Methods and systems for using a beam-forming network in conjunction with spatially multiplexed wireless signals

Abstract

Various methods and systems for combining the capabilities of beam-forming networks together with the benefit of using spatially multiplexed wireless signals.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for receiving spatially multiplexed wireless signals via a beam-forming network, comprising:
 detecting, using a beam-forming network comprising a plurality of beam-ports and belonging to a wireless communication system, a first and a second directions through which a first and a second wireless signals arrive at said wireless communication system respectively, said first and second wireless signals are a mixture of a first and a second spatially multiplexed wireless signals generated by a remote transceiver from a single data stream using a first and a second remote antennas respectively;   connecting, by said wireless communication system, (i) a first of said beam-ports, that is associated with said first direction, to a first input of a receiver belonging to said wireless communication system, and (ii) a second of said beam-ports, that is associated with said second direction, to a second input of said receiver; and   decoding, by said receiver, the first and second wireless signals received via said first and second inputs into said single data stream.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said detection is done utilizing at most a first 4 microsecond of a wireless data packet belonging to said data stream, arriving at said wireless communication system. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said connection is done at most 2 microseconds after said detection. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said detection and said connection are done fast enough, thereby allowing said receiver enough time to decode said wireless data packet. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said wireless data packet and said spatially multiplexed wireless signals at least partially conform to IEEE-802.11n. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said first and second spatially multiplexed wireless signals are used by the IEEE-802.11n standard to boost transmission rates of said single data stream. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said spatially multiplexed wireless signals are transported using a frequency range of between 2.4 Ghz and 2.5 Ghz, and said beam-forming network is configured to operate directly in said frequency range. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said spatially multiplexed wireless signals are transported using a frequency range of between 4.8 Ghz and 5.9 Ghz, and said beam-forming network is configured to operate directly in said frequency range. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said wireless data packet and said spatially multiplexed wireless signals at least partially conform to IEEE-802.11ac. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said beam-forming network is selected from a group consisting of: (i) a rotman-lens, (ii) a butler-matrix, (iii) a blass-matrix, and (iv) a fixed or passive beam-forming network, and said beam-forming network further comprising a plurality of array-ports. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said rotman-lens or butler matrix is configured to concentrate radio-frequency energy arriving at said plurality of array ports into substantially one of said plurality of beam-ports which is determined substantially by an angle of arrival of said radio-frequency energy into said plurality of array ports, thereby said rotman-lens or butler matrix facilitates detection of said first and second directions through which said first and second wireless signals arrive at said wireless communication system. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said detecting of said first and second directions further comprising:
 measuring a plurality of output power levels of at least some of said plurality of beam-ports respectively, by using a plurality of power detectors connected to said plurality of beam-ports respectively, said plurality of power detectors belonging to said wireless communication system; and   identifying, by said wireless communication system, said first and second beam-ports having strongest of said plurality of output power levels, thereby detecting said first and second directions associated with said first and a second wireless signals respectively.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said identifying of said first and second beam-ports further comprising:
 sensing, by said wireless communication system, a first signature belonging to said first spatially multiplexed wireless signal, said first signature present at said first beam-port, thereby associating said first beam-port with said first spatially multiplexed wireless signal.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said identifying of said first and second beam-ports further comprising:
 sensing, by said wireless communication system, a second signature belonging to said second spatially multiplexed wireless signal, said second signature present at said second beam-port, thereby associating said second beam-port with said second spatially multiplexed wireless signal.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said detecting of said first and second directions further comprising:
 measuring, by said wireless communication system, a plurality of output power levels of at least some of said plurality of beam-ports respectively, using a plurality of power detectors connected to said plurality of beam-ports respectively;   identifying, according to said measurements, by said wireless communication system, a set of said beam-ports having strongest of said plurality of output power levels; and   searching, by said wireless communication system, among said set of beam-ports, for a first and a second signatures belonging to said first and second spatially multiplexed wireless signal respectively; and   identifying at least said first signature as being present at said first beam-port belonging to said set of beam-ports, and at least said second signature as being present at said second beam-port belonging to said set of beam-ports, thereby associating said first and second spatially multiplexed wireless signals with said first and second beam-ports, thereby achieving said detection.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said detecting of said first and second directions further comprising:
 searching, by said wireless communication system, among said plurality of beam-ports, for a first and a second signatures belonging to said first and second spatially multiplexed wireless signal respectively; and   identifying at least said first signature as being present at said first beam-port, and at least said second signature as being present at said second beam-port, thereby associating said first and second spatially multiplexed wireless signals with said first and second beam-ports, thereby associating said first and second spatially multiplexed wireless signals with said first and second directions, thereby achieving said detection.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said detecting, connecting, and decoding, involves a third wireless signal which is a mixture of said first spatially multiplexed wireless signal, said second spatially multiplexed wireless signal, and a third spatially multiplexed wireless signal. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said detecting, connecting, and decoding, involves a third and a fourth wireless signals which are a mixture of said first spatially multiplexed wireless signal, said second spatially multiplexed wireless signal, a third spatially multiplexed wireless signal, and a fourth spatially multiplexed wireless signal. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 connecting, by said wireless communication system, using a radio frequency switching fabric: (i) a first output of a transmitter belonging to said wireless communication system, to said first beam port, and (ii) a second output of said transmitter to said second beam port; and   transmitting by said transmitter: (i) a first wireless transmit signal via said first output, and (ii) a second wireless transmit signal via said second output, thereby: (i) directing said first wireless transmit signal toward said remote transceiver, and (ii) directing said second wireless transmit signal toward said remote transceiver.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said first and second wireless transmit signals are two spatially multiplexed signals intended for decoding by said remote transceiver into a single data stream. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said first and second wireless transmit signals are two cyclic-delay-diversity signals intended for decoding by said remote transceiver. 
     
