Patent ID: 8644265

Claim:
A method for channel-information feedback in a communications network, having at least one channel-acquiring device, at least one channel-feedback device, at least one forward channel from said channel-acquiring device to channel-feedback device, and, at least one reverse channel from said channel feedback device to channel-acquiring device, comprising: (a) sending a forward-channel signal over said forward channel from said channel-acquiring device, (b) generating a first forward-channel estimate from said forward-channel signal at said channel-feedback device, (c) generating a feedback-information sequence that is a function of said first forward-channel estimate at said channel-feedback device, (d) generating a channel-feedback signal at said channel-feedback device by convolving said feedback-information sequence with a predetermined feedback-pilot sequence, (e) combining said channel-feedback signal with a reverse-channel traffic signal to form a combined reverse-channel signal at said channel-feedback device, (f) sending said combined reverse-channel signal over said reverse channel to said channel-acquiring device, (g) correlating said combined reverse-channel signal received at said channel-acquiring device with said feedback-pilot sequence to generate a pilot-correlation output, (h) generating a reverse-channel estimate from said combined reverse-channel signal received at said channel-acquiring device, and (i) generating a second forward-channel estimate at said channel-acquiring device from said pilot-correlation output and said reverse-channel estimate, whereby said channel-acquiring device acquires said second forward-channel estimate as the forward-channel estimate.