Measurement support for a smart antenna in a wireless communication system
A method for taking measurements with a smart antenna in a wireless communication system having a plurality of STAs begins by sending a measurement request from a first STA to a second STA. At least two measurement packets are transmitted consecutively from the second STA to the first STA. Each measurement packet is received at the first STA using a different antenna beam. The first STA performs measurements on each measurement packet and selects an antenna beam direction based on the measurement results.
1. A method for beam selection, the method comprising:
receiving a first measurement packet using a first receive beam, wherein the first measurement packet comprises a first antenna identity and a first sequence number;
performing a measurement associated with the first measurement packet;
changing the first receive beam to a second receive beam after receiving the first measurement packet and before receiving a second measurement packet;
receiving the second measurement packet using the second receive beam, wherein the second measurement packet comprises the first antenna identity and a second sequence number;
performing a measurement associated with the second measurement packet;
selecting a transmit beam based on the measurements.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sending an indication of a number of measurement packets to be transmitted.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first measurement packet and the second measurement packet are received consecutively and are separated by an inter-frame spacing.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transmit beam is selected after a determination that a last measurement packet has been received.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the determination that the last measurement packet has been received is made based on a sequence number associated with the last measurement packet.
6. A station comprising:
a processor configured to:
receive a first measurement packet using a first receive beam, wherein the first measurement packet comprises a first antenna identity and a first sequence number;
perform a measurement associated with the first measurement packet;
change the first receive beam to a second receive beam after receiving the first measurement packet and before receiving a second measurement packet;
receive the second measurement packet using the second receive beam, wherein the second measurement packet comprises the first antenna identity and a second sequence number;
perform a measurement associated with the second measurement packet;
select a transmit beam based on the measurements.
7. The station of claim 6 , wherein the processor is further configured to send an indication of a number of measurement packets to be transmitted to the station.
8. The station of claim 6 , wherein the first measurement packet and the second measurement packet are received consecutively and are separated by an inter-frame spacing.
9. The station of claim 6 , wherein the transmit beam is selected after a determination that a last measurement packet has been received.
10. The station of claim 9 , wherein the determination that the last measurement packet has been received is made based on a sequence number associated with the last measurement packet.