Method and system for intelligently controlling propagation environments in distributed transceiver communications

• US 9,253,587 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2013
• Issued: 02/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Golba LLC
• Original Assignee: Golba LLC
• Inventors: Moshfeghi, Mehran
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Parth
• Application Number:
  US13/919,958
• Publication Number:
  US 20140044042A1
• Time in Patent Office: 960 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/63.04, 455/450, 455/423, 370/328, 370/280
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/26 using historical data, averaging values or statistics
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/309 Measuring or estimating channel quality parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/336 Signal-to-interference ratio [SIR] or carrier-to-interference ratio [CIR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/382 for resource allocation, admission control or handover
• 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 7/0413 MIMO systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0456 Selection of precoding matrices or codebooks, e.g. using matrices antenna weighting
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0689 using different transmission schemes, at least one of them being a diversity transmission scheme
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0697 using spatial multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0871 using different reception schemes, at least one of them being a diversity reception scheme
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/10 Polarisation diversity; Directional diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/12 Frequency diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0048 Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/033 using the transitions of the received signal to control the phase of the synchronising-signal-generating means, e.g. using a phase-locked loop
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/10 Dynamic resource partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/00 : Network topologies

Abstract

A communication device comprising a plurality of distributed transceivers and one or more corresponding antenna arrays is operable to determine characteristics of one or more objects that are sensed within a surrounding communication environment of the communication device. The communication device may configure one or more of the plurality of distributed transceivers and/or one or more of the corresponding antenna arrays to handle communication of one or more data streams based on the determined characteristics. Exemplary characteristics may comprise reflective property and/or refractive property of the sensed one or more objects within the surrounding communication environment of the communication device. The communication device may be operable to store the determined characteristics, corresponding temporal information and/or spatial information for the sensed one or more objects, and/or signal propagation characteristics within a surrounding communication environment of the communication device.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

in a first communication device comprising a plurality of distributed transceivers, each distributed transceiver comprising one or more corresponding antenna arrays;

determining a location of the first communication device;

identifying one or more reflectors within a surrounding communication environment of said first communication device;

based on the determined locations of the first communication device and said identified one or more reflectors, configuring antenna patterns of the antenna arrays of a set of distributed transceivers in said plurality of distributed transceivers to associate each distributed transceiver in the set of distributed transceivers with an identified reflector to transmit a data stream to a second communication device using the distributed transceiver and the associated reflector, at least two distributed transceivers configured to transmit different data streams to the second communication device, said configuring comprising configuring the antenna arrays'"'"' beam patterns to mitigate cross interference between said different data streams; and

transmitting a plurality of data streams from the antenna arrays of the set of distributed transceivers of the first communication device to the second communication device.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising determining characteristics of said one or more reflectors, wherein said characteristics comprise at least one of a reflective property and a refractive property of said one or more reflectors within said surrounding communication environment of said first communication device, wherein the antenna patterns of the antenna arrays of the set of distributed transceivers are further configured based on the determined characteristics of said one or more reflectors.

3. The method according to claim 2 further comprising:

storing one or more of said determined characteristics, a corresponding temporal information, a corresponding spatial information, and a location for said one or more reflectors, and signal propagation characteristics within surrounding communication environment of said first communication device; and

generating a map of said surrounding communication environment of said first communication device based on one or more of said stored determined characteristics, said corresponding temporal information, said corresponding spatial information, said location of the one or more reflectors, and said signal propagation characteristics.

4. The method according to claim 3 further comprising dynamically updating one or more of said stored determined characteristics, said corresponding temporal information, said corresponding spatial information, said location of the one or more reflectors, said signal propagation characteristics, and said map based on at least one of additional information acquired by said first communication device, information received from one or more communication devices other than the first communication device, and information received from one or more network devices.

5. The method according to claim 3 further comprising communicating surrounding communication environment data comprising one or more of said determined characteristics, said corresponding temporal information, said corresponding spatial information, said location for said one or more reflectors, and said signal propagation characteristics, from said first communication device to a coordinating device, wherein said coordinating device is configured to:

process and aggregate said communicated surrounding communication environment data with other corresponding data for said communication environment, which is received from one or more communication devices other than the first communication device and a set of network devices to generate resulting data for said surrounding communication environment; and

communicate said resulting data for said surrounding communication environment from said coordinating device to at least one of said first communication device, said one or more communication devices and said set of network devices.

