Communication channel detector and channel detection method

In a communication system having at least one communications channel, each communications channel including data streams comprising a plurality of data symbols defining symbol periods, a method for determining the availability of a desired type of communications channel, comprising the steps of:

• for each of the at least one communications channel,
• obtaining a plurality ‘n’ of phase measurements for each of a plurality of consecutive ones of the data symbols comprising the communications channel;
• for each pair of consecutive data symbols of the plurality of consecutive data symbols, determining n phase differences between ones of the obtained phase measurements separated in time by a symbol period, to provide n sets of phase differences between phase measurements for consecutive symbols;
• and
• determining whether or not at least one of the n sets of phase differences exhibits a predetermined phase difference profile.

A communications channel detector for determining the availability of a desired type of communications channel in a communication system having at least one communications channel, the communications channels including data streams comprising a plurality of data symbols, the channel detector comprising:

• phase identifier means for providing a plurality ‘n’ of phase measurements for each of a plurality of consecutive ones of the data symbols comprising a selected one of the communications channels, the n phase measurements for any one of the data symbols respectively corresponding to n timing offsets from a centre of the data symbol;
• phase comparator means coupled to the phase identifier means for determining the differences between the phase measurements for consecutive data symbols, each of the differences corresponding to one of the n timing offsets and determined between phase measurements corresponding to the one of the n timing offsets, to provide a plurality of phase differences for each timing offset;
• and
• phase correlator means coupled to the phase comparator means for determining whether or not the plurality of phase differences for at least one of the timing offsets exhibit a predetermined phase difference profile from a correlation of the plurality of phase differences with the predetermined phase difference profile.

A wireless communication device comprising:

• a transceiver configured to transmit and receive signals over a desired type of communications channel;
• and
• a digital signal processor (DSP) operatively connected to the transceiver, the DSP comprising computer software code for determining the availability of the desired type of communications channel in a communication system having at least one communications channel, the communications channels including data streams comprising a plurality of data symbols, by performing the functions of:
• for each of the at least one communications channels,
• obtaining a plurality ‘n’ of phase measurements for each of a plurality of consecutive ones of the data symbols comprising the communications channel;
• for each pair of consecutive data symbols of the plurality of consecutive data symbols, determining n phase differences between ones of the obtained phase measurements separated in time by a symbol period, to provide n sets of phase differences between phase measurements for consecutive symbols;
• and
• determining whether or not at lease one of the n sets of phase differences exhibits a predetermined phase difference profile.

A computer-readable medium carrying processing instructions for configuring a computational device with a method for determining the availability of a desired type of communications channel in a communication system having at least one communications channel, the communications channels including data streams comprising a plurality of data symbols, the method comprising the steps of:

• for each of the at least one communications channel,
• obtaining a plurality ‘n’ of phase measurements for each of a plurality of consecutive ones of the data symbols comprising the communications channel;
• for each pair of consecutive data symbols of the plurality of consecutive data symbols, determining n phase differences between ones of the obtained phase measurements separated in time by a symbol period, to provide n sets of phase differences between phase measurements for consecutive symbols;
• and
• determining whether or not at lease one of the n sets of phase differences exhibits a predetermined phase difference profile.