WO2018153257A1 - 电子设备、通信装置和信号处理方法 - Google Patents

电子设备、通信装置和信号处理方法 Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2018153257A1
WO2018153257A1 PCT/CN2018/075545 CN2018075545W WO2018153257A1 WO 2018153257 A1 WO2018153257 A1 WO 2018153257A1 CN 2018075545 W CN2018075545 W CN 2018075545W WO 2018153257 A1 WO2018153257 A1 WO 2018153257A1
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Prior art keywords
antenna
offset
communication device
antenna elements
electronic device
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PCT/CN2018/075545
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English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
刘文东
王昭诚
曹建飞
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索尼公司
刘文东
王昭诚
曹建飞
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Application filed by 索尼公司, 刘文东, 王昭诚, 曹建飞 filed Critical 索尼公司
Priority to US16/463,384 priority Critical patent/US10790894B2/en
Priority to CN201880012298.4A priority patent/CN110313134A/zh
Priority to EP18756927.2A priority patent/EP3588797B1/en
Publication of WO2018153257A1 publication Critical patent/WO2018153257A1/zh

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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04B—TRANSMISSION
    • H04B7/00—Radio transmission systems, i.e. using radiation field
    • H04B7/02—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas
    • H04B7/04—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas
    • H04B7/0413—MIMO systems
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04B—TRANSMISSION
    • H04B7/00—Radio transmission systems, i.e. using radiation field
    • H04B7/02—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas
    • H04B7/04—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas
    • H04B7/06—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the transmitting station
    • H04B7/0613—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the transmitting station using simultaneous transmission
    • H04B7/0615—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the transmitting station using simultaneous transmission of weighted versions of same signal
    • H04B7/0619—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the transmitting station using simultaneous transmission of weighted versions of same signal using feedback from receiving side
    • H04B7/0636—Feedback format
    • H04B7/0639—Using selective indices, e.g. of a codebook, e.g. pre-distortion matrix index [PMI] or for beam selection
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04B—TRANSMISSION
    • H04B7/00—Radio transmission systems, i.e. using radiation field
    • H04B7/02—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas
    • H04B7/04—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas
    • H04B7/0413—MIMO systems
    • H04B7/0452—Multi-user MIMO systems
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04B—TRANSMISSION
    • H04B7/00—Radio transmission systems, i.e. using radiation field
    • H04B7/02—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas
    • H04B7/04—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas
    • H04B7/0413—MIMO systems
    • H04B7/0456—Selection of precoding matrices or codebooks, e.g. using matrices antenna weighting
    • H04B7/046—Selection of precoding matrices or codebooks, e.g. using matrices antenna weighting taking physical layer constraints into account
    • H04B7/0469—Selection of precoding matrices or codebooks, e.g. using matrices antenna weighting taking physical layer constraints into account taking special antenna structures, e.g. cross polarized antennas into account
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04B—TRANSMISSION
    • H04B7/00—Radio transmission systems, i.e. using radiation field
    • H04B7/02—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas
    • H04B7/04—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas
    • H04B7/0413—MIMO systems
    • H04B7/0456—Selection of precoding matrices or codebooks, e.g. using matrices antenna weighting
    • H04B7/0478—Special codebook structures directed to feedback optimisation
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04B—TRANSMISSION
    • H04B7/00—Radio transmission systems, i.e. using radiation field
    • H04B7/02—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas
    • H04B7/04—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas
    • H04B7/0413—MIMO systems
    • H04B7/0456—Selection of precoding matrices or codebooks, e.g. using matrices antenna weighting
    • H04B7/0478—Special codebook structures directed to feedback optimisation
    • H04B7/0479—Special codebook structures directed to feedback optimisation for multi-dimensional arrays, e.g. horizontal or vertical pre-distortion matrix index [PMI]
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04B—TRANSMISSION
    • H04B7/00—Radio transmission systems, i.e. using radiation field
    • H04B7/02—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas
    • H04B7/04—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas
    • H04B7/06—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the transmitting station
    • H04B7/0613—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the transmitting station using simultaneous transmission
    • H04B7/0615—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the transmitting station using simultaneous transmission of weighted versions of same signal
    • H04B7/0617—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the transmitting station using simultaneous transmission of weighted versions of same signal for beam forming
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04B—TRANSMISSION
    • H04B7/00—Radio transmission systems, i.e. using radiation field
    • H04B7/02—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas
    • H04B7/04—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas
    • H04B7/06—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the transmitting station
    • H04B7/0613—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the transmitting station using simultaneous transmission
    • H04B7/0615—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the transmitting station using simultaneous transmission of weighted versions of same signal
    • H04B7/0619—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the transmitting station using simultaneous transmission of weighted versions of same signal using feedback from receiving side
    • H04B7/0621—Feedback content
    • H04B7/0626—Channel coefficients, e.g. channel state information [CSI]
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L25/00—Baseband systems
    • H04L25/02—Details ; arrangements for supplying electrical power along data transmission lines
    • H04L25/0202—Channel estimation
    • H04L25/0224—Channel estimation using sounding signals

Definitions

  • the present disclosure generally relates to electronic devices, communication devices, and signal processing methods. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to techniques for communicating using offset array antennas.
  • Massive Multiple-Input Multiple-Output has attracted a great deal of attention from both academia and industry by adopting low-complexity linear signal processing algorithms, which can significantly improve energy efficiency and spectral efficiency.
  • massive MIMO has attracted a great deal of attention from both academia and industry by adopting low-complexity linear signal processing algorithms, which can significantly improve energy efficiency and spectral efficiency.
  • UPA Uniformly-spaced Linear Array
  • 3D MIMO Three-Dimension Multiple-Input Multiple-Output
  • Full-dimension MIMO is the main implementation of large-scale MIMO technology in practical systems in the future. .
  • 3D MIMO also has some drawbacks.
  • the inventors of the present disclosure have found that when the same number of antenna elements are used, since the user in the vertical direction is distributed in a small interval and is uneven, the resolution of the UPA in the vertical direction is low, causing the vertical direction to arrive.
  • Angle-of-Arrival in Elevation domain (E-AoA) estimates inaccuracy and poor beamforming in the vertical direction, resulting in strong inter-user interference.
  • E-AoA Angle-of-Arrival in Elevation domain
  • the inventors of the present disclosure have also found that when the user is densely distributed in the horizontal direction, the resolution of the UPA in the horizontal direction is insufficient, which also leads to strong inter-user interference.
  • the present disclosure proposes a technique for communicating using an Offset Array Antenna antenna. This technology can improve the resolution of the user and thus improve the communication quality.
  • an electronic device for use in a wireless communication system.
  • the electronic device can include processing circuitry configurable to: control transmitting to or receiving signals from a target communication device via an offset array antenna associated with the electronic device, wherein the offset
  • the array antenna includes a plurality of sets of antenna elements, each of the plurality of sets of antenna elements having a plurality of antenna elements arranged in a first direction, the plurality of sets of antenna elements having a spatial offset in a first direction and a phase difference in a first direction, the plurality of sets of antenna elements being arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and obtaining a channel in the first direction between the offset array antenna and the target communication device a state, wherein the channel state in the first direction is determined using the signal including a phase difference in the first direction.
  • a communication device for use in a wireless communication system.
  • the communication device may include a plurality of sets of antenna elements, each of the plurality of sets of antenna elements having a plurality of antenna elements arranged in a first direction, the plurality of sets of antenna elements being in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction Arrangement.
  • the plurality of sets of antenna elements have a spatial offset in a first direction and a phase difference in a first direction, and the phase difference in the first direction is used to obtain a channel state in a first direction.
  • an electronic device for use in a wireless communication system.
  • the electronic device can include processing circuitry, the processing circuit can be configured to receive signals from an offset array antenna associated with the target communication device, wherein the offset array antenna includes a plurality of sets of antenna elements, the plurality of sets Each set of antenna elements in the antenna unit has a plurality of antenna elements arranged in a first direction, the plurality of sets of antenna elements having a spatial offset in a first direction and a phase difference in a first direction, the plurality of sets
  • the antenna unit is arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; using the signal comprising the phase difference in the first direction, obtaining between the offset array antenna and an antenna associated with the electronic device a channel state in a first direction; transmitting information including an indication of a channel state in the first direction to the target communication device.
  • an electronic device can include processing circuitry, the processing circuit can be configured to receive signals from an offset array antenna associated with the target communication device, wherein the offset array antenna includes a plurality of sets of antenna elements, the plurality of sets Each set of antenna elements in the antenna unit has a plurality of antenna elements arranged in a first direction, the plurality of sets of antenna elements having a spatial offset in a first direction and a phase difference in a first direction, the plurality of sets
  • the antenna unit is arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; acquiring offset information about the offset array antenna; determining, based on the offset information and the signal, for the offset array antenna Offset codebook.
  • a signal processing method for use in a wireless communication system can include transmitting to or receiving a signal from a second communication device via an offset array antenna associated with the first communication device, wherein the offset array antenna includes a plurality of sets of antenna elements, Each of the plurality of sets of antenna elements has a plurality of antenna elements arranged in a first direction, the plurality of sets of antenna elements having a spatial offset in a first direction and a phase difference in a first direction, a plurality of sets of antenna elements arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and obtaining a channel state in a first direction between the first communication device and the second communication device, wherein the channel in the first direction The state is determined using the signal including the phase difference in the first direction.
  • a signal processing method for use in a wireless communication system can include receiving, by a second communication device, an offset array antenna associated with the first communication device, wherein the offset array antenna comprises a plurality of sets of antenna elements, each of the plurality of sets of antenna elements
  • the group antenna unit has a plurality of antenna units arranged along a first direction, the plurality of antenna elements having a spatial offset in a first direction and a phase difference in a first direction, the plurality of antenna elements along Arranging in a second direction that is perpendicular to the direction; obtaining, by the signal including the phase difference in the first direction, a channel state in a first direction between the first communication device and the second communication device; Information indicating the channel state in the first direction is transmitted to the first communication device.
  • a computer readable storage medium can store instructions thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform any of the methods described above.
  • FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a communication system in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIGS. 2B and 2C show schematic diagrams of an offset array antenna that can be used in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 3A shows an offset antenna unit and a dummy antenna unit of an offset array antenna
  • FIG. 3B shows a conventional planar array antenna having one or more defective antenna elements.
  • 4A to 4C show an offset antenna unit and a dummy antenna unit of an offset array antenna having various inter-group offsets.
  • FIG. 5A-5C illustrate possible mapping relationships of an offset array antenna to an antenna port
  • FIG. 5D illustrates an array antenna and antenna port with a defective antenna unit, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Possible mapping relationship.
  • FIG. 6 illustrates a process flow of a communication device performing downlink beam training according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 7 illustrates a process flow of a communication device obtaining a downlink channel state to a target communication device in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 8 illustrates a process flow for a communication device to obtain an uplink channel state from a target communication device to the communication device, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG 9 illustrates a process flow of a communication device in a downlink beam training phase, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 10 illustrates a process flow of a communication device in a downlink channel estimation and feedback phase, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • Figure 11 shows the results of the horizontal angle of arrival estimation of the inventive scheme and a conventional uniform planar array antenna.
  • Figure 12 shows the results of the vertical angle of arrival estimation of the inventive scheme and a conventional uniform planar array antenna.
  • Figure 13 shows the downlink beamforming spectral efficiency of the inventive scheme and a conventional uniform planar array antenna.
  • FIG. 14 is a graph showing the cumulative distribution efficiency function of the user's downlink average spectral efficiency in the same signal-to-noise ratio environment of the scheme of the present invention and a conventional uniform planar array antenna.
  • 15 is a block diagram showing a first example of a schematic configuration of an eNB
  • 16 is a block diagram showing a second example of a schematic configuration of an eNB
  • FIG. 17 is a block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a smartphone
  • 18 is a block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a car navigation device.
  • FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a communication system 1000 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • the communication system 1000 can include a communication device 1100 and a communication device 1200 that wirelessly communicate with each other.
  • the communication device 1100 can include an electronic device 1110 and an antenna 1120.
  • communication device 1100 may also include other components not shown, such as a radio frequency link, a baseband processing unit, a network interface, a processor, a memory, a controller, and the like.
  • Electronic device 1110 can be associated with antenna 1120.
  • the electronic device 1110 can be connected to the antenna 1120 either directly or indirectly (eg, other components may be connected in the middle), transmit radio signals via the antenna 1120, and receive radio signals via the antenna 1120.
  • the electronic device 1110 can include a processing circuit 1112.
  • the electronic device 1110 may further include an input and output interface, a memory, and the like.
  • Processing circuitry 1112 in electronic device 1110 can output signals (digital or analog) to other components in communication device 1100, as well as receive signals (digital or analog) from other components in communication device 1100.
  • processing circuit 1112 can also control some or all of the operations of other components in communication device 1100.
  • Processing circuit 1112 may be in the form of a general purpose processor or a special purpose processing circuit such as an ASIC.
  • the processing circuit 1112 can be constructed by circuitry (hardware) or a central processing device such as a central processing unit (CPU).
  • processing circuitry 1112 can carry programs (software) for operating the circuitry (hardware) or central processing device.
  • the program can be stored in a memory (such as disposed in the communication device 1100 or the electronic device 1110) or in an external storage medium connected from the outside, and downloaded via a network such as the Internet.
  • electronic device 1110 is shown separated from the antenna 1120 in FIG. 1, the electronic device 1110 can also be implemented to include the antenna 1120. Moreover, electronic device 1110 can also be implemented to include one or more other components in communication device 1100, or electronic device 1110 can be implemented as communication device 1100 itself. In actual implementation, electronic device 1110 can be implemented as a chip (such as an integrated circuit module including a single wafer), a hardware component, or a complete product.
  • the communication system 1000 may be a cellular communication system, a Machine Type Communication (MTC) system, a self-organizing network, or a cognitive radio system (for example, IEEE P802.19.1a and Spectrum Access System (SAS)). .
  • MTC Machine Type Communication
  • SAS Spectrum Access System
  • the communication device 1100 can be implemented as a base station, a small base station, a Node B, an e-NodeB, a relay, etc. in a cellular communication system, a terminal device in a machine type communication system, a sensor node in an ad hoc network, and a cognitive radio system.
  • communication device 1100 can be implemented as any type of evolved Node B (eNB), such as a macro eNB (associated with a macro cell) and a small eNB (associated with a small cell).
  • the small eNB may be an eNB covering a cell smaller than the macro cell, such as a pico eNB, a micro eNB, and a home (femto) eNB.
  • communication device 1100 can be implemented as any other type of base station, such as network nodes in a next generation network such as gNB, NodeB, and base transceiver station (BTS).
  • the communication device 1100 can include: a body (also referred to as a base station device) configured to control wireless communication; and one or more remote wireless headends (RRHs) disposed at a different location from the body.
  • RRHs remote wireless headends
  • various types of terminals which will be described later can operate as the communication device 1100 by performing base station functions temporarily or semi-persistently.
  • the communication device 1200 can be implemented as a terminal device or a user device.
  • the communication device 1200 can be implemented as a mobile terminal (such as a smart phone, a tablet personal computer (PC), a notebook PC, a portable game terminal, a portable/encrypted dog type mobile router, and a digital camera device) or an in-vehicle terminal (such as a car navigation device). device).
  • the communication device 1200 can also be implemented as a terminal (also referred to as a machine type communication (MTC) terminal) that performs machine-to-machine (M2M) communication.
  • MTC machine type communication
  • M2M machine-to-machine
  • the communication device 1200 may be a wireless communication module (such as an integrated circuit module including a single wafer) mounted on each of the above terminals.
  • the communication device can also be implemented as a smart meter, a smart home appliance, or a Geolocation Capability Object (GCO) or a citizens Broadband Radio Service Device (CBSD) in
  • the communication device 1100 and one communication device 1200 are shown in FIG. 1, the communication device 1100 can communicate with a plurality of communication devices 1200, and the communication device 1200 can communicate with a plurality of communication devices 1100 (eg, in the case of multi-point collaboration) ).
  • FIG. 2A shows a schematic diagram of a 4x4 (4 rows x 4 columns) conventional planar array antenna 2100.
  • the respective antenna elements of the column antenna elements in the vertical direction are aligned in the horizontal direction.
  • the first, second, third, and fourth antenna elements of the first column antenna unit are aligned with the first, second, third, and fourth antenna elements of any one of the second to fourth columns in the horizontal direction.
  • the respective antenna elements of the respective rows of antenna elements in the horizontal direction are aligned in the vertical direction.
  • the first, second, third, and fourth antenna elements of the antenna element of the first row are aligned with the first, second, third, and fourth antenna elements of any of the second to fourth rows in the vertical direction.
  • the ith column/row antenna unit referred to herein refers to the mth column/row antenna unit from the leftmost/upper side of the array antenna
  • the nth antenna unit of the mth column/row antenna unit herein refers to From the uppermost/left side of the mth column/row antenna unit
  • m and n are both positive integers, and the description is equally applicable to other array antennas described later.
  • the resolution or discrimination of a planar array antenna to a user in the vertical/horizontal direction is limited by the number of antenna elements in the vertical/horizontal direction. If the number of antenna elements of the planar array antenna in the vertical/horizontal direction is greater, it can better distinguish the users in the vertical/horizontal direction.
  • H k ⁇ C M ⁇ M be the downlink channel matrix between the base station and the kth user.
  • the narrowband multipath channel coefficients can be expressed as
  • D and ⁇ represent antenna spacing and wavelength.
  • D/ ⁇ 0.5.
  • ⁇ k,p and ⁇ k,p represent the horizontal arrival angle (A-AoA) and the vertical arrival angle (E-AoA) of the p-th path , respectively.
  • A-AoA horizontal arrival angle
  • E-AoA vertical arrival angle
  • H k satisfies the Kronecker product structure.
  • the non-direct path has a large path loss, so the direct path is the most important channel scene.
  • E-AoA and A-AoA are denoted as ⁇ and ⁇ .
  • h e is The first column (which may be other columns) represents the channel estimation result for each antenna element of the first column of the M x M uniform planar array antenna.
  • DFT Discrete Fourier Transformation
  • F M is an M-order DFT matrix.
  • n e is the maximum amplitude position index.
  • the first row (which may also be other rows) represents the channel estimation result for each antenna element of the first row of the M x M uniform planar array antenna.
  • Horizontal channel vector of the angle domain Can be expressed as
  • A-AoA is as follows
  • n a is the maximum amplitude position index. Estimated angle of arrival versus After that, vertical and horizontal channel vectors can be generated and the Kroneck product can be used to recover the channel to be estimated.
  • the estimated value of E-AoA Has M possible values.
  • the M possible values are discretely distributed in the interval of [0, ⁇ /2] (ie, the range of values of the vertical angle of arrival).
  • the estimated value of E-AoA The number of possible values depends on the number M of antenna elements in the vertical direction of the array antenna. The larger the value of M, the estimated value of E-AoA The more the number of possible values, the finer the division of the range of the vertical angle of arrival [0, ⁇ /2], the more accurately the user can estimate the vertical angle of arrival and better distinguish the vertical Users in the direction, reducing interference between users.
  • the vertical arrival angle and the horizontal angle of arrival may be estimated using algorithms such as MUSIC and ESPRIT.
  • the accuracy of the vertical angle of arrival estimated by algorithms such as MUSIC, ESPRIT, etc. is also limited by the number M of antenna elements in the vertical direction of the array antenna. Therefore, in the case of using algorithms such as MUSIC and ESPRIT, increasing the number of antenna elements in the vertical direction of the array antenna can also improve the estimation accuracy of the vertical angle of arrival.
  • the number of beams that a planar array antenna can transmit in a vertical plane is limited by the number of antenna elements in its vertical direction.
  • a M x M uniform planar array antenna it is capable of emitting M beams having different directions in a vertical plane.
  • the angles of the M beams are discretely distributed in the interval [0, ⁇ /2] in the vertical plane.
