Wireless communication method and apparatus for assigning multi-paths to rake receiver fingers

A wireless communication apparatus for assigning multi-paths to Rake receiver fingers, the apparatus comprising:

• a processor which includes a path search scheduler for receiving signals from higher layers and generating scheduling data;
• a memory device in communication with the processor, wherein the memory device has a first portion for receiving the scheduling data and storing the results of a pilot path search process performed by the path search scheduler, and a second portion for storing the results of a pilot strength measurement (PSM) process running on the processor, wherein the processor implements a path position detection process and a finger assignment process for providing an assignment to a Rake finger pool, the path position detection process searching for all multi-paths for a plurality of wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs) in a round-robin search order;
• and
• a path search vector correlator (VC) grid for receiving data from the first portion of the memory device and providing an output which is evaluated by the PSM process to generate evaluation results which are stored in the second portion of the memory device for access by the path position detection process.