Abstract: A method comprising receiving a plurality of data packets each associated with one of a plurality of carriers, deriving an input bit stream indicative of the receipt of the plurality of data packets, utilizing an output block code to convert the input bit stream into an output bit stream, and transmitting the output bit stream to at least one of the plurality of carriers.

Abstract: A wireless communications network has a plurality of terminals and at least one base station which transmits data to each one of said plurality of terminals on a wireless downlink and receives data from each one of said plurality of terminals on a wireless uplink. One of the terminals sends a rate request to the base station. The rate request requests that the data rate on the wireless uplink for the terminal be changed. In response to the rate request, the base station sends a rate grant to the terminal. The rate grant indicates whether or not the terminal may change the data rate on the wireless uplink.

Abstract: In a communication device that includes an antenna array including multiple antennas, a method and apparatus is provided for determining whether to employ an antenna array beamforming technique. The communication device determines a bearing from the communication device to the communication unit and a direction of arrival for a signal received from the communication unit by the communication device via each of the multiple antennas. In addition, the communication device determines a distance from the communication device to the communication unit, and also determines multiple signal quality metrics based on multiple signals received by the communication device from the communication unit. The communication device then determines whether to employ an antenna array beamforming technique based on any one or more of the determined bearing and the determined direction of arrival, the determined distance, or the determined signal quality metrics.