FIELD OF THE DESCRIBED EMBODIMENTS

The described embodiments relate generally to wireless communications. More particularly, the described embodiments relate to systems, methods and apparatuses for adaptive sectoring of a cell of a wireless base station.

BACKGROUND

Large populations around the world lack access to mobile broadband coverage. Typically, these uncovered populations live in remote rural areas of the world characterized by sparse population density, rugged terrain, lack of proper electricity or road infrastructure, low average revenue per user, demand uncertainty due to lack of device access.

Conventional mobile networks typically place base stations on 30-40 meter standard height towers. Providing coverage to large rural regions through the conventional approaches requires several standard height towers and base stations. This makes conventional mobile network infrastructure deployment very costly. The combination of low coverage and high cost result in zero or negative return on investments for the network infrastructure owners and operators.

Taller base stations that provide larger cell coverage can provides a high-rate of return. As stated, the larger area of cell coverage and the larger capacity served by the taller base stations can make teller base stations more desirable. However, the larger cells need to be able to properly serve the large capacity.

It is desirable to have methods, apparatuses, and systems for adaptive sectoring of a wireless base station.

SUMMARY

An embodiment includes a base station. The base station includes a communication processing system operative to perform baseband processing on 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 selectable coverage area as determined by a beamforming pattern formed by the subset of the plurality of antennas of the sector, wherein 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 that is deployed in the selectable coverage area of the one or more of the sectors.

Another embodiment includes a method. The method includes baseband processing, by a base station of a communication processing system, receiving or transmitting baseband signals, and forming, by a plurality of subsets of antennas connected to the communication processing system, a plurality of sectors, wherein 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, wherein 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 that is deployed in the selectable coverage area of the one or more of the sectors.

Other aspects and advantages of the described embodiments will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the described embodiments.

