Method and apparatus for adaptive equalization of high speed data communications

1. A method of adaptively removing interference from a signal, comprising the steps of;

(a) amplifying a received signal linearly along a first signal path to provide a first signal;

(b) amplifying the received signal nonlinearly along a second signal path to provide a second signal, the received signal propagating through the first and second signal paths at substantially the same time;

(c) mixing the first and second amplified signals in proportion according to determined first and second weights, respectively, to provide an output signal having interference removed, said first and second weights being set to an initial value prior to their determination;

(d) filtering the output signal to produce a first filtered signal corresponding to a ripple envelope of the output signal;

(e) filtering the output signal to produce a second filtered signal corresponding to an average peak detected value of the output signal;

(f) comparing the first and second filtered signals to produce an error signal;

(g) determining the first and second weights according to the error signal; and

(h) repeating steps (a) thru (g).

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (b) comprises amplifying the received signal with unity gain at lower frequencies within a given frequency bandwidth and higher gain at higher frequencies within the given frequency bandwidth.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein step (a) comprises amplifying the received signal with unity gain across the given frequency bandwidth.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (g) comprises the steps of:

sampling and holding first and second successive samples of the error signal;

comparing the first and second successive samples; and

determining the first and second weights according to the comparison.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the step of determining the first and second weights comprises the steps of:

incrementing or decrementing a counter value according to the results of the comparison; and

converting the counter value to first and second weight control signals corresponding to the first and second weights, said first and second weight signals being complementary.

6. An apparatus for adaptively removing interference from a signal, comprising:

a first amplifier chain comprising one or more linear amplifiers that amplify a received signal to provide a first signal;

a second amplifier chain comprising one or more non linear amplifiers that amplify the received signal to provide a second signal, the received signal propagating through the first and second amplifier chains at substantially the same time;

a mixer that receives and mixes the first and second amplified signals in proportion according to determined first and second weights, respectively, to provide an output signal having interference removed, said first and second weights being set to an initial value prior to their determination;

a first filter that filters the output signal to produce a first filtered signal corresponding to a ripple envelope of the output signal;

a second filter that filters the output signal to produce a second filtered signal corresponding to an average peak detected value of the output signal;

a comparator that compares the first and second filtered signals to produce an error signal; and

a mixer controller that determines the first and second weights according to the error signal and provides respective first and second control signals to the mixer.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the second amplifier chain amplifies the received signal with unity gain at lower frequencies within a given frequency bandwidth and higher gain at higher frequencies within the given frequency bandwidth.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the first amplifier chain amplifies the received signal with unity gain across the given frequency bandwidth.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the mixer controller comprises:

a sample and hold circuit that samples and holds first and second successive samples of the error signal;

a comparator that compares the first and second successive samples;

a counter that increments or decrements a counter value according to the results of the comparison; and

an digital-to-analog converter for converting the counter value to first and second weight control signals corresponding to the first and second weights, said first and second weight signals being complementary.

10. An apparatus for adaptively removing interference from a signal, comprising;

means for amplifying a received signal linearly along a first signal path to provide a first signal;

means for amplifying the received signal nonlinearly along a second signal path to provide a second signal, the received signal propagating through the first and second signal paths at substantially the same time;

means for mixing the first and second amplified signals in proportion according to determined first and second weights, respectively, to provide an output signal having interference removed, said first and second weights being set to an initial value prior to their determination;

means for filtering the output signal to produce a first filtered signal corresponding to a ripple envelope of the output signal;

means for filtering the output signal to produce a second filtered signal corresponding to an average peak detected value of the output signal;

means for comparing the first and second filtered signals to produce an error signal; and

means for determining the first and second weights according to the error signal.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the means for amplifying the received signal nonlinearly amplifies the received signal with unity gain at lower frequencies within a given frequency bandwidth and at higher gain at higher frequencies within the given frequency bandwidth.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the means for amplifying the received signal linearly amplifies the received signal with unity gain across the given frequency bandwidth.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein means for determining the first and second weights comprises:

means for sampling and holding first and second successive samples of the error signal;

means for comparing the first and second successive samples; and

means for determining the first and second weights according to the comparison.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the means for determining the first and second weights according to the comparison comprises:

means for storing and periodically incrementing or decrementing a counter value according to the results of the comparison; and

means for converting the counter value to first and second weight control signals corresponding to the first and second weights, said first and second weight signals being complementary.