Method and apparatus for managing multipath signals for a receiver with multiple demodulators

A wireless communication device for managing multipath signals, said communication device comprising:

• a searcher adapted to scan for said multipath signals;
• a set of demodulators;
• a processor, said processor coupled to said searcher;
• and
• a computer readable memory unit, said computer readable memory unit coupled to said processor, said computer readable memory unit containing program instructions stored therein that execute, via said processor, and cause the processor to perform the steps of:
• a) receiving said multipath signals at said wireless communication receiver device;
• b) finding said multipath signals having sufficient signal strength for demodulation in said searcher of said wireless communication receiver device;
• c) measuring an arrival time of one of said multipath signals;
• d) measuring a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) level of said one of said multipath signals;
• e) updating said multipath list with said arrival time and said signal-to-noise ratio if said one of said multipath signals is identified based upon said arrival time with one of the multipath signals existing in said multipath list;
• f) identifying newly-found multipath signals and evaluating one of said newly-found multipath signals based on said signal-to-noise ratio for categorization into one of a plurality of states;
• g) evaluating one of said existing multipath signals based on said signal-to-noise ratio for moving said multipath signal from one to another of a plurality of states;
• h) selectively providing said one of said one of said multipath signals for a demodulation operation based upon its state;
• i) selectively rejecting said one of said multipath signals from said multipath list based on said signal-to-noise ratio;
• and
• j) repeating said steps c) through i) to process all said multipath signals found in step b).

A computer readable medium containing therein computer readable codes for causing an electronic device to implement a method of managing said multipath signals, said method comprising the steps of:

• a) receiving said multipath signals at said wireless communication receiver device;
• b) finding said multipath signals having sufficient signal strength for demodulation in said searcher of said wireless communication receiver device;
• c) measuring an arrival time of one of said multipath signals;
• d) measuring a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) level of said one of said multipath signals;
• e) updating said multipath list with said arrival time and said signal-to-noise ratio if said one of said multipath signals is identified based upon said arrival time with one of the multipath signals existing in said multipath list;
• f) identifying newly-found multipath signals and evaluating one of said newly-found multipath signals based on said signal-to-noise ratio for categorization into one of a plurality of states;
• g) evaluating one of said existing multipath signals based on said signal-to-noise ratio for moving said multipath signal from one to another of a plurality of states;
• h) selectively providing said one of said one of said multipath signals for a demodulation operation based upon its state;
• i) selectively rejecting said one of said multipath signals from said multipath list based on said signal-to-noise ratio;
• and
• j) repeating said steps c) through i) to process all said multipath signals found in step b).