Patent ID: 8259696

Claim:
A method of operating a wireless communications system comprising: encoding information into a low rate code word, providing at least two spatial sub-streams, each spatial sub-stream comprising a different combination of bits remaining after puncturing of the low rate code word, simultaneously transmitting each of the at least two spatial sub-streams by way of a respective radio channel, receiving the at least two spatial sub-streams, applying a decoding process to the received at least two spatial sub-streams by aggregating, in response to an unsuccessful decoding process in the decoding process for a first spatial sub-stream of the received at least two spatial sub-streams, a second of the spatial sub-streams with the first spatial sub-stream to form a combination and said applying further including applying the decoding process to the combination, and, transmitting a negative acknowledgement responsive to an unsuccessful decoding process of the at least two spatial sub-streams, transmitting simultaneously further spatial sub-streams responsive to the negative acknowledgement, each further spatial sub-stream comprising a different combination of bits remaining after puncturing of the low rate code word, at least one of the further spatial sub-streams being a not previously transmitted combination of bits remaining after puncturing of the low rate code word, receiving the further spatial sub-streams, and applying the decoding process to the originally received at least two spatial sub-streams and the further sub-streams.