Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for sharing antennas between modems for two or more different radio access technologies when two or more antennas may be present in a system. A method for coordination between the modem and the corresponding network element as well as the coordination between the two or more radio access technologies is provided. A method for determining when one of the modems does not need some of its antennas is also provided. The sharing of antennas across two or more modems enables efficient use of the antennas which is critical in small form factor mobile communication devices.

Abstract: In order to support low latency and bursty internet data traffic, the 3GPP LTE wireless communication system uses dynamic allocation. To keep the allocation overhead lower, the system is designed such that the client terminal must perform a number of decoding attempts to detect resource allocations. During course of the decoding attempts a false resource allocation may be decoded by the client terminal. The false detection may lead to multiple issues for the performance efficiency of the client terminal and the overall communication system. A method and apparatus are disclosed than enable the detection of false resource allocation. This in turn improves the performance and efficiency of the client terminal and the wireless communication system.

Abstract: The present invention provides architectures and methods which implement dual-pass joint channel estimation and data demodulation in communication systems to provide enhanced performance of the communication link. While not limited to any particular communication protocol, such architectures and methods are particularly beneficial in OFDM systems. Channel estimates may be performed using reference symbols and demodulated data symbols according to certain patterns of subcarriers for OFDM symbols. The channel estimates obtained from different patterns may be combined for dual-pass channel estimate which may have reduced estimation error. Such a procedure enables more accurate channel estimation and improved data demodulation, thereby enhancing system performance.

Abstract: A wireless communication device is adaptively operated in a wireless communication network. The wireless communication device includes a receiver subsystem having a total number of available receive chains RT. Current signal conditions are determined at the wireless communication device for signals transmitted by a given base station over the wireless communication network. Current system information regarding the wireless communication device and regarding the wireless communication network are determined. Based on the current signal conditions and the current system information, a minimum number of receive chains needed to receive and successfully decode data transmitted by the base station over the wireless communication network is determined. Specific ones of the total number of available receive chains RT are selected such that the minimum number of receive chains needed to receive and successfully decode the transmitted data is selected.

Abstract: The present invention provides architectures and methods which use multiple radio receive chains in mobile devices to boost performance of the mobile devices. While a first set of the receive chains are assigned to a serving base station, another set of receive chains are dynamically allocated to neighbor base stations and/or to the serving base station depending upon present or expected system conditions and timing. A first synthesizer is configured to provide signals to the first and second set of receive chains. Other synthesizers are also configured to provide signals to the second set of receive chains. Thus, depending on the mode of operation, the second set of receive chains utilizes signals from a given synthesizer as needed. A priori data may be used to allocate specific receive chains to the serving base station, neighboring base stations or both. Unused synthesizers may be turned off to conserve power.

Abstract: The present invention provides architectures and methods which use multiple radio receive chains in mobile devices to boost performance of the mobile devices. While a first set of the receive chains are assigned to a serving base station, another set of receive chains are dynamically allocated to neighbor base stations and/or to the serving base station depending upon present or expected system conditions and timing. A first synthesizer is configured to provide signals to the first and second set of receive chains. Other synthesizers are also configured to provide signals to the second set of receive chains. Thus, depending on the mode of operation, the second set of receive chains utilizes signals from a given synthesizer as needed. A priori data may be used to allocate specific receive chains to the serving base station, neighboring base stations or both. Unused synthesizers may be turned off to conserve power.

Abstract: The present invention provides architectures and methods which use multiple radio receive chains in mobile devices to boost performance of the mobile devices. While a first set of the receive chains are assigned to a serving base station, another set of receive chains are dynamically allocated to neighbor base stations and/or to the serving base station depending upon present or expected system conditions and timing. A first synthesizer is configured to provide signals to the first and second set of receive chains. Other synthesizers are also configured to provide signals to the second set of receive chains. Thus, depending on the mode of operation, the second set of receive chains utilizes signals from a given synthesizer as needed. A priori data may be used to allocate specific receive chains to the serving base station, neighboring base stations or both. Unused synthesizers may be turned off to conserve power.

Abstract: The present invention provides architectures and methods which use multiple radio receive chains in mobile devices to provide enhanced performance, such as when acquiring and maintaining network access. A plurality of receive chains simultaneously perform signal level measurements across one or more measurement cycles. The number of RF channels upon which measurements are performed may be determined adaptively/dynamically. One or more criterion may be used to set signal level thresholds. If a measured signal for a given channel fails to satisfy a threshold, then that RF channel may be removed from the network acquisition process. If a measured signal for a channel exceeds another threshold, then that channel may be employed in further network acquisition processes, such as identifying potential beacon signal channels, verifying beacon signal channels and synchronizing the device to one of the beacon channels.

Abstract: The present invention provides architectures and methods which implement adaptive joint channel estimation and data demodulation in wireless communication systems to provide enhanced performance of the communication link. While not limited to any particular air interface, such architectures and methods are particularly beneficial in OFDM systems. Channel estimates may be performed for pilot sub-carriers for a given OFDM symbol and filtering may then be performed for channel estimation of a given data subcarrier. Received symbols may be equalized and demodulated, and the channel estimate may be updated for the given data subcarrier. Such a procedure enables more accurate channel estimation and improved data demodulation, thereby enhancing system performance.

