Method and Apparatus for Reporting Precoding Information in a Communication Network

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017201299-A1
Application number	US-201514901282-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 16, 2015
Priority date	Nov 16, 2015
Publication date	Jul 13, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

In one aspect of this disclosure, a communication device sends first and second precoding reports to a network node by time multiplexing the first and second precoding reports onto a reporting channel in accordance with a multiplexing ratio. The first and second precoding reports comprise first and second precoding recommendations, respectively, and correspond to the first and second dimensions of an antenna array used for transmitting to the communication device. Among other advantages, multiplexing of the first and second reports enables the communication device to reuse a reporting channel and at least some of the underlying reporting protocols or signaling arrangements to report multi-dimensional precoding information. The corresponding network node uses its knowledge of the multiplexing ratio to differentiate between the first and second reports. Moreover, the involved multiplexing ratio may be adapted, either by the network or the communication device, in view of changing operating scenarios.

First claim

1 - 38 . (canceled)

39 . A method implemented by a communication device configured for operation in a communication network, the method comprising:
receiving transmissions from an antenna array of a network node in the communication network, wherein the antenna array has first and second dimensions; determining precoding recommendations for transmitting to the communication device from the antenna array, based on evaluating the received transmissions; and sending first and second precoding reports to the network node by time multiplexing the first and second precoding reports onto a reporting channel in accordance with a multiplexing ratio, wherein the first and second precoding reports comprise first and second precoding recommendations respectively corresponding to the first and second dimensions of the antenna array.

40 . The method of claim 39 , wherein a reporting cycle comprises N precoding reports sent from the communication device to the network node on the reporting channel, and wherein the multiplexing ratio stipulates that M first precoding reports and second precoding reports are sent in every reporting cycle, where N is an integer and M is an integer less than or equal to N.

41 . The method of claim 39 , wherein one of the first and second dimensions is prioritized over the other one of the first and second dimensions, and wherein the multiplexing ratio reflects the prioritization.

42 . The method of claim 41 , further comprising changing the prioritization in dependence on at least one of: control signaling incoming from the communication network; channel conditions at the communication device; and a location of the communication device.

43 . The method of claim 39 , further comprising setting the multiplexing ratio to a value determined by the communication network.

44 . The method of claim 43 , further comprising determining a multiplexing ratio recommendation and sending the multiplexing ratio recommendation to the communication network, for consideration by the communication network in setting the multiplexing ratio.

45 . The method of claim 39 , further comprising setting the multiplexing ratio to a value determined by the communication device in dependence on any one or more of:
an application or service type associated with the communication device; a mobility profile of the communication device; historical data corresponding to past usage of one or more multiplexing ratios; historical or current communication performance of the communication device; and a current location of the communication device.

46 . The method of claim 45 , wherein the mobility profile comprises one or more of:
a Doppler metric or speed of the communication device; an acceleration of the communication device; a direction of motion of the communication device; a change in a location of the communication device.

47 . The method of claim 39 , wherein one of the first and second dimensions is a horizontal dimension and the other one of the first and second dimensions is a vertical dimension and, correspondingly, the first precoding reports comprise one of horizontal precoding reports and vertical precoding reports and the second precoding reports comprise the other one of the horizontal precoding reports and the vertical precoding reports.

48 . The method of claim 47 , wherein each horizontal precoding report indicates a horizontal precoding matrix recommendation comprising antenna element weights corresponding to the horizontal dimension of the antenna array, and wherein each vertical precoding report indicates a vertical precoding matrix recommendation comprising antenna element weights corresponding to the vertical dimension of the antenna array.

49 . A communication device configured for operation in a communication network and comprising:
a communication interface circuit configured to receive transmissions from an antenna array of a network node in the communication network, wherein the antenna array has first and second dimensions; and a processing circuit configured to:
determine precoding recommendations for transmitting to the communication device from the antenna array, based on evaluating the received transmissions; and
send, via the communication interface circuit, first and second precoding reports to the network node, by time multiplexing the first and second precoding reports onto a reporting channel in accordance with a multiplexing ratio, wherein the first and second precoding reports comprise first and second precoding recommendations respectively corresponding to the first and second dimensions of the antenna array.

50 . The communication device of claim 49 , wherein a reporting cycle comprises N precoding reports sent from the communication device to the network node on the reporting channel, and wherein the multiplexing ratio stipulates that M first precoding reports and second precoding reports are sent in every reporting cycle, where N is an integer and M is an integer less than or equal to N.

51 . The communication device of claim 49 , wherein one of the first and second dimensions is prioritized over the other one of the first and second dimensions, and wherein the multiplexing ratio reflects the prioritization.

52 . The communication device of claim 51 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to change the prioritization in dependence on at least one of: control signaling incoming from the communication network; channel conditions at the communication device; and a location of the communication device.

53 . The communication device of claim 49 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to set the multiplexing ratio to a value determined by the communication network.

54 . The communication device of claim 53 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine a multiplexing ratio recommendation and send the multiplexing ratio recommendation to the communication network, for consideration by the communication network in setting the multiplexing ratio.

55 . The communication device of claim 49 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to set the multiplexing ratio to a value determined by the processing circuit in dependence on any one or more of:
an application or service type associated with the communication device; a mobility profile of the communication device; historical data corresponding to past usage of one or more multiplexing ratios; historical or current communication performance of the communication device; and a current location of the communication device.

56 . The communication device of claim 55 , wherein the mobility profile comprises one or more of:
a Doppler metric or speed of the communication device; an acceleration of the communication device; a direction of motion of the communication device; a change in a location of the communication device.

57 . The communication device of claim 49 , wherein one of the first and second dimensions is a horizontal dimension and the other one of the first and second dimensions is a vertical dimension and, correspondingly, the first precoding reports comprise one of horizontal precoding reports and vertical precoding reports and the second precoding reports comprise the other one of the horizontal precoding reports and the vertical precoding reports.

58 . The communication device of claim 57 , wherein each horizontal precoding report indicates a horizontal precoding matrix recommendation comprising antenna element weights corresponding to the horizont

Assignees

• ERICSSON TELEFON AB L M (publ)

Inventors

• Nammi Sairamesh
• Chapman Thomas
• Goransson Bo
• Kazmi Muhammad

Classifications

• H04B7/0479

  for multi-dimensional arrays, e.g. horizontal or vertical pre-distortion matrix index [PMI] · CPC title

• H04B7/0634 Primary

  Antenna weights or vector/matrix coefficients · CPC title

• H01Q21/00

  Antenna arrays or systems (arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system H01Q3/00) · CPC title

• H04W4/025

  using location based information parameters · CPC title

• H04L67/22

  Electricity · mapped topic