     
         22 . A method for boosting reception range of spatially multiplexed wireless signals using a rotman-lens or butler-matrix, comprising:
 concentrating, by a rotman-lens or butler matrix comprising a plurality of beam-ports, a first wireless signal arriving at a plurality of array ports belonging to said rotman-lens or butler matrix, substantially into one of said plurality of beam-ports, said one of beam-ports is determined substantially by an angle of arrival of said first wireless signal into said plurality of array ports;   concentrating, by said rotman-lens or butler matrix, a second wireless signal arriving at said plurality of array ports, substantially into another of said plurality of beam-ports, said another beam-ports is determined substantially by an angle of arrival of said second wireless signal into said plurality of array ports, wherein said first and second wireless signals are a mixture of a first and a second spatially multiplexed wireless signals generated by a remote transceiver from a single data stream using a first and a second remote antennas respectively;   detecting, by a wireless communication system to which said rotman-lens or butler matrix belongs, presence of said first and second wireless signals at said one and another of beam-ports respectively, out of a possibility of presence at other beam-ports of said plurality of beam-ports;   connecting, by said wireless communication system: (i) said one beam-port to a first input of a receiver belonging to said wireless communication system, and (ii) said another beam-port to a second input of said receiver; and   decoding, by said receiver, said first wireless signal arriving via said first input, together with said second wireless signal arriving via said second input, into said single data stream.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said detecting further comprising:
 measuring a plurality of output power levels of at least some of said plurality of beam-ports respectively, by using a plurality of power detectors connected to said plurality of beam-ports respectively, said plurality of power detectors belonging to said wireless communication system; and   identifying, by said wireless communication system, said one beam-port and said another beam-port having strongest of said plurality of output power levels.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said detecting further comprising:
 searching, by said wireless communication system, among said plurality of beam-ports, for a first and a second signatures belonging to said first and second spatially multiplexed wireless signal respectively; and   identifying at least said first signature as being present at said one beam-port, and at least said second signature as being present at said another beam-port, thereby detecting said one and another of beam-ports out of said plurality of beam-ports.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising: receiving, by said wireless communication system, from a remote transceiver, via a plurality of antennas connected to said plurality of array-ports respectively, said first and second wireless signals, thereby facilitating a substantial array gain associated with said plurality of antennas. 
     
     
         26 . A wireless communication system operative to boost reception range of wireless signals using a rotman-lens or butler matrix, comprising:
 a rotman-lens or butler matrix comprising a plurality of beam-ports, operative to: (i) focus a first wireless signal arriving at a plurality of array ports belonging to said rotman-lens or butler matrix, substantially into one of said plurality of beam-ports, said one of beam-ports is determined substantially by an angle of arrival of said first wireless signal into said plurality of array ports, and (ii) focus a second wireless signal arriving at said plurality of array ports, substantially into another of said plurality of beam-ports, said another beam-ports is determined substantially by an angle of arrival of said second wireless signal into said plurality of array ports;   a wireless communication system comprising said rotman-lens or butler matrix, operative to detect presence of said first and second wireless signals at said one and another of beam-ports respectively; and   a radio-frequency switching fabric, operative to: (i) connect said one beam-port to a first input of a receiver belonging to said wireless communication system, and (ii) connect said another beam-port to a second input of said receiver.   
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein said first and second wireless signals are a mixture of a first and a second spatially multiplexed wireless signals generated by a remote transceiver from a single data stream using a first and a second remote antennas respectively, and said receiver is operative to decode said first wireless signal arriving via said first input, together with said second wireless signal arriving via said second input, into said single data stream. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 26 , further comprising:
 a plurality of power detectors connected to said plurality of beam-ports respectively, operative to measure a plurality of output power levels of at least some of said plurality of beam-ports respectively, wherein said wireless communication system further operative to identify said one beam-port and said another beam-port having strongest of said plurality of output power levels.   
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 26 , further comprising:
 at least one correlator belonging to said wireless communication system, operative to:   (i) search, among said plurality of beam-ports, for a first and a second signatures belonging to said first and second spatially multiplexed wireless signal respectively, and   (ii) identify at least said first signature as being present at said one beam-port, and at least said second signature as being present at said another beam-port, thereby detecting said one and another of beam-ports, out of said plurality of beam-ports.   
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 26 , further comprising: a plurality of antennas connected to said plurality of array-ports respectively, operative to receive from a remote transceiver said first and second wireless signals, thereby facilitating a substantial array gain associated with said plurality of antennas. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein said plurality of antennas are operative to produce a gain in excess of 14 dBi. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein said plurality of antennas are operative to produce a gain in excess of 18 dBi. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 29 , having 8 of said plurality of antennas. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein said rotman-lens or butler matrix and said radio-frequency switching fabric operate at a frequency range of between 2.4 Ghz and 2.5 Ghz. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein said rotman-lens or butler matrix and said radio-frequency switching fabric operate at a frequency range of between 4.8 Ghz and 5.9 Ghz.