Mimo control signaling in a wireless communication system

A method for performing data transmission, the method comprising:

• modulating, at a transmitter, a data signal with either a single codeword or two codewords;
• and
• transmitting the modulated data signal accompanied by a control signal via the transmitter, with:
• the control signal coded with a first signal format for carrying information regarding the single codeword when the data signal is modulated with the single codeword, and
• the control signal coded with a second signal format for carrying information regarding both of the two codewords when the data signal is modulated with the two codewords.

A transmitter for transmitting data to a receiver,

• the transmitter configured to:
• modulate a data signal with either a single codeword or two codewords;
• code a control signal using a first signal format for carrying information regarding the single codeword when the data signal is modulated with the single codeword;
• code the control signal using a second signal format for carrying information regarding both of the two codewords when the transmitter modulates the data signal with the two codewords;
• and
• transmit the control signal accompanied by the control signal.

A receiver for receiving data signal accompanied by a control signal, the receiver comprising:

• a decoder configured to decode the control signal using either a first signal format or a second signal format, the first signal format being used when the data signal has been transmitted using a single codeword, and the second signal format being used when the data signal has been transmitted using a second codeword;
• a first determination unit configured to determine whether the control signal has been decoded by the decoder;
• a processor configured to process the data signal;
• and
• a control unit configured to send instructions to:
• instruct the decoder to decode the control signal using the first signal format;
• instruct the first determination unit to determine whether the control signal has been decoded by using the first signal format;
• instruct the processor to process the data signal by assuming that the data is transmitted using the single codeword transmission when the control signal is decoded using the first signal;
• instruct the decoder to decode the control signal using the second signal format when the control signal is not decoded using the first signal;
• instruct the first determination unit to determine whether the decoding using the second signal format is successfully performed;
• instruct the processor to process the data signal by assuming that the data is transmitted using the two codewords transmission when the control signal is decoded using the second signal format;
• and
• terminate the processing of the data signal when the control signal is not decoded using the second signal format.