MIMO Receiver Impairment Covariance Estimation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing MIMO systems face challenges in accurately estimating interference caused by common pilots, especially in higher dimension systems like 4x4 or higher, which affects the precision of impairment covariance estimation and overall signal demodulation performance.

Innovation Solution

A method is introduced to compute combining weight vectors by estimating a parametric impairment covariance matrix that includes terms for common pilots, dedicated pilots, and thermal noise, using a scale function for common pilots and specific expressions for dedicated and scheduled common pilots, allowing for improved interference modeling and reduced computational complexity through rank-one updates.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If conventional impairment covariance estimation methods are used in high-dimensional MIMO systems, then the computational complexity is reduced, but the accuracy of interference estimation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinterference estimation accuracyVSAvoidcomputational complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the impairment covariance matrix into distinct components: common pilot interference, dedicated pilot interference, and thermal noise. Each component is estimated and combined separately, allowing for accurate modeling of each interference source while managing computational complexity through structured decomposition.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a scale function that dynamically adjusts the weighting of common pilot interference based on system parameters such as pilot density and channel conditions. This parameter-based approach enables accurate interference estimation across different MIMO dimensions without requiring complete re-computation of the covariance matrix.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If accurate parametric impairment covariance estimation is performed including all pilot types, then the signal demodulation performance is improved, but the computational complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal demodulation performanceVSAvoidcomputational complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent pre-computes scale functions and interference covariance components that can be reused across multiple demodulation operations. By preparing these elements in advance, the system achieves accurate interference modeling for high-dimensional MIMO without repeating computationally intensive calculations for each signal processing task.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent selectively estimates interference components based on system configuration - only computing common pilot interference when common pilots are present, and similarly for dedicated pilots. This partial computation approach maintains accuracy where needed while reducing unnecessary computational overhead in specific scenarios.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP2949048B1Method and system of receiver parametric computation for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) transmission
Publication Date: 2018.12.19 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
  • EP2949048B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2949048B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2949048B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method of calculating combining weight vectors associated with a received composite information signal comprising at least one data stream transmitted from at least a first antenna and a second antenna is disclosed. The method starts with computing a parametric estimate of an impairment covariance matrix including at least a first impairment term associated with common pilots deployed by the first antenna and the second antenna respectively. The first impairment term captures effects of interferences between the common pilots, in addition to effects of interferences caused by each common pilot singly. The impairment covariance matrix further includes a data covariance term capturing effects of the at least one data stream and an interference term caused at least partially by contribution of thermal noise of receiver branches. Then the method computes the combining weight vector using the computed impairment covariance matrix.