Efficient method for determining a preferred antenna pattern

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure propose a method for determining preferred transmit and receive antenna patterns of a wireless device with respect to another wireless device. The method generally includes determining the beamforming or calibrating coefficients corresponding to the preferred transmit and receive antenna patterns of a wireless device iteratively.

1 . A first apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:
 a receiver configured to iteratively receive, with a subset of antennas of the first apparatus, a plurality of reference signals transmitted by a second apparatus, wherein each reference signal is received utilizing a different combination of coefficients for the subset of antennas and the subset of antennas is adjusted after each iteration; and   a processing system configured to determine one or more coefficients corresponding to a preferred receive antenna pattern based on the plurality of reference signals and to configure the receiver to receive data from the second apparatus with the preferred receive antenna pattern.   
     
     
         2 . The first apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the receiver is configured to adjust a number of antennas in the subset of antennas in each iteration by adding to or deleting one or more antennas from the subset. 
     
     
         3 . The first apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the receiver is further configured to adjust the subset of antennas and receive another plurality of reference signals transmitted by the second apparatus; and   the processing system is configured to determine one or more coefficients for the adjusted subset of antennas based on the other plurality of reference signals.   
     
     
         4 . The first apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the coefficients are selected from a defined set of values. 
     
     
         5 . The first apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the coefficients for each receive antenna correspond to one or more frequencies. 
     
     
         6 . The first apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first and the second apparatuses are incorporated in a single apparatus. 
     
     
         7 . The first apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processing system is configured to:
 assign an initial set of coefficients to one or more antennas of the first apparatus; and   update one or more of the coefficients in the set in each iteration.   
     
     
         8 . The first apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processing system is configured to determine the preferred receive antenna pattern utilizing a beamforming codebook and the coefficients. 
     
     
         9 . The first apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the processing system is configured to:
 generate one or more additional receive antenna patterns by utilizing the beamforming codebook and the preferred receive antenna pattern.   
     
     
         10 . The first apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the processing system is configured to determine a preferred transmit antenna pattern for transmissions from the second apparatus to the first apparatus; and   the first apparatus comprises a transmitter configured to transmit a message to the second apparatus, wherein the message comprises information about the preferred transmit antenna pattern.   
     
     
         11 . The first apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the processing system is configured to determine a preferred transmit antenna pattern by at least one of disabling all but one antenna of the first apparatus or switching to an antenna configuration with a quasi-Omni-directional pattern utilizing one or more operating antennas;   the receiver is further configured to receive a plurality of signals from the second apparatus using the operating antennas; and   the processing system is configured to measure power of the plurality of signals received by the operating antennas and determine the preferred transmit antenna pattern for the transmissions from the second apparatus corresponding to a received signal with a highest power.   
     
     
         12 . A method for wireless communications, comprising:
 iteratively receiving, with a subset of antennas of a first apparatus, a plurality of reference signals transmitted by a second apparatus, wherein each reference signal is received utilizing a different combination of coefficients for the subset of antennas and the subset of antennas is adjusted after each iteration;   determining one or more coefficients for one or more antennas in the subset of antennas based on the plurality of reference signals; and   receiving data from the second apparatus with the preferred receive antenna pattern determined utilizing the coefficients.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 adjusting a number of antennas in the subset of antennas in each iteration by adding to or deleting one or more antennas from the subset.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 adjusting the subset of antennas;   receiving another plurality of reference signals transmitted by the second apparatus; and   determining one or more coefficients for the adjusted subset of antennas based on the other plurality of reference signals.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the coefficients are selected from a set of values. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein one or more of the coefficients for each receive antenna correspond to one or more frequencies. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first and the second apparatuses are incorporated in a single apparatus. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the determining comprises:
 assigning an initial set of coefficients to one or more antennas of the first apparatus; and   updating one or more of the coefficients in the set in each iteration.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 determining the preferred receive antenna pattern utilizing a beamforming codebook and the coefficients.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 generating one or more additional receive antenna patterns by utilizing the beamforming codebook and the preferred receive antenna pattern.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 determining a preferred transmit antenna pattern for transmissions from a second apparatus to the first apparatus; and   transmitting a message to the second apparatus, wherein the message comprises information about the preferred transmit antenna pattern.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 disabling all but one antenna of the first apparatus or switching to an antenna configuration with a quasi-Omni-directional pattern utilizing one or more operating antennas;   receiving a plurality of signals from the second apparatus using the operating antennas;   measuring power of the plurality of signals received by the operating antennas; and   determining the preferred transmit antenna pattern for the transmissions from the second apparatus corresponding to a received signal with a highest power.   
     
