Energy-efficient sounding reference signal transmission

A computer program product stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium for controlling a wireless communication device to selectively control transmissions from the wireless communication device, said wireless communication device in communication with an access node of a wireless network, the computer program product comprising software instructions which, when run on at least one processing circuit in the wireless communication device, causes the wireless communication device to:

• receive a signal at each of a plurality of antenna ports, each antenna port operatively connected to:
• a reception chain comprising a plurality of reception circuits configured to process signals received from the corresponding antenna port;
• and
• a transmission chain comprising a plurality of transmission circuits configured to generate a signal for transmission from the corresponding antenna port;
• process each received signal to estimate a rate of change for a channel associated with the corresponding antenna port;
• define a deactivation subset of antenna ports as comprising the antenna ports of the plurality of antenna ports having a rate of change estimate that satisfies a transmitter rate of change requirement;
• and
• deactivate each of the transmission chains operatively connected to the antenna ports in the deactivation subset;
• wherein deactivating the transmission chains operatively connected to the antenna ports in the deactivation subset comprises deactivating all active transmission circuits in each transmission chain operatively connected to the antenna ports in the deactivation subset.

A wireless communication device configured to selectively control transmissions from the wireless communication device, said wireless communication device in communication with an access node of a wireless network, the wireless communication device comprising:

• a plurality of antenna ports, each antenna port operatively connected to:
• a reception chain comprising a plurality of reception circuits configured to process signals received from the corresponding antenna port;
• and
• a transmission chain comprising a plurality of transmission circuits configured to generate a signal for transmission from the corresponding antenna port;
• an analysis circuit operatively connected to each reception chain and each transmission chain, the analysis circuit configured to process each signal received by a corresponding antenna port to estimate a rate of change for a channel associated with the corresponding antenna port;
• and
• a deactivation circuit operatively connected to the analysis circuit and to each reception and transmission chain, the deactivation circuit configured to:
• define a deactivation subset of antenna ports as comprising the antenna ports of the plurality of antenna ports having a rate of change estimate that satisfies a transmitter rate of change requirement;
• and
• deactivate each of the transmission chains operatively connected to the antenna ports in the deactivation subset;
• wherein the deactivation circuit deactivates the transmission chains operatively connected to the antenna ports in the deactivation subset by deactivating all active transmission circuits in each transmission chain operatively connected to the antenna ports in the deactivation subset.

A method, implemented by a wireless communication device, of selectively controlling transmissions from the wireless communication device, said wireless communication device in communication with an access node of a wireless network, the method comprising:

• receiving a signal at each of a plurality of antenna ports, each antenna port operatively connected to:
• a reception chain comprising a plurality of reception circuits configured to process signals received from the corresponding antenna port;
• and
• a transmission chain comprising a plurality of transmission circuits configured to generate a signal for transmission from the corresponding antenna port;
• processing each received signal to estimate a rate of change for a channel associated with the corresponding antenna port;
• defining a deactivation subset of antenna ports as comprising the antenna ports of the plurality of antenna ports having a rate of change estimate that satisfies a transmitter rate of change requirement;
• deactivating each of the transmission chains operatively connected to the antenna ports in the deactivation subset;
• and
• processing each received signal to estimate a signal quality for each received signal, wherein defining the deactivation subset comprises defining the deactivation subset as comprising the antenna ports in the plurality of antenna ports having a signal quality estimate that fails a signal quality requirement and having a rate of change estimate that satisfies the rate of change requirement;
• wherein defining the deactivation subset comprises:
• defining an initial subset of antenna ports as comprising the antenna ports in the plurality of antenna ports having a signal quality estimate that fails the signal quality requirement;
• and
• defining the deactivation subset as comprising the antenna ports in the initial subset having a rate of change estimate that satisfies the rate of change requirement.

A method, implemented by a wireless communication device, of selectively controlling transmissions from the wireless communication device, said wireless communication device in communication with an access node of a wireless network, the method comprising:

• receiving a signal at each of a plurality of antenna ports, each antenna port operatively connected to:
• a reception chain comprising a plurality of reception circuits configured to process signals received from the corresponding antenna port;
• and
• a transmission chain comprising a plurality of transmission circuits configured to generate a signal for transmission from the corresponding antenna port;
• processing each received signal to estimate a rate of change for a channel associated with the corresponding antenna port;
• defining a deactivation subset of antenna ports as comprising the antenna ports of the plurality of antenna ports having a rate of change estimate that satisfies a transmitter rate of change requirement;
• deactivating each of the transmission chains operatively connected to the antenna ports in the deactivation subset;
• and
• determining a time limit responsive to at least one of the rate of change estimates and a transient time associated with the transmission chains, wherein deactivating the transmission chains comprises deactivating the transmission chains operatively connected to the antenna ports in the deactivation subset for the time limit.

