Patent Application
20080293398
The present invention relates to a transmission processing method in mobile communications systems and also to base stations. For example, the present invention relates to technology suitable for use in mobile communications systems (cellular system) which employ the multi-carrier modulation method such as OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing).
The OFDM modulation scheme uses a guard interval (GI) which is a copy of a part of an effective symbol (effective data) and added to the effective symbol for the purpose of reducing deterioration of performance due to delay waves. Since the length of a guard interval added is determined based on an expanse of delay in a propagation path, an embodiment in which multiple guard interval lengths are switched in an operation is proposed.
As an example of such an embodiment, there is a system in which the number of symbols transmitted by subframes of the same length is changed, and the guard interval length is adjusted. In such a system, in a cell (hereinafter will be called a large cell) with a large radius which evolves in the suburbs where few objects executing a shielding effect are present, a subframe format having a long guard interval length Ngi_l is used as shown in (2) of
In cellular systems, upon start of communications, it is necessary for mobile station terminals to perform cell search processing which is an operation of searching a cell with which the mobile station terminal is to establish a radio link. Hereinafter, a description will be made of an example of cell search processing in a case where subframe formats of multiple guard interval lengths exist in a mixed manner thereof.
The time domain signal is input to the guard interval inserter 104, and a guard interval of a length (in
Here, the synchronization channel (SHC) has a common pattern in all the cells, and is time-division multiplexed to the end of a subframe. The pilot channel has a scramble code which is information unique to a cell, and is time-division multiplexed to the head of a subframe. The mobile station terminal is capable of identifying existing cells by means of using such scramble codes. In this instance, the following non-patent documents 1 and 2 also describe a downlink channel construction and cell search processing on the OFDM base.
Subsequently, a cell search processing sequence in the mobile station terminal is shown in
On the second stage, fast Fourie transform (FFT) processing is performed with the subframe timing detected on the first stage (that is, the detected subframe becomes FFT timing) to generate frequency domain signals, and extracts the above mentioned pilot channel from the generated signals. Then, correlation between the extracted pilot channel and the candidate scramble codes (pilot replicas), and for example, a candidate scramble code showing the maximum value is determined to be a detected scramble code (step S200).
In addition, as an example of a previous cell search processing, there is another technique proposed in the following non-patent document 3. This technique is the three-stage fast cell search method using a pilot channel in downlink broadband OFCDM. The technique groups scramble codes beforehand, and detect a scramble code group before scramble code identifying processing. This makes it possible to narrow scramble codes at the time of detecting a scramble code, so that the speed of cell search processing is enhanced.
Non-patent Document 1: 3GPP R1-050707, “Physical Channels and Multiplexing in Evolved UTRA Downlink”; NTT DoCoMo, NEC, SHARP; Aug. 29, 2005
Non-patent Document 2: 3GPP R1-051549, “Cell Search procedure for initial synchronization and neighbour cell identification”; Nokia; Nov. 7, 2005
Non-patent Document 3: Tanno, Arata, Higuchi, and Sawabashi; “The Three-stage Fast Cell Search Method Using Pilot Channel in Downlink Broadband OFCDM”; Technical Report of IEICE, RCS2002-40, CQ2002-40 (2002-04), pp. 135-140
According to the above cell search processing procedure, as shown in
However, in a case where a pilot channel is extracted in the scramble code detecting processing on the second stage by means of FFT processing performed with the subframe timing (FFT timing) detected on the first stage, it can be impossible to perform the FFT processing with the optimal FFT timing since the mobile terminal station does not have information about a guard interval length of a subframe transmitted from the base station (transmitter apparatus).
For example, when two types of subframe formats, a subframe format (hereinafter will be called a long GI subframe) having a long GI length shown in (2) of
That is, as indicated by the reference character 301 in
Because of this, in a system in which subframe formats of different GI lengths are present in a mixed manner thereof, it is necessary that the mobile station terminal performs FFT processing with subframe timing (FFT window 400) optimal to each GI length which is a candidate (that is, each of the subframes of different GI lengths) and performs correlation processing. That is, it is necessary that the GI remover 202, the FFT 203, and the pilot correlation processor 204, shown in
Thus, the following method is considerable. FFT processing is performed with a subframe having the minimum GI length, out of the candidate GI lengths, as a reference. After correction of the amount of phase rotation due to deviation of FFT timing, pilot correlation processing is performed for each of the subframes of different GI lengths. In this case, however, although only increase in a pilot correlation processing amount is caused, the effect of performance improvement in a case of a long GI length cannot be expected. Further, since such increase in the amount of pilot correlation processing leads to enlargement of the number of candidates at the time of scramble code detection processing, an erroneous detection rate thereby being increased, so that performance are also deteriorated.
In this instance, according to the technology of the above non-patent document 3, a group code is modulated with the pilot of the head of a subframe which is adjacent in terms of time. In a case where multiple subframes of different GI lengths are present in a mixed manner thereof, however, demodulation must be performed in all the candidate GI lengths by use of pilot channels subjected to FFT processing, so that the amount of processing is increased and the number of candidates at the time of detection is increased, leading to deterioration of performance.
