QUANTITATIVE INTERFERENCE DETECTION

• US 20140112161A1
• Filed: 10/19/2012
• Published: 04/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Rafique, Hassan, Sikri, Divaydeep, Atlan, Cetin, Yu, Zhi Zhong
• Granted Patent: US 9,025,482 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0823 Errors, e.g. transmission errors

Abstract

A method for wireless communications is described. The method includes beginning a voice call using a voice services over adaptive multi-user channels on one slot receiver. Pilot signal knowledge is obtained. Interferers knowledge is also obtained. Error metrics are computed using the pilot signal knowledge and the interferers knowledge. The method further includes selecting between the voice services over adaptive multi-user channels on one slot receiver and a legacy receiver for the voice call based on the error metrics. Other aspects, embodiments and features are also claimed and described.

Claims

1. A method for wireless communications, comprising:

beginning a voice call using a voice services over adaptive multi-user channels on one slot receiver;

obtaining pilot signal knowledge;

obtaining interferers knowledge;

computing error metrics using the pilot signal knowledge and the interferers knowledge; and

selecting between the voice services over adaptive multi-user channels on one slot receiver and a legacy receiver for the voice call based on the error metrics.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a wireless communication device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the error metrics indicate that the voice services over adaptive multi-user channels on one slot receiver should be used for the voice call, and further comprising continuing the voice call using the voice services over adaptive multi-user channels on one slot receiver.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the error metrics indicate a wireless communications channel that is interference limited.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the error metrics indicate that the voice call is sharing a timeslot with a paired wireless communication device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the error metrics indicate that the legacy receiver should be used for the voice call, and further comprising switching the voice call to the legacy receiver.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the error metrics indicate a wireless communications channel that is noise limited.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the error metrics indicate that the voice call is not sharing a timeslot with a paired wireless communication device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein an inverse of the error metrics is a representation of a channel quality for all paired wireless communication devices that are sharing a timeslot.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein a relative strength of the error metrics quantitatively describes a power imbalance between paired wireless communication devices.

11. An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor; and

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to;

begin a voice call using a voice services over adaptive multi-user channels on one slot receiver;

obtain pilot signal knowledge;

obtain interferers knowledge;

compute error metrics using the pilot signal knowledge and the interferers knowledge; and

select between the voice services over adaptive multi-user channels on one slot receiver and a legacy receiver for the voice call based on the error metrics.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is a wireless communication device.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the error metrics indicate that the voice services over adaptive multi-user channels on one slot receiver should be used for the voice call, and wherein the instructions are further executable to continue the voice call using the voice services over adaptive multi-user channels on one slot receiver.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the error metrics indicate a wireless communications channel that is interference limited.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the error metrics indicate that the voice call is sharing a timeslot with a paired wireless communication device.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the error metrics indicate that the legacy receiver should be used for the voice call, and wherein the instructions are further executable to switch the voice call to the legacy receiver.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the error metrics indicate a wireless communications channel that is noise limited.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the error metrics indicate that the voice call is not sharing a timeslot with a paired wireless communication device.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein an inverse of the error metrics is a representation of a channel quality for all paired wireless communication devices that are sharing a timeslot.

20. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein a relative strength of the error metrics quantitatively describes a power imbalance between paired wireless communication devices.

21. A wireless device comprising:

means for beginning a voice call using a voice services over adaptive multi-user channels on one slot receiver;

means for obtaining pilot signal knowledge;

means for obtaining interferers knowledge;

means for computing error metrics using the pilot signal knowledge and the interferers knowledge; and

means for selecting between the voice services over adaptive multi-user channels on one slot receiver and a legacy receiver for the voice call based on the error metrics.

22. The wireless device of claim 21, wherein the error metrics indicate that the voice services over adaptive multi-user channels on one slot receiver should be used for the voice call, and further comprising means for continuing the voice call using the voice services over adaptive multi-user channels on one slot receiver.

23. The wireless device of claim 22, wherein the error metrics indicate a wireless communications channel that is interference limited.

24. The wireless device of claim 21, wherein the error metrics indicate that the legacy receiver should be used for the voice call, and further comprising means for switching the voice call to the legacy receiver.

25. The wireless device of claim 24, wherein the error metrics indicate a wireless communications channel that is noise limited.

26. A computer-program product for wireless communications, the computer-program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions thereon, the instructions comprising:

code for causing a wireless communication device to begin a voice call using a voice services over adaptive multi-user channels on one slot receiver;

code for causing the wireless communication device to obtain pilot signal knowledge;

code for causing the wireless communication device to obtain interferers knowledge;

code for causing the wireless communication device to compute error metrics using the pilot signal knowledge and the interferers knowledge; and

code for causing the wireless communication device to select between the voice services over adaptive multi-user channels on one slot receiver and a legacy receiver for the voice call based on the error metrics.

27. The computer-program product of claim 26, wherein the error metrics indicate that the voice services over adaptive multi-user channels on one slot receiver should be used for the voice call, and wherein the instructions further comprise code for causing the wireless communication device to continue the voice call using the voice services over adaptive multi-user channels on one slot receiver.

28. The computer-program product of claim 27, wherein the error metrics indicate a wireless communications channel that is interference limited.

29. The computer-program product of claim 26, wherein the error metrics indicate that the legacy receiver should be used for the voice call, and wherein the instructions further comprise code for causing the wireless communication device to switch the voice call to the legacy receiver.

30. The computer-program product of claim 29, wherein the error metrics indicate a wireless communications channel that is noise limited.

31. A wireless communication device, comprising:

a communications interface for transmitting and receiving wireless signals; and

a processor operatively coupled to the communications interface, the processor being configured to select between a first receiver and a second receiver based at least in part on an error metric value, the error metric value being based on a function of pilot signal knowledge and interferers knowledge.

32. The wireless communication device of claim 31, wherein the first receiver is a voice services over adaptive multi-user channel receiver and the second receiver is a legacy receiver.

33. The wireless communication device of claim 31, wherein the error metric value characterizes a power imbalance ratio.

34. The wireless communication device of claim 31, wherein the error metric value indicate whether a wireless channel is interference limited or noise limited.

35. The wireless communication device of claim 31, wherein the error metric value indicates that a voice call is sharing a timeslot with a paired device.