Specular component estimation in a wireless communication network

1. An apparatus, comprising:

an antenna array comprising a plurality of antennas, the antenna array configured to receive a multi-carrier signal from a multi-antenna transmitter over a radio channel, wherein the multi-carrier signal comprises at least two subcarriers, each subcarrier mapped at the transmitter to a respective subcarrier-beamformer, and

a processor configured to identify a communication direction for a radio signal communication between the apparatus and the transmitter, wherein the communication direction is identified based on one or more specular path components of the radio channel which are related to a null or to a maximum of a subcarrier-beamformer,

wherein the processor is configured to

determine direction of arrivals, DoAs, of the specular path components of the radio channel on each of the subcarriers, and

determine a specific DoA as the communication direction for the radio signal communication if a specular path component related to the specific DoA is fading/disappearing on a single subcarrier.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to determine a specific DoA to be not suitable for the radio signal communication with the transmitter if a specular path component related to the specific DoA is fading/disappearing on multiple or all subcarriers or is present on multiple or all subcarriers.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to detect the fading/disappearing of a specular path component on a subcarrier based on a first threshold, and to detect the presence of a specular path component on a subcarrier based on a second threshold, the first and second thresholds being the same or different.

4. An apparatus comprising:

an antenna array comprising a plurality of antennas, the antenna array configured to receive a multi-carrier signal from a multi-antenna transmitter over a radio channel, wherein the multi-carrier signal comprises at least two subcarriers, each subcarrier mapped at the transmitter to a respective subcarrier-beamformer, and

a processor configured to identify a communication direction for a radio signal communication between the apparatus and the transmitter, wherein the communication direction is identified based on one or more specular path components of the radio channel which are related to a null or to a maximum of a subcarrier-beamformer,

wherein the processor is configured to

detect a signal energy of the specular path components of the radio channel on each of the subcarriers, and

if the detected signal energy reaches or exceeds a first threshold on a specific subcarrier, identify as the communication direction for the radio signal communication a direction into which the subcarrier-beamformer of the specific subcarrier points its signal energy.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the processor is configured to, if the detected signal energy is below a second threshold on a specific subcarrier, identify a specific direction into which the subcarrier-beamformer of the specific subcarrier points its signal energy to be not suitable for the radio signal communication.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the processor is configured to

determine direction of arrivals, DoAs, of the specular path components of the radio channel on each of the subcarriers, and

determine a specific DoA as the communication direction for the radio signal communication if on one or more specular path components related to the specific DoA the detected signal energy reaches or exceeds the first threshold on a single subcarrier or on multiple neighboring sub-carriers.

7. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein a signal energy at or above the first threshold indicates that the signal energy is pointed in the direction of the maximum of a subcarrier-beamformer at the transmitter side.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to calculate a radio signal beamformer according to the identified communication direction.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to signal to the transmitter the identified communication direction to allow the transmitter to calculate a radio signal beamformer according to the identified communication direction.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to

signal to the transmitter information about the subcarriers on which a specular path component related to the specific DoA faded/disappeared or on which the detected signal energy reached or exceeded the first threshold, or

acquire transmit directions for the transmitter, and signal a set of angles to the transmitter, or

signal, dependent on an analysis of the specular path components of the radio channel, a maximum number of data streams to be used for the communication.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to

initiate the identification of the communication direction by signaling the transmitter to start transmitting the multi-carrier signal, or

initiate the identification of the communication direction responsive to a signal from the transmitter.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the signaling, when triggered by the apparatus, uses the PDCCH or, when triggered by the transmitter, uses the PUCCH.

13. An apparatus, comprising:

an antenna array comprising a plurality of antennas, the antenna array configured to receive a multi-carrier signal from a transmitter over a radio channel, wherein the multi-carrier signal comprises at least two subcarriers, each subcarrier mapped at the transmitter to a respective subcarrier-beamformer, and

a processor configured to identify one or more dominant specular path components of the radio channel which are related to a null or to a maximum of the subcarrier-beamformer, and to signal the transmitter to adjust the subcarrier-beamformer such that one or more dominant path components in the multi-carrier signal are removed.

