Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
163 words
A method for demodulating data symbols transmitted through a communication channel comprising the steps of: sequentially receiving a plurality of first signal samples corresponding to predetermined data symbols, a second plurality of signal samples corresponding to unknown data symbols, and a third plurality of signal samples corresponding to a set of second predetermined data symbols; storing the received pluralities of data samples; determining first and second sets of reference signals from the stored pluralities of first and third signal samples, respectively; forward-demodulating said unknown data symbols using said first set of reference signals beginning with signal samples received nearer said first plurality of signal samples; backward-demodulating said unknown data symbols using said second set of reference signals beginning with signal samples received nearer said third plurality of signal samples; determining quality values indicative of demodulation qualities of the forward- and backward-demodulated data symbols; comparing the quality values; and selecting either the forward- or backward-demodulated data symbols based on the comparison of quality values.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
163 words
A method for demodulating data symbols transmitted through a communication channel comprising the steps of: sequentially receiving a plurality of first signal samples corresponding to predetermined data symbols, a second plurality of signal samples corresponding to unknown data symbols, and a third plurality of signal samples corresponding to a set of second predetermined data symbols; storing the received pluralities of data samples; determining first and second sets of reference signals from the stored pluralities of first and third signal samples, respectively; forward-demodulating said unknown data symbols using said first set of reference signals beginning with signal samples received nearer said first plurality of signal samples; backward-demodulating said unknown data symbols using said second set of reference signals beginning with signal samples received nearer said third plurality of signal samples; determining quality values indicative of demodulation qualities of the forward- and backward-demodulated data symbols; comparing the quality values; and selecting either the forward- or backward-demodulated data symbols based on the comparison of quality values.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
164 words
An apparatus for demodulating data symbols transmitted through a communication channel comprising: means for sequentially receiving a plurality of first predetermined data symbols, a plurality of unknown data symbols, and a plurality of second predetermined data symbols; means for storing the received pluralities of data symbols; means for determining first and second sets of reference signals from the stored pluralities of first and second predetermined data symbols, respectively; means for forward-demodulating the stored unknown data symbols based on the first set of reference signals beginning with unknown symbols received nearer the first predetermined data symbols; means for backward-demodulating the stored unknown data symbols based on the second set of reference signals beginning with the unknown data symbols received nearer the second predetermined data symbols; means for determining quality values indicative of demodulation qualities of the forward- and backward-demodulated data symbols; means for comparing the quality values; and means for selecting either the forward- or backward-demodulated data symbols based on the comparison of quality values.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
164 words
An apparatus for demodulating data symbols transmitted through a communication channel comprising: means for sequentially receiving a plurality of first predetermined data symbols, a plurality of unknown data symbols, and a plurality of second predetermined data symbols; means for storing the received pluralities of data symbols; means for determining first and second sets of reference signals from the stored pluralities of first and second predetermined data symbols, respectively; means for forward-demodulating the stored unknown data symbols based on the first set of reference signals beginning with unknown symbols received nearer the first predetermined data symbols; means for backward-demodulating the stored unknown data symbols based on the second set of reference signals beginning with the unknown data symbols received nearer the second predetermined data symbols; means for determining quality values indicative of demodulation qualities of the forward- and backward-demodulated data symbols; means for comparing the quality values; and means for selecting either the forward- or backward-demodulated data symbols based on the comparison of quality values.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the receiving means includes a vector analog-to-digital converter having an output operatively connected to the storing means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the reference signal determining means comprises means for correlating the stored pluralities of first and second predetermined data symbols with predetermined data symbol sequences to determine the first and second sets of reference signals.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the reference signal determining means includes means for adjusting the first and second sets of reference signals by best-average matching demodulated data symbols to corresponding stored signal samples.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the reference signal determining means includes means for adjusting the first and second sets of reference signals to track temporal phase and amplitude variations of the communications channel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the forward- and backward-demodulating means represent demodulated data symbols as probability values that the respective demodulated data symbols correspond to respective transmitted data symbols.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the forward- and backward-demodulating means include means for sequentially estimating maximum likelihood sequences.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the quality values comprise lowest path metrics developed from the sequence estimating means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the quality values comprise lowest cumulative path metrics determined by summing path metrics associated with respective already-demodulated data symbols with a path metric for symbol being demodulated.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the quality values quantify mismatches between demodulated symbols and received signal samples.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
42 words
An apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the quality values are sums of squares of Euclidean distances between the reference signals and respective stored signal samples, and a high sum value signifies low quality and a low sum value signifies high quality.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the comparing means compares the sum for complete forward demodulation with the sum for complete backward demodulation.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the selecting means selects the demodulated data symbols corresponding to the smaller sum.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
72 words
An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the selecting means selects a first number of forward-demodulated data symbols and a second number of backward-demodulated data symbols, the sum of the first and second numbers equalling the number of the plurality of unknown data symbols, and the first and second numbers being those that maximize the sum of quality values for the first and second numbers of forward- and backward-demodulated data symbols, respectively.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
57 words
An apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the comparing means compares a sum of quality values for partial forward and partial backward demodulation to the quality values for complete forward and complete backward demodulation of the plurality of unknown data symbols, and the selecting means selects either the forward-, backward-, or partial forward- and partial backward-demodulated symbols.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the selecting means selects the demodulated data symbols corresponding to the smaller sum.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
41 words
An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the quality values are produced for complete forward and complete backward demodulation of the plurality of unknown data symbols, and for partial forward and partial backward demodulation of the plurality of unknown data symbols.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the quality values are cumulative measures of the quality of demodulated data symbols.