Optimizing a relay antenna in a communications network
Systems and methods are provided for optimizing a relay node in a wireless communication network. A plurality of base stations may be provided as well as at least one antenna at a relay node, the antenna operably coupled to a rotation mechanism. The plurality of base stations can be scanned by the antenna, the scanning using one or more control parameters dictating a portion of a scanning process. Based on the scanning, an optimal base station may be determined and/or an optimal antenna position may be determined. The antenna can adjust to the optimal position and/or can attach to the optimal base station to provide an optimal backhaul link.
1. A system for optimizing a wireless communications network, the system comprising:
a plurality of base stations; and
a relay node, the relay node comprising an antenna coupled to a rotatable motor,
wherein the relay node is configured to automatically adjust the antenna, via the rotatable motor, based on at least one calculated rotational step to determine an optimal backhaul link to at least one of the plurality of base stations, the at least one calculated rotational step associated with a particular scanning area.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the relay node is configured to adjust the antenna based on at least one rotation angle increment.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the relay node determines the optimal backhaul link based on at least one scan of at least one beam area.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the relay node compiles a list of base stations based on the at least one scan and the relay node determines the optimal backhaul link based on the list of base stations.
5. A method for providing an optimized relay node in wireless communications networks, the method comprising:
providing a plurality of base stations;
providing at least one antenna at a relay node, the at least one antenna communicatively coupled to a rotatable motor;
determining a number of rotational steps for the at least one antenna, each rotational step associated with a particular scanning area;
scanning, by the at least one antenna, the plurality of base stations based on the determined number of rotational steps;
determining that at least one of the base stations of the plurality of base stations is optimal to maximize at least wireless throughput; and
creating a link between the at least one antenna and the at least one base station based on the scanning.
6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising determining a rotation angle increment for the at least one antenna, wherein the number of rotational steps is based on the rotation angle increment.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the rotation angle increment is based on a beamwidth of the at least one antenna.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the scanning comprises rotating the antenna from a first position to at least a second position, the rotating based on the rotation angle increment.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the one or more positions are determined by the number of rotational steps.
10. The method of claim 5 , wherein the scanning comprises electronically switching the antenna at one or more positions.
11. The method of claim 5 , wherein the scanning comprises compiling a list of base stations based on measurements taken by the at least one antenna.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the determining that at least one of the base stations of the plurality of base stations is optimal is derived from the list of base stations.
13. A method for optimizing a relay node in wireless communications networks, the method comprising:
providing a plurality of base stations;
providing an antenna having at least one beam at a relay node, the antenna communicatively coupled to a rotatable motor, wherein the antenna is a switched beam antenna;
calculating a rotation angle increment for the antenna to determine a number of antenna scan positions;
scanning, by the antenna, the plurality of base stations, the scanning comprising:
scanning a first beam area by electronically switching the antenna at a first position;
rotating the antenna to a second position;
scanning a second beam area by electronically switching the antenna at the second position; and
determining an optimal base station from the plurality of base stations based on at least the scanning of the first beam area and the second beam area.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
rotating the antenna to a third position; and
scanning a third beam area by electronically switching the antenna at the third position.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the antenna is rotated by the rotation angle increment.
16. The method of claim 13 further comprising determining a number of rotational steps based on the rotation angle increment.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the scanning is based on the number of rotational steps.
18. The method of claim 13 , wherein determining the rotation angle increment is based on an antenna beamwidth associated with the antenna.
19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the scanning comprises compiling a list of base stations based on one or more measurements taken by the antenna.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein determining the optimal base station is derived from the list of base stations.