14. An apparatus, comprising:

an antenna array comprising a plurality of antennas, the antenna array configured to transmit a multi-carrier signal comprising at least two subcarriers to a receiver over a radio channel, wherein the receiver comprises

a processor configured to map each subcarrier of the multi-carrier signal to a respective subcarrier-beamformer,

wherein, responsive to a signal from the receiver identifying a communication direction for a radio signal communication between the apparatus and the transmitter, the processor is configured to calculate a radio signal beamformer according to the identified communication direction.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the processor is configured to

map, over an entire angular domain of the antenna array, each subcarrier to a subcarrier-beamformer comprising a single null, or

map, over a specific angular region of an entire angular domain of the antenna array, each subcarrier to a subcarrier-beamformer comprising a single null, or

map each subcarrier or each group of subcarriers to a subcarrier-beamformer comprising M−1 nulls in specific directions, wherein M antennas of the antenna array are exploited, or

a codebook is provided to define a specific change in a radiation direction per subcarrier based on available bandwidth.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the multi-carrier signal comprises standard reference signals.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein, following the identification of the communication direction for the radio signal communication, the processor is configured to communicate with the receiver without the use of pilot signals.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein, for the process of identifying the communication direction for the radio signal communication, the processor is configured to

(1) transmit, in a first step, the multi-carrier signal so as to receive from the receiver a first estimation of the communication direction based on the standard reference signals and

(2) transmit, in a second step, the multi-carrier signal so as to receive from the receiver a second estimation of the communication direction, the first estimation being more coarse than the second estimation.

19. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the processor is configured to allow the PUCCH to carry payload data.

20. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the one or more dominant path components in a way as defined in claim 4 .

21. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein removing the one or more dominant path components causes the apparatus to receive/process the remaining path components with a higher resolution.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the one or more dominant path components comprise a direct LOS path component and/or one or more specular path components carrying signals with decreasing signal energy.

23. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the one or more dominant path components in a way as defined in claim 1 .

24. A system, comprising

a transmitter, comprising:

an apparatus, comprising an antenna array comprising a plurality of antennas, the antenna array configured to receive a multi-carrier signal from a multi-antenna transmitter over a radio channel, wherein the multi-carrier signal comprises at least two subcarriers, each subcarrier mapped at the transmitter to a respective subcarrier-beamformer, and a processor configured to identify a communication direction for a radio signal communication between the apparatus and the transmitter, wherein the communication direction is identified based on one or more specular path components of the radio channel which are related to a null or to a maximum of a subcarrier-beamformer, wherein the processor is configured to

determine direction of arrivals, DoAs, of the specular path components of the radio channel on each of the subcarriers, and determine a specific DoA as the communication direction for the radio signal communication if a specular path component related to the specific DoA the fading/disappearing on a single subcarrier, or

detect a signal energy of the specular path components of the radio channel on each of the subcarriers, and, if the detected signal energy reaches or exceeds a first threshold on a specific subcarrier, identify as the communication direction for the radio signal communication a direction into which the subcarrier-beamformer of the specific subcarrier points its signal energy; or

an apparatus, comprising an antenna array comprising a plurality of antennas, the antenna array configured to receive a multi-carrier signal from a transmitter over a radio channel, wherein the multi-carrier signal comprises at least two subcarriers, each subcarrier mapped at the transmitter to a respective subcarrier-beamformer, and a processor configured to identify one or more dominant specular path components of the radio channel which are related to a null or to a maximum of the subcarrier-beamformer, and to signal the transmitter to adjust the subcarrier-beamformer such that one or more dominant path components in the multi-carrier signal are removed; and

a receiver, comprising:

an apparatus, comprising an antenna array comprising a plurality of antennas, the antenna array configured to transmit a multi-carrier signal comprising at least two subcarriers to a receiver over a radio channel, and a processor configured to map each subcarrier of the multi-carrier signal to a respective subcarrier-beamformer, wherein, responsive to a signal from the receiver identifying a communication direction for a radio signal communication between the apparatus and the transmitter, the processor is configured to calculate a radio signal beamformer according to the identified communication direction.

