Processing A Noisy Analogue Signal

A method comprising:

• obtaining a quantised signal from a received signal that is one of a plurality of received signals;
• obtaining a quantised reference signal from a combined signal that is a combination of a plurality of output signals, wherein each output signal is obtained from one of the plurality of received signals;
• obtaining a comparison signal by at least comparing the quantised signal with the quantised reference signal;
• and
• using at least the comparison signal to change a counter value, wherein the counter value is for correlating an output signal obtained from the received signal with the plurality of output signals.

A device comprising:

• a quantisation element to enable a quantised signal to be obtained from a received signal that is one of a plurality of received signals;
• a comparator to enable a comparison signal to be obtained by at least comparing the quantised signal with a quantised reference signal obtained from a combined signal that is a combination of a plurality of output signals, wherein each output signal is obtained from one of the plurality of received signals;
• and
• a control block to use a counter value to enable correlation of an output signal obtained from the received signal with the plurality of output signals, wherein the counter value is changed using at least the comparison signal.

A system comprising:

• first and second conductors;
• and
• a plurality of devices, wherein each device comprises:
• quantisation elements to enable in-phase and quadrature quantised signals to be obtained from in-phase and quadrature components of a received signal, respectively;
• a first output for providing an in-phase output signal corresponding to the in-phase quantised signal to the first conductor;
• a second output for providing a quadrature output signal corresponding to the quadrature quantised signal to the second conductor;
• a first input for obtaining an in-phase combined signal from the first conductor;
• a second input for obtaining a quadrature combined signal from the second conductor;
• further quantisation elements to enable in-phase and quadrature quantised reference signals to be obtained from the in-phase and quadrature combined signals, respectively;
• a comparator to enable at least two comparison signals to be obtained by comparing at least one of the in-phase and quadrature quantised signals with at least one of the in-phase and quadrature quantised reference signals;
• and
• a control block to use at least one counter value to enable correlation of the in-phase and quadrature output signals with the in-phase and quadrature combined signals, respectively, wherein the at least one counter value is changed using the at least two comparison signals.