Method for improving the performance of a wireless communications network by using beamformed virtual antennas

1. A method comprising:

creating a first beamformed virtual antenna for a serving base transceiver station (BTS) that is currently in communication with a customer premises apparatus;

establishing a first beamformed channel using the first beamformed virtual antenna;

when one or more predetermined conditions are met at the serving BTS or customer premises apparatus:

initiating collaboration between the serving BTS and one or more target BTSs in order for the serving BTS and the one or more target BTSs to communicate information related to beamforming parameters with respect to the customer premises apparatus;

creating one or more second beamformed virtual antennas for the one or more target BTSs with respect to the customer premises apparatus based on information related to the beamforming parameters communicated by the serving BTS to the one or more target BTSs;

establishing one or more second beamformed channels from the one or more target BTSs to the customer premises apparatus using the one or more second beamformed virtual antennas; and

transmitting a plurality of signals via the first beamformed channel and the one or more second beamformed channels to the customer premises apparatus concurrently, wherein the plurality of signals in combination comprise a message intended for the customer premises apparatus, and wherein the serving BTS and the one or more target BTSs work in collaboration during beamforming to enhance the received signal strength and/or diversity of the plurality of signals received by the customer premises apparatus.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein creating a first beamformed virtual antenna comprises applying a plurality of beamforming weighting vectors to transmissions made by the serving BTS and wherein creating one or more second beamformed virtual antennas comprises applying a plurality of beamforming weighting vectors to transmissions made by the one or more target BTSs.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more predetermined conditions are selected from the group consisting of a signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR), a Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI), and a distance between the customer premises apparatus and the BTSs.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein initiating collaboration between the serving BTS and the one or more target BTSs comprises communicating via a dedicated access channel.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein initiating collaboration between the serving BTS and the one or more target BTSs comprises registering a request for service with the one or more target BTSs by the serving BTS for the customer premises apparatus.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the information related to the beamforming parameters comprises control and data information and parameters of a beamformed channel for the customer premises apparatus.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting comprises:

transmitting a first signal at a time T and a variation of a second signal at a time T+Δt from the first beamformed channel; and

transmitting the second signal at the time T and a variation of the first signal at the time T+Δt from the one or more second beamformed channels.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the variations of the first and second signals are defined according to a space-time coding technique.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting comprises transmitting the plurality of signals using the first beamformed virtual antenna and the one or more second beamformed virtual antennas according to a spatial multiplexing multiple-input multiple-output communication technique.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein initiating collaboration comprises initiating communication by the serving BTS.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein initiating collaboration comprises initiating communication by the customer premises apparatus.

12. The method of claim 1 , and further comprising communicating information between the serving BTS and each of the one or more target BTSs such that the serving BTS and the one or more target BTSs have access to the same information related to the beamforming parameters for the customer premises apparatus and the message intended for the customer premises apparatus, and wherein transmitting the plurality of signals comprises transmitting the message comprised of the plurality of signals from the serving BTS and each of the one or more target BTSs such that the serving BTS and each of the one or more target BTSs individually beamform said message to the customer premises apparatus.

13. A method comprising:

creating a first beamformed virtual antenna for a serving BTS that is currently in communication with a customer premises apparatus;

establishing a first beamformed channel using the first beamformed virtual antenna;

when one or more channel conditions of the serving BTS or customer premises apparatus meet one or more predetermined criteria selected from the group consisting of a signal-to- interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR), a received signal strength indication (RSSI), and a distance between the customer premises apparatus and the serving BTS or one or more target BTSs:

initiating collaboration between the serving BTS and one or more target BTSs in order for the serving BTS and the one or more target BTSs to communicate information related to beamforming parameters with respect to the customer premises apparatus;

creating one or more second beamformed virtual antennas for the one or more target BTSs with respect to the customer premises apparatus based on information related to the beamforming parameters communicated by the serving BTS to the one or more target BTSs;

establishing one or more second beamformed channels from the one or more target BTSs to the customer premises apparatus using the one or more second beamformed virtual antennas; and

