Communications apparatus and methods for adaptive signal processing based on mobility characteristics

Claim 2

A communications system, comprising: a first entity including means for transmitting a mobility characteristic that characterizes mobility of a second entity with respect to the first entity and means for generating a signal in a communications medium, the signal generated by the first entity representing information; and a second entity including: signal receiving means, responsive to the communications medium, for receiving the signal generated by the first entity from the communications medium; means for receiving the transmitted mobility characteristic; and adaptive estimating means, responsive to said signal receiving means and to said means for determining a mobility characteristic, for estimating the information from the received signal generated by the first entity, wherein said adaptive estimating means adaptively processes the received signal generated by the first entity based on the received mobility characteristic.

Claim 3

A system according to claim 1, wherein a first one of the first and second entities comprises a cellular base station, and wherein said mobility characteristic characterizes mobility with respect to the cellular base station.

Claim 4

A system according to claim 2, wherein the base station serves a cell, and wherein said mobility characteristic characterizes mobility of mobile terminals which typically are present in said cell.

Claim 5

A system according to claim 3, wherein said mobility characteristic comprises a cell type identifier.

Claim 6

A system according to claim 2, wherein a second one of the first and second entities comprises a mobile terminal, and wherein said mobility characteristic characterizes mobility of said mobile terminal with respect to said cellular base station.

Claim 7

A system according to claim 1, wherein said adaptive estimating means comprises means for adaptively demodulating the received signal generated by the first entity based on the received mobility characteristic.

Claim 8

A system according to claim 1, wherein said adaptive estimating means comprises: means for adaptively estimating a characteristic for a channel connecting the first and second entities based on the received mobility characteristic; and means for adaptively processing the received signal generated by the first entity based on the estimated channel characteristic.

Claim 9

A system according to claim 1, wherein said adaptive estimating means comprises means for adaptively equalizing the received signal generated by the first entity based on the received mobility characteristic.

Claim 10

A system according to claim 8, wherein said means for adaptively equalizing comprises means for adaptively tracking a channel connecting the base station and the mobile terminal based on the received mobility characteristic.

Claim 11

A system according to claim 1: wherein said signal receiving means comprises means for receiving a plurality of signals generated by the first entity over a plurality of signal paths; and wherein said adaptive estimating means comprises means for adaptively combining the plurality of signals generated by the first entity based on the received mobility characteristic.

Claim 12

A communications system, comprising: a first entity including means for generating a signal in a communications medium, the signal generated by the first entity representing information including a symbol sequence including a pilot symbol; and a second entity including: signal receiving means, responsive to the communications medium, for receiving the signal generated by the first entity from the communications medium; means for receiving a mobility characteristic that characterizes mobility of the second entity with respect to the first entity; and adaptive estimating means, responsive to said signal receiving means and to said means for determining a mobility characteristic, for estimating the information from the received signal generated by the first entity, wherein said adaptive estimating means adaptively processes the received signal generated by the first entity based on the determined mobility characteristic, wherein said adaptive estimating means comprises: means, responsive to said signal receiving means, for detecting a pilot symbol from the received signal generated by the first entity; means, responsive to said means for determining a mobility characteristic, for selecting an interpolation filter based on the determined mobility characteristic; means, responsive to said means for detecting a pilot symbol and to said means for selecting an interpolation filter, for interpolating a characteristic for the channel from the detected pilot symbol according to the selected interpolation filter; and means, responsive to said means for interpolating a channel characteristic, for estimating the symbol sequence from the received signal generated by the first entity based on the interpolated channel characteristic.

Claim 13

A communications system, comprising: a first entity including means for generating a signal in a communications medium, the signal generated by the first entity representing information including a symbol sequence including a pilot symbol; and a second entity including: signal receiving means, responsive to the communications medium, for receiving the signal generated by the first entity from the communications medium; means for receiving a mobility characteristic that characterizes mobility of the second entity with respect to the first entity; and adaptive estimating means, responsive to said signal receiving means and to said means for determining a mobility characteristic, for estimating the information from the received signal generated by the first entity, wherein said adaptive estimating means adaptively processes the received signal generated by the first entity based on the determined mobility characteristic, wherein said adaptive estimating means comprises: means, responsive to said signal receiving means, for detecting a pilot symbol from the received signal generated by the first entity; means, responsive to said means for determining a mobility characteristic, for selecting an interpolation filter based on the determined mobility characteristic; means, responsive to said means for detecting a pilot symbol and to said means for selecting an interpolation filter, for interpolating a characteristic for the channel from the detected pilot symbol according to the selected interpolation filter; and means, responsive to said means for interpolating a channel characteristic, for estimating the symbol sequence from the received signal generated by the first entity based on the interpolated channel characteristic.

