Patent ID: 8848773

Claim:
A method for improving performance in a communication network that includes a plurality of transmit antennas and one or more user devices, comprising: receiving, at a first user device, a first set of received symbols; receiving, at said first user device, a second set of received symbols; receiving, at said first user device, a third set of received symbols; obtaining a channel noise power value and a set of channel coefficients, wherein said channel noise power value and said set of channel coefficients are based on said first set of received symbols; obtaining a virtual channel noise power value and a set of virtual channel coefficients, wherein said virtual channel noise power value and said set of virtual channel coefficients are based on said second and third sets of received symbols; determining a first signal to interference plus noise ratio based on said channel noise power value, said set of channel coefficients, said virtual channel noise power value, and said set of virtual channel coefficients; and determining a second signal to interference plus noise ratio based on one or more of said channel noise power value, said set of channel coefficients, said virtual channel noise power value, and said set of virtual channel coefficients, wherein said channel noise power value, said set of channel coefficients, said virtual channel noise power value, and said set of virtual channel coefficients are each associated with a corresponding one of said plurality of transmit antennas.