U.S. patent application number 11/580518 was filed with the patent office on 2007-03-01 for apparatus and method for controlling auxiliary pilot channel in a cdma2000 wireless network.
This patent application is currently assigned to SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to John S. Csapo, Purva R. Rajkotia, Cornelius van Rensburg.
Application Number | 20070049211 11/580518 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34681627 |
Filed Date | 2007-03-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070049211 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Rensburg; Cornelius van ; et
al. |
March 1, 2007 |
Apparatus and method for controlling auxiliary pilot channel in a
CDMA2000 wireless network
Abstract
A base station for use in a wireless network capable of
communicating with a plurality of mobile stations in a coverage
area of the wireless network. The base station comprises a
controller for controlling use of an Auxiliary Pilot channel. The
controller causes the base station to i) terminate use of the
Auxiliary Pilot channel in a first mode, ii) transmit data traffic
to a first mobile station using the Auxiliary Pilot channel in a
second mode, and iii) transmit data traffic to the first mobile
station using a traffic channel phase-matched to a wide sector
pilot channel signal in a third mode.
Inventors: |
Rensburg; Cornelius van;
(Dallas, TX) ; Rajkotia; Purva R.; (Plano, TX)
; Csapo; John S.; (Dallas, TX) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DOCKET CLERK
P.O. DRAWER 800889
DALLAS
TX
75380
US
|
Assignee: |
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO.,
LTD.
416, Maetan-dong, Paldal-gu Suwon-city
Suwon-city
KR
|
Family ID: |
34681627 |
Appl. No.: |
11/580518 |
Filed: |
October 13, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
10987741 |
Nov 12, 2004 |
7123944 |
|
|
11580518 |
Oct 13, 2006 |
|
|
|
60531498 |
Dec 19, 2003 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
455/69 ;
455/562.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04W 88/12 20130101;
H04W 88/08 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
455/069 ;
455/562.1 |
International
Class: |
H04B 7/00 20060101
H04B007/00; H04M 1/00 20060101 H04M001/00 |
Claims
1-21. (canceled)
22. For use in a wireless network having a plurality of mobile
stations in a coverage area of the wireless network, the wireless
network comprising: a base station configured to operate in: a
first mode without the use of a Auxiliary Pilot signal, a second
mode thereby forcing a hand-off of a first mobile station to a
Auxiliary Pilot channel, and a third mode thereby phase-matching
the Auxiliary Pilot signal to a wide sector pilot signal and
transmits the data traffic to the first mobile station using a
traffic channel according to the phase-match.
23. The wireless network as set forth in claim 22, wherein the base
station monitors reverse channel signals from the first mobile
station using a RAKE receiver and determines if one of a plurality
of RAKE fingers of the RAKE receiver is receiving a dominant
signal.
24. The wireless network as set forth in claim 23, wherein the base
station, in response to a determination that a first one of the
plurality of RAKE fingers is receiving a dominant signal, transmits
a plurality of Auxiliary Pilot channel signals to the first mobile
station at different angles and determines a first one of the
plurality of Auxiliary Pilot channel signals that is most closely
phase-matched to the wide sector pilot channel signal.
25. The base station as set forth in claim 24, wherein the base
station transmits the data traffic to the first mobile station
using the traffic channel, wherein the traffic channel is
configured using phase and power parameters similar to phase and
power parameters associated with the first Auxiliary Pilot channel
signal.
26. The base station as set forth in claim 23, wherein the base
station, in response to a determination that none of the plurality
of RAKE fingers is receiving a dominant signal, determines: a first
total transmit power required to transmit data traffic to the first
mobile station if the Auxiliary Pilot channel is not used, and a
second total transmit power required to transmit data traffic to
the first mobile station if the Auxiliary Pilot channel is used.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION AND CLAIM OF PRIORITY
[0001] The present invention is related to that disclosed in U.S.
Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/531,498, filed Dec. 19,
2003, entitled "Forward Channel Beam-forming Using PSMM Value and
Auxiliary Pilot Signal in a CDMA2000 Network". U.S. Provisional
Patent Application Ser. No. 60/531,498 is assigned to the assignee
of the present application. The subject matter disclosed in U.S.
Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/531,498 is hereby
incorporated by reference into the present disclosure as if fully
set forth herein. The present invention hereby claims priority
under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application
Ser. No. 60/531,498.
