Virtual antenna mapping method and apparatus for feedback of virtual antenna mapping information in mimo system

A Virtual Antenna Mapping (VAM) method of a terminal communicating data with a base station equipped with M physical antennas and Q Transceiver Units (TXRUs), the method comprising:

• estimating a channel based on a Reference Signal (RS) arranged differently according to respective VAM patterns and transmitted by the base station in a transmission mode supporting N logical antennas;
• selecting a VAM pattern according to a channel measurement result with respect to the estimated channel;
• and
• transmitting a feedback including information regarding the selected VAM pattern to the base station,
• wherein the VAM pattern maps N data streams corresponding to the N logical antennas to the M physical antennas through the Q TXRUs.

A reception apparatus for performing Virtual Antenna Mapping (VAM), the apparatus comprising:

• a transceiver that performs data communication with a transmission apparatus equipped with M physical antennas and Q Transceiver Units (TXRUs);
• and
• a controller configured to control to estimate a channel based on a Reference Signal (RS) arranged differently according to respective VAM patterns and transmitted by the transmission apparatus in a transmission mode supporting N logical antennas, select a VAM pattern according to a channel measurement result with respect to the estimated channel, and control the transceiver to transmit a feedback including information regarding the selected VAM pattern to the transmission apparatus,
• wherein the VAM pattern maps N data streams corresponding to the N logical antennas to the M physical antennas through the Q TXRUs.