A network node and method for adjusting antenna parameters in a wireless communications system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016286407-A1
Application number	US-201315033499-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 7, 2013
Priority date	Nov 7, 2013
Publication date	Sep 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A network node and a method performed by a network node for adjusting antenna parameters of one or more antennas in a wireless telecommunications network is provided. First, the network node obtains signal strength values associated with the antennas for a number of user equipments in the wireless telecommunications network. Then, the network node determines an amount of user equipments of the number of user equipments having a signal strength value difference from two antennas that passes a determined threshold for the signal strength value difference, and adjusts at least one antenna parameter of at least one of the two antennas when the determined amount of user equipments passes a determined threshold for the amount of user equipments.

First claim

1 . A method performed by a network node for adjusting antenna parameters of one or more antennas in a wireless telecommunications network, the method comprising
obtaining signal strength values associated with the antennas for a number of user equipments in the wireless telecommunications network; determining an amount of user equipments of the number of user equipments ( 121 ) having a signal strength value difference from two antennas that passes a determined threshold for the signal strength value difference; and adjusting at least one antenna parameter of at least one of the two antennas when the determined amount of user equipments passes a determined threshold for the amount of user equipments.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein one antenna of the two antennas serves user equipments in a cell of one network node, and the other antenna of the two antennas serves user equipments in a neighboring cell of the same or another network node in the wireless telecommunications network.

3 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the signal strength values are obtained for user equipments served by the cell of the one network node.

4 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one antenna parameter is adjusted for the one antenna of the two antennas serving user equipments in the cell of the one network node, for the other antenna of the two antennas serves user equipments in a neighboring cell of the same or another network node, or for both of the two antennas jointly.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the determined signal strength value difference threshold is in the range of about 3-25 dB, and the determined threshold amount of user equipments is in the range of about 5-60 percent of the number of user equipments.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one antenna parameter is one or more of: the tilt angle of the antenna, the beam width of the antenna, the direction of the antenna, and the null direction of the antenna.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one antenna parameter is adjusted dependent upon whether the two antennas are positioned at different locations serving different neighboring cells or positioned co-located serving different neighboring cells.

8 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein, when the two antennas are positioned co-located serving different neighboring cells, the at least one antenna parameter is one or more of: the beam width of the antenna, and the direction of the antenna.

9 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein, when the two antennas are positioned at different locations serving different neighboring cells, the at least one antenna parameter is one or more of: the tilt angle of the antenna, and the null direction of the antenna.

10 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the adjusting is further performed using of one or more additional measurements, wherein the additional measurements is one of: drop rate measurements of user equipments, and Reference Signal Received Power, RSRP, measurements.

11 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the network node determines the at least one antenna parameter that is to be adjusted based on signal strength value differences of the number of user equipments.

12 . A network node for adjusting antenna parameters of one or more antennas in a wireless telecommunications network, the network node comprising
processing circuitry configured to obtain signal strength values associated with the antennas for a number of user equipments in the wireless telecommunications network, determine an amount of user equipments of the number of user equipments having a signal strength value difference from two antennas that passes a determined threshold for the signal strength value difference, and adjust at least one antenna parameter of at least one of the two antennas when the determined amount of user equipments passes a determined threshold for the amount of user equipments.

13 . The network node according to claim 12 , wherein one antenna of the two antennas serves user equipments in a cell of the network node, and the other antenna of the two antennas serves user equipments in a neighboring cell of the same or another network node in the wireless telecommunications network.

14 . The network node according to claim 13 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to obtain the signal strength values from user equipments served by the cell of the network node.

15 . The network node according to claim 13 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to adjust the at least one antenna parameter for the one antenna of the two antennas serving user equipments in the cell of the network node, for the other antenna of the two antennas serves user equipments in a neighboring cell of the same or another network node, or for both of the two antennas jointly.

16 . The network node according to claim 12 , wherein the determined signal strength value difference threshold is in the range of about 3-25 dB, and the determined threshold amount of user equipments is in the range of about 5-60 percent of the number of user equipments.

17 . The network node according to claim 12 , wherein the at least one antenna parameter is one or more of: the tilt angle of the antenna, the beam width of the antenna, the direction of the antenna, and the null direction of the antenna.

18 . The network node according to claim 12 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to adjust the at least one antenna parameter dependent upon whether the two antennas are positioned at different locations serving different neighboring cells or positioned co-located at the same network node serving different neighboring cells.

19 . The network node according to claim 18 , wherein, when the two antennas are positioned co-located serving different neighboring cells the at least one antenna parameter is one or more of: the beam width of the antenna, and the direction of the antenna.

20 . The network node according to claim 18 , wherein, when the two antennas are positioned at different locations serving different neighboring cells, the at least one antenna parameter is one or more of: the tilt angle of the antenna, and the null direction of the antenna.

21 . The network node according to claim 12 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to adjust the at least one antenna parameter in dependent upon one or more additional measurements, wherein the additional measurements is one of: drop rate measurements of user equipments, and Reference Signal Received Power, RSRP, measurements.

22 . The network node according to claim 12 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine the at least one antenna parameter that is to be adjusted based on signal strength value differences of the number of user equipments.

Assignees

• Ericsson Telefon Ab L M

Inventors

• Simonsson Arne
• Johansson Martin
• Lundevall Magnus
• Petersson Sven

Classifications

• H04W72/542

  using measured or perceived quality · CPC title

• H04W72/085

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04W16/28 Primary

  using beam steering · CPC title

• H04L43/16

  Threshold monitoring · CPC title

• H01Q1/246

  specially adapted for base stations · CPC title