device, a channel estimation on the subchannel block to determine partial channel estimate data that does not include channel estimate data for any of the primary communication channel and the one or more extension communication channels that are not included in the subchannel block; and transmitting, by the first communication device, a communication frame to the second communication device, the communication frame i) including the partial channel estimate data and ii) not including channel estimate data corresponding to any of the primary communication channel and the one or more extension communication channels that are not included in the subchannel block. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An apparatus, comprising:
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a transceiver associated with a first communication device, the transceiver configured to; receive a sounding packet from a second communication device over a plurality of communication channels including a primary communication channel and one or more extension communication channels, the sounding packet having a packet bandwidth that spans the primary communication channel and the one or more extension communication channels; a channel estimation circuit associated with the first communication device, the channel estimation circuit configured to; identify a subchannel block of the sounding packet, wherein the subchannel block i) spans at least one of the primary communication channel and the one or more extension communication channels, and ii) does not span all of the primary communication channel and the one or more extension communication channels, and perform a channel estimation on the subchannel block to determine partial channel estimate data that does not include channel estimate data for any of the primary communication channel and the one or more extension communication channels that are not included in the subchannel block; wherein the transceiver is further configured to; transmit a communication frame to the second communication device, the communication frame i) including the partial channel estimate data and ii) not including channel estimate data of any of the primary communication channel and the one or more extension communication channels that are not included in the subchannel block. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method, comprising:
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transmitting, by a first communication device, a sounding packet to a second communication device over a plurality of communication channels including a primary communication channel and one or more extension communication channels, the sounding packet having a packet bandwidth that spans the primary communication channel and the one or more extension communication channels; receiving, at the first communication device, a communication frame from the second communication device, the communication frame responsive to the sounding packet, the communication frame including partial channel estimate data corresponding to a subchannel block of the sounding packet, wherein; the subchannel block spans at least one of the primary communication channel and the one or more extension communication channels, and ii) does not span all of the primary communication channel and the one or more extension communication channels, and the communication frame does not include channel estimate data corresponding to any of the primary communication channel and the one or more extension communication channels that are not included in the subchannel block; using, at the first communication device, the partial channel estimate data to identify a steering matrix for use in transmitting to the second communication device; and applying, at the first communication device, the identified steering matrix to only a portion, in frequency, of an information carrying packet, wherein the portion, in frequency, of the information carrying packet corresponds, in frequency, to the at least one of the primary communication channel and the one or more extension communication channels in the subchannel block, and does not correspond, in frequency to any of the primary communication channel and the one or more extension communication channels that are not included in the subchannel block. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. An apparatus, comprising:
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a network interface device associated with a first communication device, the network interface device configured to; transmit, via a plurality of antennas, a sounding packet to a second communication device over a plurality of communication channels including a primary communication channel and one or more extension communication channels, the sounding packet having a packet bandwidth that spans the primary communication channel and the one or more extension communication channels, and receive a communication frame from the second communication device, the communication frame responsive to the sounding packet, the communication frame including partial channel estimate data corresponding to a subchannel block of the sounding packet, wherein; the subchannel block spans at least one of the primary communication channel and the one or more extension communication channels, and ii) does not span all of the primary communication channel and the one or more extension communication channels, and the communication frame does not include channel estimate data corresponding to any of the primary communication channel and the one or more extension communication channels that are not included in the subchannel block; wherein the network interface device includes a steering vector controller configured to use the partial channel estimate data to identify a steering matrix for use in transmitting to the second communication device; and wherein the network interface device further includes a spatial steering controller configured to apply the identified steering matrix to only a portion, in frequency, of an information carrying packet, wherein the portion, in frequency, of the information carrying packet corresponds, in frequency, to the at least one of the primary communication channel and the one or more extension communication channels in the subchannel block, and does not correspond, in frequency to any of the primary communication channel and the one or more extension communication channels that are not included in the subchannel block. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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Specification