Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
129 words
A method for reducing multipath propagation in a signal, comprising the steps of: a) sampling said signal to obtain a plurality of sampled symbols; b) equalizing the time delay characteristics of at least a first subset of said sampled signals by processing said first subset in a first direction and detecting a first prescribed condition, whereby the length of said first subset of sampled symbols is adaptively determined by the detection of said first prescribed condition; and c) equalizing the time delay characteristics of at least a second subset of said sampled symbols by processing said second subset in a second direction and detecting a second prescribed condition, whereby the length of said second subset of sampled symbols is adaptively determined by the detection of said second prescribed condition.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
129 words
A method for reducing multipath propagation in a signal, comprising the steps of: a) sampling said signal to obtain a plurality of sampled symbols; b) equalizing the time delay characteristics of at least a first subset of said sampled signals by processing said first subset in a first direction and detecting a first prescribed condition, whereby the length of said first subset of sampled symbols is adaptively determined by the detection of said first prescribed condition; and c) equalizing the time delay characteristics of at least a second subset of said sampled symbols by processing said second subset in a second direction and detecting a second prescribed condition, whereby the length of said second subset of sampled symbols is adaptively determined by the detection of said second prescribed condition.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method recited in claim 1, wherein said first and second subsets comprise values from a data block that is bounded by first and second synchronization words.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
73 words
The method recited in claim 2, further comprising the step of: d) equalizing the time delay characteristics of a third subset of said sampled values by processing a first portion of said third subset in said first direction at least until a predefined point between said first and second subsets is reached and processing a second portion of said third subset in said second direction at least until said predefined point is reached.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method recited in claim 3, wherein said predefined point is the midpoint between said first and second subsets.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method recited in claim 1, wherein said first and second prescribed conditions are detected by determining the mean square error (MSE) in the received symbols after equalization and detecting when the MSE exceeds a predefined limit.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method recited in claim 5, further comprising detecting said first condition by detecting when said MSE exceeds said predefined limit over a first predefined majority of a first set of symbols and detecting said second condition by detecting when said MSE exceeds said predefined limit over a second predefined majority of a second set of symbols.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method recited in claim 1, wherein said equalizing steps employ a decision feedback equalization algorithm.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
176 words
A method for operating a communications system, comprising the steps of: a) interleaving a plurality of predefined synchronization words with a plurality of data words to form a user signal; b) transmitting said user signal; c) receiving the transmitted user signal; and d) processing the received user signal to reduce multipath propagation distortion by performing the following steps: (i) sampling said signal to obtain a plurality of sampled symbols; (ii) equalizing the time delay characteristics of at least a first subset of said sampled symbols by processing said first subset in a first direction until a first prescribed condition is detected, whereby the length of said first subset of sampled symbols is adaptively determined by the detection of said first prescribed condition; and (iii) equalizing the time delay characteristics of at least a second subset of said sampled symbols by processing said second subset in a second direction until a second prescribed condition is detected, whereby the length of said second subset of sampled symbols is adaptively determined by the detection of said second prescribed condition.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
176 words
A method for operating a communications system, comprising the steps of: a) interleaving a plurality of predefined synchronization words with a plurality of data words to form a user signal; b) transmitting said user signal; c) receiving the transmitted user signal; and d) processing the received user signal to reduce multipath propagation distortion by performing the following steps: (i) sampling said signal to obtain a plurality of sampled symbols; (ii) equalizing the time delay characteristics of at least a first subset of said sampled symbols by processing said first subset in a first direction until a first prescribed condition is detected, whereby the length of said first subset of sampled symbols is adaptively determined by the detection of said first prescribed condition; and (iii) equalizing the time delay characteristics of at least a second subset of said sampled symbols by processing said second subset in a second direction until a second prescribed condition is detected, whereby the length of said second subset of sampled symbols is adaptively determined by the detection of said second prescribed condition.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method recited in claim 8, wherein said first and second subsets comprise values from a data block that is bounded by first and second synchronization words.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
73 words
The method recited in claim 9, further comprising the step of: e) equalizing the time delay characteristics of a third subset of said sampled values by processing a first portion of said third subset in said first direction at least until a predefined point between said first and second subsets is reached and processing a second portion of said third subset in said second direction at least until said predefined point is reached.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method recited in claim 10, wherein said predefined point is the midpoint between said first and second subsets.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method recited in claim 8, wherein said first and second prescribed conditions are detected by determining the mean square error (MSE) in the received symbols after equalization and detecting when the MSE exceeds a predefined limit.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method recited in claim 12, further comprising detecting said first condition by detecting when said MSE exceeds said predefined limit over a first predefined majority of a first set of symbols and detecting said second condition by detecting when said MSE exceeds said predefined limit over a second predefined majority of a second set of symbols.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
