Nokia Technologies Oy

Alcatel Lucent

Nokia Solutions and Networks Oy

Giovanni Geraci

Lorenzo Galati Giordano

Adrian Garcia Rodriguez

David Lopez-Perez

David Lopez Perez

Andrea Bonfante

Holger Claussen

Paolo Baracca

Michael Timmers

Dong Fang

Nikolas Olaziregi

David Lopez-perez

A base station for a multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) array receives a message that includes information identifying the transmitting and receiving nodes. Based on whether the base station has access to up-to-date channel covariance matrices for the nodes, the base station selectively performs a clear channel assessment in an unlicensed frequency band concurrently with placing nulls in directions associated with the nodes. In some cases, the up-to-date channel covariance matrices are used to place nulls in the directions associated with the nodes concurrently with performing the clear channel assessment in response to the up-to-date channel covariance matrices being available to the base station. Placement of nulls in the directions associated with the nodes is bypassed in response to the up-to-date channel covariance matrices not being available to the base station.

Hidden node discovery for multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) in unlicensed frequency bands

A method of scheduling user equipment, a multiple antenna network node and computer program are disclosed. The method comprises: estimating at least one access network node channel within the unlicensed band between at least one access node operable to transmit in the unlicensed band, such as a WiFi Access Point, and the multiple antenna network node. Estimating a plurality of user equipment channels within the unlicensed band between a plurality of user equipment and the multiple antenna network node. Determining a degree of channel correlation of each of the plurality of user equipment channels and the at least one access node channel. Selecting at least one of the multiple user equipment to be scheduled, using the degree of channel correlation as a selection parameter, a lower degree of channel correlation increasing a user equipment's chance of being selected. In this manner the interference that LTE transmissions from and to scheduled UEs create on the at least one access node is reduced.

Scheduling user equipment in the unlicensed band

A method for modifying an electromagnetic field distribution of a node in a telecommunication network, comprising determining the presence of an entity within a region of interest, and regulating transmission power to the region of interest from the node by varying a spatio-temporal transmission profile of the node in response to determining the presence of the entity in the region for a period of time longer than a predetermined threshold value, wherein modifying the electromagnetic field distribution of the node comprises modifying an average electromagnetic field distribution of said node.

Regulating transmission powers from nodes

A multiple input multiple output network node, an access network node, a computer program and method are disclosed. The method comprises prior to transmitting signals in an unlicensed band: estimating at least one channel within the unlicensed band between at least one access network node operable to transmit in the unlicensed band and the multiple input multiple output network node; determining precoding operations required to generate a null signal beam for the at least one estimated channel; monitoring the unlicensed band using the determined precoding operations. In response to detecting the unlicensed band to be clear of signals: transmitting at least one signal in the unlicensed band with the null beam in place such that no signal is transmitted on the at least one estimated channel.

Sharing resources in an unlicensed frequency band

A method of allocating orthogonal resources, a computer program for so doing, a network node and network control node are disclosed. One method comprises determining user equipment within a radio cell of the network node that are considered to be edge user equipment located towards an edge of the radio cell and user equipment that are considered to be centre user equipment located towards a centre of the radio cell. Allocating a subset of the set of resources to the edge user equipment and allocating resources from the set of resources that are not allocated to the edge user equipment to the centre user equipment; and indicating to at least some adjacent network nodes that the subset of the resources is not available to the adjacent network node for allocation to edge user equipment.

Allocation of orthogonal resources to user equipment

Aspects and embodiments provide a method of allocating frame resource elements in a wireless communication network for the purpose of channel estimation, and a base station and computer program product operable to perform that method. One aspect provides a method of allocating resource elements in a wireless communication network. The method comprises: determining a channel estimate associated with each user equipment to be scheduled in a given frame; assessing whether a validity time associated with each channel estimation value, e.g. CSI, associated to each user equipment is still valid or should be considered as expired; and allocating the frame resource elements to either channel estimation, when the current channel estimation is not anymore valid, or else to data transmission, when it is still valid. The validity time comprises a number of frames and is selected according to an associated mobility of the user equipment, wherein for semi-static UEs the current channel estimation is considered to be valid for a longer time. Aspects and embodiments provide a method for an adaptive and user-centric frame design in massive MIMO that takes into account mobility of UEs and thus may mitigate waste of resource associated with use for unnecessary channel estimation purposes.

Resource element allocation

Method for managing a wireless passive optical network, including a plurality of access points, APs, and a plurality of customer premises equipments, CPEs. The method includes configuring an AP to CPE association based on a load balancing algorithm such that each CPE is associated with at least one AP; configuring for each AP an AP beamforming codebook based on the configured association, wherein the AP beamforming codebook includes entries, wherein each entry is representative for a beam pattern to be transmitted by the AP, and wherein the AP beamforming codebook includes for each CPE associated with the AP&#x2014;a line of sight, LoS, entry representative for a beam pattern to be transmitted to the respective CPE via a LoS path; and at least one back-up entry representative for a beam pattern to be transmitted to the respective CPE via a back-up path different from the LoS path.

Method for managing a wireless passive optical network

A node is configured for connection to a massive multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) array to provide spatially multiplexed channels in an unlicensed frequency band. The node includes a memory configured to store samples of non-spatially filtered signals received by the node during a first listen-before-talk (LBT) operation used to acquire the unlicensed frequency band. The node also includes a processor configured to determine, based on a number of previously stored samples, a duration of a silent time interval during which the node collects samples of non-spatially filtered signals and stores the samples in the memory. The node further includes a transceiver configured to perform a second LBT operation to acquire the unlicensed frequency band using a spatial filter determined based on the samples stored in the memory.

Adaptive allocation of temporal resources for massive multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) in unlicensed frequency bands

A node is configured to be connected to a massive multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) array to provide spatially multiplexed channels to a plurality of user equipment in an unlicensed frequency band. The node includes a processor configured to allocate a number of degrees of freedom of the massive MIMO array to interference suppression based on an outcome of a first listen-before-talk (LBT) operation performed by the node to acquire the unlicensed frequency band. The processor is also configured to generate a spatial filter based on the number of degrees of freedom allocated to interference suppression. The node also includes a transceiver configured to perform a second LBT operation using the spatial filter.

Growing community of inventors

Dublin, Ireland

Giovanni Geraci