System and Method for Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output Communications

Abstract

A method for operating a communications controller in a wireless communications system includes scheduling a pair of user equipments (UE) located in different ones of a plurality of split beams using an appropriate code pair that produces the plurality of split beams for multi-user multiple-input multiple output (MU-MIMO) mode transmission, and transmitting data packets to the pair of UEs in accordance with the appropriate code pair.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method for configuring a 3-sector wireless communications system, the method comprising:
 generating a plurality of split beams covering a first sector of the 3-sector communications system;   mapping the plurality of split beams to baseband antenna ports to equalize reference signal coverage between the baseband antenna ports; and   transmitting one or more signals over one or more of the plurality of split beams in accordance with the mapping between the plurality of split beams and the baseband antenna ports.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 generating a widebeam from a subset of the plurality of split beams; and   transmitting a signal over the widebeam.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the mapping is implemented in a radio frequency (RF) domain after a power amplifier to direct power to a particular split beam. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the mapping is implemented in a radio frequency (RF) domain prior to a power amplifier. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the mapping is implemented in a digital domain. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of split beams consists of two split beams. 
     
     
         8 . An evolved NodeB (eNB) in a wireless communications system, the eNB comprising:
 a processor; and   a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing programming for execution by the processor, the programming including instructions to:   generate a plurality of split beams covering a first sector of the 3-sector communications system;   map the plurality of split beams to baseband antenna ports to equalize reference signal coverage between the baseband antenna ports; and   transmit one or more signals over one or more of the plurality of split beams in accordance with the mapping between the plurality of split beams and the baseband antenna ports.   
     
     
         9 . The eNB of  claim 8 , wherein the programming further includes instructions to:
 generate a widebeam from a subset of the plurality of split beams; and   transmit a signal over the widebeam.   
     
     
         10 . The eNB of  claim 8 , wherein at least a portion of the mapping is implemented in a radio frequency (RF) domain after a power amplifier to direct power to a particular split beam. 
     
     
         11 . The eNB of  claim 8 , wherein at least a portion of the mapping is implemented in a radio frequency (RF) domain prior to a power amplifier. 
     
     
         12 . The eNB of  claim 8 , wherein at least a portion of the mapping is implemented in a digital domain. 
     
     
         13 . The eNB of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of split beams consists of two split beams. 
     
     
         14 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing programming for execution by a processor, the programming including instructions to:
 generate a plurality of split beams covering a first sector of the 3-sector communications system;   map the plurality of split beams to baseband antenna ports to equalize reference signal coverage between the baseband antenna ports; and   transmit one or more signals over one or more of the plurality of split beams in accordance with the mapping between the plurality of split beams and the baseband antenna ports.   
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 14 , wherein the programming further includes instructions to:
 generate a widebeam from a subset of the plurality of split beams; and   transmit a signal over the widebeam.   
     
     
         16 . The eNB of  claim 14 , wherein at least a portion of the mapping is implemented in a radio frequency (RF) domain after a power amplifier to direct power to a particular split beam. 
     
     
         17 . The eNB of  claim 14 , wherein at least a portion of the mapping is implemented in a radio frequency (RF) domain prior to a power amplifier. 
     
     
         18 . The eNB of  claim 14 , wherein at least a portion of the mapping is implemented in a digital domain. 
     
     
         19 . The eNB of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of split beams consists of two split beams.