Systems and methods for exploiting inter-cell multiplexing gain in wireless cellular systems via distributed input distributed output technology

• US 9,973,246 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rearden, LLC
• Original Assignee: Rearden, LLC
• Inventors: Forenza, Antonio, Perlman, Stephen G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Faroul, Farah
• Application Number:
  US13/797,984
• Publication Number:
  US 20140269493A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,890 Days
• Field of Search: 370328, 370334
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/024 Co-operative use of antennas of several sites, e.g. in co-ordinated multipoint or co-operative multiple-input multiple-output [MIMO] systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0452 Multi-user MIMO systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0456 Selection of precoding matrices or codebooks, e.g. using matrices antenna weighting

Abstract

A multiple antenna system (MAS) with multiuser (MU) transmissions (“MU-MAS”) exploiting inter-cell multiplexing gain via spatial processing to increase capacity in wireless communications networks.

Claims

1. A multiple antenna system (MAS) with multiuser (MU) transmissions (“

MU-MAS”

) comprising;

a plurality of distributed antennas all sharing the same cell ID; and

a spatial processing unit that implements open-loop or closed-loop precoding methods for interference cancellation on a plurality of waveforms being sent to or received from the plurality of distributed antennas to create multiple concurrent non-interfering wireless links with a plurality of client devices operating within the same frequency band to achieve multiplexing gain and increase capacity in wireless communications networks, wherein the number of multiple concurrent non-interfering wireless links is up to a total number of the distributed antennas.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of distributed antennas are interconnected to a centralized processor (CP) via the base stations network (BSN) and employ-precoding to communicate with the plurality of client devices.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the wireless communications network is a cellular network or LTE network, the client devices are LTE user equipments (UEs), the distributed antennas are LTE enhanced NodeBs (eNodeBs) or mobility management entities (MMEs), the CP is the LTE gateway (GW), the BSN is the S1 or X1 interface.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the UE is an LTE UE that is compatible with the MU-MAS employing precoding.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein the UE connects to different devices through a first network interface (at least one of WiFi, USB, Ethernet, Bluetooth, etc.) and to the MU-MAS through a second network interface.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the second network interface supports MU-MAS precoding.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the second network interface supports MU-MAS implemented with LTE-compliant protocols.

8. The system of claim 5 wherein the second network interface supports MU-MAS (implemented with or without LTE-compliant protocols) and an alternative network.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the alternative network is a cellular network, an LTE network or WiFi network.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the UE works with at least one of the MU-MAS or the alternative network.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the UE selects either MU-MAS or the alternative network based on one or more criteria.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the criteria are:

i) whether only one network is available and is chosen;

ii) whether one network has better performance;

iii) whether one network is more economical;

iv) whether one network is less congested;

v) whether one network uses less UE resources.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein the same RF chain is used for MU-MAS communications and for the alternative network.

14. The system of claim 8 wherein a different RF chain is used for MU-MAS communications and the alternative network.

15. The system of claim 3 wherein the UE is in a case that physically attaches to the user device.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the case serves as a decorative addition to the user device.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the case serves to protect the user device from physical damage.

18. The system of claim 3 wherein the UE electronics are embedded within a case.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the UE electronics include a battery.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the battery includes a power charger coupling through a physical electrical contact or a wireless contact.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the power coupling is inductive or RF.

22. The system of claim 18 wherein the UE electronics are coupled to receive power from the user device.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein coupling is through a physical contact or through a wireless contact.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the power coupling is inductive or RF.

25. The system of claim 18 wherein the user device is coupled to receive power from the UE.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein coupling is through a physical contact or through a wireless contact.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the power coupling is inductive or RF.

28. The system of claim 18 wherein the same power charger powers both the user device and the MU_MAS UE.

29. The system of claim 3 wherein the UE is configured to communicate to the user device.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein the UE is reset (via switch, or by powering off) to enable the user device to connect to it, and once the connection is established, the UE can be configured by the user device.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein the configuration includes configuring at least one of a private password or other security protocols.