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention generally relates to wireless networks
and, more specifically, to a mechanism for controlling the use of
the Auxiliary Pilot channel in a CDMA2000 network.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Wireless communication systems have become ubiquitous in
society. Business and consumers use a wide variety of fixed and
mobile wireless terminals, including cell phones, pagers, Personal
Communication Services (PCS) systems, and fixed wireless access
devices (i.e., vending machine with cellular capability). Wireless
service providers continually try to create new markets for
wireless devices and expand existing markets by making wireless
devices and services cheaper and more reliable. To continue to
attract new customers, wireless service providers are implementing
new services, especially digital data services that, for example,
enable a user to browse the Internet and to send and receive
e-mail.
[0004] Many of these new services are made possible by the use of
smart antenna arrays that transmit data from a base station to a
mobile station using beam-forming techniques. Beam-forming focuses
a transmit beam in the direction of a selected mobile station and,
therefore, uses much less power than conventional transmission
techniques that broadcast the data in all directions at equal
strength. Moreover, since the beam is focused towards a selected
mobile station, the signal power is greatly reduced in other
directions, thereby reducing signal interference in other mobile
stations.
[0005] However, in order to use beam-forming techniques, the
direction of the mobile station must be known. A variety of
conventional techniques are known for estimating the direction of a
selected mobile station. In some direction-estimating devices, such
as the Spatial Correlator from Metawave, the estimate is based
entirely on the reverse (uplink) channel. It is then assumed that
the forward (downlink) channel is similar to the reverse channel.
However, it is well known that in real-world environments, this
often is not true, due to reflected signals in the reverse channel.
See generally, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,108,565, 6,347,234, 6,330,460,
6,501,747, 6,233,466, and 6,320,853 and United States Patent
Application Serial No. 2002/0128027 A1. Another approach of the
prior art proposes continuously sweeping a narrow beam over the
entire sector. The mobile station must then synchronize with a
narrow beam in a specific direction and transmit data after
synchronization.
[0006] Unfortunately, the prior art techniques are not very
accurate, since these techniques attempt to do direction finding
with accuracy of up to 1 degree with a relatively wide beam width
accuracy of about 15 degrees. Also, as indicated above, the prior
art techniques determine the optimum forward link beam using
reverse link measurements.
[0007] Therefore, there is a need in the art for improved wireless
networks that are able to accurately transmit directed beams to a
target mobile station. In particular, there is a need in the art
for apparatuses and methods capable of accurately estimating the
direction of a mobile station in order to optimize beam-forming
techniques in the forward traffic channel.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention overcome the shortcomings of
conventional wireless networks by using wide-beam and narrow-beam
pilot signals to estimate the direction to a mobile station. In an
exemplary embodiment, a sweeping Auxiliary Pilot signal and forward
link-based Pilot Signal Measurement Messages are used to estimate
the direction to a selected mobile station. The present invention
discloses that a direction finding estimate may be done directly
based on the forward link channel as perceived by the mobile
station and without any modification of the mobile station.
[0009] Accordingly, to address the above-discussed deficiencies of
the prior art, it is a primary object of the present invention to
provide a base station for use in a wireless network capable of
communicating with a plurality of mobile stations in a coverage
area of the wireless network. According to an advantageous
embodiment of the present invention, the base station comprises a
controller for controlling use of an Auxiliary Pilot channel,
wherein the controller is capable of causing the base station to i)
terminate use of the Auxiliary Pilot channel in a first mode, ii)
transmit data traffic to a first mobile station using the Auxiliary
Pilot channel in a second mode, and iii) transmit data traffic to
the first mobile station using a traffic channel phase-matched to a
wide sector pilot channel signal in a third mode.
[0010] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the
base station monitors reverse channel signals from the first mobile
station using a RAKE receiver and the controller is capable of
determining if one of a plurality of RAKE fingers of the RAKE
receiver is receiving a dominant signal.
[0011] According to another embodiment of the present invention,
the controller, in response to a determination that a first one of
the plurality of RAKE fingers is receiving a dominant signal,
causes the base station to transmit a plurality of Auxiliary Pilot
channel signals to the first mobile station at different angles and
wherein the controller is capable of determining a first one of the
plurality of Auxiliary Pilot channel signals that is most closely
phase-matched to the wide sector pilot channel signal.