The present invention is originated in terms of the above issues. One object of the present invention is making it possible for the mobile station terminal to perform FFT processing always with the optimal timing (FFT window) even when subframes of multiple GI lengths are used in a mixed manner thereof, without depending upon the difference of subframe formats, so that the mobile station terminal apparatus is simplified and the performance improvement at the time of cell search processing is realized.
In order to accomplish the above object, the following transmission processing method in a mobile communication system and the following base station may be used.
(1) As a generic aspect, there provided is a transmission processing method for a mobile communications system which includes a base station and a mobile station adapted to perform radio communications with the base station in a cell that is a radio communication area formed by the base station, and which is operable to transmit a plurality of kinds of frames with guard intervals of different lengths inserted before effective data in a mixed condition thereof as downlink communications frames from the base station to the mobile station, the transmission processing method comprising the steps of: on the base station, adjusting the length of a guard interval in such a manner that at least the positions of a part of the effective data of the plurality of kinds of frames are apart from frame timing by the same amount; and transmitting the adjusted frames to the mobile station.
(2) As a preferred aspect, the transmission processing method comprises the step of: on the base station, performing the above adjustment in such a manner that, when two kinds of frames into which guard intervals of different lengths are inserted are used, the length of a guard interval to be inserted before the effective data in one frame agree to the length of a guard interval to be inserted before the effective data in the other frame.
(3) As another preferred aspect, the transmission processing method comprises the step of: on the base station, performing the above adjustment so as to adjust the length of a guard interval to be inserted before the effective data of the other frame to the length of the minimum guard interval among the plurality of kinds of frames.
(4) As still another preferred aspect, the transmission processing method comprises the step of: on the base station, inserting a guard interval of a length equal to a difference between the length of the guard interval of the other frame and the length of the minimum guard interval into the end of the effective data.
(5) As yet another preferred aspect, the effective data is information unique to the cell.
(6) As a further preferred aspect, the information unique to the cell is information for the mobile station to identify a scramble code unique to the cell.
(7) As another further preferred aspect, the information unique to the cell is broadcasting information to the mobile station.
(8) As a yet further preferred aspect, the information unique to the cell contains information relating to the length of a guard interval.
(9) As a still further preferred aspect, the transmission processing method comprises the step of: on the base station, inserting information for the mobile station to identify a scramble code unique to the cell into effective data of the leading portion of the frame; and inserting a result obtained by means of multiplying information for identifying a group of the scramble codes, which are grouped by information for identifying the scramble code, by information for identifying the scramble code, as scramble code group information into effective data at the end portion of the frame.
(10) As another preferred aspect, the transmission processing method comprises the step of: on the mobile station, demodulating the scramble code group information inserted into effective data of the end portion of the frame by means of information for identifying the scramble code inserted into effective data of the leading portion of the frame.
(11) As yet another preferred aspect, the transmission processing method comprises the step of: on the base station, making the scramble code group information include information relating to the length of a guard interval.
(12) As still another preferred aspect, the transmission processing method comprises the step of: on the mobile station, detecting information relating to the length of the guard interval; and performing reception processing of the frame on the basis of the detected information.
(13) As another generic aspect, there provided is a base station which includes a base station and a mobile station adapted to perform radio communications with the base station in a cell that is a radio communication area formed by the base station, and which is operable to transmit a plurality of kinds of frames with guard intervals of different lengths inserted before effective data in a mixed condition thereof as downlink communications frames from the base station to the mobile station, the base station comprising: a guard interval inserting unit which inserts a guard interval before effective data of the leading portion of the frame; and a guard interval length controlling unit which controls the length of a guard interval to be inserted by the guard interval inserting unit in such a manner that at least the positions of a part of the effective data of the plurality of kinds of frames are apart from frame timing by the same amount.
(14) As a preferred aspect, the guard interval length controlling unit performs the above adjustment in such a manner that, when two kinds of frames to which guard intervals of different lengths are used, the length of a guard interval to be inserted before the effective data in one frame agree to the length of a guard interval to be inserted before the effective data in the other frame.
(15) As another preferred aspect, the guard interval length controlling unit performs the above adjustment so as to adjust the length of a guard interval to be inserted before the effective data of the other frames to the length of the minimum guard interval among the plurality of kinds of frames.
(16) As yet another preferred aspect, the guard interval length controlling unit inserts a guard interval of a length equal to a difference between the length of the guard interval of the other frame and the length of the minimum guard interval into the end of the effective data.
(17) As still another preferred aspect, the effective data is information unique to the cell.
(18) As a further preferred aspect, the information unique to the cell is information for the mobile station to identify a scramble code unique to the cell.
(19) As yet another generic aspect, there provided is a transmission processing method for a mobile communications system which includes a base station and a mobile station adapted to perform radio communications with the base station in a cell that is a radio communication area formed by the base station, and which is operable to transmit a plurality of kinds of frames with guard intervals of different lengths inserted before effective data in a mixed condition thereof as downlink frames from the base station to the mobile station, the transmission processing method comprising the steps of: on the base station, giving a phase rotation to the effective data of at least any one of the frames in accordance with a difference between the length of a guard interval of the effective data and the length of another guard interval of another frame; and transmitting the frame after being subjected to the phase rotation processing to the mobile station.
