System and Method for a Scale-Invariant Symbol Demodulator

A base station comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a computer readable storage medium storing programming for execution by the processor, the programming including instructions to:
• transmit a downlink multiple input multiple output (MIMO) signal to a user equipment (UE), wherein the downlink MIMO signal comprises multiple layers communicated directly to the UE in accordance with a phase parameter and a magnitude parameter;
• and
• signal the phase parameter to the UE without signaling the magnitude parameter to the UE.

A method for communicating over a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) channel, the method comprising:

• receiving, by a user equipment (UE), a downlink MIMO signal from a base station (BS), wherein the downlink MIMO signal comprises multiple layers communicated directly to the UE;
• receiving, by the UE, a phase parameter associated with the downlink MIMO signal from the BS;
• estimating, by the UE, a magnitude parameter associated with the downlink MIMO signal;
• and
• demodulating the downlink MIMO signal in accordance with the phase parameter and the magnitude parameter.

A user equipment (UE) comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a computer readable storage medium storing programming for execution by the processor, the programming including instructions to:
• receive a downlink multiple input multiple output (MIMO) signal from a base station (BS), wherein the downlink MIMO signal comprises multiple layers communicated directly to the UE;
• receive a phase parameter associated with the downlink MIMO signal from the BS;
• estimate a magnitude parameter associated with the downlink MIMO signal;
• and
• demodulate the downlink MIMO signal in accordance with the phase parameter and the magnitude parameter.