Cooperative polling in a wireless data communication system having smart antenna processing

• US 6,795,409 B1
• Filed: 09/29/2000
• Issued: 09/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: ArrayComm LLC (Ygomi LLC)
• Inventors: Youssefmir, Michael, Trott, Mitchell D., Rogard, Roger
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, MAN U
• Application Number:
  US09/677,460
• Time in Patent Office: 1,453 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/334, 370/347, 370/280, 370/310, 370/316, 370/318, 370/320, 370/341, 455/504, 455/505, 455/506, 455/562, 455/423, 455/424, 455/67.4, 455/67.6, 455/69, 342/173, 342/360, 342/372, 342/378
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/086 using weights depending on external parameters, e.g. direction of arrival [DOA], predetermined weights or beamforming
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/00 Network planning, e.g. coverage or traffic planning tools; Network deployment, e.g. resource partitioning or cells structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/06 using polling

Abstract

A method, communication device, and machine-readable medium. The method includes sending a first poll from a first base station having a smart antenna system to a first user terminal. The first base station receives a first uplink response signal from the first user terminal as a result of the first user terminal successfully receiving the first poll. The first base station also receives at least one other uplink response signals as a result of at least one other remote user terminal successfully receiving a second poll from a second base station. The first base station transmits downlink data to the first user terminal using a downlink smart antenna processing strategy for transmitting to the first user terminal, including mitigating interference to the first and one or more other remote communication devices from which the first base station received a first or other uplink response signal and that may be receiving during transmission of downlink data to the first user terminal. The downlink smart antenna processing strategy is using the first and other received uplink response signals. The first base station uses a first protocol with its associated user terminals and the second base stations uses a second protocol that is coordinated with the first protocol to enable the first base station to receive the first and other uplink response signals from second and one or more other remote communication devices that may be receiving during the step of transmitting downlink data to the first user terminal.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

sending a first poll on a first downlink channel from a first communication device having a smart antenna system to a first remote communication device prior to transmitting downlink data to the first remote communication device;

receiving a first uplink response signal on a first uplink channel associated with the first uplink channel at the first communication device from the first remote communication device as a result of the first remote communication device successfully receiving the first poll;

receiving one or more other uplink response signals at the first communication device from one or more other remote communication devices as a result of at least one other remote communication device successfully receiving a second poll from a second communication device,

determining a downlink smart antenna processing strategy for transmitting from the first communication device to the first remote communication device, the downlink strategy including mitigating interference to the first and one or more other remote communication devices from which the first communication device received a first or other uplink response signal and that may be receiving during transmission of downlink data to the first remote communication device; and

transmitting downlink data from the first communication device to the first remote communication device using the determined downlink strategy,

the first communication device able to communicate with the first remote communication device using a first protocol, the second communication device able to communicate with the one or more other remote communication devices using a second protocol coordinated with the first protocol to enable the first communication device to receive the first and other uplink response signals from second and one or more other remote communication devices that may be receiving during the step of transmitting downlink data to the first remote communication device.

2. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the sending of the one or more second polls is on one or more second downlink channels, and the receiving of the one or more uplink response signals is on one or more second associated uplink channels each associated with and having a predefined relationship to a respective second downlink channel.

3. A method as described in claim 2, wherein the first and second downlink and associated uplink channels are conventional TDMA channels.

4. A method as described in claim 3, wherein the first associated uplink and the second associated uplink channels are synchronized, and wherein the first downlink and second downlink channels are synchronized.

5. A method as described in claim 2, wherein the first and second downlink and associated uplink channels are conventional FDMA channels.

6. A method as described in claim 2, wherein the first and second downlink and associated uplink channels are conventional CDMA channels.

7. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the first communication device is a first base station of a communication system, the first remote communication device is a remote user terminal associated with the first base station, the second communication device is a second base station, the other remote communication devices are remote user terminals associated with the second base station, wherein the communication system further includes one or more additional user terminals associated with the first base station, the method further comprising:

sending one or more other polls from the first base station to the one or more additional user terminals of the first base station prior to transmitting downlink data to the additional user terminals;

receiving additional uplink response signals at the first base station from the one or more additional user terminals of the first base station as a result of the additional user terminals successfully receiving polls from the first base station,

wherein the determined downlink smart antenna processing strategy includes mitigating interference to the one or more additional user terminals associated with the first base station from which the first base station received the additional uplink response signals.

8. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the first communication device comprises a cellular base station.

9. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the first remote communication device includes a second plurality of antenna elements.

10. A method as described in claim 9, wherein the first remote communication device includes a second smart antenna system that includes the second plurality of antenna elements.

11. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the first communication device is coupled to an external data and/or voice network.

12. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the first remote communication device includes a remote user terminal.

