Method of, and apparatus for, controlling a wireless connection in a MIMO system using multi-sector directional antennas

1. Method of selecting antenna segments for transmission and/or reception in a MIMO wireless transmission system using sectorized directional antennas, including:

selecting, from an initial set of ranked link antenna patterns, a link antenna pattern having a best average rank, the link antenna patterns corresponding to different selections of activated antenna segments and being ranked in accordance with their average link performance;

at predetermined time intervals, successively selecting a subset of link antenna patterns having average ranks within a predetermined distance to the best average rank;

determining an average link performance of the link antenna patterns selected during the predetermined time intervals;

determining an average rank of the link antenna patterns according to the determined average link performance;

selecting antenna segments for transmission and/or reception corresponding to the link antenna pattern having the best average rank; and

repeating the process at the next predetermined time interval.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the average ranks of the link performance patterns not selected to be part of the subset remains the same.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the time period over which the link antenna pattern ranks are averaged is a moving window time period, or wherein the average rank is determined as exponential average.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein different subsets of link antenna patterns are provided for a certain time of day or day of a week.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein a link is established between a transmitter and a receiver, and wherein the transmitter or the receiver informs the respective receiver or transmitter which link antenna pattern to select.

6. The method of claim 1 , further including

selecting a new link antenna pattern not part of the subset of link antenna patterns, and performing link performance measurement and ranking; and

replacing a link antenna pattern in the subset of link antenna patterns having a lower rank than the new link antenna pattern.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined time intervals are dynamically adapted depending on a time of day and/or day of a week.

8. Apparatus comprising a microprocessor, program memory, data memory and a wireless transmitter and/or receiver having at least two antennas and adapted to operate in a MIMO fashion, wherein the at least two antennas are sectional directional antennas, and the program memory holds program instructions adapted to

select, from an initial set of ranked link antenna patterns, a link antenna pattern having a best average rank, the link antenna patterns corresponding to different selections of activated antenna segments and being ranked in accordance with their average link performance;

at predetermined time intervals, successively select a subset of link antenna patterns having average ranks within a predetermined distance to the best average rank;

determine an average link performance of the link antenna patterns selected during the predetermined time intervals;

determine an average rank of the link antenna patterns according to the determined average link performance;

select antenna segments for transmission and/or reception corresponding to the link antenna pattern having the best average rank; and

repeat the process at the next predetermined time interval.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the average ranks of the link performance patterns not selected to be part of the subset remains the same.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the time period over which the link antenna pattern ranks are averaged is a moving window time period, or wherein the average rank is determined as exponential average.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein different subsets of link antenna patterns are provided for a certain time of day or day of a week.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the program instructions are further adapted to establish a link between a transmitter and a receiver, and wherein the transmitter or the receiver informs the respective receiver or transmitter which link antenna pattern to select.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the program instructions further

select a new link antenna pattern not part of the subset of link antenna patterns, and perform link performance measurement and ranking; and

replace a link antenna pattern in the subset of link antenna patterns having a lower rank than the new link antenna pattern.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the time intervals are dynamically adapted depending on a time of day and/or day of a week.

15. A computer-readable medium adapted for non-transitory storage of program information, wherein the computer-readable medium stores program information which, when executed by a device having a microprocessor, a program, a data memory, a wireless transmitter and/or receiver and at least two sectional directional antennas, enable the device to

select, from an initial set of ranked link antenna patterns, a link antenna pattern having a best average rank, the link antenna patterns corresponding to different selections of activated antenna segments and being ranked in accordance with their average link performance;

at predetermined time intervals, successively select a subset of link antenna patterns having average ranks within a predetermined distance to the best average rank;

determine an average link performance of the link antenna patterns selected during the predetermined time intervals;

determine an average rank of the link antenna patterns according to the determined average link performance;

select antenna segments for transmission and/or reception corresponding to the link antenna pattern having the best average rank; and

repeat the process at the next predetermined time interval.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the time intervals are dynamically adapted depending on a time of day and/or day of a week.