Abstract: A wireless communications device may include a path searcher for detecting signal peak locations in a received signal. The path searcher may include a common coherent correlator for performing a common coherent correlation operation on the received signal, and a plurality of peak detection frequency bin correlators may be arranged in parallel downstream from the common coherent correlator. The wireless communications device may further include a RAKE finger stage for determining symbol values from the received signal based upon the detected signal peak locations.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for selecting between the signal paths of an antenna system is disclosed. The illustrative embodiment provides an efficient selection technique wherein the antenna system is the steerable beam type, in which directionally distinct beams are formed. The illustrative embodiment also provides an efficient selection technique wherein the antenna system is the diversity switching type, in which multiple, distinct antennas are used. The technique in the illustrative embodiment reduces the number of directed (i.e., addressed) frames that are lost compared with other techniques and, as a result, improves network performance.