System and method for mitigating fading of a signal at a radio receiver

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and system for mitigating fading and/or poor reception at a receiver. The receiver includes configurations each of which can provide different reception characteristics. The receiver evaluates the reception quality of the radio signal with the antenna in a first configuration and with the antenna in at least a second configuration and selects the antenna configuration that has the best evaluated reception for use until a subsequent iteration, when the process is repeated. The antenna configurations can correspond to configurations wherein reception is favored in different directions or to configurations wherein different antennas are selected, each antenna being spaced from each other antenna. The method can also improve the reception of a signal transmitted by selecting an antenna configuration for transmissions which provides improved reception quality at the destination receiver.

1. A system for transmitting and receiving a radio signal with a slotted frame structure, said system comprising:
 a first transceiver operable to transmit said radio signal; 
 a second first transceiver operable to receive said radio signal from an initial antenna configuration selected from a plurality of possible antenna configurations via antenna diversity; 
 where said second first transceiver can make a determination of reception quality for said radio signal from at least one alternative antenna configuration selected from said plurality of possible antenna configurations during the reception of a slot containing data from said first a second transceiver while said first transceiver is in said initial antenna configuration; 
 where said second first transceiver can make a selection of an antenna configuration to receive said radio signal from between said initial antenna configuration and said at least one alternative antenna configuration; 
 where said selection of said alternative antenna configuration is made based upon a history of reception qualities achieved from each of said plurality of possible antenna configurations that have occurred at said second transceiver; 
 where said selection of said alternative antenna configuration is made using a combination of random selection and historical selection; and 
 where of one of said random selection and said historical selection is chosen based upon the rate of fading experienced at said second first transceiver. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , where said determination of reception quality is made after a regular time period. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 2 , where said regular time period occurs at least once over the duration of a slot. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , where said determination of reception quality is made whenever reception quality drops below a minimum threshold level. 
     
     
       5. A system for transmitting and receiving a radio signal with a slotted frame structure, said system comprising:
 a first transceiver operable to transmit said radio signal; 
 a second first transceiver operable to receive said radio signal from an initial antenna configuration selected from a plurality of possible antenna configurations via antenna diversity; 
 where said second first transceiver can make a determination of reception quality for said radio signal from at least one alternative antenna configuration selected from said plurality of possible antenna configurations during the reception of a slot containing data from said first a second transceiver while said first transceiver is in said initial antenna configuration; 
 where said second first transceiver can make a selection of an antenna configuration to receive said radio signal from between said initial antenna configuration and said at least one alternative antenna configuration; and 
 where said determination of reception quality is made at variable intervals, with said variable interval being determined by the rate of fading experienced at said second first transceiver. 
 
     
     
       6. A system for transmitting and receiving a radio signal with a slotted frame structure, said system comprising:
 a first transceiver operable to transmit said radio signal; 
 a second first transceiver operable to receive said radio signal from an initial antenna configuration selected from a plurality of possible antenna configurations via antenna diversity; 
 where said second first transceiver can make a determination of reception quality for said radio signal from at least one alternative antenna configuration selected from said plurality of possible antenna configurations during the reception of a slot containing data from said first a second transceiver while said first transceiver is in said initial antenna configuration; 
 where said second first transceiver can make a selection of an antenna configuration to receive said radio signal from between said initial antenna configuration and said at least one alternative antenna configuration; 
 where said second transceiver can transmit to said first transceiver using a different antenna configuration than the antenna configuration used for reception; 
 where said second first transceiver determines a transmission antenna configuration based upon information received from said first second transceiver during reception of said radio signal, where said information indicates comprises an indication of reception quality at said first second transceiver; and 
 where said second first transceiver can transmit to a third transceiver while receiving said radio signal from said first second transceiver. 
 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 6 , where said second transceiver determines which of said first transceiver and said third transceiver to transmit to based upon information received from said third transceiver via said second transceiver. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 7 , where said second transceiver determines which of said first transceiver and said third transceiver to transmit to based upon a history of transmission qualities achieved for each of said first and third transceivers. 
     
     
       9. A method for mitigating fading or poor reception of a radio signal with a slotted frame structure, the method comprising:
 selecting, by a first transceiver, an initial antenna configuration from a plurality of possible antenna configurations via antenna diversity, said first transceiver operable to receive said radio signal from said initial antenna configuration;   determining, by said first transceiver, a reception quality for said radio signal from at least one alternative antenna configuration selected from the plurality of possible antenna configurations during the reception of a slot containing data from a second transceiver while said first transceiver is in said initial antenna configuration; and   selecting, by said first transceiver, an antenna configuration to receive said radio signal from between said initial antenna configuration and said at least one alternative antenna configuration;   wherein said selection is made based upon a history of reception qualities achieved from each of said plurality of possible antenna configurations that have occurred at said second transceiver;   wherein said selection is made using a combination of random selection and historical selection; and   wherein one of said random selection and said historical selection is chosen based upon the rate of fading experienced at said first transceiver.   
     
     
       10. A method for mitigating fading or poor reception of a radio signal with a slotted frame structure, the method comprising:
 selecting, by a first transceiver, an initial antenna configuration from a plurality of possible antenna configurations via antenna diversity, said first transceiver operable to receive said radio signal from said initial antenna configuration;   determining, by said first transceiver, a reception quality for said radio signal from at least one alternative antenna configuration selected from the plurality of possible antenna configurations during the reception of a slot containing data from a second transceiver while said first transceiver is in said initial antenna configuration; and   selecting, by said first transceiver, an antenna configuration to receive said radio signal from between said initial antenna configuration and said at least one alternative antenna configuration;   wherein said determination of reception quality is made at variable intervals, said variable intervals being determined by the rate of fading experienced at said first transceiver.   
     
     
       11. A method for mitigating fading or poor reception of a radio signal with a slotted frame structure, the method comprising:
 selecting, by a first transceiver, an initial antenna configuration from a plurality of possible antenna configurations via antenna diversity, said first transceiver operable to receive said radio signal from said initial antenna configuration;   determining, by said first transceiver, a reception quality for said radio signal from at least one alternative antenna configuration selected from the plurality of possible antenna configurations during the reception of a slot containing data from a second transceiver while said first transceiver is in said initial antenna configuration;   selecting, by said first transceiver, an antenna configuration to receive said radio signal from between said initial antenna configuration and said at least one alternative antenna configuration;   determining, by said first transceiver, a transmission antenna configuration based upon information received from said second transceiver during reception of said radio signal, wherein said information comprises an indication of reception quality at said second transceiver; and   transmitting, by said first transceiver, to a third transceiver while receiving said radio signal from said second transceiver.