Smart antenna based spectrum multiplexing using existing pilot signals for orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) modulations

A method for using a group of pilot signals to enhance a data signal within an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) multiple access scheme having a plurality of OFDM transmitters using at least overlapping frequency spectrums, at least overlapping time periods, in at least overlapping geographic areas, comprising:

• receiving a plurality of data signals and a plurality of pilot signals on a plurality of antenna elements, each group of data signals from the plurality of data signals being uniquely associated with a group of pilot signals from the plurality of pilot signals, each group of pilot signals from the plurality of pilot signals being uniquely associated with its own code from a plurality of codes and being uniquely associated with a OFDM transmitter from the plurality of OFDM transmitters;
• identifying a group of pilot signals from the plurality of pilot signals based on its uniquely associated code;
• and
• adjusting a weight value associated with each antenna element from the plurality of antenna elements so that a level of correlation between the group of pilot signals and the code uniquely associated with the group of pilot signals is enhanced while a level of correlation between the remaining group of pilot signals and the codes uniquely associated with those remaining groups of pilot signals are suppressed.

An apparatus having a plurality of antenna elements configured to receive a plurality of data signals and a plurality of pilot signals according to an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) multiple-access scheme having a plurality of OFDM transmitters using at least overlapping frequency spectrums, at least overlapping time periods, in at least overlapping geographic areas each OFDM transmitter from the plurality of OFDM transmitters being unique associated with its own code from the plurality of codes, comprising:

• a first combiner configured to receive a plurality of pilot signals each group of pilot signals from the plurality of pilot signals being uniquely associated with its own code from the plurality of codes;
• the second combiner configured to receive the plurality of data signals, each group of data signals from the plurality of data signals being uniquely associated with a group of pilot signals from the plurality of pilot signals;
• and
• a weight selector processor coupled to the first combiner and the second combiner, the weight selector processor being configured to select a weight value associated with each antenna element from the plurality of antenna elements so that a level of correlation between a group of pilot signals and the code uniquely associated with the group of pilot signals is enhanced while a level of correlation between the remaining group of pilot signals and the codes uniquely associated with those remaining groups of pilot signals are suppressed.

A method for using an orthogonal frequency divisional multiplexing (OFDM) pilot signal in a communication receiver having a plurality of antenna elements, comprising:

• receiving a plurality of data signals and a plurality of pilot signals;
• identifying a group of pilot signals from the plurality of pilot signals based on a code uniquely associated with the group of pilot signals;
• and
• adjusting a plurality of weight values associated with the plurality of antenna elements so that a level of correlation between the group of pilot signals and its unique code is substantially optimized,
• whereby a group of data signals from the plurality of data signals and being uniquely associated with the group of pilot signals is substantially optimized by the adjusting of the plurality of weight values associated with the plurality of antenna elements.