Resource allocation for MIMO-OFDM communication systems

In a multiple-output (MIMO) communication system utility orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM), a method for scheduling downlink data transmission for a plurality of terminals, comprising:

• forming at least one set of terminals for possible data transmission for each of a plurality of frequency bands, wherein each set includes one or more terminals and corresponds to a hypothesis to be evaluated, and wherein each frequency band corresponds to a respective group of one or more frequency subchannels;
• forming one or more sub-hypotheses for each hypothesis, wherein each sub-hypothesis corresponds to specific assignments of a plurality of transmit antennas to the one or more terminals in the hypothesis;
• evaluating the performance of each sub-hypothesis;
• selecting one sub-hypothesis for each frequency band based on the evaluated performance;
• and
• selecting and scheduling the one or more terminals in each selected sub-hypothesis for downlink data transmission on the corresponding frequency band.

In a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication system utilizing orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM), a method for scheduling downlink data transmission for a plurality of terminals, comprising:

• forming at least one set of terminals for possible data transmission for each of a plurality of frequency bands, wherein each set includes a plurality of terminals and corresponds to a hypothesis to be evaluated, and wherein each frequency band corresponds to a respective group of one or more frequency subchannels;
• forming a channel response matrix for the plurality of terminals in each hypothesis;
• evaluating the performance of each hypothesis based on the channel response matrix;
• selecting one hypothesis for each frequency band based on the evaluated performance;
• and
• selecting and scheduling the one or more terminals in each selected hypothesis for downlink data transmission on the corresponding frequency band.

In a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication system utilizing orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM), a method for scheduling uplink data transmission for a plurality of terminals, comprising:

• forming at least one set of terminals for possible data transmission for each of a plurality of frequency bands, wherein each set includes one or more terminals and corresponds to a hypothesis to be evaluated, and wherein each frequency band corresponds to a respective group of one or more frequency subchannels;
• forming one or more sub-hypotheses for each hypothesis, wherein each sub-hypothesis corresponds to a specific ordering of the one or more terminals in the hypothesis
• evaluating the performance of each sub-hypothesis;
• selecting one sub-hypothesis for each frequency band based on the evaluated performance;
• and
• selecting and scheduling the one or more terminals in each selected sub-hypothesis for uplink data transmission on the corresponding frequency band.

A memory communicatively coupled to a digital signal processing device (DSPD) capable of interpreting digital information to:

• receive channel state information ((CSI) indicative of channel estimates for a plurality of terminals inn wireless communication system;
• form at least one set of terminals for possible data transmission for each of a plurality of frequency bands, wherein each set includes one or more terminals and corresponds to a hypothesis to be evaluated;
• evaluate the performance of each hypothesis based in part on the channel state information for the one or more terminals in the hypothesis;
• select one hypothesis for each frequency band based on the evaluated performance;
• and
• select and schedule the one or more terminals in each selected hypothesis for data transmission on the corresponding frequency band.

A computer program product for scheduling data transmission for a plurality of terminals in a wireless communication system, comprising:

• code for receiving channel state information (CSI) indicative of channel estimates for a plurality of terminals in the communication system;
• code for forming at least one set of terminals for possible data transmission for each of a plurality of frequency bands, wherein each set includes one or more terminals and corresponds to a hypothesis to be evaluated;
• code for evaluating the performance of each hypothesis based in part on the channel state information for the one or more terminals in the hypothesis;
• code for selecting one hypothesis for each frequency band based on the evaluated performance;
• code for selecting and scheduling the one or more terminals in each selected hypothesis for data transmission on the corresponding frequency band;
• and
• a computer-usable medium for stating the codes.

A scheduler in a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication system utilizing orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM), comprising:

• means for receiving channel state information (CSI) indicative of channel estimates for a plurality of terminals in the communication system;
• means for forming at least one set of terminals for possible data transmission for each of a plurality of frequency bands, wherein each set includes one or more terminals and corresponds to a hypothesis to be evaluated;
• means for evaluating the performance of each hypothesis based in part on the channel state information for the one or more terminals in the hypothesis;
• means for selecting one hypothesis for each frequency band based on the evaluated performance;
• and
• means for selecting and scheduling the one or more terminals in each selected hypothesis for data transmission on die corresponding frequency band.

A base station in a multiple-output (MIMO) communication system utilizing orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM), comprising:

• a scheduler operative to receive channel state information (CSI) indicative of channel estimates for a plurality of terminals in the communication system, select a set of one or more terminals for data transmission for each of a plurality of frequency bands, and assign the one or more terminals in each selected set with a plurality of spatial subchannels in the corresponding frequency band;
• a transmit data processor operative to receive and process data to provide a plurality of data streams for transmission to one or more scheduled terminals, wherein the data is processed based on the channel state information for the one or more scheduled terminals;
• at least one modulator operative to process the plurality of data streams to provide a plurality of modulated signals;
• and
• a plurality of antennas configured to receive and transmit the plurality of modulated signals to the one or more scheduled terminals.

A transmitter apparatus in a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication system utilizing orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM), comprising:

• means for receiving channel state information (CSI) indicative of channel estimates for a plurality of terminals in the communication system;
• means for selecting a set of one or more terminals for data transmission for each of a plurality of frequency bands;
• means for assigning the one or more terminals in each selected set with a plurality of spatial subchannels in the corresponding frequency band;
• means for processing data to provide a plurality of data streams for transmission to one or more scheduled terminals, wherein the data is processed based on the channel state information for the one or more scheduled terminals;
• means for processing the plurality of data streams to provide a plurality of modulated signals;
• and
• means for transmitting the plurality of modulated signals to the one or more scheduled terminals.

A terminal in a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication system, comprising:

• a plurality of antennas, each antenna configured to receive a plurality of transmitted signals and to provide a respective received signal;
• a plurality of front-end units, each front-end unit operative to process a respective received signal to provide a corresponding stream of samples, and to derive channel state information (CSI) for a plurality of sample streams;
• a receive processor operative to process the plurality of sample streams from the plurality of front-end units to provide one or more decoded data streams;
• and
• a transmit data processor operative to process the channel state information for transmission, and
• wherein the terminal is one of one or more terminals included in a set selected and scheduled for data transmission via one or more of a plurality of frequency bands for a particular time interval.

A multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication system utilizing orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM), comprising:

• a scheduler operative to receive channel state information (CSI) indicative of channel estimates for a plurality of terminals in the communication system, select a set of one or more terminals for data transmission on each of a plurality of frequency bands, and assign the one or more terminals in each selected set with a plurality of spatial subchannels in the corresponding frequency band;
• a base station operative to process transmissions for one or more terminals scheduled for data transmission on the plurality of spatial subchannels of the plurality of frequency bands;
• and
• a plurality of terminals, each terminal operative to communicate with the base station via one or more spatial subchannels of one or more frequency bands assigned to the terminal when scheduled for data transmission by the scheduler.