A CDMA network architecture using optimized sectoring

We propose a network architecture for code-division multiple-access (CDMA) cellular systems based on adaptive sector coverage. We show that there is a capacity limit for a CDMA system, which for a soft limit is fairly hard. We also show that for nonhomogeneous traffic, changing the area of coverage for each sector in a sectored-cell can absorb the dynamics of the traffic. For a cell of a fixed radius, divided into n sectors, it is possible to select the angles of coverage of each sector in order to avoid excessive blocking due to temporary nonuniformity of traffic across the cell. This result is based on the fact that for a given set of system parameters (bandwidth, bit rates, E/sub b//N/sub 0/ etc.), a certain amount of area is covered. Hence, the exact shape of the cell/sector is not important. The idea presented is shown to be applicable to overlapping sectors.