Patent ID: 6847628

Claim:
A method of time division multiple access/time division duplex (TDMA/TDD) communication, comprising the steps of: a) using a plurality of space diversity antennas during an uplink interval of a frame to receive a plurality of RF bursts each containing a series of TDMA signals respectively identified by mobile-terminal identifiers; b) detecting, from each RF burst, the respective strength values of the TDMA signals of the RF burst; c) comparing the respective strength values of each RF burst with the corresponding strength values of other RF bursts; d) selecting, for each mobile-terminal identifier, one of said antennas from which the TDMA signal of highest strength value is received and establishing a unique relationship between the selected antenna and the mobile-terminal identifier in a memory; e) disassembling a downlink TDM signal into a plurality of time-slot signals and assembling the time-slot signals into N burst groups each containing at least one time-slot signal according to unique relationships established in said memory, where the integer N is equal to the number of antennas selected by step (d) during said uplink interval; f) appending an overhead to a header portion of each of said burst groups; and g) converting said N burst groups into downlink RF bursts during a downlink interval of said frame and transmitting the RF bursts from the antennas respectively selected by step (d).