6. The method according to claim 5 further comprising receiving said communicated resulting data for said surrounding communication environment from said coordinating device.

7. The method according to claim 6 further comprising adjusting configuration of one or more of (i) said plurality of distributed transceivers and (ii) said corresponding antenna arrays based on said received resulting data for said surrounding communication environment.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein configuring the antenna patterns of said antenna arrays comprises determining one or more communication paths for communicating said plurality of data streams within said surrounding communication environment.

9. The method according to claim 8 further comprising configuring one or more of said set of distributed transceivers and the corresponding antenna arrays to communicate said plurality of data streams via said determined one or more communication paths.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein said determined one or more communication paths for communicating said plurality of data streams within said surrounding communication environment utilizes one or more of a reflective and a refractive surface of said one or more reflectors.

11. The method according to claim 1 further comprising determining whether a data path between each antenna array of the first communication device and the second communication device is a reflective path or a refractive path.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of data streams comprise a set of critical data streams and a set of high throughput data streams, the method further comprising:

transporting the set of critical data streams over said refractive paths; and

transporting the set of high through put data streams over said reflective paths.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein said one or more reflectors comprise a set of passive reflectors installed in the communication environment to create reflective paths.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein said one or more reflectors comprise a set of passive curved reflectors installed in the communication environment to expand a coverage area of the communication environment.

15. The method according to claim 1 is further comprising:

scanning the communication environment using one or more of said plurality of distributed transceivers to identify curved reflectors and refractive reflectors; and

utilizing the identified curved and refractive reflectors to transport different data streams over said curved and refractive reflectors.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the antenna patterns of the antenna arrays of the set of distributed transceivers are configured to keep cross interference between said plurality of data streams below a threshold.

17. The method according to claim 1, further comprising configuring directions of the antenna arrays of the set of distributed transceivers to keep cross interference between said plurality of data streams below a threshold.

18. The method according to claim 1 further comprising identifying a communication path between each identified reflector and the first communication device, wherein configuring the antenna patterns of the antenna arrays of the set of distributed transceivers further comprises configuring the antenna patterns of antenna arrays of the set of distributed transceivers to communicate said data streams utilizing the identified communication paths between each identified reflector and the first communication device.

19. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

identifying a location of said one or more reflectors, wherein configuring the antenna patterns of the antenna arrays of the set of distributed transceivers further comprises utilizing the location of said reflectors to configure the antenna patterns.

20. A first communication device comprising:

a plurality of distributed transceivers, each distributed transceiver comprising one or more corresponding antenna arrays, the first communication device configured to;

determine a location of the first communication device;

identify one or more reflectors within a surrounding communication environment of said first communication device;

based on the determined locations of the first communication device and said identified one or more reflectors, configure antenna patterns of the antenna arrays of a set of distributed transceivers in said plurality of distributed transceivers to associate each distributed transceiver in the set of distributed transceivers with an identified reflector to transmit a data stream to a second communication device using the distributed transceiver and the associated reflector, at least two distributed transceivers configured to transmit different data streams to the second communication device, said configuring comprising configuring the antenna arrays'"'"' beam patterns to mitigate cross interference between said different data streams; and

transmit a plurality of data streams from the antenna arrays of the set of distributed transceivers of the first communication device to the second communication device.

21. The communication device according to claim 20 further configured to determine characteristics of said one or more reflectors, wherein said characteristics comprise at least one of a reflective property and a refractive property of said one or more reflectors within said surrounding communication environment of said first communication device, wherein the first communication device is further configured to configure the antenna patterns of the antenna arrays of the set of distributed transceivers based on the determined characteristics of said one or more reflectors.

