APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR INDICATING DMRS PORTS FOR USER EQUIPMENT IN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

The disclosure relates to a 5G or 6G communication system for supporting a higher data transmission rate. Specifically, the disclosure relates, in general, to an apparatus and a method for indicating demodulation reference signals (DMRS) ports for a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system are provided. The method performed in a base station which supports simultaneous transmission of a plurality of spatial multiple input multiple output (MIMO) layers for data transmission, wherein a different DMRS port is associated with each of the plurality of MIMO layers. The method comprises selecting a DMRS port group comprising C sequential DMRS port indices to be used in the UE from a total number M of sequential DMRS port indices available for being used in the UE, where C, M are positive integers, C≤M, obtaining a code point P which represents the selected DMRS port group, wherein the code point is determined as follows, if (C−1)≤M/2, then P=M·(C−1)+s, else P=M·(M−C+1)+(N−1−s), where s is a start DMRS port index in the selected DMRS port group, s=0, 1, . . . , C−1, and signaling, to the UE, control information, wherein the control information includes the obtained code point.