METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING ENERGY CONSUMPTION IN A MULTI-ANTENNA BASE STATION

摘要

The present invention relates generally to a method for use in a radio base station of a wireless communications network and to an energy control apparatus (210), more particularly to a method for reducing energy consumption in a multi-antenna multi-port radio base station (220) of a multi-input multi-output wireless communications network. The radio base station (220) is serving a cell (230) and comprising at least two antenna ports (240a; 240b; 240c; 240d) dedicated for that cell (230). The method comprises measuring a load in the cell (230) and comparing the measured load with a defined load value. The method also comprises muting a downlink transmission power transmitted on at least one of the at least two antenna ports (240a; 240b; 240c; 240d) when the measured load is below the defined load value, and thereby reducing energy consumption.