System and Method for Extending a Wireless Communication Coverage Area of a Cellular Base Transceiver Station (BTS)

A method of extending a wireless communication coverage area of a cellular base transceiver station (BTS), comprising:

• providing a beamformed coverage area pattern, the beamformed coverage area pattern indicating geographic areas over which control component communication and data traffic communication between a mobile station and the BTS can occur;
• receiving from a first mobile station located within the beamformed coverage area pattern, information broadcast by a second mobile station not located within the beamformed coverage area pattern indicating a location of the second mobile station;
• making a determination of whether the second mobile station is located within a service area of the BTS;
• and
• based on the determination, extending a beamformed coverage area to the second mobile station.

A computer readable medium having stored therein instructions executable by a computing device to cause the computing device to perform the functions of:

• providing a beamformed coverage area pattern, the beamformed coverage area pattern indicating geographic areas over which control component communication and data traffic communication between a mobile station and the BTS can occur;
• scanning through areas to which the BTS can provide a coverage area and that are not included within the beamformed coverage area pattern;
• identifying a second mobile station located within one of the areas to which the BTS can provide a coverage area and that is not included within the beamformed coverage area pattern;
• and
• extending a beamformed coverage area to the second mobile station.