[0012] According to still another embodiment of the present
invention, the controller causes the base station to transmit the
data traffic to the first mobile station using the traffic channel,
wherein the controller configures the traffic channel using phase
and power parameters similar to phase and power parameters
associated with the first Auxiliary Pilot channel signal.
[0013] According to yet another embodiment of the present
invention, the controller, in response to a determination that none
of the plurality of RAKE fingers is receiving a dominant signal, is
further capable of determining: i) a first total transmit power
required to transmit data traffic to the first mobile station if
the Auxiliary Pilot channel is not used and ii) a second total
transmit power required to transmit data traffic to the first
mobile station if the Auxiliary Pilot channel is used.
[0014] According to a further embodiment of the present invention,
the controller is further capable of determining if the first total
transmit power is greater than the second total transmit power.
[0015] According to a still further embodiment of the present
invention, the controller, in response to a determination that the
first total transmit power is greater than the second total
transmit power, causes the base station to terminate use of the
Auxiliary Pilot channel in the first mode.
[0016] According to a yet further embodiment of the present
invention, the controller, in response to a determination that the
first total transmit power is not greater than the second total
transmit power, causes the base station to transmit the data
traffic to the first mobile station using the Auxiliary Pilot
channel in the second mode.
[0017] Before undertaking the DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
below, it may be advantageous to set forth definitions of certain
words and phrases used throughout this patent document: the terms
"include" and "comprise," as well as derivatives thereof, mean
inclusion without limitation; the term "or," is inclusive, meaning
and/or; the phrases "associated with" and "associated therewith,"
as well as derivatives thereof, may mean to include, be included
within, interconnect with, contain, be contained within, connect to
or with, couple to or with, be communicable with, cooperate with,
interleave, juxtapose, be proximate to, be bound to or with, have,
have a property of, or the like; and the term "controller" means
any device, system or part thereof that controls at least one
operation, such a device may be implemented in hardware, firmware
or software, or some combination of at least two of the same. It
should be noted that the functionality associated with any
particular controller may be centralized or distributed, whether
locally or remotely. Definitions for certain words and phrases are
provided throughout this patent document, those of ordinary skill
in the art should understand that in many, if not most instances,
such definitions apply to prior, as well as future uses of such
defined words and phrases.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] For a more complete understanding of the present invention
and its advantages, reference is now made to the following
description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in
which like reference numerals represent like parts:
[0019] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary wireless network, which uses
an Auxiliary Pilot (AP) channel signal to estimate the direction of
a mobile station according to the principles of the present
invention;
[0020] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating the use of an
Auxiliary Pilot channel signal according to the principles of the
present invention;
[0021] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary base station according to
one embodiment of the present invention; and
[0022] FIG. 4 illustrates a selected portion of the exemplary base
station in FIG. 3 in more detail according to an exemplary
embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0023] FIGS. 1 through 4, discussed below, and the various
embodiments used to describe the principles of the present
invention in this patent document are by way of illustration only
and should not be construed in any way to limit the scope of the
invention. Those skilled in the art will understand that the
principles of the present invention may be implemented in any
suitably arranged wireless network.
[0024] FIG. 1 illustrates exemplary wireless network 100, which
uses an Auxiliary Pilot (AP) channel signal to estimate the
direction of a mobile station according to the principles of the
present invention. Wireless network 100 comprises a plurality of
cell sites 121-123, each containing one of the base stations, BS
101, BS 102, or BS 103. In an exemplary embodiment, base stations
101-103 communicate with a plurality of mobile stations (MS)
111-114 over code division multiple access (CDMA) channels
according to the cmda standards (e.g: IS-95, Rel.0, Rel. A, Rel. B,
Release C, Rel. D of cdma2000). Mobile stations 111-114 may be any
suitable wireless devices, including conventional cellular
radiotelephones, PCS handset devices, personal digital assistants,
portable computers, telemetry devices, and the like, which are
capable of communicating with the base stations via wireless
links.
[0025] The present invention is not limited to mobile devices.
Other types of wireless access terminals, including fixed wireless
terminals, may be used. For the sake of simplicity, only mobile
stations are shown and discussed hereafter. However, it should be
understood that the use of the term "mobile station" in the claims
and in the description below is intended to encompass the exemplary
types of mobile stations described above, as well as portable
devices such as, for example, vehicle-mounted wireless devices.
