System and method for communications system training

#The present disclosure relates generally to a system and method for digital communications, and, in particular embodiments, to a system and method for communications system training.

#Antenna element to element channel estimation in a communication system with large numbers of antennas is prohibitive in terms of computational resources and communications overhead, such as in a massive multiple input multiple output (MIMO) communication system with tens or hundreds or more antennas. The amount of computation and communications required to support antenna element to element channel estimation is compounded in deployments that are highly dynamic in nature, when the channel estimation has to be performed with high frequency to meet the constantly changing environment and to accommodate dynamic traffic changes.

#Therefore, there is a need for systems and methods that support communications system training that do not require excessive amounts of computational resources and communications overhead and still can achieve a same level of, or even improved, performance, such as throughput performance, for example.

#For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

#FIG. 1 illustrates an example wireless communications system according to example embodiments described herein;

#FIG. 2A illustrates an example communications system, providing mathematical expressions of signals transmitted in the communications system;

#The making and using of the disclosed embodiments are discussed in detail below. It should be appreciated, however, that the present disclosure provides many applicable inventive concepts that can be embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts. The specific embodiments discussed are merely illustrative of specific ways to make and use the embodiments, and do not limit the scope of the disclosure.

#FIG. 1 illustrates an example wireless communication system loft Communication system 100 includes an access node 110 with coverage area 111. Access node 110 serves a plurality of user equipments (UEs), including UE 120 and UE 122. Transmissions from access node no to a UE is referred to as a downlink (DL) transmission and occurs over a downlink channel (shown in FIG. 1 as a solid arrowed line), while transmissions from a UE to access node no is referred to as an uplink (UL) transmission and occurs over an uplink channel (shown in FIG. 1 as a dashed line). Services may be provided to the plurality of UEs by service providers connected to access node no through a backhaul network 130, such as the Internet. The wireless communication system 100 may include multiple distributed access nodes 110.

#In a typical communications system, there are several operating modes. In a cellular operating mode, communications to and from the plurality of UEs go through access node 110, while in device to device communications mode, such as proximity services (ProSe) operating mode, for example, direct communication between UEs is possible. Access nodes may also be commonly referred to as Node Bs, evolved Node Bs (eNBs), next generation (NG) Node Bs (gNBs), master eNBs (MeNBs), secondary eNBs (SeNBs), master gNBs (MgNBs), secondary gNBs (SgNBs), network controllers, control nodes, base stations, access points, transmission points (TPs), transmission-reception points (TRPs), cells, carriers, macro cells, femtocells, pico cells, relays, customer premises equipment (CPE), and so on. UEs may also be commonly referred to as mobile stations, mobiles, terminals, users, subscribers, stations, communication devices, CPEs, relays, Integrated Access and Backhaul (JAB) relays, and the like. It is noted that when relaying is used (based on relays, picos, CPEs, and so on), especially multihop relaying, the boundary between a controller and node controlled by the controller may become blurry, and a dual node (either the controller or the node controlled by the controller) deployment where a first node that provides configuration or control information to a second node is considered to be the controller. Likewise, the concept of UL and DL transmissions can be extended as well.