Abstract: A WAP including: a sounding mode module, a sounding matrix generator, a sounding aggregator, a gain normalizer and a beamforming expansion module. The sounding mode module determines whether a number of communication streams supported by the WAP matches the number of streams contained in a sounding response from a station, and initiates a composite set of soundings when those capabilities do not match. The sounding matrix generator generates linearly independent spatial mapping matrices each associated with a corresponding one of the set of composite soundings and at least one reference SMM. The sounding aggregator aggregates partial sounding feedback matrices received from the targeted station node in response to the composite soundings. The gain normalizer normalizes the partial sounding feedback matrices utilizing the reference SMM. The beamforming expansion module expands the aggregated sounding feedback matrices into a full beamforming matrix for spatially mapping downlink communications.

Abstract: A wireless access point including: a sounding mode module, a sounding matrix generator, a sounding aggregator, and a beamforming expansion module. The sounding mode module determines whether a number of communication streams supported by the WAP matches the number of streams contained in a sounding response from a station, and initiates a composite set of an integer “N” soundings when those capabilities do not match. The sounding matrix generator generates “N” linearly independent spatial mapping matrices each associated with a corresponding one of the set of composite soundings. The sounding aggregator aggregates a plurality of partial beamforming matrices received from the targeted station node in response to the composite soundings. The beamforming expansion module expands the aggregated beamforming matrices into a full beamforming matrix for spatially mapping downlink communications between the WAP and the targeted station node.