Method, apparatus, computer program product, computer readable medium and system for fast feedback and response handling in wireless networks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9425923-B2
Application number	US-201214417382-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 27, 2012
Priority date	Jul 27, 2012
Publication date	Aug 23, 2016
Grant date	Aug 23, 2016

Abstract

Communication systems may employ transmission of feedback information and responses thereto, on a wireless connection such as a millimeter wave connection. The feedback information itself may be used to influence the beamforming or beam direction used for the transmission of the feedback information. A method can comprise determining a feedback indicator regarding reception of a transmitted waveform. The method can also comprise tailoring, for example beamforming, a signal for transmitting the feedback indicator based on a content of the feedback indicator.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method, comprising:
transmitting, from a first network element to a second network element, a transmitted waveform using a transmission pattern;
tailoring a reception pattern to receive a feedback indicator regarding the transmitted waveform from the second network element; and
initiating retransmission of the transmitted waveform via another layer or radio access technology based on the feedback indicator,
wherein the reception pattern comprises a broader beam than the transmission pattern.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tailoring comprises at least one of selecting an omnidirectional pattern or selecting a beam with maximal gain in two dominant paths to the second network element.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining that no feedback to the transmitted waveform has been received; and
performing at least one of rapid searches or beam realignment with respect to the second network element.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a predictive acknowledgement from the second network element, wherein the predictive acknowledgment is indicative of a number of retransmissions necessary to correctly receive the transmitted waveform; and
making adjustments to transmissions to the second network element based on the predictive acknowledgement.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
collecting information based on at least one of data content of the feedback indicator, a signal characteristic of the feedback indicator, absence of the feedback indicator, or negative acknowledgments of the transmitted waveform; and
deciding whether to hand over the connection based on the collected information.

6. An apparatus, comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one memory including computer program code;
the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform:
transmitting, to a network element, a transmitted waveform using a transmission pattern;
tailoring a reception pattern to receive a feedback indicator regarding the transmitted waveform from the network element; and
initiating retransmission of the transmitted waveform via another layer or radio access technology based on the feedback indicator,
wherein the reception pattern comprises a broader beam than the transmission pattern.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the tailoring includes selecting an omnidirectional pattern or to select a beam gain in two dominant paths to the network element.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to further perform:
determining that no feedback to the transmitted waveform has been received; and
performing at least one of rapid searches or beam realignment with respect to the network element.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to further perform:
receiving a predictive acknowledgement from the network element, wherein the predictive acknowledgment is indicative of a number of retransmissions necessary to correctly receive the transmitted waveform; and
making adjustments to transmissions to the network element based on the predictive acknowledgement.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to further perform:
collecting information based on at least one of data content of the feedback indicator, a signal characteristic of the feedback indicator, absence of the feedback indicator, or negative acknowledgments of the transmitted waveform; and
deciding whether to hand over the connection based on the collected information.

11. A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium, said computer-readable medium comprising code for executing the following method:
transmitting, from a first network element to a second network element, a transmitted waveform using a transmission pattern;
tailoring a reception pattern to receive a feedback indicator regarding the transmitted waveform from the second network element; and
initiating retransmission of the transmitted waveform via another layer or radio access technology based on the feedback indicator,
wherein the reception pattern comprises a broader beam than the transmission pattern.

Assignees

• Ratasuk Rapeepat
• Thomas Timothy
• Vook Frederick
• Ghosh Amitabha
• Cudak Mark
• Nokia Solutions & Networks Oy

Inventors

• Ratasuk Rapeepat
• Thomas Timothy
• Vook Frederick
• Ghosh Amitabha
• Cudak Mark

Classifications

• H04W72/23

  in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal · CPC title

• H04B7/06952

  Selecting one or more beams from a plurality of beams, e.g. beam training, management or sweeping · CPC title

• H04W72/042

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04W36/26

  by agreed or negotiated communication parameters · CPC title

• H04B7/088

  using beam selection · CPC title