154 words
Apparatus for reducing multipath propagation distortion in a signal, comprising: a) means for sampling said signal to obtain a plurality of sampled symbols; b) means for equalizing the time delay characteristics of at least a first subset of said sampled symbols, including means for detecting a first prescribed condition and means for processing said first subset in a first direction until said first prescribed condition is detected, whereby the length of said first subset of sampled symbols is adaptively determined by the detection of said first prescribed condition; and c) means for equalizing the time delay characteristics of at least a second subset of said sampled symbols, including means for detecting a second prescribed condition and means for processing said second subset in a second direction until said second prescribed condition is detected, whereby the length of said second subset of sampled symbols is adaptively determined by the detection of said second prescribed condition.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
154 words
Apparatus for reducing multipath propagation distortion in a signal, comprising: a) means for sampling said signal to obtain a plurality of sampled symbols; b) means for equalizing the time delay characteristics of at least a first subset of said sampled symbols, including means for detecting a first prescribed condition and means for processing said first subset in a first direction until said first prescribed condition is detected, whereby the length of said first subset of sampled symbols is adaptively determined by the detection of said first prescribed condition; and c) means for equalizing the time delay characteristics of at least a second subset of said sampled symbols, including means for detecting a second prescribed condition and means for processing said second subset in a second direction until said second prescribed condition is detected, whereby the length of said second subset of sampled symbols is adaptively determined by the detection of said second prescribed condition.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus recited in claim 14, wherein said first and second subsets comprise values from a data block that is bounded by first and second synchronization words.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
76 words
The apparatus recited in claim 15, further comprising: d) means for equalizing the time delay characteristics of a third subset of said sampled values, including means for processing a first portion of said third subset in said first direction at least until a predefined point between said first and second subsets is reached and means for processing a second portion of said third subset in said second direction at least until said predefined point is reached.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus recited in claim 16, wherein said predefined point is the midpoint between said first and second subsets.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus recited in claim 14, further comprising means for detecting said first and second prescribed conditions by determining the mean square error (MSE) in the received symbols after equalization and detecting when the MSE exceeds a predefined limit.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method recited in claim 18, further comprising means for detecting when said MSE exceeds said predefined limit over a first predefined majority of a first set of symbols and means for detecting when said MSE exceeds said predefined limit over a second predefined majority of a second set of symbols.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus recited in claim 14, wherein said equalizing means (b) includes a decision feedback equalizer.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
140 words
Apparatus for reducing multipath propagation distortion in a signal, which signal is a sampled time domain signal that comprises a plurality of N symbols, N being an integer, wherein said symbols comprise time delay characteristics, said apparatus comprising: detector means for detecting a first prescribed condition among said symbols; first means for equalizing the time delay characteristics of said symbols according to a first sequence; second means for equalizing the time delay characteristics of said symbols according to a second sequence; and select means, responsive to said detector means, for selectively storing the respective outputs of said first and second means, whereby a plurality of sets of equalized symbols are obtained, said sets being respectively equalized according to one of said first and second sequences and being of a length adaptively determined by the detection of said first prescribed condition.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
140 words
Apparatus for reducing multipath propagation distortion in a signal, which signal is a sampled time domain signal that comprises a plurality of N symbols, N being an integer, wherein said symbols comprise time delay characteristics, said apparatus comprising: detector means for detecting a first prescribed condition among said symbols; first means for equalizing the time delay characteristics of said symbols according to a first sequence; second means for equalizing the time delay characteristics of said symbols according to a second sequence; and select means, responsive to said detector means, for selectively storing the respective outputs of said first and second means, whereby a plurality of sets of equalized symbols are obtained, said sets being respectively equalized according to one of said first and second sequences and being of a length adaptively determined by the detection of said first prescribed condition.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus recited in claim 21, wherein said first sequence comprises said symbols being equalized in the same order as they were generated.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus recited in claim 22, wherein said second sequence comprises said symbols being equalized in the reverse order as they were generated.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus recited in claim 23, wherein said detector means comprises means for detecting a loss of lock condition and said select means comprises means for storing outputs of said second means upon the detection of said loss of lock condition.