Abstract: A cellular multicarrier wireless communication system is disclosed, in which base stations for a cluster of two or more respective cells transmit the same signaling information in synchronism on the same group of subcarriers. This allows the combination of several base station signals ‘on the air’ prior to the receiver's antenna, without using any additional hardware for signal combination in the mobile terminal.

Abstract: A method of estimating channel impulse response in a signal transmitted over a channel in a communication system is described. The channel estimator obtains a priori knowledge about the transmitted signal, and then uses the transmitted signal and the a priori knowledge to choose an estimate of channel impulse response which minimizes the expected distance between the transmitted signal and a reconstructed signal. The expected distance that is minimized is a cost function, represented by E{∥r−Bh∥2r}. By using soft decision feedback, the invention minimizes erroneous decision feedback which can cause error propagation. The decisions are usually in the form of log likelihood ratios (LLR).

Abstract: The invention includes a method of inserting pilot symbols into communication signals in which a plurality of signals to be transmitted are generated; each signal is divided into frames and each frame consists of a plurality of blocks. A pilot signal block is inserted into each frame of each signal before transmission. The pilot signal blocks are inserted in a time staggered fashion, spread though out the frame. The pilot symbols are time-staggered using an arbitrary algorithm for the pilot symbol insertion. This enables each receiver to perform more accurate, continuous channel estimation and results in a reduced Bit Error Rate (BER) and an improved Quality of Service (QoS). A receiver according to the invention makes use of pilot symbols of all other users in the system in order to improve its channel estimation for user k and this gives more reliable data detection.

Abstract: A transmission system is disclosed in which a multilevel modulated signal is transmitted. The soft output information of a channel decoder is fed back and utilized by a soft demapping device in order to improve the decoding result by further iterative decoding steps. The receiver includes a demapper for generating a demapped signal, bit deinterleaver for generating a demapped and deinterleaved signal and a decoder for generating soft reliability values representative of the decoded signal. These soft reliability values are then bit interleaved and fed back to the demapper, as a priori knowledge, for use in further iterations of the decoding process. The mapping is changed adaptively dependent on the channel conditions and the number of iterations to be used.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for iteratively decoding a multilevel modulated signal in which the soft output information of a channel decoder is fed back and utilized by a tailored soft demapping device in order to improve the decoding result by further iterative decoding steps. The receiver includes a demapper for generating a demapped signal, bit deinterleaver for generating a demapped and deinterleaved signal and a decoder for generating soft reliability values representative of the decoded signal. These soft reliability values are then bit interleaved and fed back to the demapper, as a priori knowledge, for use in further iterations of the decoding process.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for iteratively decoding a signal are provided. The apparatus includes a central pool of resources for iteratively decoding signals. The central pool may run a plurality of iterative decoding processes, each process being allocated to a signal processing unit upon request and depending upon resource availability.

Abstract: A Code-Division Multiple Access (CDMA) receiver removes the pilot signal from the received signal. The pilot signal is defined by its multipath parameters (amplitudes, phase shift and delays) and its signature sequence. Since this information is known at the user's receiver terminal (i.e., handset), the pilot signals of the interfering multipath components of the baseband received signal are detected and removed prior to demodulation of the desired multipath component. The pilot signal may be cancelled prior to or following the data accumulation stage. The pilot signal cancellation can be switched on and off depending on the detected path signal level.

Abstract: A soft handover system is provided for a multiple sub-carrier communication system, applicable to the uplink (mobile unit to base stations) and/or the downlink (base stations to mobile unit). The soft handover system uses multiple sub-carriers to simultaneously transmit multiple sub-carrier signals between at least two base stations and the mobile unit in the uplink and/or downlink. In certain embodiments, the soft handover system provides for synchronized multiple sub-carrier transmission such that the delay differences between the multiple sub-carrier transmissions from the different base stations arriving at the mobile unit are within the guard time of the multiple sub-carrier symbols. Certain embodiments of the soft handover system use the same set of sub-carriers for links between the mobile unit and the base stations of different cells, and other embodiments use different sets of sub-carriers for links between the mobile unit and the base stations of different cells.

Abstract: A Code-Division Multiple Access (CDMA) receiver is disclosed which removes the pilot signal from the received signal. The pilot signal is defined by its multipath parameters (amplitudes, phase shift and delays) and its signature sequence. Since this information is known at the user's receiver terminal (i.e., handset), the pilot signals of the interfering multipath components of the baseband received signal are detected and removed prior to demodulation of the desired multipath component. The pilot signal may be cancelled prior to or following the data accumulation stage.

Abstract: A demodulator of a Code Division Multiple Access Receiver (CDMA) provides single user pilot code aided coherent demodulation of QPSK/CDMA signals using a switch and squarers instead of multipliers. Additionally, a coherent Multicode (MC) CDMA demodulator with a switch for sharing pilot and data correlator results is presented. This change in the demodulators reduces by one-half the number of additions required in the accumulator part for both, the CDMA and the MC-CDMA receiver.

Abstract: A Multi-Code (MC) Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) receiver receives N (where N>1) encoded signal channels over multiple air signal paths. The MC-CDMA receiver receives and demodulates the N encoded signal channels into N signal samples and includes a common circuit for time-sharing an accumulator, for accumulating the N signal samples, among a plurality of second correlators. Each of the plurality of second correlator means utilizes the time-shared accumulator to accumulate samples from each of the N signals which are then decoded into an associated one of the N signal channels.

Abstract: A Multi-Code (MC) Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) receiver receives N (where N.gtoreq.1) encoded signal channels over multiple air signal paths. The N signal channels are encoded using a properly chosen subset of Walsh codes based on a Walsh-Matrix, W.sup.M, where M is a power of two. In the disclosed MC-CDMA receiver, a timing correlator means recovers the timing and control signal for the N signal channels received over any particular signal path; a FWHT circuit together with a second correlator means decodes all of the N signal channels.