  • the separation from the vertical plane of the M ⁇ M uniform planar array antenna ie, having different angles with respect to the vertical direction
  • the number of beams is larger, so that these beams are more finely divided into the vertical angle interval [0, ⁇ /2], so that the user can be more accurately pointed to and the communication quality of the user is improved.
  • the width of these beams is narrower and the gain is higher, so that the communication quality of the user can also be improved.
  • the number of antenna elements in the vertical direction cannot be increased indefinitely because the total number of antenna elements is limited. Therefore, the resolution of the user in the vertical direction is limited.
  • the resolution of the user in the horizontal direction is limited by the number of antenna elements in the horizontal direction.
  • the present disclosure proposes to improve the resolution of a user by using an offset array antenna in an antenna unit using the same number (the total number of antenna elements) as a conventional planar array antenna, thereby improving communication quality.
  • An offset array antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below.
  • FIGS. 2B and 2C show schematic diagrams of offset array antennas 2200, 2300 that may be used in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • the exemplary offset array antennas 2200, 2300 illustrated in FIGS. 2B and 2C configure the same number of antenna elements as the conventional planar array antenna 2100.
  • the offset array antenna 2200 in FIG. 2B is a Vertical Offset Array Antenna, that is, each column of antenna elements is shifted in the vertical direction.
  • a certain column antenna unit can be selected as a reference group antenna unit (for example, the first column or any other column), and the other column antenna units have a vertical spatial offset with respect to the reference group antenna unit. . That is to say, there is a vertical spatial offset between the respective antenna elements of each column of antenna elements.
  • the four first antenna elements of the antenna elements of the first to fourth columns have a spatial offset in the vertical direction, and so on.
  • the offset array antenna 2300 in FIG. 2C is a Horizontal Offset Array Antenna, that is, each row of antenna elements is shifted in the horizontal direction.
  • one row of antenna elements may be selected as a reference group of antenna elements (for example, the first row or any other row), and the other row of antenna elements have a horizontal offset with respect to the reference group of antenna elements. . That is to say, there is a horizontal offset in the horizontal direction between the respective antenna elements of each row of antenna elements.
  • the four first antenna elements of the antenna elements of the first to fourth rows have a spatial offset in the horizontal direction, and so on.
  • the antenna elements of the offset array antenna may be divided into one or more sets of antenna elements.
  • the antenna elements of the vertical offset array antenna 2200 can be grouped in columns, and a column of antenna elements of the vertically offset array antenna 2200 can be referred to as a group of antenna elements. Therefore, in the vertically offset array antenna 2200, each of the antenna elements of the same group of antenna elements is aligned in the vertical direction.
  • the antenna elements of the horizontally offset array antenna 2300 can be grouped in rows, and a row of antenna elements of the horizontally offset array antenna 2300 can be referred to as a group of antenna elements. Therefore, in the horizontally offset array antenna 2200, each of the antenna elements of the same group of antenna elements is aligned in the horizontal direction.
  • the alignment direction of each antenna unit in the same group of antenna elements of the offset array antenna may be referred to as the first direction of the offset array antenna.
  • the first direction may be a horizontal direction or a vertical direction, or may be a direction between the horizontal direction and the vertical direction.
  • Each set of antenna elements of the offset array antenna is arranged in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction.
  • Each of the antenna elements of the same group of antenna elements of the offset array antenna may have a uniform pitch (which may be referred to as an intra-group gap) in the first direction. Further, each group of antenna elements of the offset array antenna may have a uniform pitch (which may be referred to as an inter-group gap) in the second direction.
  • the offset array antenna may be referred to as an offset uniform array antenna or an offset uniform planar array antenna.
  • the spacing within the group and the spacing between the groups can also be different.
  • each of the same set of antenna elements of the offset array antenna may have a non-uniform intra-group spacing in the first direction. Furthermore, each set of antenna elements of the offset array antenna may have a non-uniform inter-group spacing in the second direction.
  • the non-uniform intra-group spacing and the non-uniform inter-group spacing may be based on the application number of 201610051745.X filed on January 26, 2016 by the same applicant of the present application, entitled “Non-Uniform Antenna Array and Signal Processing" The manner of the description in the patent application is determined, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference.
  • Each set of antenna elements of the offset array antenna may have a certain spatial offset in the first direction, and the offset may be referred to as an inter-group offset.
  • the inter-group offset may be equal to or approximately equal to the intra-group spacing, or may be two or more times the intra-group spacing, or other values greater than the intra-group spacing.
  • the inter-group offset may also be one-half of the inter-group spacing or other values that are less than the intra-group spacing.
  • the antenna elements having a spatial offset in the first direction with respect to each of the antenna elements of the reference group antenna unit may be referred to as offset antenna elements.
  • a plurality of offset antenna elements also have a spatial offset in the first direction. That is, one of the offset antenna elements and each of the antenna elements of the reference set of antenna elements are not aligned in the second direction, and any two of the offset antenna elements are not aligned in the second direction.
  • a pseudo antenna element corresponding to the offset antenna unit may be defined, the pseudo antenna unit being aligned with the reference set antenna unit in the first direction.
  • FIG. 3A shows an offset antenna unit and a dummy antenna unit of the offset array antenna 3000.
  • the first column antenna unit is used as the reference group antenna unit
  • the solid squares in the second to fourth columns indicate the offset antenna unit
  • the diagonal squares below the first column indicate the pseudo antenna unit (actually not present) Antenna unit).
  • the antenna elements represented by the solid squares in FIG. 3A have a spatial offset in a first direction (ie, are not aligned in the second direction) with each of the antenna elements of the reference set of antenna elements, and any two solid squares
  • the representative antenna elements have a spatial offset in the first direction (i.e., are not aligned in the second direction), and thus, these solid squares can be selected as the offset antenna elements.
  • one or more (or all of the offset antenna elements) of the reference set antenna unit and the offset antenna unit may be used to increase user resolution in the first direction.
  • the offset antenna unit can correspond to a dummy antenna unit aligned with the reference set antenna unit in the first direction.
  • the signal transmitted/received from the offset antenna unit can be regarded as a signal transmitted/received from its corresponding dummy antenna unit.
  • the reference group antenna unit, the offset antenna unit, and/or the dummy antenna unit may also be defined for the conventional planar array antenna 2100, and the reference group is utilized.
  • the antenna unit and the offset antenna unit increase the resolution of the user in the first direction.
  • the definitions of the offset antenna unit and the dummy antenna unit are the same as those of the offset antenna unit and the dummy antenna unit of the offset array antenna.
  • FIG. 3B illustrates a conventional planar array antenna 3100 having one or more defective antenna elements.
  • the defective antenna unit means that the antenna unit is damaged (not working properly), or there is no actual antenna unit at the position of the antenna unit.
  • the antenna 3100 reduces the resolution of the user in the first direction.
  • the first column or other column
  • the offset antenna elements shown in solid squares
  • the lowermost two diagonal blocks in the first column indicate the dummy antenna elements corresponding to the offset antenna elements.
  • the reference group antenna unit and the offset antenna unit can be utilized to increase the user resolution of the antenna 3100 in the first direction.
  • the principle is similar to the offset array antenna 3000 of Figure 3A.
  • the processing described herein for the offset array antenna is also applicable to An array antenna with a defective antenna unit.
  • FIG. 4A to 4C show an offset antenna unit and a dummy antenna unit of an offset array antenna having various inter-group offsets.
  • the inter-group offset is 0, so there is no offset antenna unit and dummy antenna unit.
  • the offset array antenna degenerates into a conventional planar array antenna.
  • the inter-group offset is the intra-group spacing, and the lowest antenna unit of the second to fourth column antenna elements can be selected as the offset antenna unit, and the number of dummy antenna units is correspondingly three.
  • the inter-group offset is twice the intra-group spacing. Therefore, the lowest two antenna elements of the second to fourth column antenna elements can be selected as the offset antenna unit, and the number of pseudo antenna units is selected. It is also increased to 6.
  • FIGS. 4A and 4B there is at least one row of antenna elements in the second direction having the following characteristics: the row antenna elements are aligned in the second direction, and the number of row antenna elements is the same as the number of columns of the offset array antenna .
  • the offset antenna unit and the dummy antenna unit in the second direction can be further defined in FIG. 4C, so that the user resolution in the second direction can be improved.
  • FIGS. 5A-5C illustrate possible mapping relationships of an offset array antenna to an antenna port, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 5A there is no mapping between the pseudo antenna unit and the antenna port, only the actual antenna unit group is mapped to the antenna port, which is directly compatible with existing standards.
  • FIG. 5B the dummy antenna unit is mapped to the same antenna port as the actual antenna unit.
  • FIG. 5C the pseudo antenna unit and the actual antenna unit are mapped to different antenna ports, and the pseudo antenna unit is mapped to the pseudo antenna port.
  • FIG. 5D illustrates a possible mapping relationship between an array antenna having a defective antenna unit and an antenna port, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • the normal antenna unit is mapped to the actual antenna port corresponding to the original normal antenna unit
  • the pseudo antenna unit is mapped to the actual antenna port corresponding to the original defective antenna unit. Since the actual antenna port corresponding to the original defective antenna unit may be the same as the actual antenna port corresponding to the normal antenna unit, the pseudo antenna unit may be the same as the actual antenna port corresponding to the normal antenna unit.
  • mapping schemes can be flexibly adjusted according to different offset uniform planar array configurations, antenna defects, and different application requirements.
  • the offset codebook is a codebook for precoding or beamforming the offset array antenna.
  • the offset codebook can be obtained by adding a phase offset of the first direction to the technique of the non-offset codebook for the conventional planar array antenna.
  • the offset array antenna 3000 is a vertically offset array antenna, and the inter-group spacing and the intra-group spacing are both D. Since there is a vertical offset between the columns of antenna elements, the horizontal channel steering vector of the offset array antenna 3000 is changed from Equation 3 to:
  • the horizontal channel guidance vector of the offset array antenna 3000 has an additional Item, this item reflects the phase shift of the vertical direction of the offset array antenna 3000, that is,
  • the offset narrowband multipath channel coefficient matrix of the offset array antenna 3000 can be obtained according to the formula 1.
  • the offset codebook is an offset Kronecker product DFT codebook.
  • the offset array antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure has been described above, and processing for improving the resolution of the user in the first direction (horizontal, vertical, or other directions) using the offset array antenna will be described below. Preferred embodiment.
  • the processing of the communication apparatuses 1100 and 1200 will be described assuming that the communication apparatus 1100 is a base station and the communication apparatus 1200 is a user equipment, and the communication from the communication apparatus 1100 to the communication apparatus 1200 is referred to as downlink, and the slave communication apparatus 1200
  • the communication to the communication device 1100 is referred to as uplink.
  • the communication devices 1100 and 1200 can also perform the processes described below.
  • processing performed by the communication devices 1100 and 1200 described below may be performed by the processing circuits 1112 and 1212, and other components in the communication devices 1100 and 1200 and/or others may be controlled by the processing circuits 1112 and 1212. The components in the device are executed.
  • the communication device 1100 can transmit or receive signals to or from the communication device 1200 via the antenna 1120.
  • the antenna 1120 of the communication device 1100 can be an offset array antenna as described above.
  • the sets of antenna elements of the antenna 1120 may have a phase difference in the first direction.
  • each group of antenna elements of the antenna 1120 since each group of antenna elements of the antenna 1120 has a spatial offset in the first direction, the path of the signal reaching each group of antenna elements has a path difference in the first direction, and thus is received via each group of antenna elements of the antenna 1120.
  • the signal has a phase difference corresponding to a path difference in the first direction.
  • the signals transmitted on the respective sets of antenna elements may have a phase difference corresponding to the path difference of the first direction, thereby causing superimposed signals of signals transmitted on the respective sets of antenna elements. It can be better received at the communication device 1200.
  • antenna elements in one set of antenna elements of antenna 1120 may be made to have a phase difference in a first direction relative to respective antenna elements of another set of antenna elements.
  • the first antenna elements of the respective column antenna elements have a phase difference in the vertical direction, that is, a phase difference corresponding to the difference in the vertical direction.
  • the first antenna elements of the respective row antenna elements have a phase difference in the horizontal direction, that is, a phase difference corresponding to the path difference in the horizontal direction.
  • each group of antenna elements of the antenna 1120 is itself a linear array antenna, there is also a phase difference in the first direction between each antenna unit in the same group of antenna elements. Therefore, the phase difference in the first direction between the antenna elements of each group may be referred to as the phase difference between the groups in the first direction, and the phase difference between the antenna elements in the same group of antenna elements is referred to as the intra-group phase difference. .
  • the inter-group phase difference in the first direction may be determined by a phase difference in a first direction between respective antenna elements of each group of antenna elements (eg, the first antenna elements of each group of antenna elements). Further, since each group of antenna elements is arranged at intervals in the second direction, each group of antenna elements also has a phase difference in the second direction, which may be referred to as an inter-group phase difference in the second direction.
  • the communication device 1100 can obtain a channel state in the first direction between the communication device 1100 and the communication device 1200 by using a signal having an inter-group phase difference transmitted or received via the antenna 1120.
  • the channel state may be an uplink channel state from the communication device 1200 to the communication device 1100, or may be a downlink channel state from the communication device 1100 to the communication device 1200.
  • the channel state may include channel quality, channel direction (eg, channel steering vector, angle of arrival, or optimal beam for communication device 1200, etc.).
  • the communication device 1100 can utilize the reference set antenna elements of the antenna 1120 and the at least one offset antenna unit.
  • the offset antenna unit and the reference group antenna unit have a phase difference in the first direction and a phase difference in the second direction.
  • the communication device 1100 can eliminate the phase difference in the second direction between the offset antenna unit and the reference group antenna unit by compensating the phase difference in the second direction of the offset antenna unit. Therefore, the phase-compensated offset antenna unit and the reference group antenna unit form an equivalent linear array antenna, and the linear array antenna has a larger number of antenna elements in the first direction than the reference group antenna unit, thereby improving the first The user resolution of the direction.
  • phase compensation described above can be implemented in the analog domain, for example by adding a phase shifter upstream of the offset antenna unit such that the signal is phase shifted by the phase shifter prior to transmission via the offset antenna unit.
  • the phase compensation described above can also be performed by signal processing in the digital domain, for example by connecting the offset antenna array to the precoding module such that the signal is multiplied by the corresponding precoding coefficient before being transmitted via the reference group antenna unit and the offset antenna unit. .
  • Phase compensation for the offset antenna unit can be achieved by phase compensation of the precoding coefficients of the offset antenna elements.
  • a phase shifter is also connected to each antenna unit. Therefore, the phase shifter can be used to perform phase compensation on the offset antenna unit (for example, by adjusting the phase shift). Phase value of the device).
  • the communication device 1100 can perform downlink beam training (e.g., transmit beam-formed cell-specific reference signals) using the antenna 1120, and determine an optimal beam for transmitting downlink signals to the communication device 1200 based on feedback from the communication device 1200.
  • downlink beam training e.g., transmit beam-formed cell-specific reference signals
  • the base station can determine the beam for downlink transmission by downlink beam training.
  • FIG. 6 illustrates a process flow of the communication device 1100 performing downlink beam training according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • the communication device 1100 can transmit a plurality of beams having different angles with respect to the first direction using the reference group antenna unit and the at least one offset antenna unit.
  • the communication device 1100 may first compensate for the phase difference of the offset antenna unit relative to the reference set antenna unit in the second direction.
  • the offset antenna elements (solid squares) of the second to fourth column antenna elements have 1, 2, and 3 times, respectively, in the second direction with respect to the reference group antenna elements. Spacing between groups. Therefore, for the offset antenna elements (solid squares) of the second to fourth column antenna elements in FIG. 3, it is necessary to compensate for the inter-group phase difference in the second direction of 1, 2, and 3 times, respectively.
  • the communication device 1100 may first determine the horizontal angle ⁇ and the vertical angle ⁇ of the beam to be emitted.
  • the difference in the direction of the signal from the adjacent two columns of antenna elements in the second direction is Dcos ⁇ cos ⁇
  • the phase difference is 2 ⁇ (D/ ⁇ )cos ⁇ cos ⁇ . Therefore, when the first column antenna unit is used as the reference group antenna unit, the communication device 1100 can determine the phase of the offset antenna unit of the m-th column antenna unit by 2 ⁇ (m-1)(D/ ⁇ )cos ⁇ cos ⁇ . Then, the communication device 1100 can transmit a beam having a horizontal angle of ⁇ and a vertical angle of ⁇ , for example, a beamformed reference signal, using the reference group antenna unit and the phase compensated offset antenna unit as the equivalent group antenna unit.
  • the communication device 1100 can transmit a plurality of beams having different angles with respect to the vertical direction by changing the vertical angle ⁇ .
  • the multiple beams can be transmitted simultaneously.
  • the multiple beams can be transmitted in time division.
  • the communication device 1100 uses an equivalent group antenna unit transmission beam having more antenna elements than the reference group antenna unit when transmitting a beam, the beam has a narrower width and a higher gain. Thereby being able to better point to the target communication device and provide higher communication quality.
  • the communication device 1200 can estimate the reception quality of the beams and feed back the beam indication to the communication device 1100.
  • the beam indication can include a reception status of the plurality of beams by the communication device 1200.
  • the beam indication may include one or more of the following: an indication of the optimal beam (with the best reception quality) (eg, CSI-RS Resource Indicator, ie CRI), the reception quality of the optimal beam ( For example, CQI), the channel direction of the optimal beam (eg, PMI), and an indication of the channel state of one or more other beams.
  • the communication device 1100 can receive the beam indication from the communication device 1200.
  • the communication device 1100 can determine a channel state of the first direction of the communication device 1100 and the communication device 1200 based on the beam indication. For example, the communication device 1100 can determine the direction of the communication device 1200, ie, the direction of the optimal beam, based on the indication of the optimal beam.
  • communication device 1100 can obtain a downlink channel state to a target communication device by transmitting two reference signals during the downlink channel estimation and feedback phase.
  • FIG. 7 illustrates a process flow of the communication device 1100 obtaining a downlink channel state to a target communication device, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • the communication device 1100 can transmit a first reference signal that is not beamformed, such as a CSI-RS that is not beamformed.
  • the communication device 1100 can receive the first channel information from the communication device 1200.
  • the first channel information may be information about a downlink channel state from the communication device 1100 to the communication device 1200 obtained by the communication device 1200 based on the first reference signal.
  • the first channel information may be an indication of a codeword selected by the communication device 1200 from an offset codebook for the antenna 1120, such as a PMI.
  • the communication device 1100 can transmit a beamformed second reference signal, such as a beamformed CSI-RS, based on the first channel information. For example, the communication device 1100 can determine the direction of the communication device 1200 based on the first channel information and then transmit a beamformed second reference signal directed to the direction.
  • the spatial processing parameters used to beamform the second reference signal e.g., the combined coefficients of the RF circuitry and antenna in baseband beamforming, the phase, amplitude, etc. of the antenna in the analog beamforming
  • the communication device 1100 can receive the second channel information from the communication device 1200.
  • the second channel information may be obtained by the communication device 1200 based on the beamformed second reference signal.
  • the second channel information can more accurately reflect the downlink channel state from the communication device 1100 to the communication device 1200 than the first channel information.
  • the beamformed second reference signal can be transmitted by the reference set antenna unit of the antenna 1120 and the at least one offset antenna unit, thereby reducing the beam width and increasing the beam gain, thereby improving the beam assignment.
  • the transmission effect of the shaped reference signal When receiving the second reference signal shaped by the beam transmitted by the reference group antenna unit and the at least one offset antenna unit, the communication device 1200 may estimate the channel state (eg, CQI, PMI, etc.) in the first direction, and The second channel information including the channel state of the first direction is fed back to the communication device 1100.