[0026] Dotted lines show the approximate boundaries of the cell
sites 121-123 in which base stations 101-103 are located. The cell
sites are shown approximately circular for the purposes of
illustration and explanation only. It should be clearly understood
that the cell sites may have other irregular shapes, depending on
the cell configuration selected and natural and man-made
obstructions.
[0027] As is well known in the art, cell sites 121-123 are
comprised of a plurality of sectors (not shown), where a
directional antenna coupled to the base station illuminates each
sector. The embodiment of FIG. 1 illustrates the base station in
the center of the cell. Alternate embodiments of the present
invention may position the directional antennas in corners of the
sectors. The system of the present invention is not limited to any
particular cell site configuration.
[0028] In one embodiment of the present invention, BS 101, BS 102,
and BS 103 comprise a base station controller (BSC) and at least
one base transceiver subsystem (BTS). Base station controllers and
base transceiver subsystems are well known to those skilled in the
art. A base station controller is a device that manages wireless
communications resources, including the base transceiver
subsystems, for specified cells within a wireless communications
network. A base transceiver subsystem comprises the RF
transceivers, antennas, and other electrical equipment located in
each cell site. This equipment may include air conditioning units,
heating units, electrical supplies, telephone line interfaces and
RF transmitters and RF receivers. For the purpose of simplicity and
clarity in explaining the operation of the present invention, the
base transceiver subsystem in each of cells 121, 122 and 123 and
the base station controller associated with each base transceiver
subsystem are collectively represented by BS 101, BS 102 and BS
103, respectively.
[0029] BS 101, BS 102 and BS 103 transfer voice and data signals
between each other and the public switched telephone network (PSTN)
(not shown) via communication line 131 and mobile switching center
(MSC) 140. BS 101, BS 102 and BS 103 also transfer data signals,
such as packet data, with the Internet (not shown) via
communication line 131 and packet data server node (PDSN) 150.
Packet control function (PCF) unit 190 controls the flow of data
packets between base stations 101-103 and PDSN 150. PCF unit 190
may be implemented as part of PDSN 150, as part of base stations
101-103, or as a stand-alone device that communicates with PDSN
150, as shown in FIG. 1. Line 131 also provides the connection path
to transfer control signals between MSC 140 and BS 101, BS 102 and
BS 103 used to establish connections for voice and data circuits
between MSC 140 and BS 101, BS 102 and BS 103.
[0030] Communication line 131 may be any suitable connection means,
including a T1 line, a T3 line, a fiber optic link, or any other
type of data connection. The connections on line 131 may transmit
analog voice signals or digital voice signals in pulse code
modulated (PCM) format, Internet Protocol (IP) format, asynchronous
transfer mode (ATM) format, or the like. According to an
advantageous embodiment of the present invention, line 131 also
provides an Internet Protocol (IP) connection that transfers data
packets between the base stations of wireless network 100,
including BS 101, BS 102 and BS 103. Thus, line 131 comprises a
local area network (LAN) that provides direct IP connections
between base stations without using PDSN 150.
[0031] MSC 140 is a switching device that provides services and
coordination between the subscribers in a wireless network and
external networks, such as the PSTN or Internet. MSC 140 is well
known to those skilled in the art. In an exemplary embodiment of
the present invention, communications line 131 may be several
different data links where each data link couples one of BS 101, BS
102 or BS 103 to MSC 140.
[0032] In the embodiment of wireless network 100 shown in FIG. 1,
MS 111 and MS 112 are located in cell site 121 and communicate with
BS 101. MS 113 is located in cell site 122 and communicates with BS
102 and MS 114 is located in cell site 123 and communicates with BS
103. MS 112 is located close to the edge of cell site 123 and moves
in the direction of cell site 123, as indicated by the direction
arrow proximate MS 112. At some point, as MS 112 moves into cell
site 123 and out of cell site 121, a handoff will occur.
[0033] As is well known to those skilled in the art, the handoff
procedure transfers control of a call from a first cell to a second
cell. A handoff may be either a soft handoff or a hard handoff. In
a soft handoff, a connection is made between the mobile station and
the base station in the second cell before the existing connection
is broken between the mobile station and the base station in the
first cell. In a hard handoff, the existing connection between the
mobile station and the base station in the first cell is broken
before a new connection is made between the mobile station and the
base station in the second cell.
