Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) rake receiver may include a plurality of diversity receive paths, with each diversity receive path including a respective rake receiver despreader, and a tracking loop. The tracking loop may be configured to generate a composite timing signal based upon the rake receiver despreaders, and provide the composite timing signal to the diversity receive paths.

Abstract: A digital communications receiver can comprise a digital filter that can be configured and later reconfigured multiple times as, for example, a matched filter, an equalizer, a matched filter and equalizer, or the like. For example, the digital filter can be initially configured as a matched filter for use with a correlation module to detect pilot symbols. Detected pilot symbols can be utilized to estimate characteristics of a channel from the distant transmitter to the receiver, and the estimated channel characteristics can be used to determine coefficients for an equalizer for reducing channel distortion in future transmissions received over the channel. The digital filter can then be configured as an equalizer or a matched filter and equalizer. If the later, the digital filter can both equalize incoming transmissions from the distant transmitter and, with a correlation module, identify any pilot symbols in the transmissions.

Abstract: A detector and method for estimating channel data probability in a multi-user or multiple-input multiple-output communication system includes summing conditional bit probabilities conditioned on hypothetical channel data patterns over stochastically selected hypothetical channel data patterns. Various detailed hardware structures and circuits are also described.