  • the communication device 1100 may estimate the channel state in the second direction based on the channel state of the first direction included in the second channel information and the first channel information. For example, communication device 1100 can estimate the channel state in the second direction using Equations 7-9.
  • the beamformed second reference signal can be transmitted by a reference set of antenna elements of antenna 1120, at least one offset antenna element, and a set of antenna elements aligned in a second direction.
  • the offset array antenna in FIG. 4B Take the offset array antenna in FIG. 4B as an example.
  • the vertical dashed oval in FIG. 4B indicates the combination of the reference group antenna unit and the dummy antenna unit, and the horizontal solid line ellipse indicates a set of actual antenna units aligned in the second direction (the number of which is the same as the antenna unit of the offset array antenna) The number of groups is the same).
  • the communication device 1100 can perform beamforming in the first direction by using the antenna elements in the dotted ellipse, and perform beamforming in the second direction by the antenna elements in the solid ellipse.
  • the communication device 1200 can obtain channel states of the first direction and the second direction based on the second reference signals beamformed in the first direction and in the second direction, and will include channels in the first direction and the second direction
  • the second channel information of the state is fed back to the communication device 1100.
  • the communication device 1100 can also perform beamforming using a combination of actual antenna elements and dummy antenna elements in both the first direction and the second direction using the offset array antenna shown in FIG. 4C.
  • the beamforming in the second direction may utilize the last actual antenna unit in the first column, the antenna unit in the second column aligned with the actual antenna unit in the second direction, and the third, The top antenna unit in the 4 columns (via vertical phase compensation) is completed.
  • the use of the pseudo antenna unit to transmit/receive signals or perform beamforming as described herein actually means transmitting/receiving signals or performing beamforming by phase-compensating the offset antenna elements corresponding to the pseudo antenna elements.
  • the communication device 1100 can also obtain an upstream channel state from the communication device 1200 to the communication device 1100 based on the reference signal by receiving a reference signal from the communication device 1200.
  • the base station can determine one of an uplink channel state and a downlink channel state, and determine a beam used for downlink transmission according to the channel state.
  • the communication device 1100 can obtain a joint channel coefficient vector of the reference group antenna unit and the at least one offset antenna unit.
  • the joint channel coefficient vector includes channel coefficients of the reference set antenna elements and compensated channel coefficients of the at least one offset antenna element.
  • the communication device 1100 can then obtain a channel state in the first direction based on the joint channel coefficient vector.
  • the communication device 1100 performs phase compensation in the second direction by the at least one offset antenna unit such that the compensated at least one antenna unit and the reference group antenna unit have no phase difference in the second direction.
  • the compensation may be based on an initial channel coefficient of the offset array antenna, which may be obtained using a channel state estimation method of a non-offset array antenna.
  • FIG. 8 illustrates a process flow of the communication device 1100 obtaining an uplink channel state from the target communication device to the communication device 1100, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • the processing flow will be described below by taking the antenna 1120 as the offset array antenna 3000 in FIG. 3 as an example, and it is assumed that the offset array antenna 3000 is a vertically offset array antenna (for example, a vertically offset array antenna 2200). .
  • antenna 1120 is another type of offset array antenna (e.g., horizontally offset array antenna 2300)
  • the process flow can be slightly modified.
  • the communication device 1100 can receive a reference signal from the communication device 1200.
  • the communication device 1100 can estimate the initial channel coefficients, ie, the channel matrix, based on the received reference signals using a channel state estimation method of the non-offset array antenna.
  • Channel matrix Can be expressed as follows:
  • h e ( ⁇ ) and h a,offset ( ⁇ , ⁇ ) respectively represent E-AoA as ⁇
  • A-AoA is ⁇ vertical channel steering vector and horizontal direction channel steering vector.
  • Channel matrix The element of the mth row and the nth column corresponds to the mth antenna element of the nth column antenna unit of the vertical offset array antenna and the nth antenna element of the mth row antenna unit of the horizontally offset array antenna.
  • the communication device 1100 can be based on the estimated channel matrix. Determine the rough vertical angle of arrival and the horizontal angle of arrival. For example, the communication device 1100 can determine a rough vertical angle of arrival using the above-described location-based angle of arrival estimation algorithm, ESPRIT or MUSIC algorithm, and the like. And horizontal angle of arrival
  • ge The first column (which may also be any other column) represents the channel estimation result for each antenna element of the first column of the offset array antenna 3000.
  • a rough estimate of E-AoA Can be calculated as follows
  • n e 0 is the maximum amplitude position index
  • F M is the M-order DFT matrix
  • g a represents the channel coefficient of a group of antenna elements aligned in the horizontal direction
  • n a 0 is the maximum amplitude position index. It should be noted that since each column antenna unit of the vertical offset array antenna has a phase difference in the vertical direction, g a is not First line, but The second diagonal.
  • the communication device 1100 can compensate for the channel coefficients of the offset antenna unit based on the coarse vertical angle of arrival and the horizontal angle of arrival.
  • the communication device 1100 may determine the initial channel coefficient of the offset antenna unit of the m-th column antenna unit multiplied by That is, offset antenna unit compensation for the m-th column antenna unit Phase to eliminate the horizontal phase difference between the offset antenna element and the reference set antenna element.
  • the compensated channel coefficients of the offset antenna elements represent the channel coefficients of their corresponding pseudo antenna elements.
  • the communication device 1100 can determine a more accurate vertical angle of arrival and horizontal angle of arrival based on the compensated channel coefficients of the offset antenna elements and the channel coefficients of the reference set of antenna elements.
  • the 2nd to Mth elements of the vector represent the channel coefficients of the offset antenna elements of the 2nd to Mth column antenna elements.
  • a compensation matrix C ⁇ C M ⁇ M of the offset antenna elements for the antenna elements of the second to the Mth columns may be generated, which may be expressed as
  • the channel vector g v ⁇ C (M-1) ⁇ 1 of the pseudo antenna unit can be obtained as follows
  • E-AoA can be more accurately estimated to obtain a more accurate vertical angle of arrival. as follows
  • F 2M-1 is a 2M-1 order DFT matrix.
  • the above process flow can obtain a more accurate vertical angle of arrival and a horizontal angle of arrival, so that the beam direction can be more aligned with the target user, for example, in the TDD system, and the beamforming performance can be improved.
  • the communication device 1100 can determine an offset codebook for beamforming the antenna 1120 as an offset array antenna based on the phase difference in the first direction.
  • the method for determining the offset codebook has been described above and will not be described here.
  • the communication device 1100 can transmit the offset information of the antenna 1120, which is an offset array antenna, to the communication device 1200, for example, during the access of the communication device 1200.
  • the offset information may include, for example, an offset direction (eg, horizontal or vertical) of the antenna 1120, an inter-group offset (eg, 0 indicates no offset, 1 indicates an inter-group offset equal to intra-group spacing, and 2 indicates an inter-group spacing)
  • the offset is 2 times the intra-group spacing
  • the antenna size for example, the number of antenna elements in the horizontal and/or vertical directions
  • the offset information may indicate an offset mode of the antenna.
  • Antenna 1120 can have several preset offset modes, such as no offset (eg, conventional planar array antenna), vertical-1 offset (inter-group offset in the vertical direction is intra-group spacing), vertical - 2 offset (inter-group offset in the vertical direction is 2 times intra-group spacing), horizontal-1 offset (inter-group offset in the horizontal direction is intra-group spacing), horizontal-2 offset (at horizontal) The inter-group offset of the direction is 2 times the intra-group spacing) and the like.
  • the communication device 1100 can number these preset modes, and then transmit the number of the offset mode to be used in the offset information to the device 1200.
  • the arrangement of the antenna elements on the panel supporting the offset antenna array can be varied in a variety of preset offset modes (by conventional mechanical structures such as movable connectors)
  • the offset direction and offset of the unit are manually adjusted or electrically adjusted).
  • the operator can manually fix an offset mode according to the deployment scenario.
  • the communication device 1100 can dynamically adjust the offset mode to be used according to the uplink/downlink channel state.
  • the communication device 1100 can adjust the inter-group offset, that is, the spatial offset of the first direction between the plurality of sets of antenna elements, for example, from the "vertical-1 offset" mode to the "vertical-2 offset” .
  • Communication device 1200 can receive or transmit signals from communication device 1100 via antenna 1220.
  • the antenna 1120 of the communication device 1100 can be an offset array antenna as described above. Therefore, the signal transmitted from the communication device 1100 by the communication device 1200 using the antenna 1120 has a phase difference in the first direction.
  • the communication device 1200 can use the signal to obtain a channel state in the first direction between the communication device 1100 and the communication device 1200, and then transmit information including an indication of the channel state in the first direction to the communication device 1100 as the target communication device.
  • the signals received by the communication device 1200 may be transmitted using a reference set antenna unit and at least one offset antenna unit of the antenna 1120 of the communication device 1100 in a downlink beam training phase and/or a downlink channel estimation and feedback phase, such as beamforming.
  • CSI-RS downlink channel estimation and feedback phase
  • the beam of the signal can have a narrower width and higher gain, thereby making it more accurate at the communication device 1200. Estimate the channel state.
  • FIG. 9 illustrates a process flow of the communication device 1200 in a downlink beam training phase, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • the communication device 1200 can receive a plurality of beams having different angles with respect to the first direction transmitted from the reference group antenna unit of the antenna 1120 and the at least one offset antenna unit from the communication device 1100.
  • communication device 1200 can transmit a beamformed reference signal at a different angle relative to the first direction with a dedicated reference signal resource (transmission resource).
  • communication device 1200 can determine the receive status of the beams. For example, the reception quality of these beams is estimated.
  • the communication device 1200 can transmit a beam indication, such as an indication of the reception status (eg, CQI, RSSI) of the plurality of beams, to the communication device 1100.
  • a beam indication such as an indication of the reception status (eg, CQI, RSSI) of the plurality of beams.
  • the beam indication can be an indication of a beam having the best received quality among the plurality of beams.
  • the beam indication can include one or more of the following: an indication of the optimal beam (with the best reception quality) (eg, CSI-RS resource indicator CRI (communication device 1100 can be in different directions)
  • the beamformed CSI-RS ie, BF-CSI-RS, is transmitted with different transmission resources, the communication device 1200 feeds back CRI to indicate the beam)
  • the reception quality of the optimal beam eg, CQI
  • the channel of the optimal beam Direction eg, PMI
  • the communication device 1100 upon receiving the beam indication, can determine the direction of the communication device 1200 and/or the optimal beam for the communication device 1200 based on the beam indication.
  • the message fed back to the communication device 1100 by the communication device 1200 may further include channel state information for increasing the space gain, such as PMI, RI, or the like.
  • channel state information for increasing the space gain such as PMI, RI, or the like.
  • the indication of the number/ID of the beam is associated in some examples with the location of the transmission resource occupied by the corresponding feedback message, and thus implicitly included in the feedback message, not necessarily corresponding to the transmission bit.
  • FIG. 10 illustrates a process flow of the communication device 1200 in a downlink channel estimation and feedback phase, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • the communication device 1200 can receive a first reference signal, such as a conventional unbeamformed CSI-RS.
  • the communication device 1200 can determine and feed back the first channel information based on the first reference signal. For example, the communication device 1200 can estimate a downlink channel from the communication device 1100 to the communication device 1200 based on the first reference signal, and select an optimal codeword from the offset codebook for the antenna 1120 according to the estimation result of the downlink channel, for example, a codeword that matches the estimation result of the downlink channel.
  • the offset codebook may be determined by the communication device 1200 based on the offset information received from the communication device 1100, or may be pre-stored in the memory during the initialization phase of the communication device 1200.
  • the communication device 1200 can include an indication of a matching codeword (e.g., PMI) in the first channel information transmitted to the communication device 1100.
  • PMI a matching codeword
  • the offset codebook described above is an offset Kronecker product DFT codebook in the first direction and the second direction, for example, a Kronecker product of channel steering vectors in the first direction and the second direction. Quantized codebook.
  • the communication device 1200 can quantize the channel steering vector in the second direction based on Equation 10 as an offset codebook in the second direction.
  • the communication device 1200 may estimate the channel state in the second direction when receiving the first reference number, and then compare the estimation result of the channel state in the second direction with the offset codebook in the second direction to determine the second direction.
  • the codeword is matched and an indication of the matching codeword in the second direction is included in the first channel information transmitted to the communication device 1100.
  • the communication device may also estimate the channel state in the first direction when receiving the first reference number, and then estimate the channel state in the first direction and the non-offset codebook in the first direction (for example, the formula The codebook obtained by the quantization is compared, the matching codeword in the first direction is determined, and the indication of the matching codeword in the first direction is included in the first channel information transmitted to the communication device 1100.
  • the communication device 1200 can receive the beamformed second reference signal.
  • the communication device 1200 can determine and feed back the second channel information based on the second reference signal.
  • the second reference signal may be transmitted by the communication device 1100 using the reference set antenna elements of the antenna 1120 and the at least one offset antenna unit for beamforming in a first direction.
  • the communication device 1200 may estimate the channel state in the first direction (for example, CQI) And PMI), and feeding back the second channel information including the channel state of the first direction to the communication device 1100.
  • the second reference signal may be a beam in the first direction and the second direction by the reference set antenna unit of the antenna 1120, the at least one offset antenna unit, and the set of antenna elements aligned in the second direction. Shaped to send.
  • the communication device 1200 may obtain channel states (eg, CQI, PMI) of the first direction and the second direction based on the second reference signal beamformed in the first direction and in the second direction, and will include the first direction and The second channel information of the channel state in the second direction is fed back to the communication device 1100.
  • channel states eg, CQI, PMI
  • the position of the defective antenna unit should have an actual antenna unit that can work normally, but may be caused by damage of the antenna unit at the position or due to some unexpected situation, thereby possibly causing the array antenna. Communication quality is degraded. Therefore, some special processing can be performed on the array antenna in which the defective antenna unit is present to improve the communication quality. The following description will be made assuming that the antenna 1120 of the communication device 1100 is the antenna 3100 in FIG. 3B.
  • the communication device 1100 When the communication device 1100 receives a signal from the target communication device 1200 via the antenna 1120, the defective antenna unit will not normally receive the signal, whereby the communication device 1100 can know which antenna units are defective antenna units.
  • the communication device 1100 may first obtain the inter-group phase difference of the antenna 1120 in the second direction based on the signal received from the normal antenna unit, for example, based on the second antenna unit and the second column from the first column in FIG. 3B.
  • the signal received by the antenna unit obtains a phase difference between the groups.
  • the communication device 1100 may perform phase compensation in the second direction on the offset antenna unit, for example, offset the inter-group phase difference of 1 time for the offset antenna unit of the second column, and the inter-group phase difference for the third column
  • the offset antenna unit compensates for 2 times the inter-group phase difference.
  • the communication device 1100 can estimate the channel state in the first direction using the phase compensated offset antenna unit and the reference antenna unit.
  • the communication device 1100 can perform downlink beam training using the reference group antenna unit and the offset antenna unit.
  • the communication device 1200 can determine which antenna elements are missing based on the received signals. For example, in a case where the communication device 1100 transmits a reference signal using different antenna units in different time periods, the communication device 1200 may determine whether the antenna unit corresponding to the time period is defective by determining whether a signal is received in a certain period of time.
  • antenna 1120 is a 4x4 uniform planar array antenna having a matrix of channel coefficients of 4 x 4 matrix.
  • the communication device 1200 determines that the element corresponding to the defective antenna unit in the 4 ⁇ 4 channel coefficient matrix determined based on the received reference signal is 0.
  • the communication device 1200 can still determine the matching codeword using the codebook corresponding to the conventional 4x4 uniform planar array antenna, and then feed back information indicating the matching codeword to the communication device 1100.
  • the communication device 1100 can determine a coarse channel direction based on the received feedback information, and then transmit the beamformed reference signal to the coarse channel direction using the reference group antenna array and the offset antenna array in a similar manner to the offset array antenna. A more accurate estimate of the channel.
  • Cell inner diameter r min 50m
  • Cell outer diameter r max 200m
  • Number of users K 4,8 Number of antennas M 8,16 Antenna spacing D ⁇ /2
  • Base station height 35m
  • User height 1.5m
  • ⁇ min and ⁇ max depend on the height of the base station, the height of the user, the inner diameter of the cell, and the outer diameter of the cell.
  • Figure 11 shows the results of the horizontal angle of arrival estimation of the inventive scheme and a conventional uniform planar array antenna.
  • Figure 12 shows the results of the vertical angle of arrival estimation of the inventive scheme and a conventional uniform planar array antenna.
  • the estimation errors of E-AoA and A-AoA are significantly reduced, especially in the low signal to noise ratio scenario.
  • the scheme of the present invention employs an offset antenna unit in the beamforming in the vertical direction, the performance of the solution of the present invention is very significant in different SNR scenarios.
  • Figure 13 shows the downlink beamforming spectral efficiency of the inventive scheme and a conventional uniform planar array antenna. It gives a comparison of downlink spectral efficiency under different uplink signal-to-noise ratios, mainly indicating the influence of uplink channel estimation on downlink beamforming.
  • the downlink spectrum efficiency of the solution of the invention is higher, because the uplink channel estimation is more accurate, so that the downlink beam can be more aimed at the target user and the inter-user interference is reduced.
  • FIG. 14 is a graph showing the cumulative distribution efficiency function of the user's downlink average spectral efficiency in the same signal-to-noise ratio environment of the scheme of the present invention and a conventional uniform planar array antenna.
  • the uplink and downlink SNR are both 20 dB. It can also be seen from Fig. 14 that the user of the scheme of the present invention has a higher downlink average spectral efficiency.
  • the eNB 800 includes a plurality of antennas 810 and a base station device 820.
  • the base station device 820 and each antenna 810 may be connected to each other via an RF cable.
  • Each of the antennas 810 includes a single or multiple antenna elements, such as multiple antenna elements included in a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) antenna, and is used by the base station apparatus 820 to transmit and receive wireless signals.
  • eNB 800 can include multiple antennas 810.
  • multiple antennas 810 can be compatible with multiple frequency bands used by eNB 800.
  • a plurality of antennas 810 are arranged in an antenna array in the above examples of the present disclosure, such as an offset array antenna.
  • the base station device 820 includes a controller 821, a memory 822, a network interface 823, and a wireless communication interface 825.
  • the controller 821 can be, for example, a CPU or a DSP, and operates various functions of higher layers of the base station device 820. For example, controller 821 generates data packets based on data in signals processed by wireless communication interface 825 and communicates the generated packets via network interface 823. Controller 821 can bundle data from multiple baseband processors to generate bundled packets and pass the generated bundled packets. The controller 821 can have logic functions that perform control such as radio resource control, radio bearer control, mobility management, admission control, and scheduling. This control can be performed in conjunction with nearby eNBs or core network nodes.
  • the memory 822 includes a RAM and a ROM, and stores programs executed by the controller 821 and various types of control data such as a terminal list, transmission power data, and scheduling data.
  • Network interface 823 is a communication interface for connecting base station device 820 to core network 824. Controller 821 can communicate with a core network node or another eNB via network interface 823. In this case, the eNB 800 and the core network node or other eNBs may be connected to each other through a logical interface such as an S1 interface and an X2 interface. Network interface 823 can also be a wired communication interface or a wireless communication interface for wireless backhaul lines. If network interface 823 is a wireless communication interface, network interface 823 can use a higher frequency band for wireless communication than the frequency band used by wireless communication interface 825.
  • the wireless communication interface 825 supports any cellular communication scheme, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) and LTE-Advanced, and provides a wireless connection to terminals located in cells of the eNB 800 via the antenna 810.
  • Wireless communication interface 825 may typically include, for example, a baseband (BB) processor 826 and RF circuitry 827.
  • the BB processor 826 can perform, for example, encoding/decoding, modulation/demodulation, and multiplexing/demultiplexing, and performs layers (eg, L1, Medium Access Control (MAC), Radio Link Control (RLC), and Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP)) Various types of signal processing.
