Methods and apparatus for communicating information using non-coherent and coherent modulation

A communications device comprising:

• means for performing non-coherent modulation to communicate coding information on pilot signals;
• means for performing coherent modulation in a manner consistent with the coding information communicated on the pilot signals to generated data signals;
• and
• means for transmitting the pilot signals and the data signals on different sets of communications resources.

A computer program product for use in a communications device, the computer program product comprising:

• a computer readable medium comprising:
• code for causing at least one computer to perform non-coherent modulation to communicate coding information on pilot signals;
• code for causing said at least one computer to perform coherent modulation in a manner consistent with the coding information communicated on the pilot signals to generated data signals;
• and
• code for causing said at least one computer to transmit the pilot signals and the data signals on different sets of communications resources.

A communications device comprising:

• at least one processor configured to:
• perform non-coherent modulation to communicate coding information on pilot signals;
• perform coherent modulation in a manner consistent with the coding information communicated on the pilot signals to generated data signals;
• and
• transmit the pilot signals and the data signals on different sets of communications resources;
• and memory coupled to said at least one processor.

A method of operating a wireless terminal to recover information communicated by first and second communications devices using a set of communications resources, the method comprising:

• performing non-coherent demodulation on pilot signals received on a first subset of said set of communications resources to recover coding information;
• generating first and second channel estimates from the pilot signals received on the first subset of said communications resources, the first channel estimate corresponding to a communications channel corresponding to the first communications device, the second channel estimate corresponding to the second communications device;
• and
• performing coherent demodulation on data signals received on a second subset of said set of communications resources using said first and second channel estimates and said coding information to recover information communicated by said first communications device and to recover separate information communicated by said second communications device.

A wireless terminal used for recovering information communicated by first and second communications devices using a set of communications resources, the wireless terminal comprising:

• means for performing non-coherent demodulation on pilot signals received on a first subset of said set of communications resources to recover coding information;
• means for generating first and second channel estimates from the pilot signals received on the first subset of said communications resources, the first channel estimate corresponding to a communications channel corresponding to the first communications device, the second channel estimate corresponding to the second communications device;
• and
• means for performing coherent demodulation on data signals received on a second subset of said set of communications resources using said first and second channel estimates and said coding information to recover information communicated by said first communications device and to recover separate information communicated by said second communications device.

A computer program product for use in a wireless terminal, the computer program product comprising:

• a computer readable medium comprising:
• code for causing at least one computer to perform non-coherent demodulation on pilot signals received on a first subset of said set of communications resources to recover coding information;
• code for causing said at least one computer to generate first and second channel estimates from the pilot signals received on the first subset of said communications resources, the first channel estimate corresponding to a communications channel corresponding to a first communications device, the second channel estimate corresponding to a second communications device;
• and
• code for causing said at least one computer to perform coherent demodulation on data signals received on a second subset of said set of communications resources using said first and second channel estimates and said coding information to recover information communicated by said first communications device and to recover separate information communicated by said second communications device

A wireless terminal comprising:

• at least one processor configured to:
• perform non-coherent demodulation on pilot signals received on a first subset of said set of communications resources to recover coding information;
• generate first and second channel estimates from the pilot signals received on the first subset of said communications resources, the first channel estimate corresponding to a communications channel corresponding to a first communications device, the second channel estimate corresponding to a second communications device;
• and
• perform coherent demodulation on data signals received on a second subset of said set of communications resources using said first and second channel estimates and said coding information to recover information communicated by said first communications device and to recover separate information communicated by said second communications device;
• and memory coupled to said at least one processor.