(20) As still another generic aspect, there provided is a base station including a base station and a mobile station adapted to perform radio communications with the base station in a cell that is a radio communication area formed by the base station, and which is operable to transmit a plurality of kinds of frames with guard intervals of different lengths inserted before effective data in a mixed condition thereof as downlink communications frames from the base station to the mobile station, the base station comprising: a guard interval inserting unit which inserts a guard interval before effective data of the leading portion of the frame; and a phase rotation processing unit which gives a phase rotation to the effective data of at least any one of the frames in accordance with a difference between the length of a guard interval of the effective data and the length of another guard interval of another frame.
According to the above-described aspect, at least any of the following effects and benefits are obtained.
(1) Even in a system in which multiple kinds of frames of different guard interval lengths are present in a mixed manner thereof, on the receiving end (mobile station), it is possible to always perform reception processing such as FFT processing to effective data in an appropriate time division at fixed timing, without causing sample deviation of the effective data. Accordingly, appropriate processing (for example, cell search processing, etc.) is realized without causing increase in the scale and the complexity of the mobile station, so that the mobile station can be simplified and performance improvement can be realized.
(2) Further, because of the effective data containing information relating to the guard interval length, it becomes possible to not only identify a cell (scramble code) by means of cell search processing but also identify the guard interval length of a reception frame, so that demodulation processing afterward can be performed appropriately.
Embodiments will now be described with reference to the relevant accompanying drawings. In this instance, the description will be made taking an example of OFDM communications system in which subframes (short GI subframe and long GI subframe) of two types of guard interval lengths are mixed. In addition, similar to
Here, the cannel multiplexer 10 time-division multiplexes each channel signal (modulation data) of various types of channels (data channel, pilot channel, synchronization channel, etc.) which is to be transmitted to the mobile station terminal (UE: User Equipment) 2, following control from the channel multiplexing controller 18. The serial/parallel converter 11 (hereinafter will also be referred to as S/P converter) performs serial/parallel conversion of signals (Nc-number of modulation data pieces) time-division multiplexed by the channel multiplexer 10 and then maps each signal to each subcarrier.
An IFFT 12 performs IFFT processing of the demodulation data mapped to each subcarrier by the unit of Nc-number of data pieces to convert the data into a time domain signal. The GI inserting unit 13 follows control from the guard interval length controller 19 to insert a guard interval [of one of the above mentioned two types of GI lengths (Ngi_s and Ngi_l)] into the time domain signal.
Here, in the present example, as shown in, for example, (2) of
The radio unit 14 performs predetermined radio processing such as frequency conversion (up conversion) of the short GI subframe or the long GI subframe after guard interval insertion thereto into a predetermined radio frequency, and thus obtained radio signals are transmitted to a propagation path by way of the transmitter antenna 15.
The subframe format storage 16 stores information used at the time of constructing (forming) transmission subframes, such as information relating to the type of subframe format to be transmitted (in the present example, information specifying whether the subject frame is a short GI subframe or a long GI subframe), the number of transmission symbols (Nsf) per subframe with respect to each subframe, the GI length (Ngi_s and Ngi_l) of each subframe, or the like.
The transmission subframe format determiner 17 determines a subframe format (short GI subframe format or long GI subframe format) to be transmitted, and reads information used for forming the determined subframe format from the subframe format storage 16, and then gives instructions to the channel multiplexing controller 18 and the guard interval length controller 19.
The channel multiplexing controller 18 controls time-division multiplexing of the above mentioned each channel signal (modulation data) performed by the channel multiplexer 10, following the above mentioned instruction from the transmission subframe format determiner 17. The channel multiplexing controller 18 performs control in such a manner that Nc-number of signals of each channel per 10 OFDM symbols are input to the channel multiplexer 10 in a predetermined time sequence. For this purpose, the channel multiplexing controller 18 has an internal counter (not illustrated) for counting the number (Nsf) of OFDM symbols per subframe.
Then, the guard interval length controller 19 controls guard interval insertion processing performed by the GI inserting unit 13. As already described, as to a short GI subframe, the guard interval length controller 19 adds a guard interval of a GI length Ngis_s to the head of an effective symbol (see reference character 115) as shown in (2) of
Hereinafter, a detailed description will be made of an operation (transmission processing) of the base station transmitter apparatus 1 (hereinafter also will be simply called “base station 1”) having the above described construction of the present embodiment.
