Apparatus and Methods for Transmission and Reception of Data in Multi-Antenna Systems

A method of operating a base station within a wireless system, the base station having a plurality of antennas, the method comprising:

• receiving a plurality of data input streams from a mobile station having a plurality of antennas;
• identifying a data rate asymmetry between at least two of the input streams;
• assigning a characteristic to the first of the two input streams and to the second of the two input streams based at least in part on the identified data rate asymmetry, wherein the first of the two input streams and the second of the two input streams are assigned different characteristics;
• and
• transmitting signaling information to the mobile station, wherein the signaling information comprises the assigned characteristics.

A base station within a wireless system, the base station comprising:

• a plurality of antennas;
• and
• a processor, wherein the processor is configured to:
• receive a plurality of data input streams from a mobile station having a plurality of antennas;
• identify a data rate asymmetry between at least two of the input streams;
• assign a characteristic to the first of the two input streams and to the second of the two input streams based at least in part on the identified data rate asymmetry, wherein the first of the two input streams and the second of the two input streams are assigned different characteristics;
• and
• transmit signaling information to the to the mobile station, wherein the signaling information comprises the assigned characteristics.