Patent ID: 7437176

Claim:
In a wireless communication system comprising one or more base stations that radiate to define a plurality of sectors in which mobile stations can engage in radio frequency (RF) communication with the one or more base stations, wherein the sectors reside within a market area and the market area defines a plurality of geographic regions, a method comprising: (a) collecting RF performance data for the wireless communication system, wherein the RF performance data includes data records indicating at least (ii) forward link data rate per geographic point and (ii) one or more pilot strength measurements per geographic point; (b) filtering the RF performance data to be limited to data records that indicate a forward link data rate lower than a designated forward link data rate threshold, and further filtering the RF performance data to be limited to data records where the indicated forward link data rate is likely the result of signal interference; (c) using the pilot strength measurements in the data records of the filtered RF performance data as a basis to select at least one geographic region in which to adjust sector power; and (d) providing an output signal directing at least one sector power adjustment to be made in the at least one selected geographic region.