Abstract: The present invention provides architectures and methods which enables faster and more power efficient detection of channel parameters used by a communication system. Various parallel preamble correlator structures are able to perform searches for multiple preambles in parallel. The received samples are correlated with different delays between the samples corresponding to the different possible channel parameters that may be used by the communication system. Processing elements used in the preamble search may be shared among the parallel preamble search sections of a given architecture to reduce costs and power consumption. Decimation and filtering may also be used to reduce the interference from adjacent channels.

Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods for boundary detection of protocol data units in a communication system. A protocol entity such as a header check sequence (HCS) validation circuit is used to compute header check sequences of protocol data units in a packet burst. If a given HCS is valid, then the payload of the respective protocol data unit may be used. However, if the given HCS is invalid, then a parallel sliding window is used to compute other possible HCSs to identify a protocol data unit boundary. Once the boundary is located, then the payload may be used. Even if a protocol data unit is invalid or a header is not found, other protocol data units in a packet burst may be used in accordance with aspects of the invention. Such operation reduces the number of retransmissions required due to invalid HCSs.

Abstract: The present invention provides architectures and methods which implement dual-pass joint channel estimation and data demodulation in communication systems to provide enhanced performance of the communication link. While not limited to any particular communication protocol, such architectures and methods are particularly beneficial in OFDM systems. Channel estimates may be performed using reference symbols and demodulated data symbols according to certain patterns of subcarriers for OFDM symbols. The channel estimates obtained from different patterns may be combined for dual-pass channel estimate which may have reduced estimation error. Such a procedure enables more accurate channel estimation and improved data demodulation, thereby enhancing system performance.

Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods for decoding received messages using a priori characteristics of selected message portions. A message which has been encoded in a particular format, such as a tail-biting convolutional coding, is received and decoded by utilizing the a priori information about the message. In one case, static-type receive bits in a portion of the message, such as a Frame Control Header, are used to reduce the number of trellis states at particular stages of the decoding process. A Viterbi-type decoding process may be employed in either a soft or hard decision mode. Reducing the number of trellis states improves the success rate for message decoding and improves receiver throughput. Power consumption may also be reduced.

Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods for boundary detection of protocol data units in a communication system. A protocol entity such as a header check sequence (HCS) validation circuit is used to compute header check sequences of protocol data units in a packet burst. If a given HCS is valid, then the payload of the respective protocol data unit may be used. However, if the given HCS is invalid, then a parallel sliding window is used to compute other possible HCSs to identify a protocol data unit boundary. Once the boundary is located, then the payload may be used. Even if a protocol data unit is invalid or a header is not found, other protocol data units in a packet burst may be used in accordance with aspects of the invention. Such operation reduces the number of retransmissions required due to invalid HCSs.

Abstract: A wireless communication device is adaptively operated in a wireless communication network. The wireless communication device includes a receiver subsystem having a total number of available receive chains RT. Current signal conditions are determined at the wireless communication device for signals transmitted by a given base station over the wireless communication network. Current system information regarding the wireless communication device and regarding the wireless communication network are determined. Based on the current signal conditions and the current system information, a minimum number of receive chains needed to receive and successfully decode data transmitted by the base station over the wireless communication network is determined. Specific ones of the total number of available receive chains RT are selected such that the minimum number of receive chains needed to receive and successfully decode the transmitted data is selected.

Abstract: The present invention provides architectures and methods which implement adaptive joint channel estimation and data demodulation in wireless communication systems to provide enhanced performance of the communication link. While not limited to any particular air interface, such architectures and methods are particularly beneficial in OFDM systems. Channel estimates may be performed for pilot sub-carriers for a given OFDM symbol and filtering may then be performed for channel estimation of a given data subcarrier. Received symbols may be equalized and demodulated, and the channel estimate may be updated for the given data subcarrier. Such a procedure enables more accurate channel estimation and improved data demodulation, thereby enhancing system performance.

Abstract: The present invention provides architectures and methods which use multiple radio receive chains in mobile devices to provide enhanced performance, such as when acquiring and maintaining network access. A plurality of receive chains simultaneously perform signal level measurements across one or more measurement cycles. The number of RF channels upon which measurements are performed may be determined adaptively/dynamically. One or more criterion may be used to set signal level thresholds. If a measured signal for a given channel fails to satisfy a threshold, then that RF channel may be removed from the network acquisition process. If a measured signal for a channel exceeds another threshold, then that channel may be employed in further network acquisition processes, such as identifying potential beacon signal channels, verifying beacon signal channels and synchronizing the device to one of the beacon channels.

Abstract: The present invention provides architectures and methods which enables faster and more power efficient detection of channel parameters used by a communication system. Various parallel preamble correlator structures are able to perform searches for multiple preambles in parallel. The received samples are correlated with different delays between the samples corresponding to the different possible channel parameters that may be used by the communication system. Processing elements used in the preamble search may be shared among the parallel preamble search sections of a given architecture to reduce costs and power consumption. Decimation and filtering may also be used to reduce the interference from adjacent channels.

Abstract: The present invention provides architectures and methods which use multiple radio receive chains in mobile devices to boost performance of the mobile devices. While a first set of the receive chains are assigned to a serving base station, another set of receive chains are dynamically allocated to neighbor base stations and/or to the serving base station depending upon present or expected system conditions and timing. A first synthesizer is configured to provide signals to the first and second set of receive chains. Other synthesizers are also configured to provide signals to the second set of receive chains. Thus, depending on the mode of operation, the second set of receive chains utilizes signals from a given synthesizer as needed. A priori data may be used to allocate specific receive chains to the serving base station, neighboring base stations or both. Unused synthesizers may be turned off to conserve power.