On the base station 1, the transmission subframe format determiner 17 determines a transmission subframe format (see timing T1 in
As a result, the channel multiplexing controller 18 instructs the channel multiplexer 10 of the multiplexing method for each channel in accordance with the value of the inner counter (initial value: “0”) (step S2 of
The channel multiplexer 10 performs time-division multiplexing of modulation data pieces (Nc-number of data pieces) of each channel (see reference character 182 in
In this instance, the channel multiplexing controller 18 counts up the value of internal counter upon an input of Nc-number of modulation data pieces (A, B, C, . . . ) of each channel to the channel multiplexer 10 as described above. Here, if such counting up makes the value exceed Nsf, the channel multiplexing controller 18 resets the value to “0” (see step S4 of
On the other hand, the serial/parallel converter 11 converts time-division multiplexed signals (Nc-number of modulation data pieces) input from the channel multiplexer 10, and maps them to each subcarrier, and then outputs them to the IFFT 12 (step S5 of
Then, the guard interval length controller 19 outputs a guard interval length (Ngi_pre) to be added to the head of an effective symbol and a guard interval length (Ngi_post) to be added to the end of the effective symbol, as a guard interval addition request, to the guard interval inserter 13 (see the arrow 186 of
Here, it is assumed that in a case where the current (determined by the transmission subframe format determiner 17) transmission subframe (format) is a short GI subframe (S), (Ngi_pre, Ngi_post)=(Ngi_s, 0), and that in a case where the current transmission subframe is a long GI subframe (L), (Nig_pre, Ngi_post)=(Ngi_s, Ngi_l-Ngi_s). In this instance, if the current transmission subframe (format) is a long GI subframe with an internal counter value other than “0” (that is, in a case where an effective symbol which is a subject of GI insertion is not the head of the subframe), (Ngi_pre, Ngi_post)=(Ngi_l, 0), and insertion of a guard interval before the effective symbol is instructed (see step S7 of
Upon reception of the above mentioned instruction (guard interval addition request), the guard interval inserter 13 copies the end portion Ngi_pre [sample] of the effective symbol input from the IFFT 12, and adds what is copied to the head of the effective symbol (see the reference character 187 of
After that, the guard interval length controller 19 counts up the internal counter (if exceeds Nsf, the value is reset to the initial value of “0”) (see step S9 of
On the other hand, the radio unit 14 performs predetermined radio processing, such as up conversion processing, onto the OFDM symbols from the guard interval inserter 13, and then transmits thus obtained transmission radio signals from the transmitter antenna 15 to a propagation path (see step S10 of
Thereafter, the processing already described is repeated, downlink radio signals thereby being transmitted in the short GI subframe format shown in (1) of
In other words, as understandable from (1) and (2) of
Accordingly, as explained hereinbelow, the mobile station terminal 2, if it does not know whether the subframe format of a reception signal has a short GI subframe or a long GI subframe, sets the beginning position of an FFT window to after the time corresponding to the above fixed GI length from the leading timing of the subframe, and then begins FFT processing, thereby making it possible to perform FFT processing in an appropriate time division with respect to at least the leading symbol (pilot symbol), so that pilot channel extraction and scramble code detection afterward will be able to be performed appropriately.
Next, a description will be made hereinafter of the construction of a mobile station terminal 2 and its operation.
Here, the reception antenna 20 receives a radio signal from the above described base station 1. The radio unit 21 performs predetermined radio reception processing such as down conversion of the radio signal received by the reception antenna 20. The first stage processor 22 detects subframe timing based on a correlation between a reception signal from the radio unit 21 and a replica signal of the synchronization channel (SCH), which is a known pattern, as the first stage processing of cell search.
Thus, in the first stage processor 22, the synchronization channel replica signal storage 22-1 stores replica signals of the synchronization channel beforehand; the correlation processor 22-2 obtains a correlation between the above reception signal and the replica signals stored in the synchronization channel replica signal storage 22-1. The subframe timing detector 22-3 detects the subframe timing of the reception signal based on results of correlation processing performed by the correlation processor 22-2. For example, it is possible to detect timing with which the largest correlation is shown as subframe timing.
Further, the second stage processor 23 performs fast Fourier transformation (FFT) processing based on the subframe timing detected by the first stage processor 22 to extract a pilot channel and detect a scramble code.
Hence, in the second stage processor 23, the GI remover 23-1 removes a guard interval inserted into a reception signal based on the subframe timing detected by the subframe timing detector 22-3. Here, in the present example, as already described, on the base station 1, at least a guard interval of a fixed GI length (Ngi_s) is always inserted before an effective symbol of the head of a transmission subframe, regardless of whether it is a short GI subframe or a long GI subframe, so that a guard interval of the fixed GI length of at least the head of the subframe is removed.
The FFT 23-2 performs FFT processing to the effective symbol whose guard interval has been removed in a predetermined time division (at least effective symbol length time), that is, in an FFT window, thereby converting a time domain reception signal into a frequency domain signal. In the present example, as already described, the FFT 23-2 sets the start position of an FFT window after a lapse of the time corresponding to the fixed GI length (Ngi_s) from subframe timing before starting FFT processing, so that it is possible to always perform FFT processing at appropriate time divisions regardless of whether the subframe is a short GI subframe or a long GI subframe.
The pilot extractor 23-3 extracts a pilot channel signal (pilot symbol) from the frequency domain signal after being subjected to FFT processing performed by the pilot extractor 23-3. The candidate scramble code storage 23-4 stores candidate scramble codes (pilot replicas) for use in correlation processing by the pilot correlation processor 23-5. The pilot correlation processor 23-5 obtains correlation between the pilot symbol extracted by the pilot extractor 23-3 and the candidate scramble codes stored in the candidate scramble code storage 23-4.
The scramble code detector 23-6 detects a scramble code based on correlation processing results in the pilot correlation processor 23-5. For example, a candidate scramble code which shows the largest correlation can be made to be a detected scramble code.
Then, the demodulator 24 performs descrambling processing using a scramble code detected by the scramble code detector 23-6 and predetermined reception signal demodulation processing including FFT processing of effective symbols. In this instance, in the present example, the GI length before the effective symbol of the head of a subframe is fixed, not dependent on the difference of subframe formats having different GI lengths. Because of this, the GI length can become shorter than the original GI length, causing the possibility of performance deterioration due to delay waves. However, this issue can be avoided by means of performing processing described below with reference to
Hereinafter, a description will be made of an operation (cell search method) of a mobile station terminal 2 (hereinafter, also simply called “mobile station 2” according to the present embodiment with the above described construction.
