Method for estimation of an impulse response of a signal transmission channel and mobile station

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for estimation of an impulse response (h) of a signal transmission channel (1) in a mobile communication system and to a mobile station (15), especially a mobile phone, comprising estimation means for estimation of the impulse response (h) of the signal transmission channel (1) in the mobile communication system. The invention allows a realization of mobile stations for use in a code division multiple access (CDMA) transmission mode and in a time division multiple access (TDMA) transmission mode with less implementation complexity. The estimation means comprises exactly one combined channel estimator (45) . The mobile station (15) receives signals (20) transmitted via the signal transmission channel (1) either in the TDMA transmission mode or in the CDMA transmission mode. The exactly one combined channel estimator (45) estimates the impulse response (h) of the signal transmission channel (1) dependent on the transmission mode.

Description: Prior art The invention proceeds from a method for estimation of an impulse response of a signal transmission channel and a mobile station in accordance with the generic class of the independent patent claims. According to WO-A-99 65 153, which falls under Article 54(3) EPC, it is already known to suppress distortions of a radio signal caused by multipath reception. Thereby, especially at a transmission of a radio signal in a code division multiple access (CDMA) transmission mode from a base station to a mobile station, an impulse response of a corresponding transmission channel for the multipath reception is estimated. EP-A-0 521 609 discloses a method and a mobile station comprising the steps and the features according to the preambles of claims 1 and 7 respectively. Advantages of the invention The method for estimation of an impulse response of a signal transmission channel and the mobile station having the characterizing features of the independent patent claims have the advantage that the complexity of the mobile station can be reduced, since there only needs to be one combined channel estimator and one channel estimation routine for the code division multiple access (CDMA) transmission mode and the time division multiple access (TDMA) transmission mode. Therefore, the implementation of a dual mode mobile station which can be used for the CDMA transmission mode as well as for the TDMA transmission mode is simplified. The features of the dependent patent claims enable further improvement of the invention. Drawings An example of the invention is shown in the figures and explained in greater detail in the description below. Figure 1 shows a block diagram of a mobile station according to the invention, figure 2 shows an algorithm for the estimation of the impulse response of the transmission channel dependent on the transmission mode, figure 3 shows the transmission of a signal in the TDMA transmission mode, and figure 4 shows the transmission of a signal in the CDMA transmission mode. Description In figure 1 designates 15 a mobile station which may be realized as a mobile phone, a radio phone or the like. The mobile station 15 comprises an antenna 50 which is connected to a filter 55. Via the antenna 50, the mobile station 15 receives signals 20 which are transmitted from a base station not shown in figure 1 via a signal transmission channel 1 in a mobile communication system. According to figure 1, two different geographic ways for transmission of the signals 20 to the mobile station 15 are indicated by different arrows. This multipath reception of the signals 20 at the mobile station 15 will cause multipath distortion of the received signals 20. The filter 55 comprises filter and mixer circuits and transforms the signals 20 into a base-band signal r. The base-band signal r is then input into a first equalizer 60, a second equalizer 65 and exactly one combined channel estimator 45 of the mobile station 15. A first signature reference signal 75 may be provided to the combined channel estimator 45 as well as a second signature reference signal 80. The exactly one combined channel estimator 45 of the mobile station 15 outputs an estimation for an impulse response h of the signal transmission channel 1 and provides it either for the first equalizer 60 or the second equalizer 65. An output of the first equalizer 60 and an output of the second equalizer 65 are connected to a multiplexer 70 which multiplexes the output signals of the first equalizer 60 and the second equalizer 65 to produce a multiplexed output signal d which can be decided by a decision device of the mobile station 15, whereby the decision device is not shown in figure 1. Further devices of the mobile station 15 for processing of the decided multiplexed output signal are also not shown in figure 1. The mobile station 15 is usable for signal transmission in a code division multiple access (CDMA) transmission mode as well as in a time division multiple access (TDMA) transmission mode. The transmission mode utilized for signal transmission between the base station and the mobile station 15 is communicated to the mobile station 15 by the base station at the beginning of the signal transmission. A control unit of the mobile station 15 which is not shown in figure 1 activates the first equalizer 60, if signal transmission in the TDMA transmission mode is provided. If signal transmission in the CDMA transmission mode is provided, the control unit activates