[0034] As MS 112 moves from cell 121 to cell 123, MS 112 detects
the pilot signal from BS 103 and sends a Pilot Strength Measurement
Message to BS 101. When the strength of the pilot transmitted by BS
103 and received and reported by MS 112 exceeds a threshold, BS 101
initiates a soft handoff process by signaling the target BS 103
that a handoff is required as described in TIA/EIA IS-95 or TIA/EIA
IS-2000.
[0035] BS 103 and MS 112 proceed to negotiate establishment of a
communications link in the CDMA channel. Following establishment of
the communications link between BS 103 and MS 112, MS 112
communicates with both BS 101 and BS 103 in a soft handoff mode.
Those acquainted with the art will recognize that soft hand-off
improves the performance on both forward (BS to MS) channel and
reverse (MS to BS) channel links. When the signal from BS 101 falls
below a predetermined signal strength threshold, MS 112 may then
drop the link with BS 101 and only receive signals from BS 103. The
call is thereby seamlessly transferred from BS 101 to BS 103. The
above-described soft handoff assumes the mobile station is in a
voice or data call. An idle handoff is the hand-off between cell
sites of a mobile station that is communicating in the control or
paging channel.
[0036] A conventional CDMA2000 wireless network normally uses the
auxiliary pilot (AP) channel as a phase reference for coherent
demodulation in the forward channel. According to the principles of
the present invention, wireless network 100 uses beam-forming
techniques to transmit a sweeping Auxiliary Pilot (AP) channel
signal in a sector. Each mobile station in each sector transmits
multiple Pilot Signal Measurement messages (PSMMs) to the base
station. Each PSMM transmitted by a given mobile station includes
the received signal strength of an associated beam of the AP
signal. The base station is able to match each PSMM with a
transmitted beam of the AP signal. The direction of the AP signal
beam that results in the strongest received signal in the mobile
station determines the direction of the mobile station.
[0037] The use of the Auxiliary Pilot (AP) can be beneficial in a
smart antenna base transceiver subsystem (BTS), but the gain may
vary. The benefits of using the AP signal may be outweighed by the
additional transmit power required for the AP signal. The present
invention provides for making beneficial use of the AP channel.
[0038] In an exemplary embodiment, the AP channel signal is
transmitted at a power level such that the mobile station receives
the AP signal at a C/I level that is marginally above the T_ADD
value to ensure that the AP signal remains in the active set. In a
typical CDMA2000 network, the T_ADD value is approximately -15 dB
relative to the main pilot. The PSMM message from the mobile
station reports when the AP signal is in the active set.
[0039] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides
three modes (choices) for operating the AP signal for direction
finding purposes:
[0040] Mode 1--Do not use AP signal (conventional operation).
[0041] Mode 2--Use the AP signal at all times. The BS should force
the mobile to hand off to the AP.
[0042] Mode 3--Use the AP in switched mode. Do not hand off to the
AP and instead transmit traffic on a narrow beam that is phase
matched to the sector pilot channel signal.
[0043] The choice as to which mode to operate in depends on the
environment. The exemplary embodiment of the present invention
implements the following selection procedure:
[0044] 1) Mode 1 is selected when the BS monitors many RAKE fingers
with similar magnitude on the reverse link and the total transmit
power associated with the use of AP is relatively large.
[0045] 2) Mode 2 is selected when the BS monitors many RAKE fingers
with similar magnitude on the reverse link and the total transmit
power associated with the use of AP is relatively small.
[0046] 3) Mode 3 is selected when few RAKE fingers are monitored on
the reverse link and there is one clear dominant RAKE finger.
[0047] In the exemplary embodiment, the choice between Mode 1 and
Mode 2 is made as follows:
[0048]
Initial_AP_Tx_Power=Sector-Pilot-Tx-Power+T-ADD-Narrow_BeamGain;
[0049] Total_Power_Without_AP=Current_TrafficChannel_Power;
[0050]
Total_Power-With-AP=Current-TrafficChannel-Power-Narrow_BeamGain+I-
nitial_AP_Tx_Power
[0051] In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, Mode 2
is selected when:
[0052] Total_Power_Without_AP>Total_Power_With_AP.
