Methods and arrangements for mitigating inter-cluster interference

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to methods and devices for mitigating inter-cluster interference in clusters where one or more network nodes are transmitting in coordination using several transceiver antennas. In particular the disclosure relates to improved precoder algorithms to be used for coordinated multipoint transmission applications. The disclosure also relates to corresponding computer programs. The disclosure proposes a method, performed in a coordination unit in a communication system, of mitigating inter-cluster interference, wherein the coordination unit is configured to coordinate transmissions in a cluster comprising one or more wireless devices and one or more network nodes, wherein the one or more network nodes are transmitting in coordination to the wireless devices in the cluster using several transceiver antennas. The method comprises receiving, for each transceiver antenna in each of the one or more network nodes, a signal comprising pre-defined sounding sequences transmitted by the one or more wireless devices of the cluster and sounding channel interference from one or more wireless devices outside the cluster. The method further comprises estimating, from the received signal, the sounding channel interference from the wireless devices outside the cluster. The method also comprises determining downlink precoder weights, for use when transmitting from the transceiver antennas of the cluster, using the estimated sounding channel interference from the one or more wireless devices outside the cluster.