Space-time and space-frequency hopping for capacity enhancement of mobile data systems

A method for providing communication comprising:

• implementing an interference diversity gain scheme for conducting communications between a plurality of subscriber units and a base station;
• determining a combination of subscriber units of said plurality of subscriber units for providing simultaneous substantially isolated communication links between subscriber units of said combination of subscriber units and said base station;
• determining a data rate for providing desired communication quality with subscriber units of said combination of subscriber units achievable when said interference diversity gain scheme is implemented;
• and
• providing said simultaneous substantially isolated communication links between subscriber units of said combination of subscriber units and said base station and providing therein data communication at an associated one of said determined data rates.

A method for providing increased wireless communication capacity comprising:

• establishing a communication attribute hopping scheme to alter, over time, an attribute of a communication link associated with each active subscriber unit of a plurality of subscriber units in communication with a base station;
• determining a combination of subscriber units of said plurality of subscriber units in which each subscriber unit of the combination has a minimum angular separation with respect to other subscriber units of the combination for providing substantially isolated communication links between subscriber units of said combination of subscriber units and said base station;
• determining a data rate achievable when said communication attribute hopping scheme is implemented for providing desired communication quality with subscriber units of said combination of subscriber units;
• providing said substantially isolated communication links between subscriber units of said combination of subscriber units and said base station and providing therein data communication at an associated one of said determined data rates;
• and
• applying said communication attribute hopping scheme to said substantially isolated communication links.