In the present example, also, the mobile station 2 detects correlation with the replica of a time signal of a synchronization channel (SCH), which is a known pattern, and, for example, the timing indicating the largest correlation value is employed as subframe timing (step S21).
That is, on the mobile station 2, the receiver antenna 21 receives a radio signal from the base station 1, and the radio unit 21 performs predetermined radio processing such as down conversion or the like. After that, on the first stage processor 22, the correlation processor 22-2 obtains correlation of the reception signal with the replica signals of the synchronization channel (SCH) stored in the synchronization channel replica signal storage 22-1, and the subframe timing detector 22-3 detects timing with which the result (correlation value) becomes the largest value as subframe timing.
Then, in the second stage processor 23, the GI remover 23-1 removes Nig_s [sample] of the reception signal from the subframe timing detected by the subframe timing detector 22-3 regardless of a subframe format of a signal currently being received, as described above, and the FFT 23-2 performs FFT processing to execute conversion of the signal into a frequency domain signal.
In this manner, according to the present example, when FFT processing of a symbol of the head of a subframe is performed, a guard interval of Ngi_s [sample] is always removed from subframe timing regardless of difference between subframe formats of reception signals (whether the subject subframe is a short GI subframe or a long GI subframe), so that it is always possible to perform FFT processing in an appropriate time division (FFT window) without causing sample deviation.
That is, as shown in
Here, the reception signal after being subjected to FFT processing is input to the pilot extractor 23-3, and the pilot extractor 23-3 extracts a pilot symbol from a subcarrier to which a pilot channel has been multiplexed. After that, the pilot correlation processor 23-5 obtains correlation between the extracted pilot symbol and candidate scramble codes stored in the candidate scramble code storage 23-4, and then, the scramble code detector 23-6 makes a candidate scramble code obtaining the maximum correlation value to be the detected scramble code (step S22).
In this instance, the detected scramble code is used in demodulation processing after radio link coupling by the demodulator 24. Here, as schematically shown in
Hereby, even if the length of a guard interval which is added before the leading symbol of a long GI subframe on the base station 1 end is shorter than the original length (Ngi_l), the effect (performance deterioration reduction effect due to a delay wave) is not resultantly different from a symbol to which a long GI subframe of an original GI length (Ngi_l) is added.
As described above, according to the present embodiment, in FFT processing performed upon detection of a scramble code on the second stage of cell search by the mobile station 2, it is always possible to perform FFT processing in an appropriate time division (FFT window), without causing sample deviation, by means of removing a guard interval of Ngi_s [sample] from subframe timing regardless of difference of the subframe format of reception signals (whether they have a short GI subframe or a long GI subframe). In consequence, appropriate pilot channel extracting processing and scramble code detection processing can be realized.
Accordingly, even in a case where subframe formats of multiple guard interval lengths are present in a mixed condition thereof, it is possible to realize appropriate cell search processing without causing increase in the scale or the complexity of the construction of the mobile station 2, so that the mobile station 2 can be simplified and performance at the time of cell search processing can be improved. In addition, since the number of candidates in the scramble code detector 23-6 does not (does not necessary to) increase, an erroneous detection rate due to increase in the number of candidates is able to be restrained, and performance improvement can be expected.
In this instance, although guard intervals are controlled to be mapped in such a manner that the positions of beginning of the effective data of the leading symbol of the subframes are apart from frame timing by the same amount in the above described case, guard interval mapping can also be performed in such a manner that the positions of beginning of effective data from subframe timing are apart from frame timing by the same amount. For example, a guard interval can be mapped in such a manner that the effective data beginning position of the third symbol and that of the second symbol are apart from frame timing by the same amount. In such a case, pilots are multiplexed to the effective data whose effective data beginning positions are apart from frame timing by the same amount.
The mobile station 2 receives broadcasting information (transmitted from the base station 1 in cyclic through a broadcasting information channel) containing information unique to a cell after detection of a scramble code of the above mentioned base station 1. In the already described first embodiment, it is possible to perform FFT processing in an appropriate time division to detect a scramble code, regardless of difference in the length of a guard interval inserted into a subframe which is being received. However, information (as to which GI length the subframe has) about subframes being received is sill unknown. Thus, at the time broadcasting information is demodulated, all the candidate GI lengths (Ngi_s and Ngi_l) are necessary to be subjected to processing.
According to the first embodiment, only information (pilot channel) identifying a cell is allocated at the head of a subframe. However, generally speaking, it is sufficient to insert a pilot channel (symbol) at the rate such that the channel estimation accuracy at the time of demodulation processing is secured sufficiently. Here, for example, it is assumed that pilot symbol insertion at 1 subcarrier intervals can realize the sufficient channel estimation accuracy at the time of demodulation.