the second equalizer 65. In order to compensate for the multipath distortion of the received signals 20 at the mobile station 15, it is necessary to know the impulse response h of the signal transmission channel 1. An estimation of the impulse response h is normally accomplished using so called signature bits 5 which are multiplexed into the transmitted signals 20. Another possibility to estimate the impulse response h of the signal transmission channel 1 consists in using blind or adaptive algorithms. In the following, an example is described for the estimation of the impulse response h using the signature bits 5. In the TDMA transmission mode, the signal 20 transmitted to the mobile station 15 is divided in time slots 35, 40 according to figure 3. In figure 3, a first time slot 35 and a second time slot 40 are shown as an example on a time axis t. Each time slot 35, 40 comprises two information bit sections 30 with information bits 10. The signature bits 5 are transmitted as a signature bit sequence 25 multiplexed or embedded between the two information bit sections 30 of the corresponding time slots 35, 40. As the timing of the time slots 35, 40 and the length of the information bits sections 30 and the signature bit sequences 25 are predetermined and known at the mobile station 15, the timing of the signature bit sequences 25 in the corresponding time slots 35, 40 according to the TDMA transmission mode is also known at the mobile station 15 and especially at the combined channel estimator 45. In the CDMA transmission mode, the information bits 10 and the signature bits 5 can be code multiplexed and/or time multiplexed. An example for a time multiplexed signal 20 in the CDMA transmission mode is shown in figure 4. According to figure 4 the signature bit sequences 25 with the signature bits 5 and the information bit sections 30 with the information bits 10 are multiplexed in a way that each information bit section 30 is embedded into two signature bit sequences 25 and each signature bit sequence 25 is embedded between two information bit sections 30. Thereby the information bit sections 30 and the signature bit sequences 25 are arranged according to figure 4 on the time axis t with predetermined lengths which are known at the mobile station 15. Therefore, the timing of the signature bit sequences 25 in the CDMA transmission mode is also known at the mobile station 15 and especially in the combined channel estimator 45. As the timing of the signature bit sequences 25 is known in the combined channel estimator 45 for the TDMA transmission mode as well as for the CDMA transmission mode, the signature bit sequences 25 can be extracted out of the signals 20 received from the antenna 50 and transformed into the base-band by the filter 55, whereby the actual transmission mode for the transmission of signals 20 between the base station and the mobile station 15 is known in the combined channel estimator 45 from the control unit of the mobile station 15. Therefore, in the TDMA transmission mode, the signature bits 5 are extracted out of the transmitted signals 20 by the combined channel estimator 45 dependent on their timing in the corresponding time slots 35, 40 shown for example in figure 3. In the CDMA transmission mode the signature bits 5 are extracted out of the transmitted signals 20 by the combined channel estimator 45 dependent on their timing shown for example in figure 4. Additionally or alternatively, in the CDMA transmission mode the signature bits 5 may be transmitted code multiplexed with the information bits 10 in the transmitted signals 20. The coding of the signature bits 5 for transmission in the CDMA transmission mode is also predetermined and known at the mobile station 15 especially in the combined channel estimator 45, so that the signature bits 5 may also be extracted out of the transmitted signals 20 by the combined channel estimator 45 dependent on their coding in the CDMA transmission mode. The control unit of the mobile station 15 communicates especially at the beginning of signal transmission between the base station and the mobile station 15 the utilized transmission mode to the combined channel estimator 45 such that the combined channel estimator 45 can use the correct timing and/or coding for the extraction of the signature bits 5 out of the transmitted signals 20. In case of the use of the CDMA transmission mode, the control unit has to communicate to the combined channel estimator 45 also the kind of the CDMA transmission mode, that means if the signature bits 5 are transmitted time multiplexed and/or code multiplexed with the information bits 10. In this way, the timing and/or coding of the signature bits 5 in the transmitted signals 20 is known in the combined channel estimator 45 for the actually utilized CDMA transmission mode. In case of the use of the TDMA transmission mode, the first signature reference signal 75 is provided to the combined channel estimator 45 and the first equalizer 60 is activated. In case of the use of the CDMA transmission mode, the second signature reference signal 80 is provided to the combined channel estimator 45 and the second equalizer 65 is activated. The combined channel estimator 45 compares the signature bit sequences 25 extracted out of the transmitted signal 20 with the corresponding signature reference signal 75, 80 of the actually utilized transmission mode. Dependent on the comparison result, the combined channel estimator 45 estimates the impulse response h of the signal transmission channel 1 and provides the estimation to