Adaptive Sectoring Wireless Base Station Antenna Beamforming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional mobile network infrastructure deployment in rural areas is costly and inefficient due to the need for multiple standard height towers, which results in limited coverage and high costs, making it unprofitable for operators. Taller base stations can provide better coverage but require adaptive sectoring to manage capacity effectively.
Innovation Solution
A wireless base station with a communication processing system and multiple antennas that form adaptive sectors through beamforming, allowing selectable coverage areas to be adjusted based on data demand, user distribution, existing cell sites, and base station motion, enabling efficient capacity management and reduced interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If standard height towers (30-40 meters) are used for base station deployment, then the infrastructure cost is high due to requiring multiple towers, but the coverage area of each individual base station is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The base station antenna array is segmented into multiple independent antenna groups, where each group can form a separate beamforming sector. This allows a single tall base station to provide coverage for multiple directional sectors, effectively replacing multiple standard-height towers while maintaining comprehensive coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from horizontal coverage expansion (multiple towers) to vertical coverage expansion (tall tower with 3D beamforming). By utilizing elevation angles and three-dimensional beamforming patterns, a single tall base station achieves coverage areas that would traditionally require multiple standard-height towers.
2Area of stationary object
If taller base stations are deployed to provide larger cell coverage, then the coverage area and capacity increase, but the ability to properly serve large capacity and manage interference becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The beamforming patterns are made dynamic and adaptable rather than fixed. The system can adjust beam directions, widths, and shapes in real-time based on traffic demand, user distribution, and interference conditions. This dynamic capability allows tall base stations to efficiently manage large capacity and control interference across extended coverage areas.
Solution Approach 2:
Different sectors formed by antenna groups can have different beamforming characteristics optimized for their specific coverage areas. Each sector can independently adjust its beam patterns to serve local user demands and mitigate local interference, enabling effective management of large overall capacity while maintaining ease of operation.
3Area of stationary object
If beamforming patterns are used to form sectors for coverage, then coverage area is improved, but inter-sector interference increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the potential harmful effect of beamforming lobes causing interference into a beneficial pattern by carefully designing null directions. The beamforming patterns are configured to place nulls (signal cancellation zones) in directions where adjacent sectors operate, thereby converting what would be interfering energy into constructive interference reduction, allowing larger sector coverage without proportional increase in interference.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The adaptive sectoring system enhances wireless communication capacity, reduces inter-sector interference, and lowers operational costs by optimizing coverage and capacity utilization, especially in tall tower deployments, while maintaining low angular spread and interference mitigation.
Implementation Method 1
each sector of each subset of the plurality of antennas is operative to cover a selectable coverage area as determined by a beamforming pattern formed by the subset of the plurality of antennas of the sector
Implementation Method 2
the selectable coverage area of one or more of the sectors is adaptively selected based on an existing cell site located within the selectable coverage area of the one or more sectors comprising adaptively null steering the beamforming pattern of the one or more sectors towards the location of the existing cell site
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatuses, methods, and systems for adaptive sectoring of a wireless base station are disclosed. An apparatus includes a base station, wherein the base station includes a communication processing system operative to perform baseband processing of receive or transmit baseband signals. The base station further includes a plurality of antennas, wherein the plurality of antennas are connected to the communication processing system, wherein a plurality of subsets of the plurality of antennas operate to form a plurality of sectors, wherein each sector of each subset of the plurality of antennas is operative to cover a coverage area as determined by a beamforming pattern formed by a subset of the plurality of antennas of the sector, wherein the coverage area of one or more of the sectors is adaptively selected based on an existing cell site located within the coverage area of the one or more sectors.