Radio communication device and method for generating threshold levels in a radio communication device for receiving four-level signals

A symbol detector for generating data symbols from a received signal having multiple signal voltages, the symbol detector comprising:

• peak and valley counters for tracking signal voltages of the received signal to determine peak and valley values associated with high and low voltages, respectively, of the received signal;
• a first summer for summing the peak and valley values to result in a first sum value;
• a first divider coupled to the first summer for dividing the first sum value by four to generate integer and remainder values;
• a comparator coupled to the first divider for providing first and second predetermined outputs, respectively, when the remainder value is greater than a comparator number and when the remainder value is not greater than the comparator number;
• a second summer coupled to the comparator for summing the integer value, a predetermined offset value, and a generated one of the first and second predetermined outputs to result in a second sum value;
• calculation circuitry coupled to the second summer for calculating upper, center, and lower thresholds of the received signal in accordance with the second sum value, wherein the upper, center, and lower thresholds define four ranges of values;
• and
• a decoder coupled to the calculation circuitry for generating the data symbols in accordance with the signal voltages and the upper, lower, and center thresholds.

A radio communication device for processing a received signal to recover information included therein, the radio communication device comprising:

• a receiver for demodulating the received signal to provide signal voltages therefrom;
• a symbol detector coupled to the receiver for generating data symbols from the signal voltages provided thereto, the symbol detector comprising:
• peak and valley counters for tracking the signal voltages to determine peak and valley values associated with high and low voltages, respectively, of the received signal;
• a first summer for summing the peak and valley values to result in a first sum value;
• a first divider coupled to the first summer for dividing the first sum value by four to generate integer and remainder values;
• a comparator coupled to the first divider for providing first and second predetermined outputs, respectively, when the remainder value is greater than a comparator number and when the remainder value is not greater than the comparator number;
• a second summer coupled to the comparator for summing the integer value, a predetermined offset value, and a generated one of the first and second predetermined outputs to result in a second sum value;
• calculation means coupled to the second summer for calculating upper, center, and lower thresholds of the received signal in accordance with the second sum value, wherein the upper, center, and lower thresholds define four ranges of values;
• and
• a decoder coupled to the calculation means for generating the data symbols in accordance with the signal voltages and the upper, lower, and center thresholds;
• and
• a processor coupled to the symbol detector for receiving the data symbols and recovering therefrom the information included in the received signal.