transmitting a plurality of signals to the customer premises apparatus comprising transmitting a first signal at a time T and a variation of a second signal at a time T+Δt via the first beamformed channel and transmitting one or more second signals at the time T and a variation of the first signal at the time T+Δt via the one or more second beamformed channels, wherein the plurality of signals in combination comprise a message intended for the customer premises apparatus, and wherein the serving BTS and the one or more target BTSs work concurrently and in collaboration during beamforming to enhance the received signal strength and/or diversity of the plurality of signals received by the customer premises apparatus.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein creating the first beamformed virtual antenna comprises applying a plurality of beamforming weighting vectors to transmissions made by the serving BTS and wherein creating one or more second beamformed virtual antennas comprises applying a plurality of beamforming weighting vectors to transmissions made by the one or more target BTSs.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein initiating collaboration between the serving BTS and the one or more target BTSs comprises communicating via a dedicated access channel.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein initiating collaboration between the serving BTS and the one or more target BTSs comprises registering a request for service with the one or more target BTSs by the serving BTS for the customer premises apparatus.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the information related to the beamforming parameters comprises control and data information and parameters of a beamformed channel for the customer premises apparatus.

18. The method of claim 13 , and further comprising communicating information between the serving BTS and each of the one or more target BTSs such that the serving BTS and the one or more target BTSs have access to the same information related to the beamforming parameters for the customer premises apparatus and the message intended for the customer premises apparatus, wherein transmitting comprises transmitting said message comprised of the plurality of signals from the serving BTS and each of the one or more target BTSs such that the serving BTS and each of the one or more target BTSs individually beamform said message to the customer premises apparatus.

19. A method comprising:

creating a first beamformed virtual antenna for a serving BTS that is currently in communication with a customer premises apparatus;

establishing a first beamformed channel using the first beamformed virtual antenna;

when one or more channel conditions of the serving BTS or customer premises apparatus meet one or more predetermined criteria selected from the group consisting of a signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR), a received signal strength indication (RSSI), and a distance between the customer premises apparatus and the serving BTS or one or more target BTSs:

initiating collaboration between the serving BTS and one or more target BTSs in order for the serving BTS and the one or more target BTSs to communicate information related to beamforming parameters with respect to the customer premises apparatus;

creating one or more second beamformed virtual antennas for the one or more target BTSs with respect to the customer premises apparatus based on information related to the beamforming parameters communicated by the serving BTS to the one or more target BTSs;

establishing one or more second beamformed channels from the one or more target BTSs to the customer premises apparatus using the one or more second beamformed virtual antennas; and

transmitting a plurality of signals via the first beamformed channel and the one or more second beamformed channels using the first beamformed virtual antenna and the one or more second beamformed virtual antennas according to a spatial multiplexing multiple-input multiple-output communication technique, wherein the plurality of signals in combination comprise a message intended for the customer premises apparatus, and wherein the serving BTS and the one or more target BTSs work concurrently and in collaboration during beamforming to enhance the received signal strength and/or diversity of the plurality of signals received by the customer premises apparatus.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein creating the first beamformed virtual antenna comprises applying a plurality of beamforming weighting vectors to transmissions made by the serving BTS and wherein creating one or more second beamformed virtual antennas comprises applying a plurality of beamforming weighting vectors to transmissions made by the one or more target BTSs.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein initiating collaboration between the serving BTS and the one or more target BTSs comprises communicating via a dedicated access channel.

22. The method of claim 19 , wherein initiating collaboration between the serving BTS and the one or more target BTSs comprises registering a request for service with the one or more target BTSs by the serving BTS for the customer premises apparatus.

23. The method of claim 19 , wherein the information related to the beamforming parameters comprises control and data information and parameters of a beamformed channel for the customer premises apparatus.

24. The method of claim 19 , wherein the spatial multiplexing multiple-input multiple-output communication technique comprises a layered space-time coding technique.

25. The method of claim 19 , and further comprising communicating information between the serving BTS and each of the one or more target BTSs such that the serving BTS and the one or more target BTSs have access to the same information related to the beamforming parameters for the customer premises apparatus and a message comprised of the plurality of signals intended for the customer premises apparatus, and wherein transmitting the plurality of signals comprises transmitting the message comprised of the plurality of signals from the serving BTS and each of the one or more target BTSs such that the serving BTS and each of the one or more target BTSs individually beamform said message to the customer premises apparatus.