Blind detection of packet data control channel

A method for demodulating a control channel, wherein frames of data carried on the control channel may be formatted differently based on channel quality, the method comprising:

• determining a channel quality;
• and
• demodulating a frame of data based on the channel quality, wherein
• if the channel quality is high,
• demodulating the frame of data using a single slot frame format,
• if the channel quality is low,
• demodulating the frame of data using a quad slot frame format, and
• if the channel quality is medium,
• demodulating the frame of data using a single, dual, and quad slot frame format.

A circuit comprising:

• a buffer to hold a frame of data from a symbol stream;
• a frame counter coupled to the buffer, the frame counter to count the number of frames of data held by the buffer since a last successfully demodulated frame of data;
• and
• a demodulator coupled to the buffer and the frame counter, the demodulator containing circuitry to demodulate a frame of data using based on the count from the frame counter.

A wireless receiver comprising:

• a radio frequency (RF) processing unit coupled to a signal input, the RF processing unit containing circuitry to filter, amplify, and mix a signal provided by the signal input;
• an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) coupled to the RF processing unit, the ADC to convert the filtered, amplified, and mixed signal provided by the RF processing unit into a digital symbol stream;
• and
• a digital signal processing unit coupled to the ADC, the digital signal processing unit containing circuitry to demodulate a frame of control data based on a count of a number of frames of control data received since a last successfully demodulated frame of control data and to decode a frame of data based on the demodulated frame of control data.