Therefore, on the base station 1, as shown in
Here,
In this instance, the other frame constructions are the same as those of
Accordingly, on the base station 1, information used for forming the subframe formats shown in
In this case, since the positions of the effective symbols to which broadcasting information is multiplexed are apart from the subframe timing by the same amount in the long GI subframe and the short GI subframe, even if information relating to a GI length is unknown, the mobile station 2 is capable of performing FFT processing to the effective symbol, that is, a pilot symbol and broadcasting information, of the head of the subframe in an appropriate time division with a construction and processing equal to those of the first embodiment, thereby realizing appropriate cell search processing and reception processing of broadcasting information (demodulation processing).
Here, if information (GI length itself or information relating to transmission patterns of subframes of different GI lengths) relating to the GI length of a subframe transmitted by the base station 1 are included as the above mentioned broadcasting information, demodulation processing thereafter performed by the demodulation processor 24 is able to be performed based on GI length information obtained by demodulating the broadcasting information. In this instance, the amount of information transmittable by the broadcasting information is limited. Thus, if the amount of information to be transmitted exceeds the information amount transmittable as one piece of broadcasting information, the base station 1 is capable of making the information divided and contained in multiple subframes.
Other operations of the base station 1 and the mobile station 2 are the same as those of the first embodiment.
In this instance, although the mapping of guard intervals is controlled in such a manner that the effective data beginning positions of the leading symbols of the subframes are apart from frame timing by the same amount in the above description, the mapping of guard intervals can also be controlled in such a manner that the effective data beginning positions are apart from frame timing by the same amount with respect to the second symbol and those of thereafter. For example, the mapping of guard intervals can be controlled in such a manner that the effective data beginning positions of the third symbol of a short GI subframe and of the second symbol of a long GI subframe are apart from frame timing by the same amount. In such a case, a pilot and broadcasting information are multiplexed to the effective data whose effective data beginning positions are apart from frame timing by the same amount.
According to the already described technology (three-stage high-speed cell search method) proposed in the above non-patent document 3, which is cited as a previous art, as shown in
The following will be a description of an overview of cell search processing in this technology. On the first stage, symbol timing is detected utilizing a correlation characteristic of a guard interval; on the second stage, subframe timing and a scramble code group are detected utilizing pilot symbols each allocated before and after a subframe, respectively. Then, after FFT processing, in each subcarrier, multiplication is performed by using one of the symbols adjacent to each other in terms of time as a complex conjugate, as shown in the following formula (1). This makes it possible to extract a group code G(i) in a case of subframe timing.
G(i)P(i)×P*(i)=|P(i)|2G(i) (1)
Accordingly, in all the candidate sub-frame timing, a correlation with a candidate group code is obtained with respect to a series obtained by multiplication of a complex conjugate of symbols adjacent to each other in respect to time, and subframe timing and a group code G(i) which obtains the maximum correlation are determined to be detection values.
Then, on the third stage, by means of obtaining correlation between the candidate scramble codes contained in the group detected on the second stage, a subject scramble code is detected.
However, this technology is on the assumption of using a subframe format having a fixed GI length in the system. Thus, in a case where the technology is applied to the system in which subframe formats of multiple GI lengths are mixed, the following issues are caused as described above.
That is, a group code is demodulated by a pilot of the head of an adjacent subframe in terms of time. When multiple subframes of different GI lengths are mixed, it is necessary to perform demodulation processing to all the candidate guard interval lengths by using a pilot symbol which has been subjected to FFT processing. In addition, in this case, increase in the amount of processing and increase of the number of candidates at the time of detection thereof lead to deterioration of performance.
In contrast, in the above described embodiment of the present invention, since at least the position of an effective symbol to which a pilot symbol is multiplexed does not depend on the GI lengths of different formats (whether the format is a long GI subframe format or a short GI subframe format), it is always possible to execute uniform processing. Thus, the issues of the above previous art are resolved by utilizing such a characteristic of the above described embodiment.
That is, in the present example, the format shown in FIG. and
Then, as shown in
That is, in the time domain expression of
In this instance, in the present example, also, a pattern G(i)P(i) obtained by multiplying a code G(i) unique to a group by a pilot pattern P(i) of the pilot channel 111 adjacent to the code G(i) in terms of time is used as group identifying information (S-SCH) 118. Further, as a code G(i) unique to a group, an orthogonal code, for example, a Walsh code is used.
Even if such a subframe having the above described construction (format) is employed, it is basically possible to realize transmission in the subframe format shown in
On the other hand, on the mobile station 2, similar to the first embodiment, subframe timing is detected utilizing the synchronization channel (SCH) as the first stage processing. That is, it is possible to detect subframe timing with a construction equal to the construction of the first stage processor 22 shown in
As the second stage processing, a reception signal is subjected to FFT processing using the thus detected subframe timing and is converted into a frequency domain signal. After that, group identifying information and a pilot channel is extracted. Then, as shown in the above formula (1), correlation is taken between (i) a series obtained (demodulated) by multiplying the group identifying information by a complex conjugate of the pilot channel adjacent in terms of time and (ii) a candidate group code. For example, a group obtaining the maximum correlation value may be identified as a detected group.
At that time, according to the present invention, as shown in
In this instance, in the third stage processing, correlation between a pilot channel and candidate scramble codes contained in the group which is detected (identified) in the second stage is obtained, a scramble code thereby being detected.