Otherwise, Mode 1 is selected. This can be restated as:
[0053] Choose Mode 2 if:
[0054] 0>Sector_Pilot_Tx_Power+T_ADD-2*Narrow_BeamGain.
[0055] Otherwise, choose Mode 1.
[0056] Conventional mobile stations measure the PILOT_STRENGTH in
dB and the PILOT_PN_PHASE, which latter is the Time of Arrival
(TOA) value measured in number of chips. These measurements are
included in the Pilot Strength Measurement Message (PSMM). In a
multi-path environment, it is unlikely that two multi-paths would
arrive at the mobile station with the same strength and TOA values.
These two criteria are therefore considered to uniquely identify
the strongest multi-path component of that pilot signal.
[0057] The exemplary embodiment of the present invention uses the
following procedure to phase match the AP signal to the sector
pilot signal (Mode 3). The narrow beam that would most closely
create the same multi-path as the wide beam (sector) pilot signal
(as identified by the aforementioned two criteria) must be the
narrow beam most similar to the wide beam in that scattering area.
This narrow beam is, therefore, desirable for transmitting the
traffic data. As mentioned above, the CMDA2000 standard uses the
Auxiliary Pilot (AP) channel as a phase reference for coherent
demodulation. However, the cost in terms of power to use a
dedicated pilot for each mobile station could be prohibitive. Mode
3 therefore uses the AP with an On/Off mechanism (also referred to
herein as switched mode), which is more economical in terms of
transmission power.
[0058] FIG. 2 depicts flow diagram 200, which illustrates the use
of an Auxiliary Pilot channel signal according to the principles of
the present invention. It is noted that there is an inverse
relationship between the rate of PSMM messages (which load the
reverse channel) and the length of time that the Auxiliary Pilot
signal has to be on (loading the forward channel). It is expected
that where the spatial correlator (SC) is accurate (e.g., when the
mobile is far from the BTS or in a low-density area), the FIG. 2
procedures do not need to be repeated after call setup.
Alternatively, if the channel changes too quickly, the base station
either switches traffic to wide beam (switches to Mode 1), or
permanently uses the Auxiliary Pilot channel signal (switches to
Mode 2) and allows the mobile station to handoff to the Auxiliary
Pilot.
[0059] In the example of FIG. 2, the mode is selected at process
steps 203A, 203B and 203C, using the exemplary mode selection
procedures described above. If Mode 2 is selected at process step
205, then Mode 2 is implemented at process step 207. In order to
implement Mode 2, the base station starts transmitting the AP on a
narrow beam in AOA degrees direction, and at a previously
calculated level of initial AP transmit power (see also
Initial_AP_TX_Power at process step 202). Then, the base station
begins transmitting traffic on the AP beam, and forces the mobile
station to hand off to the AP.
[0060] If Mode 3 is selected at process step 206, then Mode 3 is
implemented at process steps 208 and 209. Mode 3 is implemented by
first starting to transmit AP on a narrow beam in AOA-10 degrees
direction (in this example), and at the previously calculated level
of initial AP transmit power (see also Initial_AP_TX_Power at
process step 202). The base station also transmits traffic on the
sector pilot beam, and prohibits the mobile station from handing
off to AP. At process step 209, the base station sweeps AP from
AOA-10 degrees to AOA+10 degrees over a period of 2 seconds (100
milliseconds per degree in this example).
[0061] Monitoring the incoming PSMM messages, the base station can
determine which AP provides the best match to the wide (sector)
pilot. In particular, information from the received PSMM messages
(PILOT_STRENGTH and PILOT_PN_PHASE) can be used to find the AP
pilot that best matches the strongest multi-path associated with
the sector pilot. With reference to where the parameter "n" is
shown to take the value "0" at process step 209 in FIG. 2, this
designates the strongest multi-path of the wide pilot. The
remaining values of n designate the strength and phase measurements
associated with the various angular directions assumed by the
auxiliary pilot as it sweeps through the aforementioned angular
distance. The AP that produces the smallest value of PilotMatch(n)
at process step 209 is selected as the best match to the
aforementioned strongest multi-path component of the wide pilot. As
shown at process step 209 in FIG. 2, PilotMatch(n) provides a
measure (in this example, a least squares approximation) of how
closely the measured strength and phase of the nth AP signal
compare to those same parameters of the strongest multi-path
component of the sector (wide) pilot. Once the best-matching AP has
been determined, transmission of the AP is terminated, and normal
traffic channel transmission begins in the direction of that best
AP match.