  • BB processor 826 may have some or all of the above described logic functions.
  • the BB processor 826 can be a memory that stores a communication control program, or a module that includes a processor and associated circuitry configured to execute the program.
  • the update program can cause the function of the BB processor 826 to change.
  • the module can be a card or blade that is inserted into a slot of the base station device 820. Alternatively, the module can also be a chip mounted on a card or blade.
  • the RF circuit 827 may include, for example, a mixer, a filter, and an amplifier, and transmits and receives a wireless signal via the antenna 810.
  • the wireless communication interface 825 can include a plurality of BB processors 826.
  • multiple BB processors 826 can be compatible with multiple frequency bands used by eNB 800.
  • the wireless communication interface 825 can include a plurality of RF circuits 827.
  • multiple RF circuits 827 can be compatible with multiple antenna elements.
  • FIG. 15 illustrates an example in which the wireless communication interface 825 includes a plurality of BB processors 826 and a plurality of RF circuits 827, the wireless communication interface 825 may also include a single BB processor 826 or a single RF circuit 827.
  • the eNB 830 includes a plurality of antennas 840, a base station device 850, and an RRH 860.
  • the RRH 860 and each antenna 840 may be connected to each other via an RF cable.
  • the base station device 850 and the RRH 860 can be connected to each other via a high speed line such as a fiber optic cable.
  • Each of the antennas 840 includes a single or multiple antenna elements (such as multiple antenna elements included in a MIMO antenna) and is used by the RRH 860 to transmit and receive wireless signals.
  • eNB 830 can include multiple antennas 840.
  • multiple antennas 840 may be compatible with multiple frequency bands used by eNB 830.
  • a plurality of antennas 840 are arranged in the antenna array of the above examples of the present disclosure, such as an offset array antenna.
  • the base station device 850 includes a controller 851, a memory 852, a network interface 853, a wireless communication interface 855, and a connection interface 857.
  • the controller 851, the memory 852, and the network interface 853 are the same as the controller 821, the memory 822, and the network interface 823 described with reference to FIG.
  • the wireless communication interface 855 supports any cellular communication scheme (such as LTE and LTE-Advanced) and provides wireless communication to terminals located in sectors corresponding to the RRH 860 via the RRH 860 and the antenna 840.
  • Wireless communication interface 855 can generally include, for example, BB processor 856.
  • the BB processor 856 is identical to the BB processor 826 described with reference to FIG. 15 except that the BB processor 856 is connected to the RF circuit 864 of the RRH 860 via the connection interface 857.
  • the wireless communication interface 855 can include a plurality of BB processors 856.
  • multiple BB processors 856 can be compatible with multiple frequency bands used by eNB 830.
  • FIG. 16 illustrates an example in which the wireless communication interface 855 includes a plurality of BB processors 856, the wireless communication interface 855 can also include a single BB processor 856.
  • connection interface 857 is an interface for connecting the base station device 850 (wireless communication interface 855) to the RRH 860.
  • the connection interface 857 may also be a communication module for communicating the base station device 850 (wireless communication interface 855) to the above-described high speed line of the RRH 860.
  • the RRH 860 includes a connection interface 861 and a wireless communication interface 863.
  • connection interface 861 is an interface for connecting the RRH 860 (wireless communication interface 863) to the base station device 850.
  • the connection interface 861 can also be a communication module for communication in the above high speed line.
  • the wireless communication interface 863 transmits and receives wireless signals via the antenna 840.
  • Wireless communication interface 863 can typically include, for example, RF circuitry 864.
  • the RF circuit 864 can include, for example, a mixer, a filter, and an amplifier, and transmits and receives wireless signals via the antenna 840.
  • the wireless communication interface 863 can include a plurality of RF circuits 864.
  • multiple RF circuits 864 can support multiple antenna elements.
  • FIG. 16 illustrates an example in which the wireless communication interface 863 includes a plurality of RF circuits 864, the wireless communication interface 863 may also include a single RF circuit 864.
  • the processing circuit 4112 described by using FIG. 1 can be implemented by the wireless communication interface 825 and the wireless communication interface 855 and/or the wireless communication interface 863. At least a portion of the functionality can also be implemented by controller 821 and controller 851.
  • FIG. 17 is a block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a smartphone 900 to which the technology of the present disclosure can be applied.
  • the smart phone 900 includes a processor 901, a memory 902, a storage device 903, an external connection interface 904, an imaging device 906, a sensor 907, a microphone 908, an input device 909, a display device 910, a speaker 911, a wireless communication interface 912, one or more An antenna switch 915, one or more antennas 916, a bus 917, a battery 918, and an auxiliary controller 919.
  • the processor 901 can be, for example, a CPU or a system on chip (SoC), and controls the functions of the application layer and the other layers of the smart phone 900.
  • the memory 902 includes a RAM and a ROM, and stores data and programs executed by the processor 901.
  • the storage device 903 may include a storage medium such as a semiconductor memory and a hard disk.
  • the external connection interface 904 is an interface for connecting an external device such as a memory card and a universal serial bus (USB) device to the smartphone 900.
  • USB universal serial bus
  • the camera 906 includes an image sensor such as a charge coupled device (CCD) and a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS), and generates a captured image.
  • Sensor 907 can include a set of sensors, such as measurement sensors, gyro sensors, geomagnetic sensors, and acceleration sensors.
  • the microphone 908 converts the sound input to the smartphone 900 into an audio signal.
  • the input device 909 includes, for example, a touch sensor, a keypad, a keyboard, a button, or a switch configured to detect a touch on the screen of the display device 910, and receives an operation or information input from a user.
  • the display device 910 includes screens such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) and an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, and displays an output image of the smartphone 900.
  • the speaker 911 converts the audio signal output from the smartphone 900 into sound.
  • the wireless communication interface 912 supports any cellular communication scheme (such as LTE and LTE-Advanced) and performs wireless communication.
  • Wireless communication interface 912 may generally include, for example, BB processor 913 and RF circuitry 914.
  • the BB processor 913 can perform, for example, encoding/decoding, modulation/demodulation, and multiplexing/demultiplexing, and performs various types of signal processing for wireless communication.
  • RF circuitry 914 may include, for example, mixers, filters, and amplifiers, and transmit and receive wireless signals via antenna 916.
  • the wireless communication interface 912 can be a chip module on which the BB processor 913 and the RF circuit 914 are integrated. As shown in FIG.
  • the wireless communication interface 912 can include a plurality of BB processors 913 and a plurality of RF circuits 914.
  • FIG. 17 illustrates an example in which the wireless communication interface 912 includes a plurality of BB processors 913 and a plurality of RF circuits 914, the wireless communication interface 912 may also include a single BB processor 913 or a single RF circuit 914.
  • wireless communication interface 912 can support additional types of wireless communication schemes, such as short-range wireless communication schemes, near field communication schemes, and wireless local area network (LAN) schemes.
  • the wireless communication interface 912 can include a BB processor 913 and RF circuitry 914 for each wireless communication scheme.
  • Each of the antenna switches 915 switches the connection destination of the antenna 916 between a plurality of circuits included in the wireless communication interface 912, such as circuits for different wireless communication schemes.
  • Each of the antennas 916 includes a single or multiple antenna elements (such as multiple antenna elements included in a MIMO antenna) and is used by the wireless communication interface 912 to transmit and receive wireless signals.
  • smart phone 900 can include multiple antennas 916.
  • FIG. 17 shows an example in which the smartphone 900 includes a plurality of antennas 916, the smartphone 900 may also include a single antenna 916.
  • smart phone 900 can include an antenna 916 for each wireless communication scheme.
  • the antenna switch 915 can be omitted from the configuration of the smartphone 900.
  • the bus 917 sets the processor 901, the memory 902, the storage device 903, the external connection interface 904, the camera 906, the sensor 907, the microphone 908, the input device 909, the display device 910, the speaker 911, the wireless communication interface 912, and the auxiliary controller 919 to each other. connection.
  • Battery 918 provides power to various blocks of smart phone 900 shown in FIG. 17 via a feeder, which is partially shown as a dashed line in the figure.
  • the auxiliary controller 919 operates the minimum necessary function of the smartphone 900, for example, in a sleep mode.
  • the processing circuit 4212 described by using FIG. 1 can be implemented by the wireless communication interface 912. At least a portion of the functionality can also be implemented by processor 901 or auxiliary controller 919.
  • FIG. 18 is a block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a car navigation device 920 to which the technology of the present disclosure can be applied.
  • the car navigation device 920 includes a processor 921, a memory 922, a global positioning system (GPS) module 924, a sensor 925, a data interface 926, a content player 927, a storage medium interface 928, an input device 929, a display device 930, a speaker 931, and a wireless device.
  • the processor 921 can be, for example, a CPU or SoC and controls the navigation functions and additional functions of the car navigation device 920.
  • the memory 922 includes a RAM and a ROM, and stores data and programs executed by the processor 921.
  • the GPS module 924 measures the position of the car navigation device 920 (such as latitude, longitude, and altitude) using GPS signals received from GPS satellites.
  • Sensor 925 can include a set of sensors, such as a gyro sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, and an air pressure sensor.
  • the data interface 926 is connected to, for example, the in-vehicle network 941 via a terminal not shown, and acquires data (such as vehicle speed data) generated by the vehicle.
  • the content player 927 reproduces content stored in a storage medium such as a CD and a DVD, which is inserted into the storage medium interface 928.
  • the input device 929 includes, for example, a touch sensor, a button or a switch configured to detect a touch on the screen of the display device 930, and receives an operation or information input from a user.
  • the display device 930 includes a screen such as an LCD or OLED display, and displays an image of the navigation function or reproduced content.
  • the speaker 931 outputs the sound of the navigation function or the reproduced content.
  • the wireless communication interface 933 supports any cellular communication scheme (such as LTE and LTE-Advanced) and performs wireless communication.
  • Wireless communication interface 933 may typically include, for example, BB processor 934 and RF circuitry 935.
  • the BB processor 934 can perform, for example, encoding/decoding, modulation/demodulation, and multiplexing/demultiplexing, and performs various types of signal processing for wireless communication.
  • the RF circuit 935 may include, for example, a mixer, a filter, and an amplifier, and transmits and receives a wireless signal via the antenna 937.
  • the wireless communication interface 933 can also be a chip module on which the BB processor 934 and the RF circuit 935 are integrated. As shown in FIG.
  • the wireless communication interface 933 may include a plurality of BB processors 934 and a plurality of RF circuits 935.
  • FIG. 18 illustrates an example in which the wireless communication interface 933 includes a plurality of BB processors 934 and a plurality of RF circuits 935, the wireless communication interface 933 may also include a single BB processor 934 or a single RF circuit 935.
  • the wireless communication interface 933 can support another type of wireless communication scheme, such as a short-range wireless communication scheme, a near-field communication scheme, and a wireless LAN scheme.
  • the wireless communication interface 933 may include a BB processor 934 and an RF circuit 935 for each wireless communication scheme.
  • Each of the antenna switches 936 switches the connection destination of the antenna 937 between a plurality of circuits included in the wireless communication interface 933, such as circuits for different wireless communication schemes.
  • Each of the antennas 937 includes a single or multiple antenna elements (such as multiple antenna elements included in a MIMO antenna) and is used for the wireless communication interface 933 to transmit and receive wireless signals.
  • car navigation device 920 can include a plurality of antennas 937.
  • FIG. 18 shows an example in which the car navigation device 920 includes a plurality of antennas 937, the car navigation device 920 may also include a single antenna 937.
  • car navigation device 920 can include an antenna 937 for each wireless communication scheme.
  • the antenna switch 936 can be omitted from the configuration of the car navigation device 920.
  • Battery 938 provides power to various blocks of car navigation device 920 shown in FIG. 18 via feeders, which are partially shown as dashed lines in the figures. Battery 938 accumulates power supplied from the vehicle.
  • the processing circuit 4212 described by using FIG. 1 can be implemented by the wireless communication interface 933. At least a portion of the functionality can also be implemented by processor 921.
  • the technology of the present disclosure may also be implemented as an onboard system (or vehicle) 940 that includes one or more of the car navigation device 920, the in-vehicle network 941, and the vehicle module 942.
  • vehicle module 942 generates vehicle data such as vehicle speed, engine speed, and fault information, and outputs the generated data to the in-vehicle network 941.
  • the above describes a device in a communication system and a corresponding communication processing method according to one or more embodiments of the present invention.
  • FIG. 1 The detailed description set forth above with reference to the accompanying drawings, FIG.
  • the words “exemplary” and “exemplary” when used in the specification mean “serving as an example, instance or description”, and does not mean “preferred” or “more beneficial than other examples.”
  • the detailed description includes specific details to provide an understanding of the described techniques. However, these techniques can be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid obscuring the concepts of the examples.
  • DSP digital signal processor
  • ASIC application specific integrated circuit
  • FPGA field-programmable gate array
  • a general purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in the alternative, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, and/or state machine.
  • the processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, such as a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, and/or any other such configuration.
  • the functions described herein can be implemented in hardware, software executed by a processor, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software executed by a processor, the functions may be stored on a computer readable medium or transmitted as one or more instructions or code on a computer readable medium. Other examples and implementations are within the scope and spirit of the disclosure and the appended claims. For example, in view of the nature of the software, the functions described above can be performed using software, hardware, firmware, hardwired, or any combination of these, executed by the processor. Features that implement the functionality may also be physically placed at various locations, including being distributed such that portions of the functionality are implemented at different physical locations.
  • Computer readable media includes both computer storage media and communication media including any medium that facilitates transfer of a computer program from one place to another.
  • a storage medium may be any available media that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer.
  • a computer readable medium may comprise RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory, CD-ROM, DVD or other optical disk storage, disk storage or other magnetic storage device, or can be used to carry or store Desired program code components in the form of instructions or data structures and any other medium that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer or a general purpose or special purpose processor.
  • any connection is properly termed a computer-readable medium.
  • Disks and discs as used herein include compact discs (CDs), laser discs, optical discs, digital versatile discs (DVD), floppy discs, and Blu-ray discs, where the disc typically magnetically replicates data while the disc is used. The laser optically replicates the data. Combinations of the above are also included within the scope of computer readable media.

