Multi-beamwidth radio frequency (RF) beamforming optimization in a wireless communications apparatus, particularly for a wireless communications system (WCS)

A method for optimizing radio frequency (RF) beamforming in a wireless communications apparatus, comprising:

• determining a center beam weight set comprising a plurality of center beam weights;
• generating a plurality of weighted RF communications signals based on the center beam weight set to cause a center RF beam in an indoor wireless communications cell, the center RF beam comprises the plurality of weighted RF communications signals and is associated with a center beamwidth to be radiated;
• determining a plurality of edge beam weight sets each comprising a plurality of edge beam weights;
• and
• generating the plurality of weighted RF communications signals based on each of the plurality of edge beam weight sets to cause a plurality of edge RF beams in the indoor wireless communications cell, the plurality of edge beam weight sets each comprising the plurality of weighted RF communications signals and associated with an edge beamwidth narrower than the center beamwidth to be radiated.

A wireless communications system (WCS), comprising:

• a central unit;
• and
• a plurality of remote units coupled to the central unit via a plurality of communications mediums, the plurality of remote units configured to:
• receive a plurality of downlink digital communications signals from the central unit via the plurality of communications mediums, respectively;
• convert the plurality of downlink digital communications signals into a plurality of downlink radio frequency (RF) communications signals, respectively;
• distribute the plurality of downlink RF communications signals, respectively;
• receive a plurality of uplink RF communications signals, respectively;
• convert the plurality of uplink RF communications signals into a plurality of uplink digital communications signals, respectively;
• and
• provide the plurality of uplink digital communications signals to the central unit via the plurality of communications mediums, respectively;
• wherein at least one remote unit among the plurality of remote units comprises:
• a signal processing circuit configured to generate a plurality of weighted RF communications signals corresponding to at least one of the plurality of downlink RF communications signals;
• at least one antenna array comprising a plurality of radiating elements coupled to the signal processing circuit and each configured to radiate a respective one of the plurality of weighted RF communications signals;
• and
• a control circuit configured to:
• determine a center beam weight set comprising a plurality of center beam weights each corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of radiating elements;
• control the signal processing circuit to generate the plurality of weighted RF communications signals based on the center beam weight set to cause the at least one antenna array to radiate a center RF beam in an indoor wireless communications cell, the center RF beam comprises the plurality of weighted RF communications signals and is associated with a center beamwidth;
• determine a plurality of edge beam weight sets each comprising a plurality of edge beam weights that each correspond to a respective one of the plurality of radiating elements;
• and
• control the signal processing circuit to generate the plurality of weighted RF communications signals based on each of the plurality of edge beam weight sets to cause the at least one antenna array to radiate a plurality of edge RF beams in the indoor wireless communications cell, the plurality of edge beam weight sets each comprising the plurality of weighted RF communications signals and associated with an edge beamwidth narrower than the center beamwidth.