13. A method as described in claim 12, wherein the remote user terminal is mobile.

14. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the downlink data includes voice.

15. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the downlink data includes information exchanged via the Internet.

16. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the smart antenna system includes a plurality of antenna elements and a mechanism for uplink spatial processing signals received at the antenna elements according to a set of receive weighting parameters determined from the signals received at the antenna elements, and a mechanism for downlink spatial processing a signal for transmission according to a set of transmit weighting parameters, wherein the downlink strategy determining step includes determining the set of uplink weighting parameters using the first and other uplink response signals received during the steps of receiving the first and other uplink response signals and determining the set of downlink weighting parameters from the set of uplink weighting parameters.

17. A method as described in claim 1, wherein communication to and from the second and other remote communication devices is frame-by-frame, and wherein the downlink strategy determining step determines the strategy using the first and other uplink response signals received in the most recent frame.

18. A method as described in claim 17, wherein the first uplink response signal includes acknowledgement data sent by the first remote communication device in response to each frame from the first communication device received by the first remote communication device.

19. A method as described in claim 16, wherein the downlink strategy determining step determines the transmit weighting parameters using a blind method and the most recently received first and other uplink response signals.

20. A method as described in claim 16, wherein the first and other uplink response signals include training data and wherein the downlink strategy determining step determines the transmit weighting parameters using the training data in the most recently received first and other uplink response signals.

21. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon information representing a set of machine-executable instructions, that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform a method comprising:

sending a first poll on a first downlink channel from a first communication device having a smart antenna system to a first remote communication device prior to transmitting downlink data to the first remote communication device;

receiving a first uplink response signal on a first uplink channel associated with the first uplink channel at the first communication device from the first remote communication device as a result of the first remote communication device successfully receiving the first poll;

receiving one or more other uplink response signals at the first communication device from one or more other remote communication devices as a result of at least one other remote communication device successfully receiving a second poll from a second communication device,

determining a downlink smart antenna processing strategy for transmitting from the first communication device to the first remote communication device, the downlink strategy including mitigating interference to the first and one or more other remote communication devices from which the first communication device received a first or other uplink response signal and that may be receiving during transmission of downlink data to the first remote communication device; and

transmitting downlink data from the first communication device to the first remote communication device using the determined downlink strategy,

the first communication device able to communicate with the first remote communication device using a first protocol, the second communication device able to communicate with the one or more other remote communication devices using a second protocol coordinated with the first protocol to enable the first communication device to receive the first and other uplink response signals from second and one or more other remote communication devices that may be receiving during the step of transmitting downlink data to the first remote communication device.

22. A machine-readable medium as described in claim 21, wherein the sending of the one or more second polls is on one or more second downlink channels, and the receiving of the one or more uplink response channels is on one or more second uplink channels each associated with and having a predefined relationship to a respective second downlink channel.

23. A machine-readable medium as described in claim 22, wherein the first and second downlink and associated uplink channels are conventional TDMA channels.

24. A machine-readable medium as described in claim 23, wherein the first associated uplink and the second associated uplink channels are synchronized, and wherein the first downlink and second downlink channels are synchronized.

25. A machine-readable medium as described in claim 22, wherein the first and second downlink and associated uplink channels are conventional FDMA channels.

26. A machine-readable medium as described in claim 22, wherein the first and second downlink and associated uplink channels are conventional CDMA channels.

27. A machine-readable medium as described in claim 21, wherein the first communication device is a first base station of a communication system, the first remote communication device is a remote user terminal associated with the first base station, the second communication device is a second base station, the other remote communication devices are remote user terminals associated with the second base station, wherein the communication system further includes one or more additional user terminals associated with the first base station, the method further comprising:

sending one or more other polls from the first base station to the additional user terminals associated with the first base station prior to transmitting downlink data to the one or more additional user terminals;

receiving other uplink response signals the first base station from the one or more additional user terminals associated with the first base station as a result of the additional user terminals successfully receiving polls from the first base station,

wherein the determined downlink smart antenna processing strategy includes mitigating interference to the one or more additional user terminals from which the first base station received the additional uplink response signals.

28. A machine-readable medium as described in claim 21, wherein the first and second protocols use TDMA.

29. A machine-readable medium as described in claim 23, wherein the first associated uplink and the second associated uplink channels are synchronized, and wherein the first downlink and second downlink channels are synchronized.

30. A machine-readable medium as described in claim 21, wherein the first and second protocols use FDMA.

31. A machine-readable medium as described in claim 21, wherein the first and second protocols use CDMA.

32. A machine-readable medium as described in claim 21, wherein the first communication device comprises a cellular base station.

33. A machine-readable medium as described in claim 21, wherein the first remote communication device includes a second plurality of antenna elements.