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Abstract

本公开涉及电子设备、通信装置和信号处理方法。公开了一种用于无线通信系统中的电子设备。该电子设备包括处理电路，所述处理电路被配置为：控制经由与电子设备关联的偏移式阵列天线向目标通信装置发送或从目标通信装置接收信号，其中，偏移式阵列天线包括多组天线单元，多组天线单元中的每组天线单元具有沿第一方向布置的多个天线单元，多组天线单元之间具有第一方向上的空间偏移以及第一方向上的相位差，多组天线单元沿与第一方向垂直的第二方向布置；以及获得偏移式阵列天线与目标通信装置之间的第一方向上的信道状态，其中，第一方向上的信道状态是利用包括第一方向上的相位差的信号确定的。

Description

电子设备、通信装置和信号处理方法
优先权声明
本申请要求于2017年2月23日递交、申请号为201710100016.3、发明名称为“电子设备、通信装置和信号处理方法”的中国专利申请的优先权，其全部内容通过引用并入本文。
技术领域
本公开一般地涉及电子设备、通信装置和信号处理方法。更具体地，本公开涉及利用偏移式阵列天线进行通信的技术。
背景技术
大规模多天线技术(Massive Multiple-Input Multiple-Output，Massive MIMO)通过采用低复杂度的线性信号处理算法，可以同时显著提升能量效率和频谱效率，引起了学术界和工业界的广泛关注。然而，由于空间尺寸限制，在实际系统中仅在水平方向配置大规模的均匀线性天线阵列(Uniformly-spaced Linear Array，ULA)非常不便。因此，三维多天线技术(Three-Dimension Multiple-Input Multiple-Output，3D MIMO)，也称为全维多天线技术(Full-dimension MIMO)，成为未来大规模MIMO技术在实际系统中的主要实现方式。
Y.-H.Nam、B.L.Ng，K.Sayana、Y.Li，J.Zhang、Y.Kim和J.Lee的文章“Full-dimension MIMO(FD-MIMO)for nextgeneration celluar technology，”IEEE Commun.Mag.，vol.51，no.6，pp.172–179，Jun.2013.中描述了3D MIMO技术。通过在基站端配置均匀平面阵列(Uniformly-spaced Planar Array，UPA)天线，3D MIMO可以在垂直方向提供额外的自由度，进行垂直方向波束赋形。同时，该文章也提出了三维空间信道模型的克罗内克(Kronecker)积结构。有很多信道估计、波束赋形和预编码算法基于此结构来提升3D MIMO系统性能的同时降低信号处理的复杂度。在现有的无线通信标准中，例如LTE/LTE-A，基于克罗内克积结构的码本也被广泛用于3D MIMO系统中。
发明内容
然而，3D MIMO也具有一些缺点。一方面，本公开的发明人发现，在采用相同数量的天线单元时，由于垂直方向的用户分布在较小的区间内且不均匀，所以UPA在垂直方向的分辨率较低，造成垂直方向到达角(Angle-of-Arrival in Elevation domain，E-AoA) 估计不精确以及垂直方向波束赋形效果差，从而导致较强的用户间干扰。另一方面，本公开的发明人还发现，当用户在水平方向上分布较密集时，UPA在水平方向的分辨率不够，也会导致较强的用户间干扰。
因此，需要考虑一种适用于3D MIMO的新的设计方案以进一步开发3D MIMO的潜能。本公开提出一种利用偏移式阵列天线(Offset Array Antenna)天线进行通信的技术。该技术可以提高对用户的分辨率，从而提高通信质量。
根据本公开的一个方面，提供了一种用于无线通信系统中的电子设备。该电子设备可以包括处理电路，该处理电路可以被配置为：控制经由与所述电子设备关联的偏移式阵列天线向目标通信装置发送或从目标通信装置接收信号，其中，所述偏移式阵列天线包括多组天线单元，所述多组天线单元中的每组天线单元具有沿第一方向布置的多个天线单元，所述多组天线单元之间具有第一方向上的空间偏移以及第一方向上的相位差，所述多组天线单元沿与第一方向垂直的第二方向布置；以及获得所述偏移式阵列天线与所述目标通信装置之间的第一方向上的信道状态，其中，所述第一方向上的信道状态是利用包括所述第一方向上的相位差的所述信号确定的。
根据本公开的另一个方面，提供了一种用于无线通信系统中的通信装置。该通信装置可以包括多组天线单元，所述多组天线单元中的每组天线单元具有沿第一方向布置的多个天线单元，所述多组天线单元沿与第一方向垂直的第二方向布置。其中，所述多组天线单元之间具有第一方向上的空间偏移和第一方向上的相位差，所述第一方向上的相位差被用于获得第一方向上的信道状态。
根据本公开的另一个方面，提供了一种用于无线通信系统中的电子设备。该电子设备可以包括处理电路，该处理电路可以被配置为：从与目标通信装置关联的偏移式阵列天线接收信号，其中，所述偏移式阵列天线包括多组天线单元，所述多组天线单元中的每组天线单元具有沿第一方向布置的多个天线单元，所述多组天线单元之间具有第一方向上的空间偏移以及第一方向上的相位差，所述多组天线单元沿与第一方向垂直的第二方向布置；利用包括所述第一方向上的相位差的所述信号，获得所述偏移式阵列天线与和所述电子设备关联的天线之间的第一方向上的信道状态；将包括所述第一方向上的信道状态的指示的信息发送给所述目标通信装置。
根据本公开的另一个方面，提供了一种电子设备。该电子设备可以包括处理电路，该处理电路可以被配置为：从与目标通信装置关联的偏移式阵列天线接收信号，其中，所述偏移式阵列天线包括多组天线单元，所述多组天线单元中的每组天线单元具有沿第 一方向布置的多个天线单元，所述多组天线单元之间具有第一方向上的空间偏移以及第一方向上的相位差，所述多组天线单元沿与第一方向垂直的第二方向布置；获取关于所述偏移式阵列天线的偏移信息；基于所述偏移信息以及所述信号确定用于对所述偏移式阵列天线的偏移式码本。
根据本公开的另一个方面，提供了一种用于无线通信系统中的信号处理方法。该方法可以包括：经由与第一通信装置关联的偏移式阵列天线向第二通信装置发送或从第二通信装置接收信号，其中，所述偏移式阵列天线包括多组天线单元，所述多组天线单元中的每组天线单元具有沿第一方向布置的多个天线单元，所述多组天线单元之间具有第一方向上的空间偏移以及第一方向上的相位差，所述多组天线单元沿与第一方向垂直的第二方向布置；以及获得所述第一通信装置与第二通信装置之间的第一方向上的信道状态，其中，所述第一方向上的信道状态是利用包括所述第一方向上的相位差的所述信号确定的。
根据本公开的另一个方面，提供了一种用于无线通信系统中的信号处理方法。该方法可以包括：由第二通信装置从与第一通信装置关联的偏移式阵列天线接收信号，其中，所述偏移式阵列天线包括多组天线单元，所述多组天线单元中的每组天线单元具有沿第一方向布置的多个天线单元，所述多组天线单元之间具有第一方向上的空间偏移以及第一方向上的相位差，所述多组天线单元沿与第一方向垂直的第二方向布置；利用包括所述第一方向上的相位差的所述信号，获得第一通信装置与第二通信装置之间的第一方向上的信道状态；将包括所述第一方向上的信道状态的指示的信息发送给第一通信装置。
根据本公开的另一个方面，提供了一种计算机可读存储介质。该计算机可读存储介质上可以存储有指令，所述指令在由处理器执行时使得处理器执行上述方法中的任何一种。
附图说明
图1示出了根据本公开的实施例的通信系统的示意图。
图2A示出了4×4(4行×4列)的传统平面阵列天线的示意图，图2B和2C示出了根据本发明的实施例可以使用的偏移式阵列天线的示意图。
图3A示出了偏移式阵列天线的偏移天线单元和伪天线单元，图3B示出了具有一个或多个缺损天线单元的传统平面阵列天线。
图4A～4C示出了具有各种组间偏移量的偏移式阵列天线的偏移天线单元和伪天线单元。
图5A～5C示出了根据本公开的实施例的偏移式阵列天线与天线端口的可能的映射关系，图5D示出了根据本公开的实施例的具有缺损天线单元的阵列天线与天线端口的可能的映射关系。
图6示出了根据本公开的实施例的通信装置进行下行波束训练的处理流程。
图7示出了根据本公开的实施例的通信装置获得到目标通信装置的下行信道状态的处理流程。
图8示出了根据本公开的实施例的通信装置获得从目标通信装置到该通信装置的上行信道状态的处理流程。
图9示出了根据本公开的实施例的通信装置在下行波束训练阶段的处理流程。
图10示出了根据本公开的实施例的通信装置在下行信道估计和反馈阶段的处理流程。
图11示出了本发明方案与传统均匀平面阵列天线的水平到达角估计结果。
图12示出了本发明方案与传统均匀平面阵列天线的垂直到达角估计结果。
图13示出了本发明方案与传统均匀平面阵列天线的下行波束赋形频谱效率。
图14出了本发明方案与传统均匀平面阵列天线在相同信噪比环境下的用户下行平均频谱效率累积分布函数图。
图15是示出eNB的示意性配置的第一示例的框图；
图16是示出eNB的示意性配置的第二示例的框图；
图17是示出智能电话的示意性配置的示例的框图；以及
图18是示出汽车导航设备的示意性配置的示例的框图。
具体实施方式
在下文中，将参照附图详细地描述本公开内容的优选实施例。注意，在本说明书和附图中，用相同的附图标记来表示具有基本上相同的功能和结构的结构元件，并且省略对这些结构元件的重复说明。
将按照以下顺序进行描述。
1.系统概述
2.天线的结构
3.通信装置中的处理
4.仿真结果
5.应用示例
6.结论
<1.系统概述>
图1示出了根据本公开的实施例的通信系统1000的示意图。通信系统1000可以包括彼此进行无线通信的通信装置1100和通信装置1200。
通信装置1100可以包括电子设备1110和天线1120。此外，通信装置1100还可以包括未示出的其它部件，诸如射频链路、基带处理单元、网络接口、处理器、存储器、控制器等。电子设备1110可以与天线1120关联。例如，电子设备1110可以直接或间接(例如，中间可能连接有其它部件)连接到天线1120，经由天线1120发送无线电信号以及经由天线1120接收无线电信号。
电子设备1110可以包括处理电路1112。此外，电子设备1110还可以包括输入输出接口和存储器等。电子设备1110中的处理电路1112可以向通信装置1100中的其它部件输出信号(数字或模拟)，也可以从通信装置1100中的其它部件接收信号(数字或模拟)。此外，处理电路1112还可以控制通信装置1100中的其它部件的部分或全部操作。
处理电路1112可以是通用处理器的形式，也可以是专用处理电路，例如ASIC。例如，处理电路1112能够由电路(硬件)或中央处理设备(诸如，中央处理单元(CPU))构造。此外，处理电路1112上可以承载用于使电路(硬件)或中央处理设备工作的程序(软件)。该程序能够存储在存储器(诸如，布置在通信装置1100或电子设备1110中)或从外面连接的外部存储介质中，以及经网络(诸如，互联网)下载。
虽然图1中示出了电子设备1110与天线1120分离，但是电子设备1110也可以被实现为包括天线1120。此外，电子设备1110还可以被实现为包括通信装置1100中的一个或多个其它部件，或者电子设备1110可以被实现为通信装置1100本身。在实际实现时，电子设备1110可以被实现为芯片(诸如包括单个晶片的集成电路模块)、硬件部件或完整的产品。
上面对通信装置1100的结构的描述同样适用于通信装置1200，这里不再赘述通信装置1200的详细结构。通信系统1000可以是蜂窝通信系统、机器型通信(MTC，Machine Type Communication)系统、自组织网络或者认知无线电系统(例如，IEEE  P802.19.1a和频谱访问系统(Spectrum Access System，SAS))等。
通信装置1100可以被实现为蜂窝通信系统中的基站、小基站、Node B、e-NodeB、中继等，机器型通信系统中的终端设备，自组织网络中的传感器节点，认知无线电系统中的共存管理器(Coexistence Managers，CM)、SAS等。例如，通信装置1100可以被实现为任何类型的演进型节点B(eNB)，诸如宏eNB(与宏小区相关联)和小eNB(与小小区相关联)。小eNB可以为覆盖比宏小区小的小区的eNB，诸如微微eNB、微eNB和家庭(毫微微)eNB。代替地，通信装置1100可以被实现为任何其他类型的基站，诸如下一代网络中的网络节点如gNB、NodeB和基站收发台(BTS)。通信装置1100可以包括：被配置为控制无线通信的主体(也称为基站设备)；以及设置在与主体不同的地方的一个或多个远程无线头端(RRH)。另外，后面将描述的各种类型的终端均可以通过暂时地或半持久性地执行基站功能而作为通信装置1100工作。
通信装置1200可以被实现为终端设备或用户设备。例如，通信装置1200可以被实现为移动终端(诸如智能电话、平板个人计算机(PC)、笔记本式PC、便携式游戏终端、便携式/加密狗型移动路由器和数字摄像装置)或者车载终端(诸如汽车导航设备)。通信装置1200还可以被实现为执行机器对机器(M2M)通信的终端(也称为机器类型通信(MTC)终端)。此外，通信装置1200可以为安装在上述终端中的每个终端上的无线通信模块(诸如包括单个晶片的集成电路模块)。通信装置也可以被实现为智能电表、智能家电，或者认知无线电系统中的地理位置能力对象(Geolocation Capability Object，GCO)、公民宽带无线服务用户(Citizens Broadband Radio Service Device，CBSD)。
虽然图1中示出通信装置1100和一个通信装置1200通信，但是通信装置1100可以和多个通信装置1200通信，通信装置1200可以和多个通信装置1100通信(例如，在多点协作的情况下)。
<2.天线的结构>
[2-1.传统平面阵列天线]
图2A示出了4×4(4行×4列)的传统平面阵列天线2100的示意图。在图2A的传统平面阵列天线2100中，垂直方向的各列天线单元的相应天线单元在水平方向上对齐。例如，第1列天线单元的第1、2、3、4天线单元分别与第2～4列中任一列的第1、2、3、4天线单元在水平方向上对齐。此外，在图2A的传统平面阵列天线2100中，水平方向的各行天线单元的相应天线单元在垂直方向上对齐。例如，第1行天线单元的第1、2、3、 4天线单元分别与第2～4行中任一行的第1、2、3、4天线单元在垂直方向上对齐。这里所说的第i列/行天线单元是指从阵列天线的最左/上边开始数的第m列/行天线单元，这里所说的第m列/行天线单元的第n天线单元是指从第m列/行天线单元的最上/左边开始数的第n个天线单元，m和n均为正整数，并且该描述方式同样适用于后面描述的其它阵列天线。
平面阵列天线对垂直/水平方向的用户的分辨率或区分度受限于其在垂直/水平方向的天线单元的数量。如果平面阵列天线在垂直/水平方向的天线单元的数量越多，则其能够更好地区分垂直/水平方向的用户。
假设M×M的均匀平面阵列天线(相邻天线单元的水平间距和垂直间距相同)的基站同时服务K个单天线用户。记H k∈C M×M为基站与第k个用户间的下行信道矩阵。在采用三维空间信道模型的情况下，窄带多径信道系数可表示为
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000001
P表示多径的数量，ρ k，p表示第k个用户的第p条径的大尺度衰落系数，
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000002
与
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000003
分别为垂直方向信道导向矢量与水平方向信道导向矢量，可表示为
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000004
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000005
D与λ表示天线间距和波长。通常采用半波长天线时，D/λ＝0.5。θ k，p与β k，p分别表示第p条径的水平到达角(A-AoA)和垂直到达角(E-AoA)。可以看出，H k满足克罗内克积结构。对于视距信道(Line-of-Sight，LOS)，P＝1，其信道系数可以由主径到达角决定。例如，在毫米波通信系统中，非直射径具有较大的路径损耗，所以直射径是最主要的信道场景。
如果采用Z.Wang、C.Qian、L.Dai、J.Chen、C.Sun和S.Chen的文章“Location-based channel estimation and pilot assignment formassive MIMO systems，”in Proc.ICC 2015 Workshops(London，UK)，Jun.8-12，2015，pp.1264-1268.以及本申请的同一申请人于2014年8月7日提交的申请号为201410386345.5、名称为“用于无线通信的装置和方法、电子设备及其方法”的专利申请(该专利申请的全部内容通过引用并入本文)中介绍的适用于3D MIMO的基于位置的到达角估计算法，则可以按照以下方式估计垂直到达角和水平到达角。
采用视距信道，记
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000006
为利用参考信号估计得到的信道矩阵，E-AoA和A-AoA记为 β和θ。记h e为
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000007
的第1列(也可以是其它列)，其表示M×M的均匀平面阵列天线的第1列的各天线单元的信道估计结果。采用离散傅里叶变换(Discrete Fourier Transformation，DFT)，则角度域的垂直方向信道矢量
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000008
可以表示为
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000009
F M为M阶DFT矩阵。通过选择
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000010
最大幅度的位置(即，向量
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000011
的各元素中具有最大幅值的元素的位置)，可以如下估计得到E-AoA的估计值
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000012
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000013
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000014
n e为最大幅度位置索引。
此外，可以采用类似步骤估计A-AoA。记h a为
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000015
的第一行(也可以是其它行)，其表示M×M的均匀平面阵列天线的第1行的各天线单元的信道估计结果。则角度域的水平方向信道矢量
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000016
可表示为
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000017
考虑到水平方向角度分布为0到180度，可以估计得到A-AoA如下
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000018
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000019
其中n a为最大幅度位置索引。通过估计到达角
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000020
与
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000021
后，可以生成垂直方向与水平方向信道向量，并利用克罗内克积恢复待估计信道。
可以看出，E-AoA的估计值
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000022
具有M个可能的取值。该M个可能的取值离散地分布在[0，π/2]的区间(即，垂直到达角的取值范围)中。也就是说，E-AoA的估计值
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000023
的可能的取值的数量取决于阵列天线在垂直方向的天线单元的数量M。M的值越大，则E-AoA的估计值
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000024
的可能的取值的数量越多，则其对垂直到达角的取值范围[0，π/2]的划分越细，则能够更精确地估计用户的垂直到达角并且能够更好地区分垂直方向的用户、降低用户间的干扰。
此外，除上述基于位置的到达角估计算法之外，还可以采用MUSIC、ESPRIT等算法估计垂直到达角和水平到达角。类似地，MUSIC、ESPRIT等算法估计出的垂直到达角的精度也受限于阵列天线在垂直方向的天线单元的数量M。因此，在采用MUSIC、 ESPRIT等算法的情况下，增加阵列天线在垂直方向的天线单元的数量也可以提高垂直到达角的估计精度。
另一方面，平面阵列天线能够在垂直平面内发送的波束的数量受限于其在垂直方向的天线单元的数量。例如，对于M×M的均匀平面阵列天线而言，其能够发出M个在垂直平面内具有不同方向的波束。这M个波束的角度在垂直平面内离散地分布在[0，π/2]的区间中。因此，如果垂直方向的天线单元的数量越多(M的取值越大)，则从M×M的均匀平面阵列天线发出的在垂直平面内分离(即，相对于垂直方向具有不同角度)的波束的数量更多，从而这些波束对垂直角度区间[0，π/2]的划分更细，从而能够更精确地指向用户并且提高用户的通信质量。此外，如果垂直方向的天线单元的数量越多(M的取值越大)，则这些波束的宽度更窄、增益更高，从而也能够提高用户的通信质量。
然而，垂直方向的天线单元的数量不能无限地增多，因为天线单元的总数受限。因此，垂直方向的用户的分辨率受限。
类似地，水平方向的用户的分辨率受水平方向的天线单元的数量的限制。