32. The system of claim 29 wherein the UE includes a means to be configured to communicate with the user device.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein configuration is done via a communications port to another, wherein the communications port is USB, or via controls and/or buttons on the UE, or via display, wherein buttons or touch input are used.

34. A method implemented within a multiple antenna system (MAS) with multiuser (MU) transmissions (“

MU-MAS”

) comprising;

providing a plurality of distributed antennas all sharing the same cell ID; and

implementing open-loop or closed-loop precoding methods for interference cancellation on a plurality of waveforms being sent to or received from the plurality of distributed antennas to create multiple concurrent non-interfering wireless links with a plurality of client devices operating within the same frequency band to achieve multiplexing gain and increase capacity in wireless communications networks, wherein the number of multiple concurrent non-interfering wireless links is up to a total number of the distributed antennas.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein the plurality of distributed antennas are interconnected to a centralized processor (CP) via the base stations network (BSN) and employing precoding to communicate with the plurality of client devices.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein the wireless communications network is a cellular network or LTE network, the client devices are LTE user equipments (UEs), the distributed antennas are LTE enhanced NodeBs (eNodeBs) or mobility management entities (MMEs), the CP is the LTE gateway (GW), the BSN is the S1 or X1 interface.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein the UE is an LTE UE that is compatible with the MU-MAS employing precoding.

38. The method of claim 36 wherein the UE connects to different devices through a first network interface (at least one of WiFi, USB, Ethernet, Bluetooth, etc.) and to the MU-MAS through a second network interface.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein the second network interface supports MU-MAS precoding.

40. The method of claim 38 wherein the second network interface supports MU-MAS implemented with LTE-compliant protocols.

41. The method of claim 38 wherein the second network interface supports MU-MAS (implemented with or without LTE-compliant protocols) and an alternative network.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein the alternative network is a cellular network, an LTE network or WiFi network.

43. The method of claim 41 wherein the UE works with at least one of MU-MAS or the alternative network.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein the UE selects either MU-MAS or the alternative network based on one or more criteria.

45. The method of claim 43 wherein the criteria are:

i) whether only one network is available and is chosen;

ii) whether one network has better performance;

iii) whether one network is more economical;

iv) whether one network is less congested;

v) whether one network uses less UE resources.

46. The method of claim 41 wherein the same RF chain is used for MU-MAS communications and for the alternative network.

47. The method of claim 41 wherein a different RF chain is used for MU-MAS communications and the alternative network.

48. The method of claim 36 wherein the UE is in a case that physically attaches to the user device.

49. The method of claim 48 wherein the case serves as a decorative addition to the user device.

50. The method of claim 48 wherein the case serves to protect the user device from physical damage.

51. The method of claim 36 wherein the UE electronics are embedded within a case.

52. The method of claim 51 wherein the UE electronics include a battery.

53. The method of claim 52 wherein the battery includes a power charger coupling through a physical electrical contact or a wireless contact.

54. The method of claim 53 wherein the power coupling is inductive or RF.

55. The method of claim 51 wherein the UE electronics are coupled to receive power from the user device.

56. The method of claim 55 wherein coupling is through a physical contact or through a wireless contact.

57. The method of claim 56 wherein the power coupling is inductive or RF.

58. The method of claim 51 wherein the user device is coupled to receive power from the UE.

59. The method of claim 58 wherein coupling is through a physical contact or through a wireless contact.

60. The method of claim 59 wherein the power coupling is inductive or RF.

61. The method of claim 51 wherein the same power charger powers both the user device and the MU_MAS UE.

62. The method of claim 36 wherein the UE is configured to communicate to the user device.

63. The method of claim 62 wherein the UE is reset (via switch, or by powering off) to enable the user device to connect to it, and once the connection is established, the UE can be configured by the user device.

64. The method of claim 63 wherein the configuration includes configuring at least one of a private password or other security protocols.

65. The method of claim 62 wherein the UE includes a means to be configured to communicate with the user device.

66. The method of claim 65 wherein configuration is done via a communications port to another, wherein the communications port is USB, or via at least one of controls or buttons on the UE, or via display, wherein buttons or touch input are used.