Method and apparatus for performing joint timing recovery of multiple received signals

1. A method for performing timing recovery comprising:

producing a phase signal by comparing a signal received at each of a plurality of inputs to a timing signal produced by a numerically controlled oscillator (NCO);

summing said phase signals to produce a sum;

adjusting said sum into an input range for the numerically controlled oscillator (NCO), wherein said adjusting comprises:

determining whether each input can be accurately received; and

dividing the sum by a number of potentially receivable inputs; and

producing a timing signal within the NCO in response to the adjusted sum.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said determining comprises:

determining whether an amplitude of each input is greater than a threshold value.

3. A method for performing timing recovery comprising:

producing a phase signal by comparing a signal received at each of a plurality of inputs to a timing signal produced by a numerically controlled oscillator (NCO);

summing said phase signals to produce a sum;

adjusting said sum into an input range for the numerically controlled oscillator (NCO), wherein said adjusting comprises:

determining whether each input is receivable, wherein said determining comprises:

determining whether an amplitude of each input is above a threshold value;

determining an offset using a number of receivable inputs; and

adjusting the sum using the offset; and

producing a timing signal within the NCO in response to the adjusted sum.

4. A method for performing timing recovery comprising:

producing a phase signal by comparing a signal received at each of a plurality of inputs to a timing signal produced by a numerically controlled oscillator (NCO);

summing said phase signals to produce a sum;

adjusting said sum into an input range for the numerically controlled oscillator (NCO), wherein said adjusting comprises:

determining whether each input is receivable;

determining an offset using a number of receivable inputs; and

adjusting the sum using the offset, wherein said adjusting by said offset comprises:

adding the sum by the offset if the sum is below the input range; and

producing a timing signal within the NCO in response to the adjusted sum.

5. A method for performing timing recovery comprising:

producing a phase signal by comparing a signal received at each of a plurality of inputs to a timing signal produced by a numerically controlled oscillator (NCO);

summing said phase signals to produce a sum;

adjusting said sum into an input range for the numerically controlled oscillator (NCO), wherein said adjusting comprises:

determining whether each input is receivable;

determining an offset using a number of receivable inputs; and

adjusting the sum using the offset, wherein said adjusting by said offset comprises:

subtracting the sum by the offset if the sum is above the input range; and

producing a timing signal within the NCO in response to the adjusted sum.

6. An apparatus for performing timing recovery of a signal received at a plurality of inputs, said apparatus comprising:

a plurality of phase detectors each detecting a phase of said signal at a different input by comparing the input signal to a timing signal from a numerically controlled oscillator (NCO);

a summer for adding said detected phases to form a sum;

a level shifter for adjusting the sum to within an input range of said NCO;

a loop filter for filtering the adjusted sum;

the NCO for generating a timing signal in response to the filtered sum;

a plurality of signal detectors each for determining whether an input signal is receivable; and

a decision circuit using a total of receivable input signals to determine an adjustment to the sum by said level shifter.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said decision circuit divides the sum by the total of receivable input signals.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said decision circuit determines an offset that is added to or subtracted from the sum by said level shifter.