Enhanced base station downlink

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a base station that includes a phased array antenna system and a MIMO antenna system. The MIMO antenna system may receive sounding signals sent by user equipment (UE) and determine angular location information for each UE. The angular location information may be used by the phased array antenna system to create antenna beams. The angular location information may also be used to schedule communications with multiple UEs in common beams. Other embodiments are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device, comprising:
 a processing system including a processor; and   a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
 receiving, at a first antenna array, first communications signals from a plurality of user equipments (UEs); 
 determining different angular directions associated with the first communication signals being received; 
 determining antenna beams and groups of UEs of the plurality of UEs that are to be communicated with utilizing each of the antenna beams, wherein two or more UEs of the plurality of UEs are grouped together to utilize one antenna beam of the antenna beams; and 
 scheduling transmitting of second communication signals to the groups of the UEs utilizing the antenna beams via a second antenna array. 
   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the determining the different angular directions is based on performing digital beamforming on the first communications signals to determine the different angular directions associated with the first communication signals being received. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise determining, according to the different angular directions, a plurality of phase shifts to be applied in an analog beamformer coupled to the second antenna array to form the antenna beams. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise transmitting, using the second antenna array, a signal requesting the first communication signals from the plurality of UEs. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise transmitting, using the second antenna array, downlink communications to at least a portion of the plurality of UEs. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving uplink communications via the second antenna array and an analog beamformer. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving uplink communications via the first antenna array and a digital beamformer. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the angular directions comprise azimuth and elevation. 
     
     
         9 . A non-transitory, machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
 receiving, at a first antenna array, first communications signals from a plurality of user equipments (UEs);   determining different angular directions associated with the first communication signals being received;   determining antenna beams and groups of UEs of the plurality of UEs that are to be communicated with utilizing each of the antenna beams, wherein two or more UEs of the plurality of UEs are grouped together to utilize one antenna beam of the antenna beams, wherein the determining the antenna beams includes determining, according to the different angular directions, a plurality of phase shifts to be applied in an analog beamformer coupled to a second antenna array to form the antenna beams; and   scheduling transmitting of second communication signals to the groups of the UEs utilizing the antenna beams via a second antenna array.   
     
     
         10 . The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the first antenna array and the second antenna array have an equivalent number of antenna elements. 
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the first antenna array has fewer antenna elements than the second antenna array. 
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise transmitting, using the second antenna array, a signal requesting the communication signals from the plurality of UEs. 
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise transmitting, using the second antenna array, downlink communications to at least a portion of the plurality of UEs. 
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of  claim 9 , the operations further comprising receiving uplink communications via the second antenna array and the analog beamformer. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of  claim 9 , the operations further comprising receiving uplink communications via the first antenna array and a digital beamformer. 
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the angular directions comprise azimuth and elevation. 
     
     
         17 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by a processing system including a processor, at a first antenna array, first communications signals from a plurality of user equipments (UEs);   determining, by the processing system, different angular directions associated with the first communication signals being received;   determining, by the processing system, antenna beams and groups of UEs of the plurality of UEs that are to be communicated with utilizing each of the antenna beams, wherein two or more UEs of the plurality of UEs are grouped together to utilize one antenna beam of the antenna beams; and   scheduling, by the processing system, transmitting of second communication signals to the groups of the UEs utilizing the antenna beams via a second antenna array.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the first antenna array has fewer antenna elements than the second antenna array. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising receiving, by the processing system, uplink communications via the first antenna array and a digital beamformer. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising receiving, by the processing system, uplink communications via the second antenna array and an analog beamformer.