Closed loop feedback system for improved down link performance

1. A method comprising:

forming at least two beams in a multi-beam antenna array, wherein a time delay is associated with at least one of the at least two beams and the beams are configured to transmit at least two space-time encoded signals, and wherein the at least two space-time encoded signals comprise a reference signal;

delaying at least one of the space-time encoded signals so that the delayed space-time encoded signal arrives at a remote station at the same time as the reference signal;

encoding each signal of the at least two space-time encoded signals with a signature code;

forming the reference signal from one of the at least two space-time encoded signals; and

transmitting the reference signal and the at least one delayed space-time encoded signal via the at least two beams, wherein the reference signal and the at least one delayed space-time encoded signal are configured such that channel state information is determined based on the received reference signal and the received at least one delayed space-time encoded signal and, once determined, the channel state information is segmented into a plurality of channel state information segments.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the delaying at least one of the space-time encoded signals comprises setting into a variable delay line the time delay associated with the at least one of the at least two beams.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining the time delay associated with each of the at least two beams.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising measuring a channel response based on an uplink signal from a remote station.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the measuring comprises receiving a signal component of the uplink signal, and wherein the determining the time delay comprises determining a delay spread for the received signal component.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the channel state information is transmitted in a sequence of the channel state information segments.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reference signal comprises a signature code that is mutually orthogonal to the signature codes of others of the at least two space-time encoded signals.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the signature code of the reference signal comprises a training sequence or a spreading code.

9. A method comprising:

receiving a reference signal and at least one delayed space-time encoded signal via at least two beams, wherein a time delay is associated with at least one of the at least two beams;

determining channel state information based on the received reference signal and the received at least one delayed space-time encoded signal; and

segmenting the channel state information into a plurality of channel state information segments.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising transmitting the channel state information in a sequence of the channel state information segments.

11. A base station comprising:

a multi-beam antenna array configured to form a plurality of beams, wherein the beams are configured to transmit at least two space-time encoded signals, and wherein a time delay is associated with at least one of the beams;

a variable delay line coupled to the multi-beam antenna array, wherein the variable delay line has a programmed delay, and wherein the variable delay line delays one of the at least two space-time encoded signals; and

first circuitry configured to set the programmed delay of the variable delay line to correspond to the time delay associated with the beam that transmits the delayed space-time encoded signal, wherein the at least two space-time encoded signals are configured to provide channel state information that is segmented at a remote station into a plurality of channel station information segments.

12. The base station of claim 11 , further comprising second circuitry configured to measure a channel response based on an uplink signal from a remote station.

13. The base station of claim 12 , wherein the uplink signal comprises a signal component, and wherein the time delay associated with the beam that transmits the delayed space-time encoded signal is determined from the signal component.

14. The base station of claim 11 , further comprising a space-time encoder, wherein the space-time encoder is configured to encode each signal of the at least two space-time encoded signals with a signature code, wherein one of the at least two space-time encoded signals is a reference signal.

15. The base station of claim 14 , further comprising a transmitter, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the reference signal and the delayed space-time encoded signal via the plurality of beams.

16. The base station of claim 14 , wherein the reference signal comprises a signature code that is orthogonal to the signature codes of others of the at least two space-time encoded signals.

17. The base station of claim 14 , wherein the signature code of the reference signal comprises a training sequence or a spreading code.

18. A communication system comprising:

a base station, wherein the base station comprises:

a multi-beam antenna array configured to form a plurality of beams, wherein the beams are configured to transmit at least two space-time encoded signals, and wherein a time delay is associated with at least one of the beams;

a variable delay line coupled to the multi-beam antenna array, wherein the variable delay line has a programmed delay, and wherein the variable delay line delays one of the at least two space-time encoded signals;

first circuitry configured to set the programmed delay of the variable delay line to correspond to the time delay associated with the beam that transmits the delayed space-time encoded signal; and

a space-time encoder, wherein the space-time encoder is configured to encode each signal of the at least two space-time encoded signals with a signature code, wherein one of the at least two space-time encoded signals is a reference signal, and wherein the reference signal comprises a signature code that is orthogonal to the signature codes of the other at least two space-time encoded signals; and

a first transmitter, wherein the first transmitter is configured to transmit the reference signal and the delayed space-time encoded signal via the plurality of beams; and

a remote station, wherein the remote station comprises: a receiver configured to receive the reference signal and the delayed space-time encoded signal;

a processor configured to determine channel state information based on the received reference signal and the received delayed space-time encoded signal;

a second transmitter, wherein the second transmitter is configured to transmit the channel state information to the base station; and

wherein the processor is further configured to segment the channel state information into a plurality of channel state information segments;

and wherein the second transmitter is further configured to transmit the channel state information in a sequence of the channel state information segments.

19. A computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause a computing device to:

form at least two beams in a multi-beam antenna array, wherein a time delay is associated with at least one of the at least two beams and the beams are configured to transmit at least two space-time encoded signals, and wherein the at least two space-time encoded signals comprise a reference signal; and

delay at least one of the space-time encoded signals so that the delayed space-time encoded signal arrives at a remote station at the same time as the reference signal, wherein the at least two space-time encoded signals are configured to provide channel state information that is segmented at a remote station into a plurality of channel station information segments.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the computer-readable instructions that cause the computing device to delay at least one of the space-time encoded signals further comprises instructions that cause the computing device to set into a variable delay line the time delay associated with the at least one of the at least two beams.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 19 , further comprising computer-readable instructions that cause the computing device to determine the time delay associated with each of the at least two beams.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 21 , further comprising computer-readable instructions that cause the computing device to measure a channel response based on an uplink signal from a remote station.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 22 , wherein the computer-readable instructions that cause the computing device to measure the channel response further comprises instructions that cause the computing device to receive a signal component of the uplink signal, and wherein the computer-readable instructions that cause the computing device to determine the time delay further comprises instructions that cause the computing device to determine a delay spread for the received signal component.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 19 , further comprising computer-readable instructions that cause the computing device to:

encode each signal of the at least two space-time encoded signals with a signature code; and

form the reference signal from one of the at least two space-time encoded signals, wherein the reference signal comprises a signature code that is orthogonal to the signature codes of others of the at least two space-time encoded signals.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 24 , further comprising computer-readable instructions that cause the computing device to transmit the reference signal and the at least one delayed space-time encoded signal via the at least two beams.

26. A computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause a computing device to:

receive a reference signal and at least one delayed space-time encoded signal via at least two beams, wherein a time delay is associated with at least one of the at least two beams;

determine channel state information based on the received reference signal and the received at least one delayed space-time encoded signal; and

segment the channel state information into a plurality of channel state information segments.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 26 , further comprising computer-readable instructions that cause the computing device to transmit the channel state information in a sequence of the channel state information segments.