Method, a device and a system for duplex communications

• US 8,842,581 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2004
• Issued: 09/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Hottinen, Ari
• Primary Examiner(s): GHOWRWAL, OMAR J
• Application Number:
  US10/592,899
• Publication Number:
  US 20080279125A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,843 Days
• Field of Search: 370276-278, 370280-282, 370294-296, 370/310, 370328-330, 370/339, 370343-345, 370347-348, 370/350, 370/431, 370/433, 370436-437, 370/442, 370/458, 370462-464, 370478-480, 370/498, 370/503
• US Class Current: 370/278
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2615 using hybrid frequency-time division multiple access [FDMA-TDMA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/265 for channel frequency control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0003 by switching between different modulation schemes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0009 by adapting the channel coding H04L1/1812 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/00 Network planning, e.g. coverage or traffic planning tools; Network deployment, e.g. resource partitioning or cells structures

Abstract

A method, a device, and a system for duplex communications. Uplink and downlink frequencies are allocated in an orthogonal manner such that at one time instant a certain carrier frequency is used for uplink (downlink) transmission and at some other time instant for downlink (uplink) transmission. Correspondingly, at said one time instant a second carrier frequency is used for downlink (uplink) transmission and at said some other time instant optionally for uplink (downlink) transmission.

Claims

1. A method for a duplex communication comprising:

allocating two or more frequency bands for information transfer between two entities comprising a first entity and a second entity, and

transmitting, by the first entity, information in a first transfer direction on a first frequency band belonging to said two or more frequency bands and receiving, by the first entity, information in a second transfer direction on a second frequency hand belonging to said two or more frequency bands but different from the first frequency band, a frequency band time allocation concerning said two or more frequency bands being adaptable during the communication between said two entities, said method further comprising

analyzing, by the second entity, on a basis of information received by the second entity on said first frequency band in the first transfer direction channel conditions for obtaining at least information about a transfer direction that is passive or unused while receiving said information,

adjusting, by the second entity, on a basis of the channel conditions one or more transmission parameters for transmitting information at a certain time instant on said first frequency band in the second transfer direction, and

receiving by the second entity, information at said certain time instant on said second frequency band in the first transfer direction,

wherein said method is at least part of an overall time allocation of said first frequency band for said first transfer direction and said second transfer direction and of said second frequency band for said first transfer direction and said second transfer direction is based on a predetermined sequence.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said time instant refers to one or more time slots.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein on a basis of received information one or more parameters describing a transfer channel are established.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said received information includes data intended for channel estimation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein on a basis of received information transmission of information on a frequency equal to the reception frequency is optimized.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the received information includes a training sequence.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more transmission parameters relate to at least one of the following:

transmission power, a beam coefficient, rate control, scheduling.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein an otherwise unused time period is utilized for transferring channel information or test data for channel analysis purposes.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a device being one of said two entities taking part in the information transfer is provided with information indicating at least one of the following:

one or more frequency allocations for the device, one or more time period allocations for the device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein in a case of two cells, a wireless communications device being one of said two entities and a base station being another of said two entities and communicating with said wireless communications device located in one of said two cells, information transfer within the one of said two cells is synchronized with information transfer in another of said two cells before an occurrence of information transfer between said two entities.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein base stations of said two cells or wireless communications devices of said two cells allocate one at a turn same collectively available frequency or time resources.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein it is further checked whether a distance between a communications device being one of said two entities and a network element being another of said two entities with which the communications device is communicating, is above a certain predetermined limit, and if that is a case, constraining the communications device to use separate frequencies for said first and second transfer directions.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein a number of carriers or sub-carriers are further allocated to standard frequency division duplex (FDD) (Frequency Division Duplex) communication involved in the information transfer between said two entities.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the distance between the network element and the communications device is determined on a basis of at least one of the following:

path loss, channel status, required transmission power.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein allocation of transfer resources between said first and second transfer directions occurs dynamically.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein transmission capacity is allocated unequally between said first entity and said second entity involved in the information transfer.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein a frequency band used in the information transfer is selected from at least two options on a basis of available channel information.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein said duplex communications is wireless communication.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said first or second transfer direction is an uplink or a downlink direction in a wireless communications system.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said wireless communications system is compatible with CDMA2000, GSM (global system for mobile communications), EDGE (enhanced data rates for GSM evolution), UMTS (universal mobile telecommunications system), or WCDMA (wideband code division multiple access) technologies.