That is, in the construction of the mobile station 2 shown in
In this instance, as shown in
That is, subframe format information is able to be detected by means of deciding, for example, the polarity of the maximum correlation value out of values of correlation with a code unique to a candidate group. In this case, since a subframe format is already detected at the time of scramble code processing, merits of a long guard interval are capitalized on in a case of a long GI subframe at the time of scramble code processing in the next stage, and thus, the performance of processing in the third stage are improved. Here, increase of the number of candidates in processing in the second stage (the number of groups×the number of subframe formats) makes it difficult to improve performance of processing in the second stage.
In this instance, although information to be transmitted as a broadcasting information channel is not specified in the present example, if the broadcasting channel contains information relating to transmission patterns or the like of the subframes of different lengths in addition to the above subframe format information L which is being transmitted by the base station 1, it be comes possible to perform demodulation processing after cell search in accordance with different GI lengths based on the transmission patterns, so that an advantage of improvement of performance is brought about.
In the above described embodiments, a pilot channel is mapped (multiplexed) to the effective symbol of the head of a subframe, and a synchronization channel (SCH) is multiplexed to the effective symbol at the end of the subframe. However, such relationships can be exchanged. For example, as shown in
Here,
As to a subframe having the above described construction (format), also, it is basically possible to realize transmission in the subframe format shown in
By using such a subframe format, on the reception end (mobile station 2), the position of multiplexing of the synchronization channel (SCH) is fixed, independent of whether a reception signal from the base station 1 is a long GI subframe or a short GI subframe, as schematically shown in
That is, for example, as schematically shown in
Further, in this case, since a pilot channel is multiplexed to the effective symbol of the end of the subframe, it is sufficient that the FFT 23-2 (see
In this manner, according to the present example, multiplexing of a pilot channel to the effective symbol of the end of a subframe makes it possible to capitalize on merits of a long guard interval added, in comparison with the first embodiment, at the time of detection processing of a scramble code performed by the scramble code detector 23-6 (see
In this instance, according to the above embodiment, the GI length to be multiplexed to the head of the effective symbol of a long GI subframe is adjusted to the GI length (the minimum GI length) Ngi_s, for the purpose of making the multiplexing position of the effective symbol (pilot channel or synchronization channel) fixed. However, contrary adjustment is also available such that the GI length to be multiplexed to the head of the effective symbol of a short GI subframe is adjusted to the GI length Ngi_l used in a long GI subframe.
Further, in a case where three or more subframes of different GI lengths are present in a mixed condition thereof, it is sufficient that at least the GI length is adjusted in such a manner that a guard interval of the same GI length is multiplexed to the leading symbol of each subframe (the GI length can be adjusted to that which is used in any of the subframes, and also, a fixed GI length can be determined for each subframe).
Furthermore, in the above described embodiments, although adjustment of the GI length is performed to the effective symbol of the head of a subframe, the similar GI length adjustment can be performed to the effective symbol other than the leading effective symbol of the subframe.
In addition, in the above description, although a guard interval mapping is controlled in such a manner that the effective data beginning positions of the leading symbols of the subframes are apart from frame timing by the same amount, guard interval allocation can also be controlled in such a manner that the effective data beginning positions are apart from subframe timing by the same amount with respect to the second symbol or those thereafter. For example, guard interval mapping can be controlled in such a manner that the effective data beginning positions of the third symbol of a short GI subframe and the second symbol of the long GI subframe is apart from subframe timing by the same amount as that by which the effective data beginning position of the second symbol of a long GI subframe is apart from subframe timing. In such a case, synchronization channels are multiplexed to effective data whose positions are apart from the subframe timing by the same amount.
The following formula (2) expresses discrete Fourier transform (DFT) of a signal in which gk is cyclically shifted by Δk [sample],
where gk is a time domain signal of an effective symbol (here, k indicates time [sample]; 0≦k≦N−1); N indicates the DFT size.
Here, in the above formula (2), Gn is expressed by the following formula (3), and is a series of a frequency domain with an effective symbol subjected to DFT. In this instance, n is the number of the subcarriers, and 0≦n≦N−1.
That is, a series in the frequency domain of a signal in which an effective symbol is cyclically shifted by Δk [sample] is equal to a series obtained by giving phase rotation to a series in the frequency domain of an effective symbol by 2πΔ/N per subcarrier in the frequency direction.
Accordingly, in the above described first embodiment, it can be considered that the leading OFDM symbol of a long GI subframe, a guard interval is added before and after thereof, is an OFDM symbol in which a guard interval Ngi_l [sample] added to before the effective symbol [a symbol cyclically shifted by (Ngi_l-Ngi_s)] obtained by performing IFFT processing to a series which has been phase-rotated in the frequency direction by (Ngi_l-Ngi_s).
Hence, the base station 1 already described with reference to
is input to the IFFT 12 in a case of the leading symbol to which a pilot channel of a long GI subframe is multiplexed, in place of adding a guard interval (the necessity of the guard interval length controller 19 already described is eliminated) before and after the effective symbol of the subframe like in the first embodiment.
In this manner, in place of adding a guard interval before and after the effective symbol of the leading subframe, a series of the frequency domain input to the IFFT 12 can be phase-rotated in the frequency direction, thereby realizing an operation arithmetically equal to the first embodiment.