34. A machine-readable medium as described in claim 33, wherein the first remote communication device includes a second smart antenna system that includes the second plurality of antenna elements.

35. A machine-readable medium as described in claim 21, wherein the first communication device is coupled to an external data and/or voice network.

36. A machine-readable medium as described in claim 21, wherein the first remote communication device includes a remote user terminal.

37. A machine-readable medium as described in claim 36, wherein the remote user terminal is mobile.

38. A machine-readable medium as described in claim 21, wherein the downlink data includes voice.

39. A machine-readable medium as described in claim 21, wherein the downlink data includes information exchanged via the Internet.

40. A machine-readable medium as described in claim 21, wherein the smart antenna system includes a plurality of antenna elements and a mechanism for uplink spatial processing signals received at the antenna elements according to a set of receive weighting parameters determined from the signals received at the antenna elements, and a mechanism for downlink spatial processing a signal for transmission according to a set of transmit weighting parameters, wherein the downlink strategy determining step includes determining the set of uplink weighting parameters using the first and other uplink response signals received during the steps of receiving the first and other uplink response signals and determining the set of downlink weighting parameters from the set of uplink weighting parameters.

41. A machine-readable medium as described in claim 21, wherein communication to and from the second and other remote communication devices is frame-by-frame, and wherein the downlink strategy determining step determines the strategy using the first and other uplink response signals received in the most recent frame.

42. A machine-readable medium as described in claim 41, wherein the first uplink response signal includes acknowledgement data sent by the first remote communication device in response to each frame from the first communication device received by the first remote communication device.

43. A machine-readable medium as described in claim 40, wherein the downlink strategy determining step determines the transmit weighting parameters using a blind method and the most recently received first and other uplink response signals.

44. A machine-readable medium as described in claim 40, wherein the first and other uplink response signals include training data and wherein the downlink strategy determining step determines the transmit weighting parameters using the training data in the most recently received first and other uplink response signals.

45. A first communication device comprising:

a smart antenna system to communicate with at least one remote communication device using a smart antenna processing strategy, the smart antenna system including a plurality of antenna elements;

a downlink transmission unit, coupled to the plurality of antenna elements, to transmit downlink data to a first remote communication device, the downlink transmission unit further to provide a first downlink channel on which to send a first poll to the remote communication device prior to transmitting downlink data to the first remote communication device;

an uplink reception unit, coupled to the plurality of antenna elements, to provide a first uplink channel associated with the first downlink channel on which to receive an uplink response signal from the first remote user terminal in response to the first poll, the uplink reception unit further to receive one or more other uplink response signals from one or more other remote communication devices as a result of at least one other remote communication device successfully receiving a second poll from a second communication device,

a processor, coupled to the downlink transmission unit, and further coupled to the uplink reception unit, the processor to determine a downlink smart antenna processing strategy for transmitting to the first remote communication device, the downlink strategy including mitigating interference to the first and one or more other remote communication devices from which the uplink reception unit receives a first or other uplink response signal and that may be receiving during transmission of downlink data to the first remote communication device; and

the communication device coordinated with the second communication device such that the downlink transmission unit receives the first and other uplink response signals from the first and one or more other remote communication devices that may be receiving during transmission of downlink data to the first remote communication device.

46. A first communication device as described in claim 45, wherein the second communication device provides one or more second downlink channels on which to send the one or more second polls, the uplink reception unit provides one or more second associated uplink channels on which to receive the one or more second uplink response signals, the second associated uplink channels each associated with and having a predefined relationship to a respective second downlink channel.

47. A first communication device as described in claim 46, wherein the first and second downlink and associated uplink channels are conventional TDMA channels.

48. A first communication device as described in claim 47, wherein the first associated uplink and the second associated uplink channels are synchronized, and wherein the first downlink and second downlink channels are synchronized.

49. A first communication device as described in claim 46, wherein the first and second downlink and associated uplink channels are conventional FDMA channels.

50. A first communication device as described in claim 46, wherein the first and second downlink and associated uplink channels are conventional CDMA channels.

51. A first communication device as described in claim 45, wherein the first remote communication device is a remote user terminal associated with the first communication device, the other remote communication devices are remote user terminals associated with the second communication device, the first communication device is associated with one or more additional user terminals,

wherein the downlink transmission unit is further to send one or more additional polls from the first base station to the one or more additional user terminals associated with the first communication device prior to transmitting downlink data to the one or more additional user terminals, and

wherein the uplink reception unit is further to receive uplink response signals from the one or additional other user terminals associated with the first communication device as a result of the additional user terminals successfully receiving the additional polls, and

wherein the determined downlink smart antenna processing strategy includes mitigating interference to the one or more other user terminals from which the first communication device received the other uplink response signals.

52. A first communication device as described in claim 45, wherein the first communication device is coupled to an external data and/or voice network.