X-mimo systems with multi-transmitters and multi-receivers

1 . A method for receiving a wireless transmission of a plurality of data streams in a wireless communication system having a plurality of nodes, each node having multiple antennas, the method comprising:

receiving first and second data streams from respective first and second nodes at a receiver node;

causing said receiver node to generate a receive filter for decoding each of the received data streams; and

causing said receiver node to transmit receive filter information for each of said first and second data streams, said receive filter information facilitating precoding of said first and second data streams for simultaneous transmission within a common frequency band to said receiver node.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein causing said receiver node to generate said receive filter comprises:

causing said receiver node to perform channel estimation using pilot signals associated with said respective first and second data streams;

comparing said channel estimate for the respective first and second data streams to a plurality of predetermined channel estimates stored on said receiver node to determine a best match between said channel estimate and one of said plurality of predetermined channel estimates for each said channel estimate; and

for each of said first and second data streams, transmitting a channel estimate identifier identifying said best match channel estimate.

3 . The method of claim 1 wherein causing said receiver node to generate said receive filter comprises using a zero-forcing algorithm to generate said filter.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein causing said receiver node to generate said receive filter comprises causing said receiver node to generate a receive filter for decoding each of the received data streams in the absence of information associated with data streams transmitted to other receiver nodes in the communication system.

5 . The method of claim 1 wherein said receiver node is a first receiver node and further comprising:

receiving third and fourth data streams from respective first and second nodes at a second receiver node;

causing said second receiver node to generate a receive filter for decoding each of the received data streams; and

causing said second receiver node to transmit receive filter information for each of said third and fourth data streams, said receive filter information facilitating precoding of said third and fourth data streams for simultaneous transmission within a common frequency band to said second receiver node.

6 . The method of claim 1 wherein receiving said first and second data streams comprises receiving data within a common frequency band comprising a plurality of sub-band frequencies.

7 . A method for transmitting a plurality of data streams in a wireless communication system having a plurality of nodes, each node having multiple antennas, the method comprising:

causing first and second nodes in the wireless communication system to transmit respective first and second data streams to a receiver node;

receiving receive filter information for each of said first and second data streams from said receiver node; and

precoding said respective first and second data streams for simultaneous transmission within a common frequency band to said receiver node.

8 . The method of claim 7 wherein causing said first and second nodes to transmit said respective first and second data streams comprises causing first and second transmitter nodes to transmit said respective first and second data streams.

9 . The method of claim 8 wherein said precoding comprises:

receiving a first channel estimate identifier associated with said first data stream at said first transmitter node and locating a corresponding first predetermined channel estimate stored on the first transmitter node and using said first predetermined channel response to perform said precoding of the first data stream; and

receiving a second channel estimate identifier associated with said second data stream at said second transmitter node and locating a corresponding second predetermined channel estimate stored on the second transmitter node and using said second predetermined channel response to perform said precoding of the second data stream.

10 . The method of claim 9 wherein performing said precoding of said first data stream and performing said precoding of said second data stream comprises independently precoding each of said respective first and second data streams in the absence of information associated with the other data stream.

11 . The method of claim 7 wherein causing said first and second nodes to transmit said respective first and second data streams comprises causing first and second relay nodes to transmit said respective first and second data streams.

12 . The method of claim 11 wherein causing said first and second relay nodes to transmit said respective first and second data streams comprises causing at least one transmitter node to transmit said first and second data streams to said first and second relay nodes for relaying to said receiver node.

13 . The method of claim 12 wherein causing said at least one transmitter node to transmit said first and second data streams comprises causing a first transmitter node to transmit said first data stream to said first relay node and causing a second transmitter node to transmit said second data stream to said second relay node.

14 . The method of claim 7 wherein said precoding comprises precoding said respective first and second data streams for simultaneous transmission within a common frequency band comprising a plurality of sub-band frequencies.

15 . A receiver node apparatus for receiving a wireless transmission of a plurality of data streams in a wireless communication system having a plurality of nodes, each node having multiple antennas, the apparatus comprising:

a receiver for receiving first and second data streams from respective first and second nodes at a receiver node;

a processor operably configured to generate a receive filter for decoding each of the received data streams; and

a transmitter operably configured to transmit receive filter information for each of said first and second data streams, said receive filter information facilitating precoding of said first and second data streams for simultaneous transmission within a common frequency band to said receiver node.

16 . The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said processor is operably configured to:

cause said receiver node to perform channel estimation using pilot signals associated with said respective first and second data streams;

compare said channel estimate for said first and second data streams to a plurality of predetermined channel estimates stored on said receiver node to determine a best match between said channel estimate and one of said plurality of predetermined channel estimates for each said channel estimate; and

wherein said transmitter is operably configured to transmit a channel estimate identifier identifying said best match channel estimate for each of said first and second data streams.

17 . The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said processor is operably configured to generate said receive filter using a zero-forcing algorithm.

18 . The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said processor is operably configured to generate said receive filter in the absence of information associated with data streams transmitted to other receiver nodes in the communication system.

19 . The method of claim 15 wherein said receiver is operably configured to receive data within a common frequency band comprising a plurality of sub-band frequencies.

20 . A wireless communication system for transmitting a plurality of data streams, the system comprising:

first and second nodes operably configured to transmit respective first and second data streams;

a receiver node operably configured to receive said first and second data streams, said receiver node being further configured to generate a receive filter for decoding each of the received data streams and to transmit receive filter information for each of said first and second data streams;

at least one transmitter node operably configured to receive said respective receive filter information for each of said first and second data streams from said receiver node and to precode said respective first and second data streams for simultaneous transmission within a common frequency band to said receiver node.

21 . The system of claim 20 wherein each of said first and second nodes comprise a relay node operably configured to receive said respective first and second data streams from said at least one transmitter node and to relay said data streams to said receiver node.