the activated equalizer 60, 65. According to the estimation of the impulse response h of the signal transmission channel 1 an impulse response e is calculated and realized for the activated equalizer 60, 65 such that h * e ≈ 1. In this way, the influence of the signal transmission channel 1 which is the multipath distortion may be approximately compensated by the activated equalizer 60, 65 such that the output of the activated equalizer 60, 65 approximately corresponds to the information bits 10 originally sent by the base station. If an adaptive algorithm is used for the estimation of the impulse response h of the signal transmission channel 1, the combined channel estimator 45 may be initialized by an extraction of signature bit sequences 25 at the beginning of the signal transmission between the base station and the mobile station 15. That means, that in the way described above, a first estimation for the impulse response h of the signal transmission channel 1 may be calculated during a training period. Afterwards, previously received information bits 10 which were detected and equalized by the activated equalizer 60, 65 according to the first estimation and decided by the decision device not shown in figure 1 may be used by the combined channel estimator 45 to adapt the estimation of the impulse response h of the signal transmission channel 1 in order to track relatively slow variations in signal transmission channel characteristics during a so called decision-directed mode. The adaptation of the estimation of the impulse response h of the signal transmission channel 1 during the decision-directed mode is realized especially after completion of the training period. The adaptive algorithm described above may be applied for every time slot 35, 40 in the TDMA transmission mode. Thereby, the estimation of the impulse response h of the signal transmission channel 1 is first initialized by the combined channel estimator 45 using the signature bit sequence 25 in every time slot 35, 40 in the above described manner during the training period. The information bits 10 before and after the signature bit sequence 25 in the corresponding time slot 35, 40 are saved in a memory of the mobile station 15 not shown in figure 1. A first one of the information bits 10 of the corresponding time slot 35, 40 will then be detected an equalized based upon the initialized estimation of the impulse response h of the signal transmission channel 1. All further information bits 10 of the corresponding time slot 35, 40 will then be detected and equalized by the activated first equalizer 60 based upon an adaptive estimation of the impulse response h of the signal transmission channel 1 taking account of previously detected, equalized and decided information bits 10 of the same time slot 35, 40 during the decision-directed mode. Another possibility for the estimation of the impulse response h of the signal transmission channel 1 by the combined channel estimator 45 consists in utilizing a blind algorithm. Thereby, no signature reference signal 75, 80 is provided to the combined channel estimator 45 or signature bit sequences 25 do not exist in the transmitted signals 20. Figure 2 shows an algorithm for the estimation of the impulse response h of the signal transmission channel 1 during the training period. At a step 100, the control unit of the mobile station 15 checks if the TDMA transmission mode or the CDMA transmission mode is selected for signal transmission between the base station and the mobile station 15. If the TDMA transmission mode is selected, the program branches to a step 105, otherwise it branches to a step 110. At step 105, the combined channel estimator 45 extracts the signature bit sequences 25 out of the transmission signal 20 dependent on the timing of the signature bits 5 in the corresponding time slots 35, 40. Afterwards the program branches to a step 115. At step 115, the first signature reference signal 75 is loaded into the combined channel estimator 45. At step 110, the combined channel estimator 45 extracts the signature bit sequences 25 out of the transmitted signals 20 dependent on the timing and/or coding of the signature bits 5 in the transmitted signals 20. Afterwards the program branches to a step 120. At step 120, the second signature reference signal 80 is loaded into the combined channel estimator 45. After step 115 and after step 120, the program branches to a step 125. At step 125, the combined channel estimator 45 compares the loaded signature reference signal 75, 80 with the extracted signature bits 5. Afterwards, the program branches to a step 130. At step 130, the combined channel estimator 45 calculates an estimation for the impulse response h of the signal transmission channel 1. Afterwards the program is left. The comparison of the corresponding signature reference signal 75, 80 with the extracted signature bits 5 and the calculation of the estimation for the impulse response h of the signal transmission channel 1 may be realized utilizing known algorithms as for example a least mean square algorithm as described in " Communication Systems, 2 nd edition, Simon Haykin, John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1983" , a Kalman estimator as described in " Adaptive Filter Theory, 2 nd edition, Simon Haykin, Prentice Hall, 1991" , a correlator estimator or the like. As it concerns the CDMA transmission mode, the second equalizer 65 may be realized as a RAKE receiver as described in " Digital Communications, 3 rd edition, John G. Proakis, MC Graw-Hill, New York, 1995" .

