MIMO Receiver Feedback Vector Selection

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Solution Overview

Problem

The complexity and computational burden of finding the code vector with the smallest angle to a multidimensional channel subspace in MIMO systems make feedback transmission inefficient, especially with limited resources and time in mobile devices.

Innovation Solution

Select a vector with N-1 null components in a linear space defined by channel transfer matrices and provide quantized values of M - (N-1) nonzero components as feedback, reducing the dimensionality and computational requirements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If brute force implementation is used to find the code vector with minimum angle to channel subspace, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and processing time increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecode vector selection accuracyVSAvoidreceiver processing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the feedback process into two stages: first, the receiver identifies and transmits only the indices of non-zero elements in the channel vector; second, the base station reconstructs the full channel vector by looking up corresponding codebook entries. This segmentation reduces the feedback burden from transmitting all M channel coefficients to transmitting only the sparse non-zero indices, significantly reducing receiver processing complexity while maintaining measurement precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter representation from full channel vectors to sparse index representations. Instead of transmitting M complex numbers, the system transmits only the indices of non-zero elements, changing the feedback dimensionality from M to approximately log2(M) bits per non-zero element. This parameter transformation dramatically reduces the computational burden on the receiver while preserving the essential channel information needed for precoding.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Measurement precision

If more bits are transmitted for feedback, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time increases due to limited feedback transmission time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvechannel vector feedback accuracyVSAvoidfeedback transmission time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by transmitting only the necessary information (indices of non-zero elements) rather than all possible channel coefficients. The base station then reconstructs the full channel vector by combining these partial feedback elements with codebook entries, achieving sufficient precision for precoding without requiring complete channel state information transmission. This partial feedback approach fits within the limited time resources available.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Measurement precision

If extensive hardware and software are used in the receiver, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvechannel measurements accuracyVSAvoidreceiver hardware and software requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses copying by having the base station store a codebook of pre-computed channel vectors during system setup. Instead of requiring the receiver to perform complex computations or store large amounts of data, the receiver simply copies and transmits the indices of relevant codebook entries. The base station then uses these copied indices to reconstruct the channel vectors, eliminating the need for extensive receiver hardware while maintaining measurement precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentEP2201700B1Providing feedback in a MIMO system
Publication Date: 2012.10.31 ALCATEL LUCENT SA
  • EP2201700B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2201700B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2201700B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

There is provided a system and method of operating a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) receiver with N antennas in a wireless communication system. The method includes measuring N vectors, each vector defining channel transfer coefficients between M antennas of a transmitter and a corresponding antenna of the receiver. Additionally, a vector in a linear space generated by the N measured vectors is selected and quantized values of less than M components of the selected vector are fed back to the transmitter.