Abstract: A GSM communication system uses a channel estimator to generate a channel impulse response estimate from received bursts. Preferred embodiments of such a system include a first correlation unit that uses N midamble bits to evaluate received signals and produce first correlation outputs over a wide search range. A positioning unit identifies candidate first correlation outputs having the best estimation quality within a sliding observation window and uses those outputs as the initial channel impulse response (CIR) estimate. The initial CIR is provided to a second correlation unit that block correlates M (greater than N) midamble bits to the received signal samples. The second correlation unit performs correlation stage by stage with compensation based on the initial and updated CIR to improve the channel estimation.

Abstract: A method of operating a receiver to determine a bad frame indication (BFI) of a received speech block includes decoding speech information bits of the received speech block; re-encoding the decoded speech information bits; comparing the received speech information bits with the corresponding decoded and re-encoded speech information bits to calculate a number of erroneous bits; determining a mode information of the received speech block; calculating a signal quality measurement of the received speech block; calculating a block quality metric according to the mode information, wherein the block quality metric is related to both the number of erroneous bits and the signal quality measurement; and setting the BFI of the received speech block according to the block quality metric.

Abstract: A receiver includes a Viterbi-like equalizer that provides diversity combining of soft values to produce reliability information. The output reliability information at time k is the average of the first reliability information at time k and the second reliability information at time (k?1) after being normalized by the noise power. The first reliability information at time k is the difference between the two accumulated metrics of the two preceding nodes arriving at the same node having the global minimum node metric at time k over all transitions of all states. The second reliability function at time k is the difference between the best accumulated metric characterized by the last (L?1) bit being binary “one” and the best accumulated metric characterized by the last (L?1) bit being binary “zero.

Abstract: A method for analyzing the reliability of a flag value carried by a current block is disclosed. The method includes: determining whether the current block is a dummy block, and determining the flag value as invalid if the current block is determined as a dummy block. The step of determining the current block is a dummy block can be implemented through two methods. The first method is to utilize information (signal quality indicators) of the current block and a previous block to perform the dummy block determination. The second method is to only utilize information (including the signal quality indicators and coded USF correction indicators) of the current block to generate a determination value through substituting the information into a predetermined equation, and to perform the dummy block detection according to the determination value.

Abstract: Frequency synchronization bursts are detected for a radio communication system such as a GSM cellular telephone network using a two stage correlation process. A first unit performs a first set of correlations to identify receipt of the frequency synchronization burst. A preliminary identification is declared when the moving average of the first set of correlations, normalized for received power, exceeds a threshold value for a number of contiguous samples. After a preliminary identification is made, a second unit performs a second set of correlations to confirm the detection of the frequency synchronization burst. The second correlations are preferably also normalized and confirmation of detection is declared when the normalized moving average of the second stage correlation exceeds a threshold value for a number of contiguous samples.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for frequency synchronization is proposed to obtain the pilot tones and evaluate the frequency offset and time offset for frequency synchronization. The frequency synchronization method has the following steps: filtering a baseband signal of a frequency correction burst by using multiple pre-filters; measuring the baseband signal and the signals output from the pre-filters to produce the first power value and the second power values respectively; normalizing the maximum second power value by using the first power value so as to produce the first detection value; using the samples of the baseband signal at different time points and a predetermined mathematical function to produce the second detection value; combining the first and second detection values to produce the third detection value; and using the third detection value to determine whether the frequency correction burst is received or not.

Abstract: After a transmitter has encoded a flag value, the flag value is included in a block. A method for analyzing the reliability of the flag value outputted by the transmitter includes receiving the block; according to the received block, obtaining a coded flag value; according to the coded flag value, decoding the coded flag value to obtain a decoded flag result; determining whether or not the received block is or is not a dummy block; and if the received block is determined to be a dummy block, negating the reliability of the decoded flag result; otherwise, analyzing the reliability of the coded flag value to determine whether to affirm or negate the reliability of the decoded flag result.

Abstract: A receiver includes a Viterbi-like equalizer that provides diversity combining of soft values to produce reliability information. The output reliability information at time k is the average of the first reliability information at time k and the second reliability information at time (k−1) after being normalized by the noise power. The first reliability information at time k is the difference between the two accumulated metrics of the two preceding nodes arriving at the same node having the global minimum node metric at time k over all transitions of all states. The second reliability function at time k is the difference between the best accumulated metric characterized by the last (L−1) bit being binary “one” and the best accumulated metric characterized by the last (L−1) bit being binary “zero.

Abstract: A GSM communication system uses a channel estimator to generate a channel impulse response estimate from received bursts. Preferred embodiments of such a system include a first correlation unit that uses N midamble bits to evaluate received signals and produce first correlation outputs over a wide search range. A positioning unit identifies candidate first correlation outputs having the best estimation quality within a sliding observation window and uses those outputs as the initial channel impulse response (CIR) estimate. The initial CIR is provided to a second correlation unit that block correlates M (greater than N) midamble bits to the received signal samples. The second correlation unit performs correlation stage by stage with compensation based on the initial and updated CIR to improve the channel estimation.

Abstract: Frequency synchronization bursts are detected for a radio communication system such as a GSM cellular telephone network using a two stage correlation process. A first unit performs a first set of correlations to identify receipt of the frequency synchronization burst. A preliminary identification is declared when the moving average of the first set of correlations, normalized for received power, exceeds a threshold value for a number of contiguous samples. After a preliminary identification is made, a second unit performs a second set of correlations to confirm the detection of the frequency synchronization burst. The second correlations are preferably also normalized and confirmation of detection is declared when the normalized moving average of the second stage correlation exceeds a threshold value for a number of contiguous samples.