Claim 14

A cellular communications system, comprising: a base station; a mobile terminal; and means for communicating a mobility characteristic that characterizes mobility of said terminal with respect to said base station, between said base station and said terminal, wherein a first one of said base station and said mobile terminal includes means for generating a signal in a communications medium, the generated signal representing information; and wherein a second one of said base station and said mobile terminal includes: signal receiving means, responsive to the communications medium, for receiving the signal generated by the first one of said base station and said mobile terminal from the communications medium; and adaptive estimating means, responsive to said signal receiving means and to said means for communicating a mobility characteristic, for estimating the information from the received signal generated by the first one of said base station and said mobile terminal, wherein said adaptive estimating means adaptively processes the received signal generated by the first one of said base station and said mobile terminal based on the communicated mobility characteristic.

Claim 15

A cellular communications system, comprising: a base station; a mobile terminal; and means for communicating a mobility characteristic that characterizes mobility of said terminal with respect to said base station, between said base station and said terminal, wherein a first one of said base station and said mobile terminal includes means for generating a signal in a communications medium, the generated signal representing information; and wherein a second one of said base station and said mobile terminal includes: signal receiving means, responsive to the communications medium, for receiving the signal generated by the first one of said base station and said mobile terminal from the communications medium; and adaptive estimating means, responsive to said signal receiving means and to said means for communicating a mobility characteristic, for estimating the information from the received signal generated by the first one of said base station and said mobile terminal, wherein said adaptive estimating means adaptively processes the received signal generated by the first one of said base station and said mobile terminal based on the communicated mobility characteristic.

Claim 16

A system according to claim 12, wherein said base station serves a cell, and wherein said means for communicating a mobility characteristic comprises means for broadcasting a cell type identifier from said base station.

Claim 17

A system according to claim 13, wherein said means for broadcasting comprises means for broadcasting the cell type identifier on a broadcast control channel.

Claim 18

A system according to claim 12, wherein said means for communicating a mobility characteristic comprises means for communicating the mobility characteristic on a channel specific to the mobile terminal.

Claim 19

A system according to claim 15, wherein said means for communicating transmitting a mobility characteristic comprises means for communicating the mobility characteristic on an access grant channel.

Claim 20

A system according to claim 15, wherein said means for communicating a mobility characteristic comprises means for communicating the mobility characteristic on a fast associated control channel.

Claim 21

A system according to claim 12, wherein said adaptive estimating means comprises means for adaptively demodulating the received signal generated by the first one of said base station and said mobile terminal based on the communicated mobility characteristic.

Claim 22

A system according to claim 12, wherein said adaptive estimating means comprises: means for adaptively estimating a characteristic for a channel connecting the base station and the mobile terminal based on the received mobility characteristic; and means, responsive to said means for adaptively estimating a channel characteristic, for adaptively processing the received signal generated by the first one of said base station and said mobile terminal based on the estimated channel characteristic.

Claim 23

A system according to claim 19, wherein the information includes a symbol sequence including a pilot symbol, and wherein adaptive estimating means comprises: means, responsive to said signal receiving means, for detecting a pilot symbol from the received signal generated by the first one of said base station and said mobile terminal; means, responsive to said means for communicating a mobility characteristic, for selecting an interpolation filter based on the communicated mobility characteristic; means, responsive to said means for selecting an interpolation filter, for interpolating a characteristic for the channel from the detected pilot symbol according to the selected interpolation filter; and means, responsive to said means for interpolating a channel characteristic, for estimating the symbol sequence from the received signal generated by the first one of said base station and said mobile terminal based on the interpolated channel characteristic.

Claim 24

A system according to claim 12, wherein said adaptive estimating means comprises means for adaptively equalizing the received signal generated by the first one of said base station and said mobile terminal based on the communicated mobility characteristic.

Claim 25

A system according to claim 21, wherein said means for adaptively equalizing comprises means for adaptively tracking a channel connecting the base station and the mobile terminal based on the communicated mobility characteristic.

Claim 26

A system according to claim 12: wherein said signal receiving means comprises means for receiving a plurality of signals generated by the first one of said base station and said mobile terminal over a plurality of signal paths; and wherein said adaptive estimating means comprises means for adaptively combining the received plurality of signals generated by the first one of said base station and said mobile terminal based on the communicated mobility characteristic.