Here, the phase rotation processor 19a is controlled by the channel multiplexing controller 18. That is, the channel multiplexing controller 18 has a function of giving an instruction of the above phase rotation given to the leading effective symbol of the subframe format to be performed to the phase rotation processor 19a at the time the transmission subframe format determiner 17 determines that the subframe format is a long GI subframe format. Upon receiving such an instruction, the phase rotation processor 19a executes the above mentioned phase rotation processing. In this instance, in
Hereinafter, a detailed description will be made of an operation (transmission processing) of the base station transmitter 1A (hereinafter will also be simply called “the base station 1A”) performed according to the present embodiment with the above described construction.
On the base station 1A, the transmission subframe format determiner 17 determines a transmission subframe format (see timing T1 of
Hereby, the channel multiplexing controller 18 instructs the channel multiplexer 10 of the multiplexing method for each channel in accordance with the value of the internal counter (initial value: “0”). If the thus determined transmission subframe format is a long GI subframe format, the channel multiplexing controller 18 gives a phase rotation instruction of the leading symbol thereof to the phase rotation processor 19a (step S12 of
The channel multiplexer 10 follows the instruction of the channel multiplexing controller 18 to perform time-division multiplexing of modulation data (Nc-number of data pieces) of each channel (see the reference character 182 of
On the other hand, the serial/parallel converter 11 performs serial/parallel conversion of the time-division multiplexed signal (Nc-number of modulation data) input from the channel multiplexer 10, and maps the converted data to each subcarrier, and then outputs it to the phase rotation processor 19a (step S14 of
Then, the channel multiplexing controller 18 counts up the value of the internal counter. Here, if the value exceeds Nsf as a result of such counting up, the value is reset to “0” (see step S16 of
The IFFT 12 performs IFFT processing of Nc-number of pieces of modulation data mapped to each subcarrier, and outputs an effective symbol to the guard interval inserter 13 (see step S17 of
The guard interval inserter 13 copies the end Ngi [sample] of the effective symbol input from the IFFT 12, and adds what is copied to before the effective symbol (see the reference character 189 of
Then, the radio unit 14 performs predetermined radio processing such as up conversion to the OFDM symbol from the guard interval inserter 13, and transmits the transmission radio signal from the transmitter antenna 15 to a propagation path (see step S19 of
Thereafter, by means of repeating the above described processing, a downlink radio signal is transmitted in the long GI subframe format shown in (1) of
That is, in the case of a long GI subframe, a guard interval having a length the same as that of a GI length Ngi_l which is added to the following effective symbols is added to before the leading effective symbol of a subframe (see the reference character 115a), and a pilot symbol having been subjected to the above described phase rotation processing is inserted into the effective symbol of the subframe (see the reference character 114a).
On the other hand, in a case of a short GI subframe, as in the case of (2) of
In this instance, the construction and the operation of the receiving end (mobile station 2) are the same as those of the first embodiment.
That is, in the present example, different from the above described first embodiment, it is possible to realize processing equal to that of the first embodiment, without adding any change to a subframe format itself (without adjusting the GI length to be inserted). Accordingly, since the present example is capable of not only realizing the effects and since the benefits equal to those of the first embodiment but also only trivial changes are merely necessary to be added to the already existing construction of a base station apparatus, the present example has increased versatility.
In this instance, the above-described phase rotation processing is capable of being applied to the systems already described in the second to the fourth embodiment.
Further, in the above example, phase rotation processing in the frequency direction is given to the leading effective symbol of a long GI subframe by what is obtained by subtracting the shorter GI length Ngi_s from the long GI length Ngi_s. In contrast, the phase rotation processing (inverse rotation) in the frequency direction can be given to the leading effective symbol of a long GI subframe by what is obtained by subtracting the longer GI length Ngi_s from the shorter GI length Ngi_s (Ngi_s-Ngi_l). This corresponds to making the GI length of the leading effective symbol of a short GI subframe agree to the GI length of a long GI subframe.
Further, in a case where three or more types of subframes of different GI lengths are used, the GI length of any one of the subframes (the minimum GI length is available, and the others are also available) is used as a reference, and phase rotation processing can be performed in accordance with a difference between the GI length of the reference subframe and the GI lengths of other subframes.
Furthermore, although phase rotation is given to the effective data of the leading symbol of a subframe in the above description, such phase rotation can be given to effective data of the second symbol or those thereafter. For example, phase rotation can be given to the effective data part of the third symbol of a short GI subframe and that of the second symbol of a long GI subframe. In such a case, a pilot is multiplexed to the effective data whose data beginning positions are apart from subframe timing by the same amount.
The present invention should by no means be limited to the above-illustrated embodiments, but various changes or modifications may be suggested without departing from the gist of the invention.
As described above, according to the present invention, even in a system in which multiple subframe formats of different GI lengths are present in a mixed manner thereof, it is always possible to perform appropriate pilot channel extraction processing and scramble code detection processing at fixed timing from subframe timing without causing sample deviation, not depending upon the difference in the GI length. Accordingly, appropriate cell search processing is able to be realized without increase in the size or the complexity of the mobile station, so that the mobile station is simplified and improvement of performance at the time of cell search processing is realized. The invention is thus considered to be greatly useful in the field of mobile communications.
This is a continuation application under 35 U.S.C. §111(a) of International Patent Application No. PCT/JP2005/023081 filed Dec. 15, 2005, the contents of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/JP2005/023081 | Dec 2005 | US |
| Child | 12137990 | US |