[0062] Examples of criteria (i.e., the calibration criteria at
process step 2100 in FIG. 2) based on which the procedures in FIG.
2 could be repeated after call setup are as follows: 1) the DGU
power increases substantially; 2) the PMRM reports excessive
errors; 3) the SC detects a change in direction of more than 5
degrees; and 4) a change in the PSMM messages (Pilot-Strength
and/or Pilot_PN_Phase) of the current pilot.
[0063] FIG. 3 illustrates exemplary base station 101 in greater
detail according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention. Base station 101 comprises base station controller (BSC)
210 and base transceiver station (BTS) 220. Base station
controllers and base transceiver stations were described previously
in connection with FIG. 1. BSC 210 manages the resources in cell
site 121, including BTS 220. BTS 120 comprises BTS controller 225,
channel controller 235 (which contains representative channel
element 240), transceiver interface (IF) 245, RF transceiver unit
250, and antenna array 255.
[0064] BTS controller 225 comprises processing circuitry and memory
capable of executing an operating program that controls the overall
operation of BTS 220 and communicates with BSC 210. Under normal
conditions, BTS controller 225 directs the operation of channel
controller 235, which contains a number of channel elements,
including channel element 240, that perform bi-directional
communications in the forward channel and the reverse channel. A
forward channel refers to outbound signals from the base station to
the mobile station and a reverse channel refers to inbound signals
from the mobile station to the base station. Transceiver IF 245
transfers the bi-directional channel signals between channel
controller 240 and RF transceiver unit 250.
[0065] BTS controller 225 also controls beam-forming operations in
antenna array 255 according to the principles of the present
invention. In an exemplary embodiment, BTS controller 225 performs
the AP mode selection operation illustrated in FIG. 2. BTS
controller 225 receives the measured AP signal parameters and
monitors the RAKE finger measurements as described in FIG. 2. BTS
controller 225 also performs the mode selection algorithm set form
in FIG. 2.
[0066] Antenna array 255 transmits forward channel signals received
from RF transceiver unit 250 to mobile stations in the coverage
area of BS 101. Antenna array 255 also sends to transceiver 250
reverse channel signals received from mobile stations in the
coverage area of BS 101. In a preferred embodiment of the present
invention, antenna array 255 is multi-sector antenna, such as a
three-sector antenna in which each antenna sector is responsible
for transmitting and receiving in a 120.degree. arc of coverage
area. Additionally, transceiver 250 may contain an antenna
selection unit to select among different antennas in antenna array
255 during both transmit and receive operations.
[0067] FIG. 4 diagrammatically illustrates pertinent portions of
exemplary BTS controller 225 of FIG. 3. In FIG. 4, mode selector 41
may enable either Mode 1 controller 42 or Mode 2 controller 43
based on current conditions in the system. In one embodiment, mode
selector 41 may select between Modes 1 and 2 based on the exemplary
Mode 1/Mode 2 selection criteria described above and illustrated
generally at process steps 203A through 206 in FIG. 2. In another
embodiment, Mode 1 controller 42 may implement the exemplary Mode 1
operations described above and illustrated generally at process
step 207 in FIG. 2. Mode 2 controller 43 may implement the
exemplary Mode 2 operations described above and illustrated
generally at process steps 208 and 209 in FIG. 2.
[0068] Each of mode selector 41 and mode controllers 42 and 43
receive and operate in response to appropriate input information
indicative of current conditions in the system (e.g., AOA, PSMMs,
RAKE information, etc.). Mode controllers 42 and 43 provide
respective output signaling 44 and 45 which direct the operation of
other conventional base station components (not explicitly shown in
FIG. 4) in order to effectuate the desired operation.
[0069] The present invention is more accurate than the prior art
techniques for making direction finding estimates, since the mobile
station takes the measurements directly from the forward link. The
ON/OFF mechanism for the AP signal in Mode 3 has a relatively minor
cost in terms of power, while maintaining a good phase reference
and without any modification to the mobile station.
[0070] Although the present invention has been described with an
exemplary embodiment, various changes and modifications may be
suggested to one skilled in the art.
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