Determining how to combine received signals

A network node for determining, in a cellular communication network, how to combine received signals from a plurality of antennas in an antenna set, wherein each antenna belongs to one of a plurality of evaluation sectors, the network node comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the network node to:
• determine for each evaluation sector whether it is better to perform IRC, interference rejection combining, on received signals for all antennas of the evaluation sector or not;
• for each evaluation sector, when it is better to perform IRC, form a single antenna part for the evaluation sector comprising all antennas of the evaluation sector, the single antenna part;
• for each evaluation sector, when it is better not to perform IRC, form a separate antenna part for each antenna of the evaluation sector;
• determine for a sector group comprising at least two evaluation sectors whether it is better to perform IRC on all antennas of the at least two evaluation sectors or not;
• form a single combined antenna part for the sector group comprising all antennas of the evaluation sectors of the sector group when it is better to perform IRC on the at least two evaluation sectors of the sector group, the single antenna part;
• and
• combine received signals using IRC for antennas of any antenna part comprising more than one antenna;
• and without IRC for received signals for antennas of any antenna parts comprising only one antenna.

A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing executable codes, which when executed by a network node of a cellular communication network, make the network node to perform a method for determining how to combine signals received from a plurality of antennas in an antenna set, wherein each antenna belongs to one of a plurality of evaluation sectors, the method comprising:

• determining for each evaluation sector whether it is better to perform intra-sector IRC, interference rejection combining, on received signals for all antennas of the evaluation sector than refraining from performing IRC on any of the received signals for the antennas of the evaluation sector;
• for each evaluation sector, when it is better to perform IRC, forming a single antenna part for the evaluation sector comprising all antennas of the evaluation sector;
• for each evaluation sector, when it is better not to refrain from performing IRC on any of the received signals for the antennas, forming a separate antenna part for each antenna of the evaluation sector;
• determining for a sector group comprising at least two evaluation sectors whether it is better to perform inter-sector IRC on all antennas of the at least two evaluation sectors or to keep the previously formed antenna part;
• forming a single combined antenna part for the sector group comprising all antennas of the evaluation sectors of the sector group when it is better to perform IRC on the at least two evaluation sectors of the sector group, the single antenna part;
• and
• combining received signals using IRC for antennas of any antenna part comprising more than one antenna, and without IRC for received signals for antennas of any antenna parts comprising only one antenna.