Apparatus for an methods of receiving a transmission signal

Apparatus for receiving a transmission signal comprising:

• a beam former for receiving respective signals from a plurality of antenna elements, which received signals represent the transmission signal and comprise a plurality of received symbols each containing a predetermined data symbol, and for modifying the received signals in accordance with a beam pattern defined by control information input to the beam former;
• and
• estimating means for producing an estimate of the control information,
• wherein the apparatus is operative to carry out a series of cycles, in which in each cycle the estimating means combines a received symbol with a replica of the predetermined data symbol contained therein so as substantially to remove the effect of data modulation due to the predetermined data symbol from the received symbol,
• and in at least two cycles of the series the estimating means produces an estimate of the control information in dependence upon a cumulative sum of the result of the combination carried out in that cycle and the result of the combination carried out in at least one previous cycle, if any, and applies that estimate as control information to the beam former.

Apparatus for receiving a transmission signal comprising:

• a beam former for receiving respective signals from a plurality of antenna elements, which received signals represent the transmission signal comprise a plurality of received symbols each containing a predetermined data symbol, and for modifying the received signals in accordance with a beam pattern defined by control information input to the beam former;
• estimating means for combining each of a number N of received symbols with a replica of the predetermined data symbol contained therein so as substantially to remove the effect of data modulation due to the predetermined data symbol from the received symbol, and for calculating a sum of the results of the combinations to yield the control information;
• and
• means for adjusting the value of N.

A method of receiving a transmission signal comprising the steps of:

• receiving respective signals, representing the transmission signal and containing predetermined data, from a plurality of antenna elements;
• modifying the received signals in accordance with a receiver beam pattern defined by control information;
• performing an iterative adaption algorithm to produce iterative control information for adjusting the receiver beam pattern so as to facilitate reception of the transmission signal;
• producing an estimate of desired control information by combining received signals with a replica of the predetermined data so as substantially to remove the effect of data modulation due to the predetermined data from the received signals;
• and
• selecting as the control information for use in the modifying step either the iterative control information, or the estimate of the desired control information.

A method of receiving a transmission signal, the method comprising a series of cycles, each cycle comprising the steps of:

• receiving respective signals from a plurality of antenna elements, the signals representing the transmission signal and comprising a received symbol containing a predetermined data symbol;
• modifying the received signals in accordance with a receiver beam pattern defined by control information;
• and
• combining the received symbol with a replica of the predetermined data symbol contained therein so as substantially to remove the effect of data modulation due to the predetermined data symbol from the received symbol;
• wherein, in at least two cycles of the series, an estimate of the control information is produced in dependence on a cumulative sum of the result of the combination carried out in that cycle and the result of the combination carried out in at least one previous cycle, if any, and that estimate is used as control information.

A method of receiving a transmission signal comprising:

• receiving respective signals from a plurality of antenna elements, the signals representing the transmission signal and comprising a plurality of received symbols each containing a predetermined data symbol;
• modifying the received signals in accordance with a receiver beam pattern defined by control information;
• combining each of a number N of received symbols with a replica of the predetermined data symbol contained therein so as substantially to remove the effect of data modulation due to the predetermined data symbol from the received symbol;
• calculating a sum of results of the combinations to yield the control information;
• and
• adjusting the value of N.