Techniques for quantization adaptation in cooperative signal communication
In cooperative signal communication between a mobile terminal ( 200 ) and a plurality of access nodes ( 100 - 1, 100 - 2, 100 - 3 ), cooperation signals ( 20 ), e.g. received signals or signals to be transmitted, are communicated with the access nodes ( 100 - 1, 100 - 2, 100 - 3 ). The cooperation signals ( 20 ) are quantized according to a quantization parameter, e.g. quantization depth and/or quantization type, which is adapted on the basis of a cooperative communication parameter. The cooperative communication parameter is a characteristic of the cooperative communication process, e.g. modulation scheme.
1. A method of cooperative signal communication for communication between a mobile terminal and a plurality of base stations, comprising:
determining, by a base station, a cooperative communication parameter for cooperative communication of a signal on at least a first communication path between a first base station and a mobile terminal, and a second communication path between a second base station and the mobile terminal;
setting, by the base station on the basis of said cooperative communication parameter, a quantization parameter; and
sending, from the base station, a cooperation signal to at least one of the first base station and the second base station, the cooperation signal carrying information for said cooperative communication of the signal, the information including the quantization parameter;
wherein the quantization parameter comprises a quantization depth or a quantization type to be used for quantization of the signal.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cooperative communication parameter comprises a modulation scheme.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cooperative communication parameter comprises a coding scheme.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cooperative communication parameter comprises a transmit power.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cooperative communication parameter comprises a signal quality on the first communication path, on the second communication path, or both.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cooperative communication parameter comprises a receiver algorithm type, a transmitter algorithm type, or both.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cooperative communication parameter comprises a difference between a path gain of the first communication path and a path gain of the second communication path.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cooperative communication parameter comprises a quantity of cooperating base stations.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cooperative communication parameter comprises a data traffic capacity available for transmitting the cooperation signal.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cooperation signal comprises digital samples of the signal.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cooperation signal is transmitted from the second base station in response to a request from the first base station.
12. A device, comprising:
memory configured to store instructions for processing; and
a processing circuit configured, through execution of the stored instructions, to:
determine a cooperative communication parameter for cooperative communication of a signal on at least a first communication path between a first access node and a mobile terminal, and a second communication path between a second access node and the mobile terminal;
set, on the basis of said cooperative communication parameter, a quantization parameter; and
send a cooperation signal to at least one of the first access node and the second access node, the cooperation signal carrying information for said cooperative communication of the signal, the information including the quantization parameter;
wherein the quantization parameter comprises a quantization depth or a quantization type to be used for quantization of the signal.
13. The device of claim 12 , further comprising:
an interface configured to output the quantization parameter.
14. The device of claim 12 , further comprising:
an interface that the processing circuit is configured to use to send the cooperation signal to at least one of the first access node and the second access node.
15. The device of claim 12 , further comprising:
an interface configured to communicate the signal with the mobile terminal.
16. A communication network, comprising at least a mobile terminal, a first access node, and a second access node, wherein the first access node is connected to a device comprising:
memory storing instructions for processing; and
a processing circuit configured, through execution of the stored instructions, to:
determine a cooperative communication parameter for cooperative communication of a signal on at least a first communication path between the first access node and the mobile terminal, and a second communication path between the second access node and the mobile terminal;
set, on the basis of said cooperative communication parameter, a quantization parameter; and
send a cooperation signal to at least one of the first access node and the second access node, the cooperation signal carrying information for said cooperative communication of the signal, the information including the quantization parameter;
wherein the quantization parameter comprises a quantization depth or a quantization type to be used for quantization of the signal.
17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a computer program product, said computer program product comprising program instructions for cooperative signal communication, the computer program product comprising computer program code which, when run on a device, configures the device to:
determine a cooperative communication parameter for cooperative communication of a signal on at least a first communication path between a first access node and a mobile terminal, and a second communication path between a second access node and the mobile terminal;
set on the basis of said cooperative communication parameter, a quantization parameter; and
send a cooperation signal to at least one of the first access node and the second access node, the cooperation signal carrying information for said cooperative communication of the signal, the information including the quantization parameter;
wherein the quantization parameter comprises a quantization depth or a quantization type to be used for quantization of the signal.