Claim 27

A communications terminal, comprising: signal receiving means, responsive to a communications medium, for receiving a signal generated by a source station from the communications medium; means for determining a mobility characteristic that characterizes mobility of the terminal with respect to said source station; and adaptive estimating means, responsive to said signal receiving means, for estimating information from the received signal generated by the source station, wherein said adaptive estimating means adaptively processes the received signal generated by the source station based on the determined mobility characteristic, wherein said adaptive estimating means comprises: means, responsive to said signal receiving means, for detecting a pilot symbol from the received signal generated by the source station; means, responsive to said means for determining a mobility characteristic, for selecting an interpolation filter based on the determined mobility characteristic; means, responsive to said means for detecting a pilot symbol and to said means for selecting and interpolation filter, for interpolating a characteristic for the channel from the detected pilot symbol and the selected interpolation filter; and means, responsive to said means for interpolating a channel characteristic, for estimating a symbol sequence from the received signal generated by the source station based on the interpolated channel characteristic.

Claim 28

A communications terminal, comprising: signal receiving means, responsive to a communications medium, for receiving a signal generated by a source station from the communications medium; means for determining a mobility characteristic that characterizes mobility of the terminal with respect to said source station; and adaptive estimating means, responsive to said signal receiving means, for estimating information from the received signal generated by the source station, wherein said adaptive estimating means adaptively processes the received signal generated by the source station based on the determined mobility characteristic, wherein said adaptive estimating means comprises: means, responsive to said signal receiving means, for detecting a pilot symbol from the received signal generated by the source station; means, responsive to said means for determining a mobility characteristic, for selecting an interpolation filter based on the determined mobility characteristic; means, responsive to said means for detecting a pilot symbol and to said means for selecting and interpolation filter, for interpolating a characteristic for the channel from the detected pilot symbol and the selected interpolation filter; and means, responsive to said means for interpolating a channel characteristic, for estimating a symbol sequence from the received signal generated by the source station based on the interpolated channel characteristic.

Claim 33

A method according to claim 26, wherein said step of communicating a mobility characteristic comprises the step of broadcasting a cell type identifier from the base station.

Claim 34

A method according to claim 27, wherein said step of broadcasting comprises the step of communicating the mobility characteristic on a broadcast control channel.

Claim 35

A method according to claim 26, wherein said step of communicating a mobility characteristic comprises the step of communicating the mobility characteristic on a channel assigned to one mobile terminal.

Claim 36

A method according to claim 29, wherein said step of communicating the mobility characteristic comprises the step of communicating the mobility characteristic on an access grant channel.

Claim 37

A method according to claim 29, wherein said step of communicating the mobility characteristic comprises the step of communicating the mobility characteristic on a fast associated control channel.

Claim 38

A method according to claim 26, wherein said step of adaptively processing comprises the step of adaptively demodulating the received signal generated by the first one of the base station and the mobile terminal based on the communicated mobility characteristic.

Claim 39

A method according to claim 26, wherein said step of adaptively processing comprises the steps of: adaptively estimating a characteristic for a channel connecting the base station and the mobile terminal based on the communicated mobility characteristic; and processing the received signal generated by the first one of the base station and the mobile terminal based on the estimated channel characteristic.

Claim 40

A method according to claim 33, wherein the information includes a symbol sequence including a pilot symbol, and wherein said step of adaptively processing comprises the steps of: detecting a pilot symbol from the received signal generated by the first one of the base station and the mobile terminal; selecting an interpolation filter based on the communicated mobility characteristic; interpolating a characteristic for the channel from the detected pilot symbol according to the selected interpolation filter; and estimating the symbol sequence from the received signal generated by the first one of the base station and the mobile terminal based on the interpolated channel characteristic.

Claim 41

A method according to claim 26, wherein said step of adaptively processing comprises the step of adaptively equalizing the received signal generated by the first one of the base station and the mobile terminal based on the communicated mobility characteristic.

Claim 42

A method according to claim 35, wherein said step of adaptively equalizing comprises the step of adaptively tracking a channel connecting the base station and the mobile terminal based on the communicated mobility characteristic.

Claim 43

A method according to claim 26: wherein said step of receiving a signal comprises the step of receiving a plurality of signals generated by the first one of the base station and the mobile terminal over a plurality of signal paths; and wherein said step of adaptively processing comprises the step of adaptively combining the plurality of signals generated by the first one of the base station and the mobile terminal based on the communicated mobility characteristic.