本公开提出了利用偏移式阵列天线在使用与传统平面阵列天线相同数量(天线单元的总数)的天线单元的情况下提高用户的分辨率，从而提高通信质量。下面将对根据本公开的实施例的偏移式阵列天线进行描述。
[2-2.偏移式阵列天线]
图2B和2C示出了根据本发明的实施例可以使用的偏移式阵列天线2200、2300的示意图。为了便于与图2A中的传统平面阵列天线2100进行比较，图2B和2C示出的示例性偏移式阵列天线2200、2300配置与传统平面阵列天线2100相同数量的天线单元。
图2B中的偏移式阵列天线2200是垂直偏移式阵列天线(Vertical Offset Array Antenna)，即，各列天线单元在垂直方向上偏移。在偏移式阵列天线2200中，可以将某一列天线单元选为基准组天线单元(例如第1列或其它任何一列)，则其它列天线单元相对于基准组天线单元具有垂直方向的空间偏移。也就是说，每列天线单元的相应天线单元之间具有垂直方向的空间偏移。例如，第1～4列天线单元的4个第1天线单元之间具有垂直方向的空间偏移，依次类推。
图2C中的偏移式阵列天线2300是水平偏移式阵列天线(Horizontal Offset Array Antenna)，即，各行天线单元在水平方向上偏移。在偏移式阵列天线2300中，可以将某一行天线单元选为基准组天线单元(例如第1行或其它任何一行)，则其它行天线单 元相对于基准组天线单元具有水平方向的空间偏移。也就是说，每行天线单元的相应天线单元之间具有水平方向的空间偏移。例如，第1～4行天线单元的4个第1天线单元之间具有水平方向的空间偏移，依次类推。
可以将偏移式阵列天线的天线单元划分为一组或多组天线单元。例如，可以将垂直偏移式阵列天线2200的天线单元按列分组，则垂直偏移式阵列天线2200的一列天线单元可以称为一组天线单元。因此，在垂直偏移式阵列天线2200中，同一组天线单元中的各天线单元在垂直方向上对齐。类似地，可以将水平偏移式阵列天线2300的天线单元按行分组，则水平偏移式阵列天线2300的一行天线单元可以称为一组天线单元。因此，在水平偏移式阵列天线2200中，同一组天线单元中的各天线单元在水平方向上对齐。
可以将偏移式阵列天线的同一组天线单元中的各天线单元的对齐方向称为偏移式阵列天线的第一方向。该第一方向可以是水平方向或垂直方向，也可以是介于水平方向和垂直方向之间的某一方向。偏移式阵列天线的各组天线单元沿与第一方向垂直的第二方向布置。
偏移式阵列天线的同一组天线单元之中的各天线单元可以在第一方向上具有均匀的间距(可以称为组内间距(intra-group gap))。此外，偏移式阵列天线的各组天线单元之间可以在第二方向上具有均匀的间距(可以称为组间间距(inter-group gap))。当组内间距和组间间距相同时，该偏移式阵列天线可以称为偏移式均匀阵列天线或偏移式均匀平面阵列天线。此外，组内间距和组间间距也可以不同。
在一些实施例中，偏移式阵列天线的同一组天线单元之中的各天线单元可以在第一方向上具有非均匀的组内间距。此外，偏移式阵列天线的各组天线单元之间可以在第二方向上具有非均匀的组间间距。非均匀的组内间距和非均匀的组间间距可以根据在本申请的同一申请人于2016年1月26日提交的申请号为201610051745.X、名称为“非均匀天线阵列及其信号处理”的专利申请中的记载的方式确定，该专利申请的全部内容通过引用并入本文。
偏移式阵列天线的各组天线单元可以在第一方向上具有一定的空间偏移量，该偏移量可以称为组间偏移量(inter-group offset)。组间偏移量可以等于或约等于组内间距，也可以是组内间距的两倍或更多倍，或者是其它大于组内间距的值。此外，组间偏移量也可以是组内间距的二分之一或其它小于组内间距的值。
[2-3.偏移天线单元和伪天线单元]
在偏移式阵列天线的各组天线单元的各天线单元之中，相对于基准组天线单元的每一个天线单元在第一方向上具有空间偏移的天线单元可以称为偏移天线单元。此外，多个偏移天线单元之间也具有第一方向上的空间偏移。也就是说，一个偏移天线单元与基准组天线单元的每一个天线单元在第二方向上都不对齐，并且任何两个偏移天线单元在第二方向上不对齐。可以定义与偏移天线单元相应的伪天线单元(pseudo antenna element)，该伪天线单元与基准组天线单元在第一方向上对齐。
图3A示出了偏移式阵列天线3000的偏移天线单元和伪天线单元。在图3A中，第1列天线单元被用作基准组天线单元，第2～4列中的实心方块表示偏移天线单元，第1列下方的斜纹方块表示伪天线单元(实际上不存在的天线单元)。图3A中的实心方块所代表的天线单元由于与基准组天线单元的每一个天线单元都具有第一方向的空间偏移(即，在第二方向上不对齐)，并且任何两个实心方块所代表的天线单元具有第一方向的空间偏移(即，在第二方向上不对齐)，因此，这些实心方块可以被选作偏移天线单元。
根据本公开的实施例，基准组天线单元和偏移天线单元中的一个或多个(或者全部偏移天线单元)可以用于提高在第一方向上的用户分辨率。这是因为偏移天线单元可以对应于与基准组天线单元在第一方向上对齐的伪天线单元。例如，通过对偏移天线单元在第二方向上进行相位补偿，则从偏移天线单元发送/接收的信号可以视为从其对应的伪天线单元发送/接收的信号。从而在没有增加实际天线单元的数量的情况下等效地增加了偏移式阵列天线在第一方向上的天线单元的数量，从而可以提高在第一方向上的用户分辨率。
此外，对于传统平面阵列天线2100，如果一个或多个天线单元损坏或缺失，则也可以为传统平面阵列天线2100定义基准组天线单元、偏移天线单元和/或伪天线单元，并且利用基准组天线单元与偏移天线单元来提高第一方向上的用户分辨率。在这种情况下，偏移天线单元和伪天线单元的定义与偏移式阵列天线的偏移天线单元和伪天线单元的定义相同。
图3B示出了具有一个或多个缺损天线单元的传统平面阵列天线3100。这里，缺损天线单元是指该天线单元损坏(不能正常工作)，或在该天线单元的位置处无实际天线单元。在图3B中，由于用户在第一方向上的正常天线单元(可以正常工作的天线单元)的数量从4减少为2，所以天线3100对第一方向上的用户分辨率降低。因此，例如，可以将第1列(或其它列)选为基准组天线单元，并且在第2、3列中定义偏移天线单元(实心方块所示)。在这种情况下，第1列中最下方两个斜纹方块表示与偏移天线单元 对应的伪天线单元。可以利用基准组天线单元和偏移天线单元来提高天线3100在第一方向上的用户分辨率。其原理类似于图3A中的偏移式阵列天线3000。
由于在偏移式阵列天线和具有缺损天线单元的阵列天线中用偏移天线单元提高第一方向上的用户分辨率的原理相同，所以，本文中对偏移式阵列天线描述的处理同样适用于具有缺损天线单元的阵列天线。
图4A～4C示出了具有各种组间偏移量的偏移式阵列天线的偏移天线单元和伪天线单元。在图4A中，组间偏移量为0，因此没有偏移天线单元和伪天线单元。在图4A的情况下，偏移式阵列天线退化为传统平面阵列天线。在图4B中，组间偏移量为组内间距，可以将第2～4列天线单元的最下方的1个天线单元选作偏移天线单元，伪天线单元的数量相应地为3。在图4C中，组间偏移量为2倍组内间距，因此，可以将第2～4列天线单元的最下方的2个天线单元均选作偏移天线单元，而伪天线单元的数量也相应地增加至6。
在图4A和4B中，在第二方向上至少有具有如下特征的一行天线单元：该行天线单元在第二方向上对齐，并且该行天线单元的数量与偏移式阵列天线的列数相同。然而，在图4C中不存在这样一行天线单元。因此，在图4C中可以进一步定义第二方向的偏移天线单元和伪天线单元(图4C中的竖条纹方块)，从而可以提高在第二方向上的用户分辨率。
图5A～5C示出了根据本公开的实施例的偏移式阵列天线与天线端口的可能的映射关系。在图5A中，伪天线单元与天线端口间不存在映射，只将实际的天线单元分组映射到天线端口，这可直接兼容现有标准。在图5B中，伪天线单元与实际天线单元映射为相同的天线端口。在图5C中，伪天线单元与实际天线单元映射为不同的天线端口，将伪天线单元映射到伪天线端口。
图5D示出了根据本公开的实施例的具有缺损天线单元的阵列天线与天线端口的可能的映射关系。在图5D中，正常天线单元映射到与原正常天线单元对应的实际天线端口，伪天线单元映射到与原缺损天线单元对应的实际天线端口。由于原缺损天线单元对应的实际天线端口可能与正常天线单元对应的实际天线端口相同，所以伪天线单元可能与正常天线单元对应的实际天线端口相同。
上述几种不同的映射方案可以根据不同的偏移式均匀平面阵列配置、天线的缺损情况以及不同的应用需求灵活调整。
[2-4.偏移式码本]
偏移式码本是用于对偏移式阵列天线进行预编码或波束赋形的码本。偏移式码本可以通过在用于传统平面阵列天线的非偏移式码本的技术上添加第一方向的相位偏移来获得。
以图3中的偏移式阵列天线3000为例说明偏移式码本的确定方法。假设偏移式阵列天线3000为垂直偏移式阵列天线，并且组间间隔和组内间隔均为D。由于各列天线单元之间具有垂直方向的偏移，所以偏移式阵列天线3000的水平方向信道导向矢量从公式3变成：
与公式3相比，偏移式阵列天线3000的水平方向信道导向矢量有额外的
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000026
项，该项反映了偏移式阵列天线3000的垂直方向的相位偏移，即，
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000027
然后，可以根据公式1获得偏移式阵列天线3000的偏移式窄带多径信道系数矩阵
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000028
通过对加入了垂直相位偏移的信道系数矩阵
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000029
进行量化，可以得到用于对偏移式阵列天线3000进行预编码或波束赋形的多个码字。这多个码字形成了用于偏移式阵列天线3000的码本。该偏移式码本是偏移式克罗内克积DFT码本。
以上对根据本公开的实施例的偏移式阵列天线进行了描述，下面将描述利用偏移式阵列天线来提高在第一方向(水平、垂直、或其它方向)上的用户的分辨率的处理的优选实施例。
<3.通信装置中的处理>
下面，将在假设通信装置1100为基站、通信装置1200为用户设备的情况下描述通信装置1100和1200的处理，并且将从通信装置1100到通信装置1200的通信称为下行，将从通信装置1200到通信装置1100的通信称为上行。注意，在通信装置1100不是基站、通信装置1200不是用户设备的情况下，通信装置1100和1200也可以执行以下描述的处理。此外，在下面描述的通信装置1100和1200所执行的处理的部分或全部可以由处理电路1112和1212执行，也可以由处理电路1112和1212控制通信装置1100和1200中的其它部件和/或其它装置中的部件来执行。
[3-1.通信装置1100中的处理]
通信装置1100可以经由天线1120向通信装置1200发送或从通信装置1200接收信号。通信装置1100的天线1120可以是如上所述的偏移式阵列天线。
天线1120的各组天线单元之间可以具有第一方向上的相位差。一方面，由于天线1120的各组天线单元在第一方向上具有空间偏移，所以信号到达各组天线单元的路径具有第一方向的路程差，所以经由天线1120的各组天线单元接收到的信号具有与第一方向的路程差对应的相位差。另一方面，在经由天线1120发送信号时，可以使得在各组天线单元上发送的信号具有与第一方向的路程差对应的相位差，从而使得在各组天线单元上发送的信号的叠加信号在通信装置1200处能够被更好地接收。
例如，可以使得天线1120的一组天线单元中的天线单元相对于另一组天线单元的相应天线单元具有第一方向的相位差。例如，在图2B的垂直偏移式阵列天线2200中，各列天线单元的第1天线单元之间具有垂直方向的相位差，即，与垂直方向的路程差对应的相位差。在图2C的水平偏移式阵列天线2300中，各行天线单元的第1天线单元之间具有水平方向的相位差，即，与水平方向的路程差对应的相位差。
此外，由于天线1120的各组天线单元本身为线性阵列天线，所以同一组天线单元中的各天线单元之间也会存在第一方向的相位差。因此，这里可以将各组天线单元之间的第一方向的相位差称为第一方向的组间相位差，将同一组天线单元内的各天线单元之间的相位差称为组内相位差。第一方向的组间相位差可以由各组天线单元的相应天线单元(例如，各组天线单元的第1天线单元)之间的第一方向的相位差确定。此外，由于各组天线单元在第二方向上间隔排列，所以各组天线单元之间在第二方向上也具有相位差，可以称为第二方向的组间相位差。
通信装置1100可以利用经由天线1120发送或接收的具有第一方向的组间相位差的信号，获得通信装置1100与所述通信装置1200之间的第一方向上的信道状态。该信道状态可以是从通信装置1200到通信装置1100的上行信道状态，也可以是从通信装置1100到通信装置1200的下行信道状态。该信道状态可以包括信道质量、信道方向(例如，信道导向矢量、到达角或者用于通信装置1200的最优波束等)。
在确定上述信道状态的过程中，通信装置1100可以利用天线1120的基准组天线单元以及至少一个偏移天线单元。偏移天线单元与基准组天线单元之间具有第一方向的相位差以及第二方向的相位差。通信装置1100可以通过对偏移天线单元的第二方向的相位差进行补偿来消除偏移天线单元与基准组天线单元之间的第二方向的相位差。因此，经 过相位补偿的偏移天线单元与基准组天线单元构成一个等效的线性阵列天线，该线性阵列天线在第一方向具有比基准组天线单元更多数量的天线单元，从而能够提高第一方向的用户分辨率。
上述相位补偿可以在模拟域实现，例如通过在偏移天线单元的上游添加移相器，使得信号在经由偏移天线单元发送之前经移相器移相。上述相位补偿也可以通过数字域的信号处理来进行，例如，将偏移式天线阵列连接到预编码模块，使得信号在经由基准组天线单元和偏移天线单元发送之前乘以相应的预编码系数。通过对偏移天线单元的预编码系数进行相位补偿可以实现对偏移天线单元的相位补偿。此外，对于阵列天线，原本每个天线单元也会连接一个移相器，因此，也可以使用这个原本就有的移相器来对偏移天线单元进行上述相位补偿(例如，通过调整该移相器的相位值)。
通信装置1100可以利用天线1120进行下行波束训练(例如，发送波束赋形的小区专用参考信号)，并根据通信装置1200的反馈来确定用于向通信装置1200发送下行信号的最优波束。在上下行信道不具有互易性的示例中，例如部分FDD系统中，基站可以通过下行波束训练确定用于下行发射的波束。
图6示出了根据本公开的实施例的通信装置1100进行下行波束训练的处理流程。在步骤6100，通信装置1100可以利用基准组天线单元以及至少一个偏移天线单元发送相对于第一方向具有不同角度的多个波束。
例如，通信装置1100可以首先补偿偏移天线单元相对于基准组天线单元在第二方向上的相位差。例如，对于图3中的偏移式阵列天线3000，第2～4列天线单元的偏移天线单元(实心方块)相对于基准组天线单元在第二方向上分别具有1、2、3倍的组间间距。因此，对于图3中第2～4列天线单元的偏移天线单元(实心方块)而言，分别需要补偿1、2、3倍的第二方向的组间相位差。
以图3中的偏移式阵列天线3000为例，假设偏移式阵列天线3000为垂直偏移式阵列天线，并且组间间隔和组内间隔均为D。通信装置1100可以首先确定要发出的波束的水平角度θ和垂直角度β。在这种情况下，从相邻两列天线单元发出的信号在第二方向上的路程差为Dcosβcosθ，相位差为2π(D/λ)cosβcosθ。因此，在将第1列天线单元作为基准组天线单元的情况下，通信装置1100可以确定对第m列天线单元的偏移天线单元补偿2π(m-1)(D/λ)cosβcosθ的相位。然后，通信装置1100可以用基准组天线单元以及经过相位补偿的偏移天线单元作为等效组天线单元发送水平角度为θ、垂直角度为β的波束，例如，经过波束赋形的参考信号。
通信装置1100可以通过改变垂直角度β来发送相对于垂直方向具有不同角度的多个波束。在一个天线单元连接到多个射频链路的情况下，这多个波束可以同时发送。在一个天线单元连接到一个射频链路的情况下，这多个波束可以分时发送。
在本公开的实施例中，由于通信装置1100在发送波束时使用了比基准组天线单元具有更多天线单元的等效组天线单元发送波束，所以该波束具有更窄的宽度和更高的增益，从而能够更好地指向目标通信装置，并且提供更高的通信质量。
通信装置1200在接收到从通信装置1100发送的多个波束时，可以估计这些波束的接收质量，并将波束指示反馈给通信装置1100。该波束指示可以包括通信装置1200对这多个波束的接收状态。例如，该波束指示可以包括以下各项中的一项或多项：对最优波束(具有最好接收质量)的指示(例如，CSI-RS Resource Indicator即CRI)、最优波束的接收质量(例如，CQI)、最优波束的信道方向(例如，PMI)、以及对一个或多个其它波束的信道状态的指示。
在步骤6200，通信装置1100可以从通信装置1200接收上述波束指示。在步骤6300，通信装置1100可以基于该波束指示确定通信装置1100与通信装置1200的第一方向的信道状态。例如，通信装置1100可以基于对最优波束的指示确定通信装置1200的方向，即，最优波束的方向。
在一些实施例中，通信装置1100可以通过在下行信道估计和反馈阶段发送两次参考信号来获得到目标通信装置的下行信道状态。图7示出了根据本公开的实施例的通信装置1100获得到目标通信装置的下行信道状态的处理流程。
在步骤7100，通信装置1100可以发送未经波束赋形的第一参考信号，例如未经波束赋形的CSI-RS。在步骤7200，通信装置1100可以从通信装置1200接收第一信道信息。第一信道信息可以是通信装置1200基于第一参考信号获得的关于从通信装置1100到通信装置1200的下行信道状态的信息。例如，第一信道信息可以是通信装置1200从用于天线1120的偏移式码本中选择的码字的指示，例如PMI。
在步骤7300，通信装置1100可以基于第一信道信息发送波束赋形的第二参考信号，例如经波束赋形的CSI-RS。例如，通信装置1100可以基于第一信道信息确定通信装置1200的方向，然后发送指向该方向的经过波束赋形的第二参考信号。用于对第二参考信号进行波束赋形的空域处理参数(例如，基带波束赋形中射频电路和天线的组合系数，模拟波束赋形中天线的相位、幅度等)可以基于该方向来确定。
在步骤7400，通信装置1100可以从通信装置1200接收第二信道信息。第二信道信 息可以是通信装置1200基于经过波束赋形的第二参考信号获得的。相比于第一信道信息，第二信道信息能够更精确地反映从通信装置1100到通信装置1200的下行信道状态。
在一些实施例中，该经过波束赋形的第二参考信号可以由天线1120的基准组天线单元和至少一个偏移天线单元发送，从而可以减小波束的宽度并且提高波束增益，从而提高波束赋形的参考信号的发送效果。通信装置1200在接收到利用基准组天线单元和至少一个偏移天线单元发送的波束赋形的第二参考信号时，可以估计得到第一方向的信道状态(例如，CQI、PMI等)，并将包括第一方向的信道状态的第二信道信息反馈给通信装置1100。通信装置1100在接收到第二信道信息时，可以基于第二信道信息中包括的第一方向的信道状态以及第一信道信息估计第二方向的信道状态。例如，通信装置1100可以利用公式7-9来估计第二方向的信道状态。
在一些实施例中，该经过波束赋形的第二参考信号可以由天线1120的基准组天线单元、至少一个偏移天线单元以及在第二方向上对齐的一组天线单元发送。以图4B中的偏移式阵列天线为例。图4B中纵向的虚线椭圆表示基准组天线单元与伪天线单元的组合，横向实线椭圆表示在第二方向上对齐的一组实际天线单元(其数量与该偏移式阵列天线的天线单元的组数相同)。通信装置1100可以利用虚线椭圆中的天线单元在第一方向进行波束赋形，利用实线椭圆中的天线单元在第二方向进行波束赋形。从而，通信装置1200可以基于在第一方向和在第二方向进行了波束赋形的第二参考信号获得第一方向和第二方向的信道状态，并将包括第一方向和第二方向的信道状态的第二信道信息反馈给通信装置1100。此外，通信装置1100也可以利用图4C所示的偏移式阵列天线在第一方向和第二方向上均利用实际天线单元加伪天线单元的组合进行波束赋形。例如，在图4C中，第二方向的波束赋形可以利用第1列的最后1个实际天线单元，第2列中与该实际天线单元在第二方向上对齐的天线单元、以及第3、4列中的最上方的天线单元(经过垂直相位补偿)来完成。
注意，这里所说的利用伪天线单元发送/接收信号或者进行波束赋形，实际上是指通过对与伪天线单元对应的偏移天线单元进行相位补偿之后发送/接收信号或者进行波束赋形。
上面描述了获得从通信装置1100到通信装置1200的下行信道状态的处理流程。在一些实施例中，通信装置1100也可以通过接收来自通信装置1200的参考信号，基于该参考信号获得从通信装置1200到通信装置1100的上行信道状态。在上下行信道具有互易性的示例中，例如TDD系统中，基站可以确定上行信道状态和下行信道状态之一，并 根据该信道状态确定下行发射使用的波束。
下面将描述获得从通信装置1200到通信装置1100的上行信道状态的处理流程。
通信装置1100可以获得基准组天线单元与至少一个偏移天线单元的联合信道系数向量。该联合信道系数向量包括基准组天线单元的信道系数以及至少一个偏移天线单元的经过补偿的信道系数。然后，通信装置1100可以基于该联合信道系数向量获得第一方向的信道状态。
例如，通信装置1100通过对至少一个偏移天线单元在第二方向上进行相位补偿，使得经过补偿的至少一个天线单元与基准组天线单元没有第二方向上的相位差。
此外，所述补偿可以基于所述偏移式阵列天线的初始信道系数进行，所述初始信道系数可以利用非偏移式阵列天线的信道状态估计方法获得。
图8示出了根据本公开的实施例的通信装置1100获得从目标通信装置到通信装置1100的上行信道状态的处理流程。下面将以天线1120是图3中的偏移式阵列天线3000为例来说明该处理流程，并且假设偏移式阵列天线3000为垂直偏移式阵列天线(例如，垂直偏移式阵列天线2200)。但是，在天线1120是其它类型的偏移式阵列天线(例如，水平偏移式阵列天线2300)时，可以对该处理流程稍加变型。
在步骤8100，通信装置1100可以接收来自通信装置1200的参考信号。在步骤8200，通信装置1100可以利用非偏移式阵列天线的信道状态估计方法基于接收到的参考信号估计初始信道系数，即，信道矩阵
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000030
信道矩阵
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000031
可以表示为如下形式：
