Patent ID: 9124329
Filing Date: 2015-09-01
Classification: H04B

Abstract:
1. A method of operating a wireless terminal communicating with a base station over a wireless channel, the method comprising: determining whether the wireless terminal is in an edge area or an interior area of coverage of the base station; and responsive to determining that the wireless terminal is in an edge area of coverage of the base station, selecting a transmit diversity communications rank indicator that specifies use of a diversity communications mode over the wireless channel between the wireless terminal and the base station; responsive to determining that the wireless terminal is in an interior area of coverage of the base station, selecting one of a plurality of rank indicators wherein the plurality of rank indicators includes the transmit diversity communications rank indicator and a multiplexed communications rank indicator to select multiplexed communications over the wireless channel between the wireless terminal and the base station; wherein the base station includes a plurality of multiple-input/multiple-output transmit antennas, and wherein the plurality of rank indicators includes the transmit diversity communications rank indicator to select multiple-input/multiple-output diversity communications from the plurality of transmit antennas of the base station to the wireless terminal and the multiplexed communications rank indicator to select multiple-input/multiple-output multiplexed communications from the plurality of transmit antennas of the base station to the wireless terminal.