     
         23 . A first apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:
 means for iteratively receiving, with a subset of antennas of the first apparatus, a plurality of reference signals transmitted by a second apparatus, wherein each reference signal is received utilizing a different combination of coefficients for the subset of antennas and the subset of antennas is adjusted after each iteration;   means for determining one or more coefficients for one or more antennas in the subset of antennas based on the plurality of reference signals; and   means for receiving data from the second apparatus with the preferred receive antenna pattern determined utilizing the coefficients.   
     
     
         24 . The first apparatus of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 means for adjusting a number of antennas in the subset of antennas in each iteration by adding to or deleting one or more antennas from the subset.   
     
     
         25 . The first apparatus of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 means for adjusting the subset of antennas;   means for receiving another plurality of reference signals transmitted by the second apparatus; and   means for determining one or more coefficients for the adjusted subset of antennas based on the other plurality of reference signals.   
     
     
         26 . The first apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the coefficients are selected from a set of values. 
     
     
         27 . The first apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein one or more of the coefficients for each receive antenna correspond to one or more frequencies. 
     
     
         28 . The first apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the first and the second apparatuses are incorporated in a single apparatus. 
     
     
         29 . The first apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the means for determining comprises:
 means for assigning an initial set of coefficients to one or more antennas of the first apparatus; and   means for updating one or more of the coefficients in the set in each iteration.   
     
     
         30 . The first apparatus of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 means for determining the preferred receive antenna pattern utilizing a beamforming codebook and the coefficients.   
     
     
         31 . The first apparatus of  claim 30 , further comprising:
 means for generating one or more additional receive antenna patterns by utilizing the beamforming codebook and the preferred receive antenna pattern.   
     
     
         32 . The first apparatus of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 means for determining a preferred transmit antenna pattern for transmissions from a second apparatus to the first apparatus; and   means for transmitting a message to the second apparatus, wherein the message comprises information about the preferred transmit antenna pattern.   
     
     
         33 . The first apparatus of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 means for disabling all but one antenna of the first apparatus or switching to an antenna configuration with a quasi-Omni-directional pattern utilizing one or more operating antennas;   means for receiving a plurality of signals from the second apparatus using the operating antennas;   means for measuring power of the plurality of signals received by the operating antennas; and   means for determining the preferred transmit antenna pattern for the transmissions from the second apparatus corresponding to a received signal with a highest power.   
     
     
         34 . A computer-program product for determining a preferred receive antenna pattern for a first apparatus to communicate with a second apparatus, comprising a computer-readable medium comprising instructions executable for:
 iteratively receiving, with a subset of antennas of a first apparatus, a plurality of reference signals transmitted by a second apparatus, wherein each reference signal is received utilizing a different combination of coefficients for the subset of antennas and the subset of antennas is adjusted after each iteration;   determining one or more coefficients for one or more antennas in the subset of antennas based on the plurality of reference signals; and   receiving data from the second apparatus with the preferred receive antenna pattern determined utilizing the coefficients.   
     
     
         35 . A station for wireless communications, comprising:
 a plurality of antennas;   a receiver configured to iteratively receive, with a subset of the antennas of the station, a plurality of reference signals transmitted by an apparatus, wherein each reference signal is received utilizing a different combination of coefficients for the subset of antennas and the subset of antennas is adjusted after each iteration; and   a processing system configured to determine one or more coefficients corresponding to a preferred receive antenna pattern based on the plurality of reference signals and to configure the receiver to receive data from the apparatus with the preferred receive antenna pattern.