Equalizer-based timing recovery

A method comprising the steps of

• forming, in response to a received signal, a succession of received signal samples using a sampling clock, said received signal having at least one nonzero frequency component,
• filtering said samples, said filtering step having an amplitude and a delay response, and
• generating said sampling clock as a function of said delay response to said frequency component, said generating step being unaffected by said amplitude response of said filtering step.

Apparatus for use in a communications system wherein each of a plurality of communications channels transmits a respective signal, said apparatus comprising

• means responsive to a signal received from each of said communications channels for forming a plurality of received signal sample sequences using a sampling clock, each such sample sequence being formed in response to the signal received from a different one of said communications channels, each signal received from a communications channel having quadrature-related component signals,
• means for filtering each of said plurality of received signal sample sequences to form a plurality of filtered received signal sample sequences, each such filtered sequence being associated with a different one of said received signal sample sequences, said filtering means providing a delay response, and
• means for generating said sampling clock as a function of said delay response evaluated at a preselected nonzero frequency.

A method for use in a communications system wherein each of a plurality of communications channels transmits a respective signal, said method comprising the steps of

• forming a plurality of sample sequences using a sampling clock, each such sample sequences being formed in response to a signal received from a different one of said communications channels, said signal received from each communications channel having quadrature-related component signals,
• filtering said plurality of received signal sample sequences to form a plurality of filtered sample sequences, each filtered sample sequence being associated with a different one of said received signal sample sequences, said filtering step having a delay response, and
• generating said sampling clock as a function of said delay response evaluated at at least one frequency.