Rank adaptive transmission methods and apparatuses

A method of transmitting a data signal from a plurality of transmit antennas on at least one user equipment (UE) device to at least a receive antenna on a base station (BS) in a wireless communication network, comprising:

• adapting a rank of transmission and a degree of transmit diversity based on one or more network parameters including a traffic type and a number of antennas available at the UE for uplink transmission, wherein the number of antennas available changes from all of the plurality of transmit antennas to less than all of the plurality of transmit antennas;
• splitting the data signal into a set of independent data streams, wherein the rank of transmission is represented by a number of independent data streams in the set between the at least one UE and the BS;
• encoding each of the data steams from a subset of the set of independent data streams using space-time encoder logic to provide space-time encoded sequences, based on a mapping control signal;
• and
• transmitting the space-time encoded sequences and any non space-time encoded data streams from the set of independent data streams using the plurality of transmit antennas.