Method and system in a transceiver for controlling a multiple-input, multiple-output communications channel

A feedback method in a multiple-stream, multiple-antenna transmitter, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving indications of a selected data rate for each data stream;
• splitting user data in proportion to the selected data rates for each data stream to produce multiple data streams;
• transmitting a pilot signal from each antenna of an antenna array;
• receiving indications of a selected antenna array weight set for each of the multiple data streams, wherein each antenna array weight set includes weights associated with each antenna of the antenna array;
• using the selected antenna array weight sets, weighting each data stream to produce antenna signals for each antenna in the antenna array;
• and
• transmitting multiple data streams using the selected data rates for each data stream.

A feedback method in a multiple-stream, multiple-antenna transceiver having a multiple-antenna transmitter and a multiple-antenna receiver, the method comprising the steps of:

• splitting user data to produce multiple data streams;
• in the multiple-antenna transmitter, transmitting a pilot signal from each antenna of an antenna array;
• using the pilot signals from each antenna of the antenna array, measuring a composite channel between the multiple-antenna transmitter and the multiple-antenna receiver to produce a composite channel measurement;
• selecting a plurality of antenna array weight sets for use in the multiple-antenna transmitter in response to the composite channel measurement, wherein each antenna array weight set is associated with one of multiple data streams and wherein each of the plurality of antenna weight sets has a cross correlation less than an inverse of a number of antenna elements in the antenna array;
• transmitting, from the multiple-antenna receiver to the multiple-antenna transmitter, information describing the plurality of antenna array weight sets;
• in the multiple-antenna transmitter, receiving information describing a selected antenna array weight set for each of the multiple data streams, wherein each antenna array weight set includes weights associated with each antenna of the antenna array;
• encoding and modulating each of the multiple data streams to produce modulated data streams;
• using the selected antenna array weight sets, weighting each modulated data stream to produce antenna signals for each antenna in the antenna array;
• and
• transmitting multiple data streams using the selected antenna array weight set for each data stream, wherein each data stream has a different antenna pattern.