A wireless communication device configured to selectively control transmissions from the wireless communication device, said wireless communication device in communication with an access node of a wireless network, the wireless communication device comprising:

• a plurality of antenna ports, each antenna port operatively connected to:
• a reception chain comprising a plurality of reception circuits configured to process signals received from the corresponding antenna port;
• and
• a transmission chain comprising a plurality of transmission circuits configured to generate a signal for transmission from the corresponding antenna port;
• an analysis circuit operatively connected to each reception chain and each transmission chain, the analysis circuit configured to process each signal received by a corresponding antenna port to estimate a rate of change for a channel associated with the corresponding antenna port;
• and
• a deactivation circuit operatively connected to the analysis circuit and to each reception and transmission chain, the deactivation circuit configured to:
• define a deactivation subset of antenna ports as comprising the antenna ports of the plurality of antenna ports having a rate of change estimate that satisfies a transmitter rate of change requirement;
• and
• deactivate each of the transmission chains operatively connected to the antenna ports in the deactivation subset;
• wherein the analysis circuit is further configured to process each received signal to estimate a signal quality for each received signal, and wherein the deactivation circuit defines the deactivation subset by defining the deactivation subset as comprising the antenna ports in the plurality of antenna ports having a signal quality estimate that fails a signal quality requirement and having a rate of change estimate that satisfies the rate of change requirement;
• and
• wherein the deactivation circuit defines the deactivation subset by:
• defining an initial subset of antenna ports as comprising the antenna ports in the plurality of antenna ports having a signal quality estimate that fails the signal quality requirement;
• and
• defining the deactivation subset as comprising the antenna ports in the initial subset having a rate of change estimate that satisfies the rate of change requirement.

A wireless communication device configured to selectively control transmissions from the wireless communication device, said wireless communication device in communication with an access node of a wireless network, the wireless communication device comprising:

• a plurality of antenna ports, each antenna port operatively connected to:
• a reception chain comprising a plurality of reception circuits configured to process signals received from the corresponding antenna port;
• and
• a transmission chain comprising a plurality of transmission circuits configured to generate a signal for transmission from the corresponding antenna port;
• an analysis circuit operatively connected to each reception chain and each transmission chain, the analysis circuit configured to process each signal received by a corresponding antenna port to estimate a rate of change for a channel associated with the corresponding antenna port;
• and
• a deactivation circuit operatively connected to the analysis circuit and to each reception and transmission chain, the deactivation circuit configured to:
• define a deactivation subset of antenna ports as comprising the antenna ports of the plurality of antenna ports having a rate of change estimate that satisfies a transmitter rate of change requirement;
• and
• deactivate each of the transmission chains operatively connected to the antenna ports in the deactivation subset;
• wherein the deactivation circuit deactivates the transmission chains operatively connected to the antenna ports in the deactivation subset by deactivating the transmission chains operatively connected to the antenna ports in the deactivation subset for a predetermined amount of time.

A wireless communication device configured to selectively control transmissions from the wireless communication device, said wireless communication device in communication with an access node of a wireless network, the wireless communication device comprising:

• a plurality of antenna ports, each antenna port operatively connected to:
• a reception chain comprising a plurality of reception circuits configured to process signals received from the corresponding antenna port;
• and
• a transmission chain comprising a plurality of transmission circuits configured to generate a signal for transmission from the corresponding antenna port;
• an analysis circuit operatively connected to each reception chain and each transmission chain, the analysis circuit configured to process each signal received by a corresponding antenna port to estimate a rate of change for a channel associated with the corresponding antenna port;
• a deactivation circuit operatively connected to the analysis circuit and to each reception and transmission chain, the deactivation circuit configured to:
• define a deactivation subset of antenna ports as comprising the antenna ports of the plurality of antenna ports having a rate of change estimate that satisfies a transmitter rate of change requirement;
• and
• deactivate each of the transmission chains operatively connected to the antenna ports in the deactivation subset;
• and
• a timing circuit configured to determine a time limit responsive to at least one of the rate of change estimates and a transient time associated with the transmission chains, wherein the deactivation circuit deactivates the transmission chains by deactivating the transmission chains operatively connected to the antenna ports in the deactivation subset for the time limit.

A wireless communication device configured to selectively control transmissions from the wireless communication device, said wireless communication device in communication with an access node of a wireless network, the wireless communication device comprising:

• a plurality of antenna ports, each antenna port operatively connected to:
• a reception chain comprising a plurality of reception circuits configured to process signals received from the corresponding antenna port;
• and
• a transmission chain comprising a plurality of transmission circuits configured to generate a signal for transmission from the corresponding antenna port;
• an analysis circuit operatively connected to each reception chain and each transmission chain, the analysis circuit configured to process each signal received by a corresponding antenna port to estimate a rate of change for a channel associated with the corresponding antenna port;
• and
• a deactivation circuit operatively connected to the analysis circuit and to each reception and transmission chain, the deactivation circuit configured to:
• define a deactivation subset of antenna ports as comprising the antenna ports of the plurality of antenna ports having a rate of change estimate that satisfies a transmitter rate of change requirement;
• and
• deactivate each of the transmission chains operatively connected to the antenna ports in the deactivation subset;
• wherein the deactivation circuit is further configured to define the deactivation subset as comprising the antenna ports that are operatively connected to non-adjacent transmission chains.