21. A method for a duplex communication between a first entity and a second entity, a frequency carrier time allocation concerning two or more frequency carriers of said entities being adaptable during the communication between said entities, said method comprising

receiving, by the first entity, information during a first time period on a first carrier frequency in a first transfer direction between said first and second entities,

transmitting, by the first entity, information during said first time period on a second carrier frequency in a second transfer direction between said first and second entities, and

transmitting, by the first entity, information during a second time period on said first carrier frequency in said second transfer direction between said first and second entities, wherein one or more transmission parameters are adjusted for transmitting said information during the second time period on a basis of said information received during the first time period, the received information determining that the first entity adjusts the one or more transmission parameters for transmitting said information during the second time period on said first carrier frequency in said second transfer direction and receives information during said second time period on said second frequency band in the first transfer direction, wherein said method is at least part of an overall time allocation of said first frequency band for said first transfer direction and said second transfer direction and of said second frequency band for said first transfer direction and said second transfer direction is based on a predetermined sequence, wherein channel conditions are analyzed for obtaining at least information about a transfer direction that is passive or unused while receiving said information, and wherein the one or more transmission parameters are adjusted on a basis of the channel conditions.

22. A communications device comprising a transceiver for a wireless duplex communication, further comprising a processing unit and a memory for processing and storing instructions and data, said communication device being capable of adapting a carrier frequency time allocation concerning two carrier frequencies of said communication device and another communication entity during the communication between said communication device and the another communication entity, said communication device is configured to

receive information during a first time period on a first carrier frequency in a first transfer direction and transmit information during said first time period on a second carrier frequency in a second transfer direction, the device being further configured to

analyze on a basis of information received on said first carrier frequency in the first transfer direction channel conditions for obtaining at least information about a transfer direction that is passive or unused while receiving said information,

adjust on a basis of the channel conditions one or more transmission parameters for transmitting information during said second time period on a basis of said information received during the first time period,

receive information during said second time period on said second carrier frequency in the first transfer direction, wherein at least part of overall time allocation of said first carrier frequency for said first transfer direction and said second transfer direction and of said second carrier frequency for said first transfer direction and said second transfer direction is based on a predetermined sequence.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein each of said first and second time periods refers to one or more time slots.

24. The device of claim 22, configured to, on a basis of the information received during the first time period, establish one or more parameters describing a transfer channel.

25. The device of claim 22, configured to, on a basis of the information received during the first time period, adjust one or more reception parameters.

26. The device of claim 22, wherein said one or more parameters relate to at least one of the following:

transmission power, a beam coefficient, rate control, scheduling.

27. The device of claim 22, further configured to utilize an otherwise unused time period for transferring channel information or test data for channel analysis purposes.

28. The device of claim 22, configured to receive information indicating at least one of the following:

one or more frequency allocations, one or more time period allocations.

29. The device of claim 22, further configured to utilize separate frequencies for said first and second transfer directions provided a distance to another device involved in the communication is above a certain predetermined limit.

30. The device of claim 29, wherein the distance is determined on a basis of at least one of the following:

path loss, channel status, required transmission power.

31. The device of claim 22, configured to select a transmission frequency from at least two options on a basis of available channel information.

32. The device of claim 22, wherein said first or second transfer direction is an uplink or a downlink direction in a wireless communications system.

33. The device of claim 22, configured to transmit information blocks over a plurality of frequencies, said information blocks comprising redundancy between them.

34. The device of claim 22, being a mobile terminal.

35. A system comprising one or more transceivers capable of duplex data transfer, said system further comprising a processing unit and a memory for processing and storing instructions and data, said one or more transceivers being capable of adapting a carrier frequency time allocation concerning two or more carrier frequencies during a communication provided by said one or more transceivers, said system configured to

allocate said two or more carrier frequencies for information transfer, wherein for a duration of a first time period a first carrier frequency is allocated for information transfer in a first transfer direction and a second carrier frequency allocated for information transfer in a second transfer direction, and for a duration of a second time period said first carrier frequency is allocated for information transfer in said second transfer direction, wherein the one or more transceivers transmitting the information during said second time period is configured to adjust one or more transmission parameters on a basis of said information received by the one or more transceivers during said first time period of information transfer, the received information determining that the one or more transceivers adjust the one or more transmission parameters for transmitting said information during the second time period on said first carrier frequency in said second transfer direction and receive information during said second time period on said second frequency band in the first transfer direction, wherein said system is at least part of an overall time allocation of said first frequency band for said first transfer direction and said second transfer direction and of said second frequency band for said first transfer direction and said second transfer direction is based on a predetermined sequence, wherein channel conditions are analyzed for obtaining at least information about a transfer direction that is passive or unused while receiving said information, and wherein the one or more transmission parameters are adjusted on a basis of the channel conditions.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein said first or second time period refers to one or more time slots.

37. The system of claim 35, further configured to establish one or more parameters describing a transfer channel on a basis of the received information.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein said received information includes data intended for channel estimation purposes.

