Abstract: The invention relates to communication between terminals. Where communication is over an ideal channel then a high throughput modulation scheme can be used. Where the terminals suffer interference or noise, transmission can be modified to a more robust modulation scheme. The modulation scheme for a signal to be transmitted from the terminal is normally selected based up measurements made on a signal received by the terminal. However, the uplink and downlink between two terminals may not be experiencing the same interference and noise. For example, an interfering source may affect one terminal more than another. Under these circumstances, the terminal will not get a good picture of the status of the channel or link over which it is about to transmit. Therefore, the invention provides a system where quality information is passed from the terminal receiving a signal to the terminal which sent the signal to help to determine the most appropriate modulation scheme.

Abstract: An equalizer for a digital communications system includes a first buffer to store received data prior to equalisation; a second buffer to store error-checked received data; a channel estimator coupled to the first and second buffers to determine a channel estimate using the received data from the first buffer and the error-checked data from the second buffer; and a control unit coupled to the channel estimator to update a channel estimate for use by the equalizer in equalizing the received data. The control unit performs the updating conditional upon a difference between the channel estimate and a previous channel estimate used for equalizing the received data. A look-up table is coupled to the control unit and a calculating device is coupled to the look-up table to calculate and store, in the look-up table, data obtained by applying the channel estimate to a sequence of symbols.

Abstract: A multicode receiver for receiving data carried by a plurality of spread spectrum signals having a corresponding plurality of spreading codes, the spreading codes being substantially mutually orthogonal, the receiver having intercode interference suppression, the receiver including a multicode spread spectrum receiver to provide a set of data estimates having a plurality of estimates of data carried by the plurality of spread spectrum signals, one estimate for each spread spectrum signal, a plurality of respreaders to respread the plurality of data estimates, a plurality of interference suppressers, at least one for each of the plurality of spreading codes, each at least one interference suppresser for each code being configured to suppress respread data estimates for the spread spectrum signals of the other codes, from a received signal, a plurality of rake fingers each having the plurality of interference suppressers, and a plurality of rake combiners, one for each of the plurality of spreading codes.

Abstract: This invention is generally concerned with apparatus and methods for signal processing, and more particularly with improved techniques for diversity reception in communication systems.

Abstract: The present invention relates to wireless communication networks particularly for indoor deployment, in which there typically directly exists a rapidly changing multipath propagation environment with limited opportunities for line of sight wireless communication. The present invention provides A wireless communications network for communicating with a mobile terminal; comprising: a number of repeater points each comprising means for communicating with the mobile terminal; an access point comprising means for communicating with the repeater points; the repeater points further comprising means for relaying signals between the terminal and the access point; means for determining a quality measure of signals sent by the terminal and received by the access point via the repeater points; means for selecting one or more repeater points to relay transmission signals from the access point to the terminal, said selection based on said quality measures of the terminal signals received by the access point.

Abstract: This invention is generally concerned with reduced power consumption signal processing methods and apparatus, and in particular with techniques for jointly controlling power supply voltage and clock frequency in a receiver to reduce power consumption.

Abstract: This invention is generally concerned with equalisation in digital communications systems, and more particularly with improved methods and apparatus for MLSE (Maximum Likelihood Sequence Estimation) equalisation.

Abstract: This invention is generally concerned with the reception of high rate digital data, and more particularly with methods and apparatus for improved channel estimation in high rate digital data communications systems, particularly packet data communications systems.

Abstract: Spread spectrum receiver architectures and methods are described for reducing interference, particularly the interference observed at a user-end terminal in a W-CDMA 3G mobile communications system. Interpath interference which arises due to non-zero cross and auto correlation of more than one spreading code is suppressed by estimating a transmitted signal stream, or a plurality of such signal streams in the case of a plurality of multipath components, respreading this estimated signal and subtracting non-orthogonal interference contributions from a received signal. The techniques provide an improved bit error rate or equivalently, enhanced capacity for a digital mobile communications network.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods and apparatus for alternative mode monitoring in a communications system, particularly a wireless communications network.

Abstract: Multicode spread spectrum receiver architectures and methods are described for reducing interference, particularly the interference observed at a user-end terminal in a W-CDMA 3G mobile communications system. Interpath interference which arises due to non-zero cross and auto correlation of more than one spreading code is suppressed by estimating a transmitted signal stream, or a plurality of such signal streams in the case of a plurality of multipath components, respreading this estimated signal and subtracting non-orthogonal interference contributions from a received signal. The techniques provide an improved bit error rate or equivalently, enhanced capacity for a digital mobile communications network.

Abstract: An adaptive frequency hopping scheme for use in a predetermined spectrum of communication channels, comprising the steps of setting a monitoring period for each channel while it is in use, detecting the number of damaged or lost transmissions within the monitoring period, marking the channel as “bad” if the detected number is greater than a first predetermined number and then using an alternative channel of the spectrum.

Abstract: The invention relates to communication between terminals. Where communication is over an ideal channel then a high throughput modulation scheme can be used. Where the terminals suffer interference or noise, transmission can be modified to a more robust modulation scheme. The modulation scheme for a signal to be transmitted from the terminal is normally selected based up measurements made on a signal received by the terminal. However, the uplink and downlink between two terminals may not be experiencing the same interference and noise. For example, an interfering source may affect one terminal more than another. Under these circumstances, the terminal will not get a good picture of the status of the channel or link over which it is about to transmit. Therefore, the invention provides a system where quality information is passed from the terminal receiving a signal to the terminal which sent the signal to help to determine the most appropriate modulation scheme.

Abstract: Independent radio communication devices can share network information directly with each other in the local area using an independent wireless link. This network information encompasses synchronisation information, interference, network configuration, neighbour cell list, paging requests, etc., and can be relevant to multiple networks, frequency carriers and/or air interface modes. Sharing the information reduces the processing requirement, the power consumption, and the bandwidth consumption of devices.