Dynamically disabling beamforming capabilities
Systems and methods are provided for dynamically disabling beamforming for particular user devices. At a node that utilizes carrier aggregation, a node, such as an eNodeB or a gNodeB, communicates with a user device that is located at a cell edge, the communicating comprising transmitting data on at least two channels that utilize beamforming. Performance of the user device is determined to be below a predetermined threshold. When this occurs, beamforming capabilities are disabled for at least one of the at least two channels used to communicate with the user device.
1. A method for dynamically disabling beamforming for particular user devices, the method comprising:
at a node that utilizes carrier aggregation, communicating with a cell edge user device that is located at a cell edge and communicating with a non-cell edge user device, the communicating comprising transmitting data on two or more channels that utilize beamforming;
determining that a performance of the cell edge user device is below a predetermined threshold; and
disabling beamforming capabilities for at least one of the two or more channels used to communicate with the cell edge user device while maintaining beamforming capabilities for the two or more channels to communicate with the non-cell edge user device.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cell edge user device is handed over to a neighboring node.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a quantity of cell edge user devices located at the cell edge.
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising determining that the quantity of cell edge user devices located at the cell edge is above a predetermined threshold.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining that the performance of the cell edge user device is below the predetermined threshold further comprises determining how far the performance of the cell edge user device is below the predetermined threshold.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the performance of the cell edge user device being below the predetermined threshold is caused, at least, by the user device experiencing poor radio frequency conditions.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communicating comprises transmitting data on three channels that utilize beamforming, and wherein disabling beamforming capabilities for at least one of the two or more channels comprises disabling two channels that utilize beamforming for the cell-edge user device while maintaining the three channels to communicate with the non-cell edge user device.
8. A system for dynamically disabling beamforming for particular user devices, the system comprising:
one or more network components configured to perform a method comprising:
at a node that utilizes carrier aggregation, communicating with a cell edge user device that is located at a cell edge and communicating with a non-cell edge user device, the communicating comprising transmitting data on two or more channels that utilize beamforming;
determining that a performance of the cell edge user device is below a predetermined threshold; and
disabling beamforming capabilities for at least one of the two or more channels used to communicate with the cell edge user device while maintaining beamforming capabilities for the two or more channels to communicate with the non-cell edge user device.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the cell edge user device is handed over to a neighboring node.
10. The system of claim 8 , further comprising determining a quantity of cell edge user devices located at the cell edge.
11. The system of claim 10 , further comprising determining that the quantity of cell edge user devices located at the cell edge is above a predetermined threshold.
12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the determining that the performance of the cell-edge user device is below the predetermined threshold further comprises determining how far the performance of the cell-edge user device is below the predetermined threshold.
13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the performance of the cell edge user device being below the predetermined threshold is caused, at least, by the cell edge user device experiencing poor radio frequency conditions.
14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the communicating comprises transmitting data on three channels that utilize beamforming, and wherein disabling beamforming capabilities for at least one of the two or more channels comprises disabling two channels that utilize beamforming for the cell edge user device while maintaining the three channels to communicate with the non-cell edge user device.
15. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed, perform a method for dynamically disabling beamforming for particular user devices, the method comprising:
at a node that utilizes carrier aggregation, communicating with a cell edge user device that is located at a cell edge and communicating with a non-cell edge user device, the communicating comprising transmitting data on two or more channels that utilize beamforming;
determining that a performance of the cell edge user device is below a predetermined threshold; and
disabling beamforming capabilities for at least one of the two or more channels used to communicate with the cell edge user device while maintaining beamforming capabilities for the two or more channels to communicate with the non-cell edge user device.
16. The media of claim 15 , wherein the communicating comprises transmitting data on three channels that utilize beamforming, and wherein disabling beamforming capabilities for at least one of the two or more channels comprises disabling two channels that utilize beamforming for the cell-edge user device while maintaining the three channels to communicate with the non-cell edge user device.
17. The media of claim 15 , further comprising determining a quantity of cell edge user devices located at the cell edge.
18. The media of claim 17 , further comprising determining that the quantity of cell edge user devices located at the cell edge is above a predetermined threshold.
19. The media of claim 15 , wherein the determining that the performance of the cell edge user device is below the predetermined threshold further comprises determining how far the performance of the cell edge user device is below the predetermined threshold.
20. The media of claim 15 , wherein the performance of the cell edge user device being below the predetermined threshold is caused, at least, by the cell edge user device experiencing poor radio frequency conditions.