MIMO Sector Antenna Element Control for Back Lobe Interference
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Solution Overview
Problem
In areas where multiple base stations' signals overlap, user equipment experiences degraded performance due to interference between the main lobe and back lobe of adjacent base stations' antenna arrays, leading to reduced signal quality and throughput.
Innovation Solution
A method is implemented where the first base station detects performance degradation and communicates with the second base station to dynamically reduce the back lobe gain of its antenna array, thereby minimizing the overlap between the two lobes and improving user equipment performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the back lobe gain of the antenna array is reduced to minimize signal overlap, then interference to user equipment is reduced, but the coverage area and signal strength in the back direction are diminished
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustment of antenna element configurations based on real-time detection of user equipment locations and signal conditions. The system transitions from static antenna patterns to dynamic reconfiguration, adjusting which antenna elements are active based on current network conditions, thereby reducing interference when needed while maintaining coverage when users are present
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes physical parameters of the antenna array by selectively activating or deactivating specific antenna elements based on detected user equipment positions. This parameter change allows the radiation pattern to be dynamically modified, reducing back lobe gain in directions where interference occurs while maintaining gain in directions where users are located
2Object-affected harmful factors
If antenna elements are dynamically adjusted to reduce back lobe gain, then signal overlap and interference are minimized, but system complexity and control requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the base station continuously monitors user equipment locations, signal quality metrics, and interference levels. This feedback information is used to automatically adjust antenna element configurations, creating a closed-loop control system that adapts to changing conditions without manual intervention
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-optimization by automatically detecting interference conditions and adjusting its own antenna configurations without requiring external control. The base station autonomously makes decisions about which antenna elements to activate or deactivate based on real-time network conditions
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media herein dynamically adjust the number of elements active within a neighboring base station in order to reduce the back lobe overlap and thus reduce the interference caused by such an overlap. User devices assigned to communicate with an antenna array are monitored to determine if they are experiencing a decreased level of performance which may be caused by an overlapping back lobe from a neighboring cell site. If the user device's performance falls below a threshold value, the gain associated with the neighboring cell site is dynamically reduced in order to reduce the back lobe overlap.