22. The communication device according to claim 20, wherein said first communication device is further configured to:

store one or more of said determined characteristics, a corresponding temporal information, a corresponding spatial information, and a location for said one or more reflectors, and signal propagation characteristics within surrounding communication environment of said first communication device; and

generate a map of said surrounding communication environment of said first communication device based on one or more of said stored determined characteristics, said corresponding temporal information, said corresponding spatial information, said location of the one or more reflectors, and said signal propagation characteristics.

23. The communication device according to claim 22, wherein said first communication device is further configured to dynamically update one or more of said stored determined characteristics, said corresponding temporal information, said corresponding spatial information, said location of the one or more reflectors, said signal propagation characteristics, and said map based on at least one of additional information acquired by said first communication device, information received from one or more communication devices other than the first communication device, and information received from one or more network devices.

24. The communication device according to claim 22, wherein said first communication device is further configured to communicate surrounding communication environment data comprising one or more of said determined characteristics, said corresponding temporal information, said corresponding spatial information, said location for said one or more reflectors, and said signal propagation characteristics, from said first communication device to a coordinating device, wherein said coordinating device is configured to:

process and aggregate said communicated surrounding communication environment data with other corresponding data for said communication environment, which is received from one or more communication devices other than the first communication device and one or more network devices to generate resulting data for said surrounding communication environment; and

communicate said resulting data for said surrounding communication environment from said coordinating device to at least one of said first communication device, said one or more other communication devices and said one or more network devices.

25. The communication device according to claim 24, wherein said first communication device is further configured to receive said communicated resulting data for said surrounding communication environment from said coordinating device.

26. The communication device according to claim 25, wherein said first communication device is further configured to adjust configuration of one or more of (i) said plurality of distributed transceivers and (ii) said corresponding antenna arrays based on said received resulting data for said surrounding communication environment.

27. The communication device according to claim 20, wherein configuring the antenna patterns of said antenna arrays comprises determining one or more communication paths for communicating said plurality of data streams within said surrounding communication environment.

28. The communication device according to claim 27, wherein said first communication device is further configured to configure one or more of said set of distributed transceivers and the corresponding antenna arrays to communicate said plurality of data streams via said determined one or more communication paths.

29. The communication device according to claim 27, wherein said determined one or more communication paths for communicating said plurality of data streams within said surrounding communication environment utilizes one or more of a reflective and a refractive surface of said one or more reflectors.

30. The communication device according to claim 20 further configured to determines whether a data path between each antenna array of the first communication device and the second communication device is a reflective path or a refractive path.

31. The communication device according to claim 30, wherein the plurality of data streams comprise a set of critical data streams and a set of high throughput data streams, the first communication device further configured to:

transport the set of critical data streams over said refractive paths; and

transport the set of high through put data streams over said reflective paths.

32. The communication device according to claim 20, wherein said one or more reflectors comprise a set of passive reflectors installed in the communication environment to create reflective paths.

33. The communication device according to claim 20, wherein said one or more reflectors comprise a set of passive curved reflectors installed in the communication environment to expand a coverage area of the communication environment.

34. The communication device according to claim 20 further configured to:

scan the communication environment using one or more of said plurality of distributed transceivers to identify curved reflectors and refractive reflectors; and

utilize the identified curved and refractive reflectors to transport different data streams over said curved and refractive reflectors.

35. The communication device according to claim 20, wherein the antenna patterns of the antenna arrays of the set of distributed transceivers are configured to keep cross interference between said plurality of data streams below a threshold.

36. The communication device according to claim 20 further configured to configure directions of the antenna arrays of the set of distributed transceivers to keep cross interference between said plurality of data streams below a threshold.

37. The communication device according to claim 20, the first communication device further configured to identify a communication path between each identified reflector and the first communication device, wherein configuring the antenna patterns of the antenna arrays of the set of distributed transceivers further comprises configuring the antenna patterns of antenna arrays of the set of distributed transceivers to communicate said data streams utilizing the identified communication paths between each identified reflector and the first communication device.

38. The communication device according to claim 20, the first communication device further configured to identify a location of said one or more reflectors, wherein configuring the antenna patterns of the antenna arrays of the set of distributed transceivers further comprises utilizing the location of said reflectors to configure the antenna patterns.