Wireless communication system, wireless communication apparatus and wireless communication method
A wireless communication system which performs data transmission using spatially multiplexed streams from a first terminal including N antennas to a second terminal including M antennas (N is an integer of 2 or more and M is an integer of 1 or more) is disclosed. The system includes notifying means, training means, channel matrix estimation means, beamforming information feedback means, transmission weight matrix setting means, and beamforming means.
1. A wireless communication apparatus which includes N antennas and performs data transmission using spatially multiplexed streams to a receiver terminal including M antennas, N being an integer of 2 or more and M being an integer of 1 or more, the apparatus comprising:
a notification receiving unit for receiving notification of a channel estimation capability information including a maximum number of streams supported by the receiver terminal, the channel estimation capability information being included in beamforming capability information;
a training unit for transmitting a packet including a training sequence for exciting a channel corresponding to the maximum number of streams to the receiver terminal;
a feedback information receiving unit for receiving feedback information generated based on an estimated channel matrix, the estimated channel matrix being estimated by the training sequence received at the receiver;
a transmission weight matrix setting unit for setting the transmission weight matrix for beamforming on the basis of the received feedback information; and
a data transmitting unit for performing beamforming transmission to the receiver using the set transmission weight matrix.
2. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the beamforming capability information further includes a calibration information.
3. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the beamforming capability information further includes a spatial dimension number of a sounding packet.
4. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the maximum number of streams corresponds to a maximum dimension of the estimated channel matrix.
5. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the beamforming capability information is included in a predetermined management frame.
6. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the predetermined management frame is provided in one of a beacon, an association response, a re-association response, or a probe response.
7. A wireless communication apparatus which includes M antennas and receives data using spatially multiplexed streams from a transmitter terminal including N antennas, N being an integer of 2 or more and M being an integer of 1 or more, the apparatus comprising:
notification transmitting unit for transmitting notification of a channel estimation capability information including a maximum number of streams supported by the wireless communication apparatus, the channel estimation capability information being included in beamforming capability information;
channel estimation unit for estimating a channel matrix, a dimension of the channel matrix corresponding to the maximum number of streams;
feedback information transmitting unit for transmitting feedback information generated based on the estimated channel matrix; and
data receiving unit for receiving data signal beamformed using a transmission weight matrix generated based on the feedback information.
8. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the beamforming capability information further includes a calibration information.
9. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the beamforming capability information further includes a spatial dimension number of a sounding packet.
10. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the maximum number of streams corresponds to a maximum dimension of the estimated channel matrix.
11. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the beamforming capability information is included in a predetermined management frame.
12. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the predetermined management frame is provided in one of a beacon, an association response, a re-association response, or a probe response.
13. A method performed by a wireless communication apparatus which includes N antennas and performs data transmission using spatially multiplexed streams to a receiver terminal including M antennas, N being an integer of 2 or more and M being an integer of 1 or more, the method comprising:
receiving notification of a channel estimation capability information including a maximum number of streams supported by the receiver terminal, the channel estimation capability information being included in beamforming capability information;
transmitting a packet including a training sequence for exciting a channel corresponding to the maximum number of streams to the receiver terminal;
receiving feedback information generated based on an estimated channel matrix, the estimated channel matrix being estimated by the training sequence received at the receiver;
setting the transmission weight matrix for beamforming on the basis of the received feedback information; and
performing beamforming transmission to the receiver using the set transmission weight matrix.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the beamforming capability information further includes a calibration information.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the beamforming capability information further includes a spatial dimension number of a sounding packet.
16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the maximum number of streams corresponds to a maximum dimension of the estimated channel matrix.
17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the beamforming capability information is included in a predetermined management frame.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the predetermined management frame is provided in one of a beacon, an association response, a re-association response, or a probe response.
19. A method performed by a wireless communication apparatus which includes M antennas and receives data using spatially multiplexed streams from a transmitter terminal including N antennas, N being an integer of 2 or more and M being an integer of 1 or more, the method comprising:
transmitting notification of a channel estimation capability information including a maximum number of streams supported by the wireless communication apparatus, the channel estimation capability information being included in beamforming capability information;
estimating a channel matrix, a dimension of the channel matrix corresponding to the maximum number of streams;
transmitting feedback information generated based on the estimated channel matrix; and
receiving data signal beamformed using a transmission weight matrix generated based on the feedback information.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the beamforming capability information further includes a calibration information.
21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the beamforming capability information further includes a spatial dimension number of a sounding packet.
22. The method of claim 19 , wherein the maximum number of streams corresponds to a maximum dimension of the estimated channel matrix.
23. The method of claim 19 , wherein the beamforming capability information is included in a predetermined management frame.
24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the predetermined management frame is provided in one of a beacon, an association response, a re-association response, or a probe response.