Mimo ofdma with antenna selection and subband handoff

A method for an access node wirelessly coupled to a plurality of access terminals, comprising:

• generating the preamble signal corresponding with a plurality of data stream;
• converting said preamble signal and said plurality of data streams into a corresponding preamble tone and a corresponding plurality of subbands, wherein the preamble tone indicates the configuration of the plurality of subbands, and the plurality of subbands comprising a plurality of data packets corresponding with the plurality of access terminals;
• and
• transmitting said corresponding preamble tone and said corresponding plurality of subbands to the plurality of access terminals.

An access terminal wirelessly coupled to one or more access nodes, the access terminal comprising:

• a plurality of antennas, configured to receive a preamble tone and a plurality of data tones which have been transmitted over a plurality of subbands of a code division multiple access carrier frequency;
• a preamble detection element, operatively coupled to said plurality of antennas, configured to determine said plurality of subbands according to said preamble tone, wherein said plurality of subbands comprise one or more corresponding data streams for reception by the access terminal;
• and
• a multiplex equalization and demodulation element, coupled to said preamble detection element, configured to convert said one or more of said plurality of subbands into said one or more corresponding data streams.