Apparatuses and methods for multi-antenna channel quality data acquisition in a broadcast/multicast service network using a multicast symbol

A base station comprising:

• a plurality of antennas;
• a transceiver coupled to the plurality of antennas;
• at least one processor coupled to the transceiver, the transceiver and processor configured to:
• transmit a first subframe formatted as a multicast broadcast single frequency (MBSFN) subframe comprising a unicast symbol in a predetermined first symbol position within said subframe, said unicast symbol comprising at least a first unicast antenna reference symbol and wherein the first subframe further comprises multicast symbols;
• transmit a second subframe formatted as a second multicast broadcast single frequency (MBSFN) subframe instead of transmitting the first subframe, the second MBSFN subframe comprising:
• a first portion at the beginning of the second subframe comprising at least one unicast control symbol comprising at least a first unicast reference symbol;
• and
• a remaining portion containing a second unicast antenna reference symbol transmitted in place of a multicast symbol within the second MBSFN subframe.

A mobile station comprising:

• a transceiver;
• and
• at least one processor coupled to the transceiver and configured to:
• receive a first subframe formatted as a multicast broadcast single frequency (MBSFN) subframe comprising a unicast symbol in a predetermined first symbol position within said subframe, said unicast symbol comprising at least a first unicast antenna reference symbol and wherein the first subframe further comprises multicast symbols;
• receive a second subframe formatted as a second multicast broadcast single frequency (MBSFN) subframe instead of transmitting the first subframe, the second MBSFN subframe comprising:
• a first portion at the beginning of the second subframe comprising at least one unicast control symbol comprising at least a first unicast reference symbol;
• and
• a remaining portion comprising at least a second unicast antenna reference symbol transmitted in place of a multicast symbol within the second MBSFN subframe;
• and
• process the received subframes.