Abstract: A wireless communications adapts its mode of operation between spatial multiplexing and non-spatial multiplexing in response to transmission-specific variables. An embodiment of a wireless communications system for transmitting information between a base transceiver station and a subscriber unit includes mode determination logic. The mode determination logic is in communication with the base transceiver station and the subscriber unit. The mode determination logic determines, in response to a received signal, if a subscriber datastream should be transmitted between the base transceiver station and the subscriber unit utilizing spatial multiplexing or non-spatial multiplexing. In an embodiment, the mode determination logic has an input for receiving a measure of a transmission characteristic related to the received signal.

Abstract: A method and communication system for selecting a mode for encoding data for transmission in a wireless communication channel between a transmit unit and a receive unit. The data is initially transmitted in an initial mode and the selection of the subsequent mode is based on a selection of first-order and second-order statistical parameters of short-term and long-term quality parameters. Suitable short-term quality parameters include signal-to-interference and noise ratio (SINR), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), power level and suitable long-term quality parameters include error rates such as bit error rate (BER) and packet error rate (PER). The method of the invention can be employed in Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO), Multiple Input Single Output (MISO), Single Input Single Output (SISO) and Single Input Multiple Output (SIMO) communication systems to make subsequent mode selection faster and more efficient.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and apparatus for implementing spatial multiplexing in conjunction with the one or more multiple access protocols during the broadcast of information in a wireless network. A subscriber unit for use in a cellular system is disclosed. The subscriber unit includes a plurality of spatially separate antennas and a transmitter for transmitting a plurality of substreams of a datastream on an assigned channel or slot of a multiple access protocol. The transmitter is arranged to apply each substream to an associated one of the spatially separate antennas.