Method and apparatus for processing a modulated signal using an equalizer and a rake receiver

A system comprising:

• a base station configured to transmit a pilot signal and a data signal;
• a remote terminal configured to receive the pilot signal and data signal, the remote terminal comprising:
• an equalizer configured to process samples of the pilot and data signals to provide symbol estimates, the equalizer comprising a filter and a coefficient adjustment element, the coefficient adjustment element being configured to adjust coefficients used by the filter to filter the samples;
• a despreader configured to despread the symbol estimates from the equalizer to generate despread symbols;
• a decover element configured to decover the despread symbols to generate a first stream of recovered symbols;
• a rake receiver configured to process one or more multipaths of the pilot and data signals samples to provide a second stream of recovered symbols;
• a controller configured to estimate a first signal quality of the first stream of recovered symbols and a second signal quality of the second stream of recovered symbols, the controller comparing the first and second signal qualities;
• and
• a switch configured to select the equalizer or the rake receiver to generate recovered data symbols.

A method for processing received signal samples, the method comprising;

• equalizing the received signal samples to provide symbol estimates, the step of equalizing comprising filtering the signal samples and adjusting coefficients used during the filtering step;
• despreading the symbol estimates to generate despread symbols;
• decovering the despread symbols to generate a first stream of recovered symbols;
• processing one or more multipaths of the signal samples by a rake receiver to provide a second stream of recovered symbols;
• estimating a first signal quality of the first stream of recovered symbols and a second signal quality of the second stream of recovered symbols,
• comparing the first and second signal qualities;
• and
• selecting one of the first and the second stream of recovered symbols to generate recovered data symbols.

An apparatus for processing received signal samples, the apparatus comprising;

• means for equalizing the received signal samples to provide symbol estimates, the step of equalizing comprising filtering the signal samples and adjusting coefficients used during the filtering step;
• means for despreading the symbol estimates to generate despread symbols;
• means for decovering the despread symbols to generate a first stream of recovered symbols;
• means for processing one or more multipaths of the signal samples by a rake receiver to provide a second stream of recovered symbols;
• means for estimating a first signal quality of the first stream of recovered symbols and a second signal quality of the second stream of recovered symbols,
• means for comparing the first and second signal qualities;
• and
• means for selecting one of the first and the second stream of recovered symbols to generate recovered data symbols.