Dynamic multi-antenna communication
According to exemplary embodiments described herein, communicating via a plurality of antennae includes transmitting different data streams from each of a first antenna and a second antenna in a first transmission mode, and transmitting identical data streams from a third antenna and one of the first and second antennae in a second transmission mode. The first and second antennae are horizontally stacked relative to each other and the third antenna is vertically stacked relative to both the first and second antennae.
1. A method for communicating via a plurality of antennae, the method comprising:
in a first transmission mode, transmitting different data streams from each of a first antenna and a second antenna;
in a second transmission mode, transmitting identical data streams from a third antenna and one of the first and second antennae; and
determining, based on a signal condition of a sector served by the first, second, and third antennae, which one of the first and second transmission modes to use,
wherein the first and second antennae are horizontally stacked relative to each other and the third antenna is vertically stacked relative to both the first and second antennae.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first transmission mode utilizes spatial multiplexing, and wherein the second transmission mode utilizes transmit diversity.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the signal condition comprises an average signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINK).
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising determining that the average SINR is above a threshold, and using the first transmission mode.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the signal condition comprises an average rate of hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) retransmissions.
6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising determining that the average rate of HARQ transmissions is below a threshold, and using the first transmission mode.
7. A system for communicating via a plurality of antennae,
the system comprising:
a first antenna;
a second antenna positioned horizontally adjacent the first antenna;
a third antenna positioned vertically adjacent both the first and second antennae; and
a processing node communicatively coupled to each of the first, second, and third antennae, the processing node being configured to determine a transmission mode from among:
a spatial multiplexing mode using the first and second antennae; and
a transmit diversity mode using the third antenna and one of the first and second antennae,
wherein the processing node is configured to determine the transmission mode based on a signal condition of a sector served by the first, second, and third antennae.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the signal condition comprises an average signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINK).
9. The system of claim 8 , further comprising determining that the average SINR falls to meet a threshold, and using the second transmission mode.
10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the signal condition comprises an average rate of hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) retransmissions.
11. The system of claim 10 , further comprising determining that the average rate of HARQ transmissions rises to meet a threshold, and using the first transmission mode.
12. The system of claim 7 , wherein a horizontal distance between the first and second antennae is less than or equal to half of an average wavelength of signals transmitted by either of the first and second antennae.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein each of the first and second antennae further comprise a dual-band antenna, and wherein the horizontal distance is less than or equal to half of a smallest wavelength transmitted by each dual-band antenna.
14. The system of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the first, second, and third antennae further comprise a dual-band antenna.
15. A processing node for communicating via a plurality of antennae, the processing node being configured to perform operations comprising:
utilizing a first pair of antennae in a spatial multiplexing transmission mode, wherein the first pair of antennae is horizontally-stacked; and
upon a signal condition meeting a threshold, utilizing a second pair of antennae in a transmit diversity transmission mode, wherein the second pair of antennae is vertically-stacked;
wherein both first and second pairs have one antenna in common.
16. The processing node of claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise mapping an antenna port to at least two antennas out of the first and second pair of antennae in each transmission mode.
17. The processing node of claim 16 wherein, in the spatial multiplexing transmission mode, the operations further comprise mapping a first antenna port to a first antenna in the first pair, and a second antenna port to a second antenna in the first pair.
18. The processing node of claim 17 wherein, in the transmit diversity transmission mode, the operations further comprise remapping the second antenna port to a third antenna in the second pair of antennae.