Point to multipoint device for communication with a plurality of telecommunications units

A method of operating a point to multipoint device used in a wireless network to provide wireless communication with a plurality of telecommunications units, for communication from the telecommunications units to the point to multipoint device, the point to multipoint device defining a sequence of variable duration communication channels, each communication channel being allocated to one of said telecommunications units, the method comprising the steps of:

• storing a training sequence indication indicating a training sequence associated with the point to multipoint device;
• storing a repetition rate at which the training sequence is to be repeated in said sequence of variable duration communication channels, the repetition rate being the same for all point to multipoint devices in the wireless network;
• receiving a synchronization signal issued to all point to multipoint devices in the wireless network, and determining from the synchronization signal a time at which a first occurrence of the training sequence is to occur within the sequence of variable duration communication channels;
• defining the sequence of variable duration communication channels and transmitting control data to the telecommunications units identifying the sequence of variable duration communication channels, the training sequence indication and the repetition rate;
• determining beamforming weights used to produce a reception beam, the beamforming weights being determined so as to improve received signal quality;
• controlling an antenna array to provide the reception beam for receiving the communication from the telecommunications units;
• and
• repeating the determination of beamforming weights at the repetition rate coincident with the appearance of the training sequence in the sequence of variable duration communication channels.

A wireless network comprising:

• a plurality of point to multipoint devices, each point to multipoint device being arranged to provide wireless communication with an associated plurality of telecommunications units;
• each point to multipoint device being configured to define a sequence of variable duration communication channels for forming a communication from the associated telecommunications units to that point to multipoint device, and having an antenna array for producing a reception beam to receive that communication;
• each point to multipoint device having a training sequence associated therewith and being arranged to provide the associated telecommunications units with an indication of that training sequence and a repetition rate at which the training sequence is to be repeated in said sequence of variable duration communication channels, the repetition rate being the same for all of said point to multipoint devices;
• a time at which a first occurrence of the training sequence is to occur within the sequence of variable duration communication channels being derived with respect to a synchronization signal received by all of the point to multipoint devices, wherein the plurality of point to multipoint devices are configured to repeat, at the same time and at the repetition rate, a determination of beamforming weights used to form their respective reception beams, each determination being coincident with the appearance of the training sequence in the associated sequence of variable duration communication channels.