25. The system of claim 24 , comprising a wireless communication network, a cellular network, a wireless local area network or a wireless sensor system.

26. The system of claim 24 , wherein the transmitter and/or the receiver are selected from the group comprising a mobile terminal, an IoT device or a base station.

27. The system of claim 24 , wherein the communication uses an IFFT, Inverse Fast Fourier Transform, based signal, wherein the IFFT based signal comprises OFDM with CP, DFT-s-OFDM with CP, IFFT-based waveforms without CP, f-OFDM, FBMC, GFDM or UFMC.

28. A method, comprising:

receiving a multi-carrier signal from a transmitter over a radio channel, wherein the multi-carrier signal comprises at least two subcarriers, each subcarrier mapped at the transmitter to a respective subcarrier-beamformer, and

identifying a communication direction for a radio signal communication between the apparatus and the transmitter, wherein the communication direction is identified based on one or more specular path components of the radio channel which are related to a null or to a maximum of a subcarrier-beamformer,

wherein identifying the communication direction comprises:

determining direction of arrivals, DoAs, of the specular path components of the radio channel on each of the subcarriers, and determining a specific DoA as the communication direction for the radio signal communication if a specular path component related to the specific DoA the fading/disappearing on a single subcarrier, or

detecting a signal energy of the specular path components of the radio channel on each of the subcarriers, and, if the detected signal energy reaches or exceeds a first threshold on a specific subcarrier, identify as the communication direction for the radio signal communication a direction into which the subcarrier-beamformer of the specific subcarrier points its signal energy.

29. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a receiver, a multi-carrier signal from a transmitter over a radio channel, wherein the multi-carrier signal comprises at least two subcarriers, each subcarrier mapped at the transmitter to a respective subcarrier-beamformer,

identifying, at the receiver, one or more dominant specular path components of the radio channel which are related to a null or to a maximum of the subcarrier-beamformer, and

signaling to the transmitter to adjust the subcarrier-beamformer such that one or more dominant path components in the multi-carrier signal is removed.

30. A non-transitory digital storage medium having a computer program stored thereon to perform, when executed by a computer, a method comprising:

receiving a multi-carrier signal from a transmitter over a radio channel, wherein the multi-carrier signal comprises at least two subcarriers, each subcarrier mapped at the transmitter to a respective subcarrier-beamformer, and

identifying a communication direction for a radio signal communication between the apparatus and the transmitter, wherein the communication direction is identified based on one or more specular path components of the radio channel which are related to a null or to a maximum of a subcarrier-beamformer,

wherein identifying the communication direction comprises:

determining direction of arrivals, DoAs, of the specular path components of the radio channel on each of the subcarriers, and determining a specific DoA as the communication direction for the radio signal communication if a specular path component related to the specific DoA the fading/disappearing on a single subcarrier, or

detecting a signal energy of the specular path components of the radio channel on each of the subcarriers, and, if the detected signal energy reaches or exceeds a first threshold on a specific subcarrier, identify as the communication direction for the radio signal communication a direction into which the subcarrier-beamformer of the specific subcarrier points its signal energy.

31. A non-transitory digital storage medium having a computer program stored thereon to perform, when executed by a computer, a method comprising:

receiving, at a receiver, a multi-carrier signal from a transmitter over a radio channel, wherein the multi-carrier signal comprises at least two subcarriers, each subcarrier mapped at the transmitter to a respective subcarrier-beamformer,

identifying, at the receiver, one or more dominant specular path components of the radio channel which are related to a null or to a maximum of the subcarrier-beamformer, and

signaling to the transmitter to adjust the subcarrier-beamformer such that one or more dominant path components in the multi-carrier signal is removed.