A wireless communication device configured to selectively control transmissions from the wireless communication device, said wireless communication device in communication with an access node of a wireless network, the wireless communication device comprising:

• a plurality of antenna ports, each antenna port operatively connected to:
• a reception chain comprising a plurality of reception circuits configured to process signals received from the corresponding antenna port;
• and
• a transmission chain comprising a plurality of transmission circuits configured to generate a signal for transmission from the corresponding antenna port;
• an analysis circuit operatively connected to each reception chain and each transmission chain, the analysis circuit configured to process each signal received by a corresponding antenna port to estimate a rate of change for a channel associated with the corresponding antenna port;
• and
• a deactivation circuit operatively connected to the analysis circuit and to each reception and transmission chain, the deactivation circuit configured to:
• define a deactivation subset of antenna ports as comprising the antenna ports of the plurality of antenna ports having a rate of change estimate that satisfies a transmitter rate of change requirement;
• and
• deactivate each of the transmission chains operatively connected to the antenna ports in the deactivation subset;
• wherein the transmission chains are disposed on a die such that adjacent transmission chains on the die do not connect to adjacent antenna ports.

A wireless communication device configured to selectively control transmissions from the wireless communication device, said wireless communication device in communication with an access node of a wireless network, the wireless communication device comprising:

• a plurality of antenna ports, each antenna port operatively connected to:
• a reception chain comprising a plurality of reception circuits configured to process signals received from the corresponding antenna port;
• and
• a transmission chain comprising a plurality of transmission circuits configured to generate a signal for transmission from the corresponding antenna port;
• an analysis circuit operatively connected to each reception chain and each transmission chain, the analysis circuit configured to process each signal received by a corresponding antenna port to estimate a rate of change for a channel associated with the corresponding antenna port;
• and
• a deactivation circuit operatively connected to the analysis circuit and to each reception and transmission chain, the deactivation circuit configured to:
• define a deactivation subset of antenna ports as comprising the antenna ports of the plurality of antenna ports having a rate of change estimate that satisfies a transmitter rate of change requirement;
• and
• deactivate each of the transmission chains operatively connected to the antenna ports in the deactivation subset;
• wherein the deactivation circuit is further configured to:
• define a receiver deactivation subset of antenna ports as comprising the antenna of the plurality of antenna ports having a rate of change estimate that satisfies a receiver rate of change requirement;
• and
• deactivate each of the reception chains operatively connected to the antenna ports in the receiver deactivation subset;
• wherein the receiver rate of change requirement is different from the transmitter rate of change requirement.

A wireless communication device configured to selectively control transmissions from the wireless communication device, said wireless communication device in communication with an access node of a wireless network, the wireless communication device comprising:

• a plurality of antenna ports, each antenna port operatively connected to:
• a reception chain comprising a plurality of reception circuits configured to process signals received from the corresponding antenna port;
• and
• a transmission chain comprising a plurality of transmission circuits configured to generate a signal for transmission from the corresponding antenna port;
• an analysis circuit operatively connected to each reception chain and each transmission chain, the analysis circuit configured to process each signal received by a corresponding antenna port to estimate a rate of change for a channel associated with the corresponding antenna port;
• and
• a deactivation circuit operatively connected to the analysis circuit and to each reception and transmission chain, the deactivation circuit configured to:
• define a deactivation subset of antenna ports as comprising the antenna ports of the plurality of antenna ports having a rate of change estimate that satisfies a transmitter rate of change requirement;
• and
• deactivate each of the transmission chains operatively connected to the antenna ports in the deactivation subset;
• wherein the deactivation circuit is further configured to:
• define a receiver deactivation subset of antenna ports as comprising the antenna of the plurality of antenna ports having a rate of change estimate that satisfies a receiver rate of change requirement;
• and
• deactivate each of the reception chains operatively connected to the antenna ports in the receiver deactivation subset;
• and
• wherein the analysis circuit is further configured to process each rate of change for the channel to determine a channel coherence time of the channel associated with the corresponding antenna port, and wherein the deactivation circuit deactivates each of the reception chains operatively connected to the antenna ports in the receiver deactivation subset by deactivating each of the reception chains operatively connected to the antenna ports in the receiver deactivation subset for a time duration less than the corresponding channel coherence time.