Channel estimation for synchronized cells in a cellular communication system

An apparatus for performing channel estimation at user equipment operating in a mobile communications system, the apparatus comprising:

• logic circuitry adapted to receive a signal;
• logic circuitry adapted to analyze the signal to detect a signal component from a neighboring cell;
• logic circuitry adapted to determine, in any order, one or both of the following:
• whether a power level of the signal component from the neighboring cell exceeds a power threshold level;
• and
• whether a difference between a timing parameter of the signal component from the neighboring cell and a timing parameter of a signal component from a serving cell is less than a timing threshold level;
• logic circuitry adapted to perform a joint channel estimation process only if it is true that both the power level of the signal component from the neighboring cell exceeds the power threshold level and the difference between the timing parameter of the signal component from the neighboring cell and the timing parameter of the signal component from the serving cell is less than the timing threshold, and otherwise to perform a single channel estimation process,
• wherein:
• the received signal is generated by an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing process, and includes one or more symbols, each including a cyclic prefix;
• and
• the joint channel estimation process is at least in part a function of the difference between the timing parameter of the signal component from the neighboring cell and the timing parameter of the signal component from the serving cell.