Abstract: The signals from adjacent transmitters reinforce one another. As a result of this over-the-air combining, signal quality is improved in the network and especially at or near cell boundaries. The present invention provides a graduated single frequency network (GSFN) wherein transmitters in cells throughout a geographic area cooperate to broadcast data to user terminals throughout the geographic area, and adjacent transmitters transmit signals that substantially reinforce one another. When transmitting the data, transmitters in certain adjacent cells throughout the geographic area may employ slightly different transmit parameters to provide slightly different transmission signals. The transmission signals used to transmit the data may be varied in a graduated fashion throughout the geographic area, wherein even when there is a difference in the transmission signals of transmitters in adjacent cells, the transmission signals reinforce one another despite being different.

Abstract: A method for operating a controller of a multiple input, multiple output communications system includes formulating an objective function according to a resource allocation for a user equipment (UE) and a mean square error expression, and updating the objective function to generate an updated resource allocation for the UE, a transmit beamforming vector to precode a transmission to the UE, and a receive beamforming vector to adjust a receiver to receive the precoded transmission. The method also includes transmitting allocation information about the resource allocation for the UE and the transmit beamforming vector to a communications controller serving the UE.

Abstract: A method of operation of a MIMO transmitter, in a cellular network supporting both legacy standard-compliant mobile terminals and next generation standard-compliant mobile terminals, the method comprising defining a matrix of resource blocks within an information channel of the cellular network, wherein each resource block corresponds to a region of subcarriers of a transmission timeslot at a given frequency subband; assigning a first set of reference signals (RSs) for the legacy standard-compliant mobile terminals to resource blocks at specific locations within the matrix to be transmitted by the MIMO transmitter, the specific locations being defined by, the legacy standard; and assigning a second set of RSs for the next-generation standard-compliant mobile terminals to other resource blocks within the matrix to be transmitted by the MIMO transmitter.

Abstract: A method, system, base station and wireless terminal are provided for transmission of a set of mixed pilots that includes both common and dedicated pilots. The method includes selecting a number D of dedicated pilots having regard to performance of the communication link, D?0, selecting a first pre-coder for pre-coding D dedicated pilots based on some criteria, performing a first pre-coding of the D dedicated pilots with the first pre-coder to produce a set of pre-coded dedicated pilots, performing a second pre-coding of the set of pre-coded dedicated pilots and a set of common pilots to produce a set of mixed pilots, and transmitting data from the transmitter on the communication link with the set of mixed pilots.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a method of operating a base station configured to communicate with a relay station includes allocating resources to the relay station. Allocating resources includes receiving feedback data from the relay station and scheduling resources to the relay station based on feedback data. Feedback data includes a total buffer size of the relay station and a number of user devices.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a method of operating a base station configured to communicate with at least one user device includes transmitting a first group of resource elements that include a time and a frequency. At least one of the first group's resource elements includes a reference element. It is determined if the at least one user device will decode a further resource element using the reference element of the at least one of the resource elements of the first group of resource elements. Based on the determining, if the user device will decode the further resource element, a second group of resource elements is transmitted, where at least one of the resource elements of the second group of resource elements corresponding with the at least one of the resource elements of the first group does not include a reference element.

Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for implementing two types of sub-channel arrangements. A first type of sub-channel arrangement involves defining a first traffic portion and a second traffic portion of a transmission resource, transmitting broadcast traffic on at least one first antenna of a plurality of antennas in the first traffic portion using a first sub-channelization, transmitting multicast traffic on at least one second antenna of the plurality of antennas, the at least one second antenna being distinct from the at least one first antenna, in the first traffic portion using a second sub-channelization, and transmitting unicast traffic on at least one antenna of the plurality of antennas in the second traffic portion using a third sub-channelization.