39. The system of claim 35, configured to adjust one or more reception parameters on a basis of the received information.

40. The system of claim 35, wherein said one or more parameters relate to at least one of a following:

transmission power, a beam coefficient, rate control, scheduling.

41. The system of claim 35, configured to utilize an otherwise unused time period for transferring channel information or test data for channel analysis purposes.

42. The system of claim 35, configured to provide the transceiver taking part in the information transfer with the information indicating at least one of a following:

one or more frequency allocations for the transceiver, one or more time period allocations for the transceiver.

43. The system of claim 35, configured to, in a case of two cells, a wireless communications device and a base station communicating with said wireless communications device located in one of said two cells, synchronize information transfer in the one of said two cells with information transfer in another of said two cells before an occurrence of information transfer between said two entities.

44. The system of claim 35, configured to allocate frequency or time resources from collectively available frequency or time resources.

45. The system of claim 35, configured to check whether a distance between a communications device and a network element involved in the information transfer is above a certain predetermined limit, and if that is a case, constraining the communications device to use separate frequencies for said first and second transfer directions, wherein said system at least one of said communications device and said network element being the transceiver capable of the duplex data transfer.

46. The system of claim 45, configured to determine the distance on the basis of at least one of the following:

path loss, channel status, required transmission power.

47. The system of claim 35, configured to dynamically reallocate transfer resources between said first and second transfer directions.

48. The system of claim 37, configured to select a frequency for the information transfer from at least two options on the basis of available channel information.

49. The system of claim 35, wherein said duplex data transfer is wireless communication.

50. The system of claim 35, wherein said system is a wireless communications system and said first or second transfer direction is uplink or downlink direction in the wireless communications system.

51. The system of claim 35, comprising a base station including at least one of said one or more transceivers.

52. The system of claim 51, further comprising a wireless communications device.

53. The system of claim 35, configured to transmit information blocks over a plurality of frequencies, said information blocks comprising redundancy between them.

54. The system of claim 35, wherein said received information is utilized for multi-user scheduling.

55. The system of claim 35, further comprising a plurality of transmission or reception antennas.

56. The system of claim 55, wherein said received information is utilized in selecting an antenna from said plurality of antennas or in computing an antenna related parameter value.

57. The system of claim 35, wherein said received information is utilized for calculating transmission or reception beams.

58. The system of claim 38, wherein said received information comprises channel state information that is used to select or prioritize at least one of the following:

transport format, a number of streams, transmission method, one or more users, and one or more services,

59. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, perform a method for a duplex communication, where a frequency band time allocation concerning two or more frequency bands being adaptable during the communication, said method comprising

allocating said two or more frequency bands for information transfer between two entities comprising a first entity and a second entity and of transmitting, by the first entity, information in a first transfer direction on a first frequency band belonging to said two or more frequency bands and receiving, by the first entity, information in a second transfer direction on a second frequency band belonging to said two or more frequency bands but different from the first frequency band, said method further comprising

analyzing, by the second entity, on a basis of information received by the second entity on said first frequency band in the first transfer direction channel conditions for obtaining at least information about a transfer direction that is passive or unused while receiving said information, and

adjusting, by the second entity, on a basis of the channel conditions one or more transmission parameters for transmitting information at a certain time instant on said first frequency band in the second transfer direction, and

receiving, by the second entity, information at said certain time instant on said second frequency hand in the first transfer direction, wherein said method is at least part of an overall time allocation of said first frequency band for said first transfer direction and said second transfer direction and of said second frequency band for said first transfer direction and said second transfer direction is based on a predetermined sequence.

60. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, perform a method for a duplex communication, where a frequency band time allocation concerning two or more frequency bands of first and second entities being adaptable during the communication between first and second entities, said method comprising

receiving, by the first entity, information during a first time period on a first carrier frequency in a first transfer direction between said first and second entities,

transmitting, by the first entity, information during said first time period on a second carrier frequency in a second transfer direction between said first and second entities, and

transmitting, by the first entity, information during a second time period on said first carrier frequency in said second transfer direction between said first and second entities, wherein one or more transmission parameters are adjusted for transmitting said information during the second time period on a basis of said information received during the first time period, the received information determining that the first entity adjusts the one or more transmission parameters for transmitting said information during the second time period on said first carrier frequency in said second transfer direction and receives information during said second time period on said second frequency band in the first transfer direction, wherein said method is at least part of an overall time allocation of said first frequency band for said first transfer direction and said second transfer direction and of said second frequency band for said first transfer direction and said second transfer direction is based on a predetermined sequence, wherein channel conditions are analyzed for obtaining at least information about a transfer direction that is passive or unused while receiving said information, and wherein the one or more transmission parameters are adjusted on a basis of the channel conditions.