Claims: Method for estimation of an impulse response (h) of a signal transmission channel (1) in a mobile communication system, whereby signals (20) are transmitted via the signal transmission channel (1) either in a time division multiple access (TDMA) transmission mode or in a code division multiple access (CDMA) transmission mode, and the signals (20) are received at a mobile station (15), characterized in that the impulse response (h) of the signal transmission channel (1) is estimated by exactly one combined channel estimator (45) at the mobile station (15) dependent on the transmission mode. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the signals (20) are transmitted with signature bits (5) and information bits (10), that the signature bits (5) are extracted out of the transmitted signals (20) by the exactly one combined channel estimator (45) of the mobile station (15) dependent on the transmission mode, and that the impulse response (h) of the signal transmission channel (1) is estimated by the exactly one combined channel estimator (45) according to the extracted signature bits (5) for the corresponding transmission mode. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that in the TDMA transmission mode the signature bits (5) are transmitted as a sequence (25) multiplexed between two information bit sections (30) of a time slot (35, 40), respectively, and that the signature bits (5) are extracted out of the transmitted signals (20) by the exactly one combined channel estimator (45) dependent on their timing in the corresponding time slots (35, 40). Method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that in the CDMA transmission mode the signature bits (5) are transmitted time multiplexed and/or code multiplexed with the information bits (10), and that the signature bits (5) are extracted out of the transmitted signals (20) by the exactly one combined channel estimator (45) dependent on their timing and/or their coding. Method according to claim 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that at least during a training period the impulse response (h) of the transmission channel (1) is estimated by comparing the received signature bits (5) in the exactly one combined channel estimator (45) with a predetermined signature reference signal (75, 80) dependent on the transmission mode. Method according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least during a decision-directed mode, especially after completion of the training period, the impulse response (h) of the transmission channel (1) is estimated dependent on a decision of previously received information bits (10). Mobile station (15), especially mobile phone, with estimation means for estimation of an impulse response (h) of a signal transmission channel (1) in a mobile communication system, the mobile station (15) receives signals (20) transmitted via the signal transmission channel (1) either in a time division multiple access (TDMA) transmission mode or in a code division multiple access (CDMA) transmission mode, characterized in that the estimation means comprises exactly one combined channel estimator (45) which estimates the impulse response (h) of the signal transmission channel (1) dependent on the transmission mode. Mobile station (15) according to claim 7, characterized in that the signals (20) comprising signature bits (5) and information bits (10) are received by the exactly one combined channel estimator (45), that the exactly one combined channel estimator (45) extracts the signature bits (5) out of the received signals (20) dependent on the transmission mode, and that the exactly one combined channel estimator (45) estimates the impulse response (h) of the signal transmission channel (1) according to the extracted signature bits (5) for the corresponding transmission mode. Mobile station (15) according to claim 8, characterized in that in the TDMA transmission mode the exactly one combined channel estimator (45) extracts the signature bits (5) out of the transmitted signals (20) dependent on their timing in the corresponding time slots (35, 40), whereby the signature bits (5) are transmitted as a sequence (25) multiplexed between two information bit sections (30) of a time slot (35, 40), respectively. Mobile station (15) according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that in the CDMA transmission mode the exactly one combined channel estimator (45) extracts the signature bits (5) out of the transmitted signals (20) dependent on their timing and/or their coding, whereby the signature bits (5) are transmitted time multiplexed and/or code multiplexed with the information bits (10). Mobile station (15) according to claim 8, 9 or 10, characterized in that the exactly one combined channel estimator (45) estimates the impulse response (h) of the transmission channel (1) at least during a training period by comparing the received signature bits (5) at the receiving mobile station (15) with a predetermined signature reference signal (75, 80) dependent on the transmission mode. Mobile station (15) according to anyone of claims 7 to 11, characterized in that the exactly one combined channel estimator (45) estimates at least during a decision-directed mode, especially after completion of the training period, the impulse response (h) of the transmission channel (1) dependent on a decision of previously received information bits (10).

Inventors: VEJLGAARD BENNY, VEJLGAARD, BENNY
Applicants: BOSCH GMBH ROBERT, ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
Application year: 1998
Main classification: H04B7
IPC codes: H04L25, H04B7, H04J13, H04J3