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000032
其中，h e(β)与h a，offset(β，θ)分别表示E-AoA为β，A-AoA为θ的垂直方向信道导向矢量与水平方向信道导向矢量。信道矩阵
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000033
中的第m行第n列的元素对应于垂直偏移式阵列天线的第n列天线单元的第m天线单元、水平偏移式阵列天线的第m行天线单元的第n天线单元。
在步骤8300，通信装置1100可以基于估计得到的信道矩阵
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000034
确定粗略的垂直到达角和水平到达角。例如，通信装置1100可以利用上述基于位置的到达角估计算法、ESPRIT或MUSIC算法等，确定粗略的垂直到达角
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000035
和水平到达角
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000036
例如，如果采用基于位置的到达角估计算法，则可以进行以下处理。记ge为
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000037
的第一列(也可以是任何其它列)，其表示偏移式阵列天线3000的第1列的各天线单元的信道估计结果。对于E-AoA的粗略估计
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000038
可计算如下
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000039
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000040
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000041
其中，
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000042
为角度域垂直方向导向向量，n e，0为最大幅度位置索引，F M为M阶DFT矩阵。然后，可以根据
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000043
计算A-AoA的粗略估计值
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000044
如下
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000046
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000047
其中，g a表示在水平方向对齐的一组天线单元的信道系数，
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000048
为角度域水平方向导向向量，n a，0为最大幅度位置索引。需要注意，由于垂直偏移式阵列天线的各列天线单元具有垂直方向的相位差，因此g a不是
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000049
的第一行，而是
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000050
的次对角线。
在步骤8400，通信装置1100可以基于粗略的垂直到达角和水平到达角对偏移天线单元的信道系数进行补偿。在将第1列天线单元作为基准组天线单元的情况下，通信装置1100可以确定对第m列天线单元的偏移天线单元的初始信道系数乘以
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000051
即，对第m列天线单元的偏移天线单元补偿
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000052
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000053
的相位，以消除偏移天线单元与基准组天线单元之间的水平相位差。偏移天线单元的经过补偿的信道系数表示与其相应的伪天线单元的信道系数。
在步骤8500，通信装置1100可以基于偏移天线单元的经过补偿的信道系数和基准组天线单元的信道系数确定更精确的垂直到达角和水平到达角。
记g r∈C 1×M为
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000054
的第M行，该向量的第2到第M个元素表示第2至第M列天线单元的偏移天线单元的信道系数。可以生成用于第2至第M列天线单元的偏移天线单元的补偿矩阵C∈C M×M，其可表示为
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000055
利用g r与补偿矩阵C可以得到伪天线单元的信道向量g v∈C (M-1)×1如下
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000056
其中<·> 2：M表示取向量的第2到M列。然后，利用第1列中的实际天线单元与伪天线单元生成垂直方向联合信道向量g j∈C (2M-1)×1如下
g j＝[g e；g v]。(公式21)
利用联合向量g j，可以对E-AoA进行更精确地估计，得到更精确的垂直到达角
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000057
如下
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000058
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000059
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000060
其中F 2M-1为2M-1阶DFT矩阵。
此外，可以将公式18中的
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000061
替代为
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000062
计算更精确的水平到达角
Figure PCTCN2018075545-appb-000063
上述处理流程可以获得更精确的垂直到达角和水平到达角，使得例如在TDD系统中下行波束赋形时波束方向能够更加对准目标用户，提高波束赋形性能。
在一些实施例中，通信装置1100可以基于第一方向的相位差，确定用于对作为偏移式阵列天线的天线1120进行波束赋形的偏移式码本。偏移式码本的确定方法已经在前面进行了描述，这里不再赘述。
通信装置1100可以例如在通信装置1200接入的过程中将作为偏移式阵列天线的天线1120的偏移信息发送给通信装置1200。偏移信息可以包括例如天线1120的偏移方向(例如，水平或垂直)、组间偏移量(例如，0表示无偏移，1表示组间偏移量等于组内间距，2表示组间偏移量为2倍组内间距)、天线规模(例如，水平和/或垂直方向的天线单元数)等。偏移信息可以指示天线的偏移模式。天线1120可以有若干种预设的偏移模式，例如，无偏移(例如，传统平面阵列天线)、垂直-1偏移(在垂直方向的组间偏移量为组内间距)、垂直-2偏移(在垂直方向的组间偏移量为2倍组内间距)、水平-1偏移(在水平方向的组间偏移量为组内间距)、水平-2偏移(在水平方向的组间偏移量为2倍组内间距)等。通信装置1100可以对这些预设模式编号，然后将要使用的偏移模式的编号包含在偏移信息中发送给装置1200。
在一些实施例中，支持偏移式天线阵列的面板(panel)上的天线单元的排布方式是可以在多种预设的偏移模式中变化的(通过活动连接件等常用机械结构对天线单元的偏移方向和偏移量进行手动调节或电调)。运营商可以根据部署场景手动固定一种偏移模式。替代地，通信装置1100可以根据上行/下行信道状态动态调整要使用的偏移模式。例如，通信装置1100可以调整组间偏移量，即，多组天线单元之间的第一方向的空间偏移，例如，从“垂直-1偏移”模式改变为“垂直-2偏移”。可以理解，由于不需要增加额外的天线单元，只需要更复杂的机械结构支持，所以在发明人构思的指导下，这只是例行 的机械设计工作。
[3-2.通信装置1200中的处理]
通信装置1200可以经由天线1220从通信装置1100接收或向通信装置1100发送信号。通信装置1100的天线1120可以是如上所述的偏移式阵列天线。因此，通信装置1200接收到的从通信装置1100利用天线1120发送的信号具有第一方向的相位差。通信装置1200可以利用该信号，获得通信装置1100和通信装置1200之间的第一方向的信道状态，然后将包括第一方向的信道状态的指示的信息发送给作为目标通信装置的通信装置1100。
通信装置1200接收到的信号可以是在下行波束训练阶段和/或下行信道估计和反馈阶段利用通信装置1100的天线1120的基准组天线单元和至少一个偏移天线单元发送的，例如经过波束赋形的CSI-RS。利用天线1120的基准组天线单元和至少一个偏移天线单元发送经过波束赋形的信号的情况下，信号的波束可以具有更窄的宽度和更高的增益，从而在通信装置1200处可以更精确地估计信道状态。
下面将参照图9-10具体描述通信装置1200的处理流程。在下面的描述中，一些由通信装置1100执行的操作的具体流程已在前面参照通信装置1100进行了详细描述，这里不再赘述。
图9示出了根据本公开的实施例的通信装置1200在下行波束训练阶段的处理流程。
在步骤9100，通信装置1200可以接收从通信装置1100利用天线1120的基准组天线单元和至少一个偏移天线单元发送的相对于第一方向具有不同角度的多个波束。例如，通信装置1200可以用专属的参考信号资源(传输资源)以相对于第一方向的不同角度发送经波束赋形的参考信号。
在步骤9200，通信装置1200可以确定这些波束的接收状态。例如，对这些波束的接收质量进行估计。
在步骤9300，通信装置1200可以向通信装置1100发送波束指示，例如，对多个波束的接收状态(例如，接收质量(例如CQI、RSSI))的指示。在一些实施例中，该波束指示可以是对所述多个波束之中具有最好接收质量的波束的指示。例如，该波束指示可以包括以下各项中的一项或多项：对最优波束(具有最好接收质量)的指示(例如，CSI-RS资源指示符CRI(通信装置1100可以在不同的方向上以不同的传输资源发射经波束赋形的CSI-RS即BF-CSI-RS，通信装置1200反馈CRI来指示波束))、 最优波束的接收质量(例如，CQI)、最优波束的信道方向(例如，PMI)、以及对一个或多个其它波束的信道状态的指示。通信装置1100在接收到波束指示时可以根据该波束指示确定通信装置1200的方向和/或用于通信装置1200的最优波束。
在上述示例中，通信装置1200反馈给通信装置1100的消息还可以进一步包括例如PMI、RI等用于提高空分增益的信道状态信息。另外，波束的编号/ID的指示在一些示例中和相应反馈消息所占的传输资源位置相关联，从而隐式的被包含于反馈消息当中，而不必然对应传输比特位。
图10示出了根据本公开的实施例的通信装置1200在下行信道估计和反馈阶段的处理流程。
在步骤10100，通信装置1200可以接收第一参考信号，例如，传统的未经波束赋形的CSI-RS。
在步骤10200，通信装置1200可以基于第一参考信号确定并反馈第一信道信息。例如，通信装置1200可以基于第一参考信号估计从通信装置1100到通信装置1200的下行信道，根据下行信道的估计结果从用于天线1120的偏移式码本中选出最优码字，例如，与下行信道的估计结果匹配的码字。该偏移式码本可以是通信装置1200基于从通信装置1100接收到的偏移信息确定的，也可以是在通信装置1200的初始化阶段预先存储在存储器中的。通信装置1200可以将对匹配码字的指示(例如，PMI)包括在发送给通信装置1100的第一信道信息中。
前面介绍的偏移式码本是第一方向以及第二方向上的偏移式克罗内克积DFT码本，例如，对第一方向和第二方向的信道导向矢量的克罗内克积量化的码本。此外，也可以仅采用第二方向上的偏移式码本。例如，通信装置1200可以基于公式10对第二方向上的信道导向矢量进行量化存储，作为第二方向上的偏移式码本。通信装置1200在接收到第一参考号时可以估计得到第二方向的信道状态，然后将第二方向的信道状态的估计结果和第二方向的偏移式码本进行比较，确定第二方向的匹配码字，并将对第二方向的匹配码字的指示包括在发送给通信装置1100的第一信道信息中。此外，通信装置在接收到第一参考号时还可以估计得到第一方向的信道状态，然后将第一方向的信道状态的估计结果和第一方向的非偏移式码本(例如，对公式2进行量化得到的码本)进行比较，确定第一方向的匹配码字，并将对第一方向的匹配码字的指示包括在发送给通信装置1100的第一信道信息中。
在步骤10300，通信装置1200可以接收经过波束赋形的第二参考信号。在步骤 10400，通信装置1200可以基于第二参考信号确定并反馈第二信道信息。
在一些实施例中，第二参考信号可以是由通信装置1100利用天线1120的基准组天线单元和至少一个偏移天线单元在第一方向上进行波束赋形来发送的。通信装置1200在接收到利用基准组天线单元和至少一个偏移天线单元发送的在第一方向上进行了波束赋形的第二参考信号时，可以估计得到第一方向的信道状态(例如，CQI、PMI)，并将包括第一方向的信道状态的第二信道信息反馈给通信装置1100。
在一些实施例中，第二参考信号可以是由天线1120的基准组天线单元、至少一个偏移天线单元以及在第二方向上对齐的一组天线单元在第一方向和第二方向上进行波束赋形来发送的。通信装置1200可以基于在第一方向和在第二方向进行了波束赋形的第二参考信号获得第一方向和第二方向的信道状态(例如，CQI、PMI)，并将包括第一方向和第二方向的信道状态的第二信道信息反馈给通信装置1100。
[3-3.对于存在缺损天线单元的阵列天线的一些特殊处理]
存在缺损天线单元的阵列天线与偏移式阵列天线存在一些不同之处。因为，对于存在缺损天线单元的阵列天线，缺损天线单元的位置本来应该有能够正常工作的实际天线单元，但可能由于该位置的天线单元损坏或者由于某些意外情况缺失，从而可能导致阵列天线的通信质量劣化。因此，对于存在缺损天线单元的阵列天线可以执行一些特殊处理来提高其通信质量。下面将在假设通信装置1100的天线1120是图3B中的天线3100的情况下进行说明。
首先，将描述通信装置1100处的上行信道估计处理。
通信装置1100在经由天线1120接收来自作为目标通信装置1200的信号时，缺损天线单元将不能正常接收信号，由此通信装置1100可以获知哪些天线单元是缺损天线单元。通信装置1100可以首先基于从正常天线单元接收到的信号获得天线1120的第二方向的组间相位差，例如，可以基于从图3B中第1列第2个天线单元和第2列第2个天线单元接收到的信号获得组间相位差。在获得组间相位差之后，通信装置1100可以对偏移天线单元进行第二方向的相位补偿，例如，对第2列的偏移天线单元补偿1倍的组间相位差，对第3列的偏移天线单元补偿2倍的组间相位差。然后，通信装置1100可以利用经相位补偿的偏移天线单元和基准天线单元估计第一方向的信道状态。
其次，类似于偏移式阵列天线的例子，通信装置1100可以利用基准组天线单元和偏移天线单元来进行下行波束训练。
最后，在下行信道估计和反馈处理中，通信装置1200可以基于接收到的信号确定哪些天线单元缺损。例如，通信装置1100在不同的时间段利用不同的天线单元发送参考信号的情况下，通信装置1200可以通过判断在特定时间段是否接收到信号来确定与该时间段对应的天线单元是否缺损。
在这个例子中，天线1120是4×4的均匀平面阵列天线，其信道系数矩阵为4×4的矩阵。但由于某些天线单元缺损，所以通信装置1200基于接收到的参考信号所确定的4×4的信道系数矩阵中与缺损天线单元对应的元素为0。在这种情况下，通信装置1200仍然可以利用传统的4×4的均匀平面阵列天线所对应的码本来确定匹配码字，然后将指示匹配码字的信息反馈给通信装置1100。通信装置1100可以基于接收到的反馈信息确定粗略的信道方向，然后以与偏移式阵列天线类似的方法利用基准组天线阵列和偏移天线阵列向该粗略的信道方向发送波束赋形的参考信号对信道进行更精确的估计。
这里所描述的针对具有缺损天线单元的阵列天线的处理的一些具体细节已在上面参照偏移式阵列天线进行了描述，因而不再赘述。
<4.仿真结果>
考虑单小区多用户、视距信道场景，对比通信装置1100(例如，位于小区中心的基站)配置传统均匀平面阵列天线情况下的仿真结果以及配置“垂直-1偏移”模式的偏移式均匀平面阵列天线情况下的仿真结果。数值仿真参数如表1所示：
表1仿真系统参数
小区内径r min 50m
小区外径r max 200m
用户个数K 4，8
天线个数M 8，16
天线间距D λ/2
基站高度 35m
用户高度 1.5m
A-AoA分布 U(0，π)
E-AoA分布 U(β min，β max)
其中U代表均匀分布，β min与β max取决于基站高度、用户高度、小区内径和小区外径。
图11示出了本发明方案与传统均匀平面阵列天线的水平到达角估计结果。图12示出了本发明方案与传统均匀平面阵列天线的垂直到达角估计结果。如图11、12所示，在本发明的方案下，E-AoA与A-AoA估计误差均有显著降低，尤其在低信噪比场景下。并且，在E-AoA估计性能对比中，由于本发明的方案在垂直方向的波束赋形中采用了偏移 天线单元，所以本发明方案效果在不同信噪比场景下性能增益均非常明显。
图13示出了本发明方案与传统均匀平面阵列天线的下行波束赋形频谱效率。其给出了下行频谱效率在不同上行信噪比情况下的对比，主要说明上行信道估计对下行波束赋形的影响。这里面，采用下行信噪比SNR＝20dB以减弱用户端接收机噪声的影响，主要考虑波束赋形后的用户间干扰。显然，本发明方案下行频谱效率更高，这是由于上行信道估计更加准确，使得下行波束能够更加对准目标用户，减小用户间干扰。
图14出了本发明方案与传统均匀平面阵列天线在相同信噪比环境下的用户下行平均频谱效率累积分布函数图。在图14中，上下行信噪比均20dB。从图14中也可以看出本发明的方案的用户下行平均频谱效率更高。
<5.应用示例>
[5-1.关于通信装置1100的应用示例]
(第一应用示例)
图15是示出可以应用本公开内容的技术的eNB的示意性配置的第一示例的框图。eNB 800包括多个天线810以及基站设备820。基站设备820和每个天线810可以经由RF线缆彼此连接。
天线810中的每一个均包括单个或多个天线元件(诸如包括在多输入多输出(MIMO)天线中的多个天线元件)，并且用于基站设备820发送和接收无线信号。如图15所示，eNB 800可以包括多个天线810。例如，多个天线810可以与eNB 800使用的多个频带兼容。多个天线810排布为本公开的上述示例中的天线阵列，例如偏移式阵列天线。
基站设备820包括控制器821、存储器822、网络接口823以及无线通信接口825。
控制器821可以为例如CPU或DSP，并且操作基站设备820的较高层的各种功能。例如，控制器821根据由无线通信接口825处理的信号中的数据来生成数据分组，并经由网络接口823来传递所生成的分组。控制器821可以对来自多个基带处理器的数据进行捆绑以生成捆绑分组，并传递所生成的捆绑分组。控制器821可以具有执行如下控制的逻辑功能：该控制诸如为无线资源控制、无线承载控制、移动性管理、接纳控制和调度。该控制可以结合附近的eNB或核心网节点来执行。存储器822包括RAM和ROM，并且存储由控制器821执行的程序和各种类型的控制数据(诸如终端列表、传输功率数 据以及调度数据)。
网络接口823为用于将基站设备820连接至核心网824的通信接口。控制器821可以经由网络接口823而与核心网节点或另外的eNB进行通信。在此情况下，eNB 800与核心网节点或其他eNB可以通过逻辑接口(诸如S1接口和X2接口)而彼此连接。网络接口823还可以为有线通信接口或用于无线回程线路的无线通信接口。如果网络接口823为无线通信接口，则与由无线通信接口825使用的频带相比，网络接口823可以使用较高频带用于无线通信。
无线通信接口825支持任何蜂窝通信方案(诸如长期演进(LTE)和LTE-先进)，并且经由天线810来提供到位于eNB 800的小区中的终端的无线连接。无线通信接口825通常可以包括例如基带(BB)处理器826和RF电路827。BB处理器826可以执行例如编码/解码、调制/解调以及复用/解复用，并且执行层(例如L1、介质访问控制(MAC)、无线链路控制(RLC)和分组数据汇聚协议(PDCP))的各种类型的信号处理。代替控制器821，BB处理器826可以具有上述逻辑功能的一部分或全部。BB处理器826可以为存储通信控制程序的存储器，或者为包括被配置为执行程序的处理器和相关电路的模块。更新程序可以使BB处理器826的功能改变。该模块可以为插入到基站设备820的槽中的卡或刀片。可替代地，该模块也可以为安装在卡或刀片上的芯片。同时，RF电路827可以包括例如混频器、滤波器和放大器，并且经由天线810来传送和接收无线信号。
如图15所示，无线通信接口825可以包括多个BB处理器826。例如，多个BB处理器826可以与eNB 800使用的多个频带兼容。如图15所示，无线通信接口825可以包括多个RF电路827。例如，多个RF电路827可以与多个天线元件兼容。虽然图15示出其中无线通信接口825包括多个BB处理器826和多个RF电路827的示例，但是无线通信接口825也可以包括单个BB处理器826或单个RF电路827。
(第二应用示例)
图16是示出可以应用本公开内容的技术的eNB的示意性配置的第二示例的框图。eNB 830包括多个天线840、基站设备850和RRH 860。RRH 860和每个天线840可以经由RF线缆而彼此连接。基站设备850和RRH 860可以经由诸如光纤线缆的高速线路而彼此连接。
天线840中的每一个均包括单个或多个天线元件(诸如包括在MIMO天线中的多个天线元件)并且用于RRH 860发送和接收无线信号。如图16所示，eNB 830可以包括 多个天线840。例如，多个天线840可以与eNB 830使用的多个频带兼容。多个天线840排布为本公开的上述示例中的天线阵列，例如偏移式阵列天线。