Abstract: In a cellular network supporting both legacy standard-compliant mobile terminals and next generation standard-compliant mobile terminals, both legacy reference signals and next generation reference signals are supported. A method of operation of a MIMO transmitter compliant with both standards includes: defining a matrix of resource blocks within an information channel of the cellular network, wherein each resource block corresponds to a region of subcarriers of a transmission timeslot at a given frequency subband; assigning a first set of reference signals (RSs) for the legacy standard-compliant mobile terminals to resource blocks at specific locations within the matrix to be transmitted by the MIMO transmitter, the specific locations being defined by the legacy standard; and assigning a second set of RSs for the next-generation standard-compliant mobile terminals to other resource blocks within the matrix to be transmitted by the MIMO transmitter.

Abstract: A method of OFDM transmission/reception comprising: transmitting broadcast/multicast signals on a first antenna and unicast signals on a second antenna; segregating broadcast/multicast sub-channelization from unicast channels sub-channelization based on FDM (frequency division multiplexing)/TDM (time division multiplexing) sub-channelization.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and system for supporting a beamforming antenna system in a multiple user mobile broadband communication network including a process for setting and adjusting the magnitude and phase of the signal to user equipment from each antenna. Namely, the present invention supports the communication of power signal values or levels to user equipment in a manner that keeps pace with the rapid variations of the power levels that occur in the dynamic scheduling of transmissions on the cell site. The present invention satisfies this need for an improved signal strength signaling to user equipment for the situation where multiple users are located on the cell site.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed herein for an enhanced Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) in a wireless communications network. In one embodiment, a number of base stations in a MBMS zone, or broadcast region, accommodate both Spatial Multiplexing (SM) enabled user elements and non-SM enabled user elements. In another embodiment, a number of base stations form a MBMS zone, or broadcast region, where the MBMS zone is sub-divided into an SM zone and a non-SM zone. In another embodiment, the wireless communications network includes multiple MBMS zones. For each MBMS zone, base stations serving the MBMS zone transmit an MBMS zone identifier (ID) for the MBMS zone. The MBMS zone ID may be used by a user element for decoding and/or to determine when to perform a handoff from one MBMS zone to another.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a method of operating a controller in a wireless communication system includes receiving channel feedback information from a communications node, adjusting the channel feedback information based on a measurement of interference from neighboring controllers, adjusting transmit parameters of the controller using the adjusted channel feedback information, and transmitting to the communications node using the adjusted transmit parameters.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a method of operating a base station in a wireless system, includes partitioning a frequency band into at least one band of a first type and at least one band of a second type, and coordinating the partitioning with at least one further base station. The at least one band of the first type includes a band on which the base station transmits power proportional to a distance of a user device from the base station, and the at least one band of the second type comprises a band on which base station transmits a data rate inversely proportional to a distance of a user device from the base station.

Abstract: The signals from adjacent transmitters reinforce one another. As a result of this over-the-air combining, signal quality is improved in the network and especially at or near cell boundaries. The present invention provides a graduated single frequency network (GSFN) wherein transmitters in cells throughout a geographic area cooperate to broadcast data to user terminals throughout the geographic area, and adjacent transmitters transmit signals that substantially reinforce one another. When transmitting the data, transmitters in certain adjacent cells throughout the geographic area may employ slightly different transmit parameters to provide slightly different transmission signals. The transmission signals used to transmit the data may be varied in a graduated fashion throughout the geographic area, wherein even when there is a difference in the transmission signals of transmitters in adjacent cells, the transmission signals reinforce one another despite being different.

Abstract: Data is scrambled at a transmitter according to one of a number of predetermined scrambling sequences which are associated with a particular one of a number of predetermined transmit antenna diversity schemes (i.e., a specific number of transmit antenna ports). Received data is decoded using one or more of the known transmit antenna diversity schemes and the scrambled data is descrambled according to a corresponding descrambling sequence (related to the scrambling sequence). Based on the descrambled data, the receiver determines which transmit antenna, diversity scheme (i.e., the number of antenna ports) is used by the transmitter. In one specific embodiment, CRC parity data is scrambled in the transmitter and the receiver descrambles the recovered CRC parity data according to a descrambling sequence, computes CRC parity data from the received data, and compares the descrambled CRC parity data to the newly computed CRC parity data.