Patent ID: 8780877

Claim:
A method for managing uplink channel estimation in a base station, comprising: transmitting downlink data from a base station to a mobile terminal in a radio access network over a first portion of a Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) spectrum, wherein the first portion of the FDD spectrum is designated for downlink data transfer; transmitting a predetermined reference signal from the base station to the mobile terminal over a second portion of the FDD spectrum, wherein the second portion of the FDD spectrum is designated for uplink data transfer and wherein the predetermined reference signal permits the mobile terminal to perform a channel estimate on at least a portion of the second portion of the FDD spectrum; and receiving uplink data transmitted from the mobile terminal to the base station over the second portion of the FDD spectrum; wherein: transmitting the predetermined reference signal comprises transmitting the predetermined reference signal during a first time period, receiving uplink data comprises receiving uplink data during a second time period different from the first time period, the first time period and the second time period are separated by a guard period, and transmitting downlink data from the base station to the mobile terminal comprises transmitting downlink data during a third time period, wherein the third time period includes the first time period, the second time period, and the guard period.