基站设备850包括控制器851、存储器852、网络接口853、无线通信接口855以及连接接口857。控制器851、存储器852和网络接口853与参照图15描述的控制器821、存储器822和网络接口823相同。
无线通信接口855支持任何蜂窝通信方案(诸如LTE和LTE-先进)，并且经由RRH 860和天线840来提供到位于与RRH 860对应的扇区中的终端的无线通信。无线通信接口855通常可以包括例如BB处理器856。除了BB处理器856经由连接接口857连接到RRH 860的RF电路864之外，BB处理器856与参照图15描述的BB处理器826相同。如图16所示，无线通信接口855可以包括多个BB处理器856。例如，多个BB处理器856可以与eNB 830使用的多个频带兼容。虽然图16示出其中无线通信接口855包括多个BB处理器856的示例，但是无线通信接口855也可以包括单个BB处理器856。
连接接口857为用于将基站设备850(无线通信接口855)连接至RRH 860的接口。连接接口857还可以为用于将基站设备850(无线通信接口855)连接至RRH 860的上述高速线路中的通信的通信模块。
RRH 860包括连接接口861和无线通信接口863。
连接接口861为用于将RRH 860(无线通信接口863)连接至基站设备850的接口。连接接口861还可以为用于上述高速线路中的通信的通信模块。
无线通信接口863经由天线840来传送和接收无线信号。无线通信接口863通常可以包括例如RF电路864。RF电路864可以包括例如混频器、滤波器和放大器，并且经由天线840来传送和接收无线信号。如图16所示，无线通信接口863可以包括多个RF电路864。例如，多个RF电路864可以支持多个天线元件。虽然图16示出其中无线通信接口863包括多个RF电路864的示例，但是无线通信接口863也可以包括单个RF电路864。
在图15和图16所示的eNB 800和eNB 830中，通过使用图1所描述的处理电路4112可以由无线通信接口825以及无线通信接口855和/或无线通信接口863实现。功能的至少一部分也可以由控制器821和控制器851实现。
[5-2.关于通信装置1200的应用示例]
(第一应用示例)
图17是示出可以应用本公开内容的技术的智能电话900的示意性配置的示例的框图。智能电话900包括处理器901、存储器902、存储装置903、外部连接接口904、摄像装置906、传感器907、麦克风908、输入装置909、显示装置910、扬声器911、无线通信接口912、一个或多个天线开关915、一个或多个天线916、总线917、电池918以及辅助控制器919。
处理器901可以为例如CPU或片上系统(SoC)，并且控制智能电话900的应用层和另外层的功能。存储器902包括RAM和ROM，并且存储数据和由处理器901执行的程序。存储装置903可以包括存储介质，诸如半导体存储器和硬盘。外部连接接口904为用于将外部装置(诸如存储卡和通用串行总线(USB)装置)连接至智能电话900的接口。
摄像装置906包括图像传感器(诸如电荷耦合器件(CCD)和互补金属氧化物半导体(CMOS))，并且生成捕获图像。传感器907可以包括一组传感器，诸如测量传感器、陀螺仪传感器、地磁传感器和加速度传感器。麦克风908将输入到智能电话900的声音转换为音频信号。输入装置909包括例如被配置为检测显示装置910的屏幕上的触摸的触摸传感器、小键盘、键盘、按钮或开关，并且接收从用户输入的操作或信息。显示装置910包括屏幕(诸如液晶显示器(LCD)和有机发光二极管(OLED)显示器)，并且显示智能电话900的输出图像。扬声器911将从智能电话900输出的音频信号转换为声音。
无线通信接口912支持任何蜂窝通信方案(诸如LTE和LTE-先进)，并且执行无线通信。无线通信接口912通常可以包括例如BB处理器913和RF电路914。BB处理器913可以执行例如编码/解码、调制/解调以及复用/解复用，并且执行用于无线通信的各种类型的信号处理。同时，RF电路914可以包括例如混频器、滤波器和放大器，并且经由天线916来传送和接收无线信号。无线通信接口912可以为其上集成有BB处理器913和RF电路914的一个芯片模块。如图17所示，无线通信接口912可以包括多个BB处理器913和多个RF电路914。虽然图17示出其中无线通信接口912包括多个BB处理器913和多个RF电路914的示例，但是无线通信接口912也可以包括单个BB处理器913或单个RF电路914。
此外，除了蜂窝通信方案之外，无线通信接口912可以支持另外类型的无线通信方 案，诸如短距离无线通信方案、近场通信方案和无线局域网(LAN)方案。在此情况下，无线通信接口912可以包括针对每种无线通信方案的BB处理器913和RF电路914。
天线开关915中的每一个在包括在无线通信接口912中的多个电路(例如用于不同的无线通信方案的电路)之间切换天线916的连接目的地。
天线916中的每一个均包括单个或多个天线元件(诸如包括在MIMO天线中的多个天线元件)，并且用于无线通信接口912传送和接收无线信号。如图17所示，智能电话900可以包括多个天线916。虽然图17示出其中智能电话900包括多个天线916的示例，但是智能电话900也可以包括单个天线916。
此外，智能电话900可以包括针对每种无线通信方案的天线916。在此情况下，天线开关915可以从智能电话900的配置中省略。
总线917将处理器901、存储器902、存储装置903、外部连接接口904、摄像装置906、传感器907、麦克风908、输入装置909、显示装置910、扬声器911、无线通信接口912以及辅助控制器919彼此连接。电池918经由馈线向图17所示的智能电话900的各个块提供电力，馈线在图中被部分地示为虚线。辅助控制器919例如在睡眠模式下操作智能电话900的最小必需功能。
在图17所示的智能电话900中，通过使用图1所描述的处理电路4212可以由无线通信接口912实现。功能的至少一部分也可以由处理器901或辅助控制器919实现。
(第二应用示例)
图18是示出可以应用本公开内容的技术的汽车导航设备920的示意性配置的示例的框图。汽车导航设备920包括处理器921、存储器922、全球定位系统(GPS)模块924、传感器925、数据接口926、内容播放器927、存储介质接口928、输入装置929、显示装置930、扬声器931、无线通信接口933、一个或多个天线开关936、一个或多个天线937以及电池938。
处理器921可以为例如CPU或SoC，并且控制汽车导航设备920的导航功能和另外的功能。存储器922包括RAM和ROM，并且存储数据和由处理器921执行的程序。
GPS模块924使用从GPS卫星接收的GPS信号来测量汽车导航设备920的位置(诸如纬度、经度和高度)。传感器925可以包括一组传感器，诸如陀螺仪传感器、地磁传感器和空气压力传感器。数据接口926经由未示出的终端而连接到例如车载网络941， 并且获取由车辆生成的数据(诸如车速数据)。
内容播放器927再现存储在存储介质(诸如CD和DVD)中的内容，该存储介质被插入到存储介质接口928中。输入装置929包括例如被配置为检测显示装置930的屏幕上的触摸的触摸传感器、按钮或开关，并且接收从用户输入的操作或信息。显示装置930包括诸如LCD或OLED显示器的屏幕，并且显示导航功能的图像或再现的内容。扬声器931输出导航功能的声音或再现的内容。
无线通信接口933支持任何蜂窝通信方案(诸如LTE和LTE-先进)，并且执行无线通信。无线通信接口933通常可以包括例如BB处理器934和RF电路935。BB处理器934可以执行例如编码/解码、调制/解调以及复用/解复用，并且执行用于无线通信的各种类型的信号处理。同时，RF电路935可以包括例如混频器、滤波器和放大器，并且经由天线937来传送和接收无线信号。无线通信接口933还可以为其上集成有BB处理器934和RF电路935的一个芯片模块。如图18所示，无线通信接口933可以包括多个BB处理器934和多个RF电路935。虽然图18示出其中无线通信接口933包括多个BB处理器934和多个RF电路935的示例，但是无线通信接口933也可以包括单个BB处理器934或单个RF电路935。
此外，除了蜂窝通信方案之外，无线通信接口933可以支持另外类型的无线通信方案，诸如短距离无线通信方案、近场通信方案和无线LAN方案。在此情况下，针对每种无线通信方案，无线通信接口933可以包括BB处理器934和RF电路935。
天线开关936中的每一个在包括在无线通信接口933中的多个电路(诸如用于不同的无线通信方案的电路)之间切换天线937的连接目的地。
天线937中的每一个均包括单个或多个天线元件(诸如包括在MIMO天线中的多个天线元件)，并且用于无线通信接口933传送和接收无线信号。如图18所示，汽车导航设备920可以包括多个天线937。虽然图18示出其中汽车导航设备920包括多个天线937的示例，但是汽车导航设备920也可以包括单个天线937。
此外，汽车导航设备920可以包括针对每种无线通信方案的天线937。在此情况下，天线开关936可以从汽车导航设备920的配置中省略。
电池938经由馈线向图18所示的汽车导航设备920的各个块提供电力，馈线在图中被部分地示为虚线。电池938累积从车辆提供的电力。
在图18示出的汽车导航设备920中，通过使用图1所描述的处理电路4212可以由无线通信接口933实现。功能的至少一部分也可以由处理器921实现。
本公开内容的技术也可以被实现为包括汽车导航设备920、车载网络941以及车辆模块942中的一个或多个块的车载系统(或车辆)940。车辆模块942生成车辆数据(诸如车速、发动机速度和故障信息)，并且将所生成的数据输出至车载网络941。
<6.结论>
以上描述了根据本发明的一个或多个实施例的通信系统中的装置以及相应的通信处理方法。
此外，本文中描述的处理流程和方法流程的顺序不限于说明书和附图中描述的顺序。一些步骤和流程的顺序可以交换，或者被并行执行。
以上结合附图所阐述的详细说明书描述了示例，并不代表仅有的可以实现的例子，也不代表仅有的在权利要求范围内的例子。词语“示例”和“示例性的”在使用在本说明书中时意味着“用作示例、例子或说明”，并不意味着“优选的”或“比其他示例有益的”。详细说明书包括了特定细节以提供所述技术的理解。然而，可以在没有这些特定细节的情况下实践这些技术。在一些例子中，公知的结构和装置以框图形式显示，以避免模糊所述示例的概念。
可以使用各种不同科技和技术中的任何一个来代表信息和信号。例如，可能在以上说明书通篇被引用的数据、指令、命令、信息、信号、比特、符号和芯片可以由电压、电流、电磁波、磁场或磁性粒子、光场或光学粒子或它们的任意组合代表。
结合本公开所述的各种示意性的块和部件可以用被设计来执行本文所述的功能的通用处理器、数字信号处理器(DSP)、ASIC、FPGA或其他可编程逻辑设备、离散门或晶体管逻辑、离散硬件部件或它们的任意组合来实现或执行。通用处理器可以是微处理器，但是可替代地，处理器可以是任何传统的处理器、控制器、微控制器和/或状态机。处理器也可以被实现为计算设备的组合，例如DSP与微处理器、多个微处理器、结合DSP核的一个或多个微处理器和/或任何其他这样的配置的组合。
本文所述的功能可以在硬件、由处理器执行的软件、固件或它们的任意组合中实现。如果在由处理器执行的软件中实现，则功能可以被存储在计算机可读介质上或者被传输作为计算机可读介质上的一个或多个指令或代码。其他示例和实现在本公开和所附权利要求的范围和精神内。例如，鉴于软件的本质，以上所述的功能可以使用由处理器执行 的软件、硬件、固件、硬连线或这些中的任意的组合来执行。实现功能的特征也可以被物理地置于各种位置处，包括被分布使得功能的部分在不同物理位置处实现。
此外，包含于其他部件内的或者与其他部件分离的部件的公开应当被认为是示例性的，因为潜在地可以实现多种其他架构以达成同样的功能，包括并入全部的、大部分的、和/或一些的元件作为一个或多个单一结构或分离结构的一部分。
计算机可读介质包括计算机存储介质和通信介质两者，通信介质包括便于从一个地方到另一个地方传送计算机程序的任何介质。存储介质可以是能够被通用计算机或专用计算机存取的任何可用的介质。举例而言而非限制地，计算机可读介质可以包括RAM、ROM、EEPROM、闪速存储器、CD-ROM、DVD或其他光盘存储、磁盘存储或其他磁存储设备、或能够被用来承载或存储指令或数据结构形式的期望的程序代码部件和能够被通用或专用计算机或者通用或专用处理器存取的任何其他介质。此外，任何连接被适当地称为计算机可读介质。例如，如果软件是使用同轴缆线、光缆、双绞线、数字用户线(DSL)或诸如红外线、无线电和微波的无线技术从网站、服务器或其他远程源传输的，那么同轴缆线、光缆、双绞线、DSL或诸如红外线、无线电和微波的无线技术包括在介质的定义中。本文所使用的盘与碟片包括压缩碟片(CD)、激光碟片、光学碟片、数字多功能碟片(DVD)、软盘和蓝光碟片，其中盘通常磁性地复制数据而碟片使用激光光学地复制数据。以上内容的组合也包括在计算机可读介质的范围内。
本公开的先前描述被提供来使本领域技术人员能够制作或使用本公开。对本公开的各种修改对本领域技术人员而言是明显的，本文定义的通用原理可以在不脱离本公开的范围的情况下应用到其他变形。因此，本公开并不限于本文所述的示例和设计，而是对应于与所公开的原理和新特征一致的最宽范围。

Claims (32)

  1. 一种用于无线通信系统中的电子设备，包括：
    处理电路，被配置为：
    控制经由与所述电子设备关联的偏移式阵列天线向目标通信装置发送或从目标通信装置接收信号，其中，所述偏移式阵列天线包括多组天线单元，所述多组天线单元中的每组天线单元具有沿第一方向布置的多个天线单元，所述多组天线单元之间具有第一方向上的空间偏移以及第一方向上的相位差，所述多组天线单元沿与第一方向垂直的第二方向布置；以及
    获得所述偏移式阵列天线与所述目标通信装置之间的第一方向上的信道状态，其中，所述第一方向上的信道状态是利用包括所述第一方向上的相位差的所述信号确定的。
  2. 如权利要求1所述的电子设备，其中，
    所述第一方向上的信道状态是利用所述多组天线单元中的基准组天线单元以及至少一个偏移天线单元获得的，所述至少一个偏移天线单元与所述基准组天线单元的各天线单元具有第一方向上的空间偏移。
  3. 如权利要求2所述的电子设备，其中，
    所述第一方向上的信道状态是通过对所述至少一个偏移天线单元进行第二方向上的相位补偿来获得的。
  4. 如权利要求2所述的电子设备，其中，所述处理电路还被配置为：
    利用所述基准组天线单元以及所述至少一个偏移天线单元，发送相对于第一方向具有不同角度的多个波束，
    其中，所述第一方向上的信道状态是基于来自目标通信装置的反馈信息确定的，所述反馈信息包括所述目标通信装置对所述多个波束的接收状态的指示。
  5. 如权利要求2所述的电子设备，其中，所述处理电路还被配置为：
    控制经由偏移式阵列天线发送第一参考信号；
    控制从所述目标通信装置接收基于第一参考信号获得的第一信道信息；
    控制利用所述基准组天线单元以及所述至少一个偏移天线单元，基于第一信道信息发送波束赋形的第二参考信号；以及
    控制从所述目标通信装置接收基于第二参考信号获得的第二信道信息。
  6. 如权利要求2所述的电子设备，其中，所述处理电路还被配置为：
    获得所述基准组天线单元与所述至少一个偏移天线单元的联合信道系数向量，所述联合信道系数向量包括所述基准组天线单元的信道系数以及所述至少一个偏移天线单元的经过补偿的信道系数，
    其中，所述第一方向上的信道状态是基于所述联合信道系数向量获得的。
  7. 如权利要求6所述的电子设备，其中，所述补偿是基于所述偏移式阵列天线的初始信道系数进行的，所述初始信道系数是利用非偏移式阵列天线的信道状态估计方法获得的。
  8. 如权利要求1所述电子设备，其中，所述处理电路还被配置为基于所述第一方向上的相位差确定用于对偏移式阵列天线进行波束赋形的偏移式码本。
  9. 如权利要求8所述的电子设备，其中所述偏移式码本是通过在非偏移式码本中加入第一方向上的相位偏移得到的。
  10. 如权利要求1所述的电子设备，其中，所述处理电路还被配置为控制将所述偏移式阵列天线的偏移信息发送给所述目标通信装置。
  11. 如权利要求1所述的电子设备，其中，所述处理电路还被配置为调整所述多组天线单元之间的第一方向的空间偏移。
  12. 如权利要求1所述的电子设备，其中，所述电子设备实现为基站，并且包括所述偏移式阵列天线。
  13. 如权利要求1所述的电子设备，其中，第一方向为垂直方向。
  14. 一种用于无线通信系统中的通信装置，包括：
    多组天线单元，所述多组天线单元中的每组天线单元具有沿第一方向布置的多个天线单元，所述多组天线单元沿与第一方向垂直的第二方向布置，
    其中，所述多组天线单元之间具有第一方向上的空间偏移和第一方向上的相位差，所述第一方向上的相位差被用于获得第一方向上的信道状态。
  15. 如权利要求14所述的通信装置，其中，第一方向为垂直方向。
  16. 如权利要求14所述的通信装置，其中，
    所述多组天线单元之中的基准组天线单元以及至少一个偏移天线单元被用于获得所述第一方向上的信道状态，其中，所述至少一个偏移天线单元与所述基准组天线单元的各天线单元具有第一方向上的空间偏移。
  17. 如权利要求14所述的通信装置，其中，
    所述多组天线单元之间的第一方向上的空间偏移是能够调整的。
  18. 如权利要求14所述的通信装置，其中，所述多组天线单元所构成的天线阵列为偏移式均匀阵列天线。
  19. 一种用于无线通信系统中的电子设备，包括：
    处理电路，被配置为：
    从与目标通信装置关联的偏移式阵列天线接收信号，其中，所述偏移式阵列天线包括多组天线单元，所述多组天线单元中的每组天线单元具有沿第一方向布置的多个天线单元，所述多组天线单元之间具有第一方向上的空间偏移以及第一方向上的相位差，所述多组天线单元沿与第一方向垂直的第二方向布置；
    利用包括所述第一方向上的相位差的所述信号，获得所述偏移式阵列天线与和所述电子设备关联的天线之间的第一方向上的信道状态；
    将包括所述第一方向上的信道状态的指示的信息发送给所述目标通信装置。
  20. 如权利要求19所述的电子设备，其中，第一方向为垂直方向。
  21. 如权利要求19所述的电子设备，其中，
    所述第一方向上的信道状态是利用所述多组天线单元之中的基准组天线单元以及至少一个偏移天线单元获得的，所述至少一个偏移天线单元与所述基准组天线单元的各天线单元具有第一方向上的空间偏移。
  22. 如权利要求21所述的电子设备，其中，所述处理电路还被配置为：
    控制接收利用所述基准组天线单元以及所述至少一个偏移天线单元发送的相对于第一方向具有不同角度的多个波束，
    其中，发送给所述目标通信装置的所述信息包括与所述电子设备关联的天线对所述多个波束的接收状态的指示。
  23. 如权利要求21所述的电子设备，其中，所述处理电路还被配置为：
    控制从所述偏移式阵列天线接收第一参考信号；
    控制向所述目标通信装置发送基于第一参考信号获得的第一信道信息；
    控制接收利用所述基准组天线单元以及所述偏移天线单元基于第一信道信息发送的波束赋形的第二参考信号；以及
    控制向所述目标通信装置发送基于第二参考信号获得的第二信道信息。
  24. 一种电子设备，包括:
    处理电路，被配置为：
    从与目标通信装置关联的偏移式阵列天线接收信号，其中，所述偏移式阵列天线包括多组天线单元，所述多组天线单元中的每组天线单元具有沿第一方向布置的多个天线单元，所述多组天线单元之间具有第一方向上的空间偏移以及第一方向上的相位差，所述多组天线单元沿与第一方向垂直的第二方向布置；
    获取关于所述偏移式阵列天线的偏移信息；
    基于所述偏移信息以及所述信号确定用于所述偏移式阵列天线的偏移式码本。
  25. 如权利要求24所述的电子设备，其中，第一方向为垂直方向。
  26. 如权利要求24所述的电子设备，其中，基于所述偏移信息以及所述信号确定用于所述偏移式阵列天线的偏移式码本包括：
    基于所述信号估计所述电子设备与所述目标通信装置之间的信道状态；
    将信道状态的估计结果与基于所述偏移信息生成的偏移式码本中的码字进行比较，确定匹配码字，
    其中，所述电子设备还被配置为将包括匹配码字的指示的信息发送给目标通信装置。
  27. 如权利要求26所述的电子设备，其中，所述偏移式码本是偏移式克罗内克积DFT码本。
  28. 如权利要求26所述的电子设备，其中，所述偏移式码本是第二方向上的码本。
  29. 一种用于无线通信系统中的信号处理方法，包括：
    经由与第一通信装置关联的偏移式阵列天线向第二通信装置发送或从第二通信装置接收信号，其中，所述偏移式阵列天线包括多组天线单元，所述多组天线单元中的每组天线单元具有沿第一方向布置的多个天线单元，所述多组天线单元之间具有第一方向上的空间偏移以及第一方向上的相位差，所述多组天线单元沿与第一方向垂直的第二方向布置；以及
    获得所述第一通信装置与第二通信装置之间的第一方向上的信道状态，其中，所述第一方向上的信道状态是利用包括所述第一方向上的相位差的所述信号确定的。
  30. 一种用于无线通信系统中的信号处理方法，包括：
    由第二通信装置从与第一通信装置关联的偏移式阵列天线接收信号，其中，所述偏移式阵列天线包括多组天线单元，所述多组天线单元中的每组天线单元具有沿第一方向布置的多个天线单元，所述多组天线单元之间具有第一方向上的空间偏移以及第一方向上的相位差，所述多组天线单元沿与第一方向垂直的第二方向布置；
    利用包括所述第一方向上的相位差的所述信号，获得第一通信装置与第二通信装置之间的第一方向上的信道状态；
    将包括所述第一方向上的信道状态的指示的信息发送给第一通信装置。
  31. 一种用于无线通信系统中的信号处理方法，包括：
    确定与目标通信装置之间的信道状态；
    基于所述信道状态，对阵列天线中与缺损天线单元在第一方向上相偏移的天线单元的相位进行补偿，从而弥补所述缺损天线单元在与第一方向垂直的第二方向上的空间增益；以及
    利用经补偿的阵列天线向所述目标通信装置发射通信信号，或者从所述目标通信装置接收通信信号。
  32. 一种计算机可读存储介质，其上存储有指令，所述指令在由处理器执行时使得处理器执行如权利要求29至31中任一项所述的方法。
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