Nortel Networks Corporation

Apple Inc.

Rockstar Bidco, LP

Chris Ward

James Mark Naden

Andrew William Jeffries

Martin Stevens Smith

David G Steer

Fiona Wilson

Koon Hoo Teo

Dean Kitchener

Keith S Wilson

The invention is directed to a mobile communications system having improved spectral efficiency. The invention is further directed to methods and apparatus to achieve this improved spectral efficiency. In the mobile communications system communication with a plurality of mobile terminals is provided by a base station. Within the system terminals are adapted to communicate with one or more adjacent similar terminals to establish groups of terminals, called micro-cells. Each terminal within a micro-cell receives signals from the base station and then performs a first processing step on these signals. These processed signals are shared with all the other terminals within the micro-cell. Each terminal then performs a second processing step on the information it has received from all the other terminals within the micro-cell which enables it to derive a signal intended for reception by that terminal. The technique is applicable to both the uplink (user to base station) and the down link (base station to user) and also to peer to peer (user to user) communication.

Wireless communications system and method

A mobile communications system having improved spectral efficiency, and methods and apparatus to achieve this improved spectral efficiency. In the mobile communications system communication with a plurality of mobile terminals is provided by a base station. Within the system terminals are adapted to communicate with one or more adjacent similar terminals to establish groups of terminals, called micro-cells. Each terminal within a micro-cell receives signals from the base station and then performs a first processing step on these signals. These processed signals are shared with all the other terminals within the micro-cell. Each terminal then performs a second processing step on the information it has received from all the other terminals within the micro-cell which enables it to derive a signal intended for reception by that terminal. The technique is applicable to both the uplink and the down link and also to peer to peer communication.

Provided is an apparatus adapted to transmit a first channel on at least two adjacent fixed beams of a plurality of fixed beams defining a coverage area, with each pair of adjacent fixed beams of the plurality of fixed beams partially overlapping and having substantially orthogonal polarizations. The apparatus has a respective transmitter adapted to transmit on each of the plurality of fixed beams a respective unique composite signal, each composite signal containing said first channel and a respective unique traffic channel.

Wireless transmitter, transceiver and method

A radio system employing Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) includes a Base Transceiver Station (BTS) along with a number of mobile terminals located within a coverage area of the BTS. In this system, a target mobile terminal is provided with a focused transmission beam to receive high data rate traffic information while the remainder of the mobile terminals are provide with pilot and signalling information. To achieve both objectives, a BTS is implemented with a transmission apparatus that generates a directional transmission beam for the data traffic information. In one design, this directional beam transmits the pilot and signalling information along with the data traffic information by rotating the beam within the coverage area. In another design, the BTS has a transmission apparatus that generates more than one transmission beam. In one case, the BTS transmits a directional transmission beam for the data traffic information required by the target mobile terminal and a second broad transmission beam for the pilot and signalling information required by the all of the mobile terminals. In another case, the BTS transmits two directional transmissions beams, one beam for data traffic information and one rotating beam for pilot and signalling information.

Apparatus and method for OFDM data communications

Previous MIMO systems have used spatially diverse antenna elements in order not to reduce the number of orthogonal channels that can be realized. The present invention recognizes that this leads to large antenna sizes, as compared to multiple beam antenna systems which use closely spaced antenna elements. In order to provide a compact antenna unit, while still allowing a MIMO system to be exploited, the present invention recognizes that polarization diversity only can be used in a MIMO system without the need for spatially diverse antenna elements. Closely spaced antenna elements are used and this enables a compact MIMO antenna unit to be provided. In addition, such MIMO systems with polarization diversity but no spatial diversity can advantageously be used in line of sight situations and also combined with multi-beam antenna systems to further increase capacity.

Growing community of inventors

Bishops Stortford, United Kingdom

Chris Ward