Method of allocating power for the simultaneous downlink conveyance of information between multiple antennas and multiple destinations

1. A method for information conveyance between ones of a plurality of subscriber equipments and ones of a multiple of antennas over downlink channels of a wireless communications system, the method comprising the steps of:

scheduling transmission of at least two independent data streams from selected ones of the multiple of antennas to selected ones of the plurality of subscriber equipments via the downlink channels based on sets of channel conditions and calculated power allocations associated with the selected ones of the subscriber equipment to satisfy one of more system requirements, the scheduling further comprising retrieving channel conditions from signaling information received with the multiple antennas from the plurality of subscriber equipments; determining sets of channel conditions associated with the plurality of subscriber equipments; calculating power allocations based on the determined sets of channel conditions; and applying the calculated power allocations and the sets of channel conditions to a scheduler;

causing the at least two independent data streams to be simultaneously transmitted via a common channel from all of the selected ones of the multiple of antennas to the selected ones of the subscriber equipments; and

selecting a set of subscribers to be given access to the downlink channels at a particular time based on the applied set of channel conditions and associated power allocation calculations.

2. The method of claim 1 where the selected ones of the plurality of subscribers are subscribers requesting access to the communication system and/or subscribers being provided access to the communication system.

3. The method of claim 1 where the channel conditions are obtained from measurements made by the set of subscriber equipment of pilot signals transmitted by the multiple antennas.

4. The method of claim 1 where the power allocations are calculated based on the sets of channel conditions determined from signaling information received from the set of subscribers.

5. The method of claim 1 where the subscriber equipment comprise cell phones, personal computers and PDAs.

6. The method of claim 1 where the multiple antennas perform beamforming operations so as to transmit simultaneously information to one or more subscribers.

7. A method for information conveyance between ones of a plurality of subscriber equipments and ones of a multiple of antennas over downlink channels of a wireless communications system, the method comprising the steps of:

scheduling transmission of at least two independent data streams from selected ones of the multiple of antennas to selected ones of the plurality of subscriber equipments via the downlink channels, the scheduling further comprising retrieving channel conditions from signaling information received with the multiple antennas from the plurality of subscriber equipments; determining sets of channel conditions associated with the plurality of subscriber equipments; calculating power allocations based on the determined sets of channel conditions; and applying the calculated power allocations and the sets of channel conditions to a scheduler;

causing the at least two independent data streams to be simultaneously transmitted via a common channel from all or the selected ones of the multiple of antennas to the selected ones of the subscriber equipments; and

selecting a set of subscribers to be given access to the downlink channels at a particular time based on the applied set of channel conditions and associated power allocation calculations.