Manifold antenna structure for reducing reuse factors

Claim 1

An apparatus for improving signal quality of a signal communicated on a communication resource within a communication system between a communication unit located within a service coverage area of a base site of a plurality of base sites within the communication system and the base site, such apparatus comprising: A) means for sectorizing each service coverage area of the plurality of service coverage areas into substantially identical, orientation specific patterns of at least three sectors; B) means for assigning at least some resources of the plurality of resources to each sector of the at least three sectors in a substantially identical, orientation specific pattern among the service coverage areas; C) means for dividing each sector into at least four partially overlapping subsectors, inclusive of the sector, with each subsector substantially covered by a directional antenna; and D) means for providing communication access on a randomly selected resource of the at least some resources assigned to the sector to an at least one communication unit located within a subsector through the directional antenna, of the at least four directional antennas, covering the subsector in which a signal is received from the at least one communication unit.

Claim 2

An apparatus for improving signal quality of a signal communicated on a communication resource within a communication system between a communication unit located within a service coverage area of a base site of a plurality of base sites within the communication system and the base site, such apparatus comprising: A) means for sectorizing each service coverage area of the plurality of service coverage areas into substantially identical, orientation specific patterns of at least three sectors; B) means for assigning at least some resources of the plurality of resources to each sector of the at least three sectors in a substantially identical, orientation specific pattern among the service coverage areas; C) means for dividing each sector into at least four partially overlapping subsectors, inclusive of the sector, with each subsector substantially covered by a directional antenna; and D) means for providing communication access on a randomly selected resource of the at least some resources assigned to the sector to an at least one communication unit located within a subsector through the directional antenna, of the at least four directional antennas, covering the subsector in which a signal is received from the at least one communication unit.