Patent ID: 7630349

Claim:
A method of communication among at least three nodes, each node including a plurality of antennas, the method comprising the steps of: (a) each of at least one transmitting node transmitting a first respective message to a destination node of said first respective message, using at least one antenna of said each transmitting node; (b) one of said at least one transmitting node transmitting a second message to a destination node of said second message, using at least one other antenna of said one transmitting node, said destination node of said second message being different from said destination node of said first message; wherein all said transmitting is effected simultaneously; (c) at one of said nodes: (i) receiving at least two said messages as a received signal; and (ii) extracting, from said received signal, at least one of said messages for which said one node is a destination node, said extracting being effected using a spatial demultiplexing algorithm; and (d) prior to said transmitting, deciding, for each said node that is a source node, how many of the antennas thereof said each source node is allowed to use for transmitting each said message that said each source node seeks to transmit, said deciding being effected by steps including: (i) each said source node broadcasting, for each said message that said each source node desires to transmit, a request for a desired number of antennas for transmitting said each message; (ii) each said node, that receives at least one said request, broadcasting, for each said at least one request, a corresponding number of antennas allowed for transmission by said each source node; and (iii) each said source node adjusting said at least one desired number of antennas thereof in accordance with said at least one allowed number of antennas that is received by said each source node.