Beamforming For Cell Edge Capacity Improvement in a Heterogeneous Network
First Claim
1. A method of operating a base station for improving data rates in a heterogeneous network which is composed of macro cells and pico cells, and wherein user equipment connects to the network via one of said base station serving a macro cell or a low power node serving said pico cell, comprising the steps of:
- a) receiving a signal strength indicator from one or more UEs located in said heterogeneous network;
b) identifying a weak coverage area for a user equipment located in said macro cell according to said signal strength indicator;
c) identifying the location of said UE within a region of said heterogeneous network when said signal strength indicator is below a certain level; and
d) directing a beam forming antenna of a base station serving said macro cell where said UE is located towards an area of said cell requiring an improved signal strength.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present disclosure relates to providing a method of improving data rates in a heterogeneous network which is composed of macro cells and pico cells. User equipment is connected to the network via a macro base station serving a macro cell or a low power node serving a pico cell. A signal strength indicator is received from one or more UEs located in a macro cell and adjacent one or more pico cell. The location of a UE within a region of a macro cell or a pico cell is identified according to the signal strength indicator. Then, a weak coverage area of macro cell is identified according to the signal strength indicator and a beam forming antenna of a macro base station serving the macro cell where the UE is located, is directed to steer the antenna beam to an area of the cell requiring an improved signal strength indicator.
-
Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A method of operating a base station for improving data rates in a heterogeneous network which is composed of macro cells and pico cells, and wherein user equipment connects to the network via one of said base station serving a macro cell or a low power node serving said pico cell, comprising the steps of:
-
a) receiving a signal strength indicator from one or more UEs located in said heterogeneous network; b) identifying a weak coverage area for a user equipment located in said macro cell according to said signal strength indicator; c) identifying the location of said UE within a region of said heterogeneous network when said signal strength indicator is below a certain level; and d) directing a beam forming antenna of a base station serving said macro cell where said UE is located towards an area of said cell requiring an improved signal strength. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A base station for improving data rates in a heterogeneous network which is composed of macro cells and pico cells, and wherein user equipment connects to the network via said base station, comprising:
-
an antenna; a transmitter coupled to the antenna; a receiver for receiving a signal strength indicator from one or more user equipment located in said heterogeneous network; a processor for identifying a weak coverage area for a user equipment located in said macro cell according to said signal strength indicator and for identifying the location of said user equipment within a region of said heterogeneous network when said signal strength indicator is below a certain level; and
wherein said antenna is instructed to direct its beam towards said user equipment and an area of said cell requiring an improved signal strength. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
Specification