FIELD

The implementations discussed herein are related to beamforming performance metrics. In particular, the present disclosure may relate to the tracking, analysis, and/or use of beamforming performance metrics and optimization.

BACKGROUND

Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described herein are not prior art to the claims in the present application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.

Home, office, stadium, and outdoor networks, a.k.a. wireless local area networks (WLAN) are established using a device called a Wireless Access Point (WAP). The WAP may include a router. The WAP wirelessly couples all the devices of the local network, e.g. wireless stations such as: computers, printers, televisions, digital video (DVD) players, security cameras and smoke detectors to one another and to the Cable or Subscriber Line through which Internet, video, and television is delivered to the local network. Most WAPs implement the IEEE 802.11 standard which is a contention-based standard for handling communications among multiple competing devices for a shared wireless communication medium on a selected one of a plurality of communication channels. The frequency range of each communication channel is specified in the corresponding one of the IEEE 802.11 protocols being implemented, e.g. “a”, “b”, “g”, “n”, “ac”, “ad”, “ax”, “ay”, “be”. Communications follow a hub and spoke model with a WAP at the hub and the spokes corresponding to the wireless links to each ‘client’ device or station (STA) utilizing the WLAN.

However, when beamforming for packet transmission from the WAP (or other technologies that use beamforming), some circumstances lead to inefficient or incomplete understanding of the performance of the beamformed signal.

The subject matter claimed herein is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages or that operate only in environments such as those described above. Rather, this background is only provided to illustrate one example technology area where some implementations described herein may be practiced.

SUMMARY

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential characteristics of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

Some example implementations described herein generally relate to tracking, analysis, and/or use of beamforming performance metrics and optimization. Some implementations provide a method, system, and/or apparatus to facilitate tracking, analysis, and/or use of beamforming performance metrics.

One or more embodiments may include an example method that includes determining a first precoding processing for communication between a beamformer and a beamformee, and transmitting a first sounding signal precoded according to the first precoding processing. The method may additionally include obtaining first beamforming feedback from the beamformee in response to the first sounding signal precoded according to the first precoding processing, and selecting a second precoding processing for communication between the beamformer and the beamformee. The method may also include obtaining second beamforming feedback from the beamformee based on a second sounding signal precoded according to the second precoding processing, and analyzing the first beamforming feedback and the second beamforming feedback. The method may additionally include deriving a quality score of the second precoding processing based on the analysis of the first beamforming feedback and the second beamforming feedback, and selecting the second precoding processing instead of the first precoding processing based on the quality score of the second precoding processing.

The present disclosure may be implemented in hardware, firmware, or software. Associated devices and circuits are also claimed. Additional features and advantages of the present disclosure will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the present disclosure, or may be learned by the practice of the present disclosure. The features and advantages of the present disclosure may be realized and obtained by means of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. These and other features of the present disclosure will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims or may be learned by the practice of the present disclosure as set forth hereinafter.

