Method and apparatus for detecting data symbols in a diversity communication system

A method for selecting a data symbol from received signals in a data receiver including a receiving circuit for receiving signals comprising data symbols and a controller for decoding the data symbols, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving at least first and second signals;
• comparing the at least first and second signals with estimated peak and valley values;
• generating, in response to the comparing step, error values associated with the at least first and second signals;
• determining minimum error values, each associated with a signal included in the at least first and second signals;
• inverting the minimum error values to result in inverted minimum error values;
• adding the inverted minimum error values to result in a first sum;
• multiplying each of the inverted minimum error values by a signal associated therewith to generate multiplied values;
• adding the multiplied values to result in a second sum;
• dividing the second sum by the first sum to result in a divided value;
• selecting a data symbol in accordance with the divided value to generate a selected symbol;
• and
• processing the selected symbol.

A data receiver for processing multiple signals, the data receiver including:

• a receiving circuit for demodulating at least first and second signals;
• a ratio selector including:
• subtractors for generating error values associated with the at least first and second signals;
• determining means for determining minimum error values from the error values;
• inverters for inverting the minimum error values to generate inverted values;
• a first adder for adding the inverted values to generate a first sum;
• multipliers for multiplying the inverted values with signals associated therewith to generate multiplied values;
• a second adder for adding the multiplied values to generate a second sum;
• a divider coupled to the first and second adders for dividing the second sum by the first sum to generate a single value;
• and
• a symbol detector for generating a data symbol in accordance with the single value and estimated peak and valley values;
• timing means for activating the ratio selector at predetermined times;
• and
• a controller coupled to the ratio selector and the timing means for recovering information in accordance with the data symbol.

A data receiver for processing multiple signals, the data receiver including:

• a receiving circuit for demodulating first, second, and third signals;
• a selector comprising:
• subtractors for generating error values associated with the first, second, and third signals;
• symbol detectors, each coupled to a subtractor, for generating at least first, second, and third symbols in accordance with the error values and the estimated peak and valley values;
• and
• a voter coupled to the symbol detectors for selecting a data symbol represented by a majority of the at least first, second, and third symbols;
• timing means for activating the selector at predetermined times;
• and
• a controller coupled to the selector and the timing means for recovering information in accordance with the data symbol.

A data receiver for processing multiple signals, the data receiver including:

• a receiving circuit for demodulating at least first, second, and third signals;
• a selector for comparing the at least first, second, and third signals to estimated peak and valley values, for generating error values associated with the at least first, second, and third signals, and for selecting a data symbol associated with one of the estimated peak and valley values based on the error values, the selector including a voting selector for generating a first symbol;
• a ratio selector for generating a second symbol;
• and deciding means for selecting between the first and second symbols to generate the data symbol;
• timing means for activating the selector at predetermined times;
• and
• a controller coupled to the selector and the timing means for recovering information in accordance with the data symbol.