Intelligent algorithms for user allocation and partial-adaptive beamforming in WCDMA uplink

This paper presents a new uplink beamforming technique applied to the WCDMA system, here called partial-adaptive beamforming. Instead of concentrating upon the performance of every single user, the radiation pattern aims to maximize the performance of a group of users and only a limited number of beams has to be formed. We present two algorithms that group effectively the users (grouping algorithm) and shape the radiation pattern (shaping algorithm) in order to enhance the performance of all users being part of the same group. The required hardware and the computational complexity of the proposed algorithms compared to the fully-adaptive beamforming technique is drastically reduced. Simulation results show a considerable gain respect to the fixed beam approach in terms of increased capacity and enlarged coverage. Furthermore the algorithms converge at a speed suitable to implement them following the dynamic evolution of the traffic within the sector.