Interference cancellation in receiver of radio system

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a spread spectrum signal comprising user signals at a receiver of a radio system; and

subjecting the received spread spectrum signal to one or more interference cancellation stages comprising one or more multiuser interference cancellation stages and one or more external interference cancellation stages,

wherein, when external interference is lower than multiuser interference, one or more multiuser interference cancellation stages are executed prior to the external interference cancellation stage;

wherein, when multiuser interference is lower than external interference, one or more external interference cancellation stages are executed prior to the multiuser interference cancellation stage; and

wherein the multiuser interference cancellation stage comprises:

despreading the user signals in order to generate user signal estimates;

regenerating the user signals from the user signal estimates;

combining the regenerated user signals in order to generate a combination signal; and

subtracting the combination signal from the received spread spectrum signal in order to generate a residual signal.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, at the receiver, the subjecting comprises executing the one or more multiuser interference cancellation stages until an interference to signal ratio exceeds a preset threshold value.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, at the receiver, the subjecting comprises executing the one or more external interference cancellation stages until a signal to noise ratio exceeds a preset threshold value.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the subtracting comprises subtracting the combination signal from the received spread spectrum signal in order to generate the residual signal used in generation of final user signal estimates, in the external interference cancellation stage, or in the next multiuser interference cancellation stage.

5. A method, comprising:

receiving a spread spectrum signal comprising user signals at a receiver of a radio system; and

subjecting the received spread spectrum signal to one or more interference cancellation stages comprising one or more multiuser interference cancellation stages and one or more external interference cancellation stages,

wherein, when external interference is lower than multiuser interference, one or more multiuser interference cancellation stages are executed prior to the external interference cancellation stage;

wherein, when multiuser interference is lower than external interference, one or more external interference cancellation stages are executed prior to the multiuser interference cancellation stage; and

wherein the multiuser interference cancellation stage comprises:

despreading the user signals in order to generate user signal estimates;

regenerating the user signals from the user signal estimates;

combining, as far as detection of each user signal is concerned, signals other than a particular user's signals into a multiuser interference signal; and

subtracting the multiuser interference signal from the received combination signal in order to generate a residual signal.

6. A receiver in a spread spectrum system, comprising:

a reception device configured to receive a spread spectrum signal; and

an interference cancellation device configured to cancel multiuser interference and external interference from the received spread spectrum signal in one or more interference cancellation stages,

wherein the interference cancellation device is configured to cancel multiuser interference prior to external interference cancellation when external interference is lower than multiuser interference;

wherein the interference cancellation device is configured to cancel external interference prior to multiuser interference cancellation when multiuser interference is lower than external interference; and

wherein the interference cancellation device, in connection with multiuser interference cancellation, are configured to:

despread user signals in order to generate user signal estimates;

regenerate the user signals from the user signal estimates;

combine the regenerated user signals in order to generate a combination signal; and

subtract the combination signals from the received spread spectrum signal in order to generate a residual signal to be used in generation of final user signal estimates, or in the next interference cancellation stage.

7. The receiver as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the interference cancellation device, in the interference cancellation stage, is configured to cancel multiuser interference from the received spread spectrum signal until an interference to signal ratio exceeds a preset threshold value, and the interference cancellation device, after the threshold value has been exceeded in the interference cancellation stage, is configured to cancel external interference from the received signal.

8. The receiver as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the interference cancellation device, in the interference cancellation stage, is configured to cancel external interference from the received spread spectrum signal until a signal to noise ratio exceeds a preset threshold value, and the interference cancellation device, after the threshold value has been exceeded in the interference cancellation stage, is configured to cancel multiuser interference from the received signal.

9. The receiver as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the receiver is a base transceiver station receiver according to a wideband code division multiple access radio system, and that the external interference is at least partly interference caused by a global system for mobile communication system.

10. A receiver in a spread spectrum system, comprising:

a reception device configured to receive a spread spectrum signal; and

an interference cancellation device configured to cancel multiuser interference and external interference from the received spread spectrum signal in one or more interference cancellation stages,

wherein the interference cancellation device is configured to cancel multiuser interference prior to external interference cancellation when external interference is lower than multiuser interference;

wherein the interference cancellation device is configured to cancel external interference prior to multiuser interference cancellation when multiuser interference is lower than external interference; and

wherein the interference cancellation device, in connection with multiuser interference cancellation, is configured to:

despread user signals in order to generate user signal estimates;

regenerate the user signals from the user signal estimates;

combine, as far as detection of each user signal is concerned, signals other than a particular user's signals into a multiuser interference signal; and

subtract the multiuser interference signal from the received combination signal in order to generate a residual signal to be used in generation of final user signal estimates, or in the next interference cancellation stage.

11. A receiver in a spread spectrum system, comprising:

reception means for receiving a spread spectrum signal; and

interference cancellation means for canceling multiuser interference and external interference from the received spread spectrum signal in one or more interference cancellation stages,

wherein the interference cancellation means is configured to cancel multiuser interference prior to external interference cancellation when external interference is lower than multiuser interference;

wherein the interference cancellation means is configured to cancel external interference prior to multiuser interference cancellation when multiuser interference is lower than external interference; and

wherein the interference cancellation means, in connection with multiuser interference cancellation, are configured to:

despread user signals in order to generate user signal estimates;

regenerate the user signals from the user signal estimates;

combine the regenerated user signals in order to generate a combination signal; and

subtract the combination signals from the received spread spectrum signal in order to generate a residual signal to be used in generation of final user signal estimates, or in the next interference cancellation stage.

12. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor configured to process a spread spectrum signal; and

an interference cancellation device configured to cancel multiuser interference and external interference from the processed spread spectrum signal in one or more interference cancellation stages,

wherein the interference cancellation device is configured to cancel multiuser interference prior to external interference cancellation when external interference is lower than multiuser interference;

wherein the interference cancellation device is configured to cancel external interference prior to multiuser interference cancellation when multiuser interference is lower than external interference; and

wherein the interference cancellation device, in connection with multiuser interference cancellation, are configured to:

despread user signals in order to generate user signal estimates;

regenerate the user signals from the user signal estimates;

combine the regenerated user signals in order to generate a combination signal; and

subtract the combination signals from the received spread spectrum signal in order to generate a residual signal to be used in generation of final user signal estimates, or in the next interference cancellation stage.

13. A receiver in a spread spectrum system, comprising:

reception means for receiving a spread spectrum signal; and

interference cancellation means for canceling multiuser interference and external interference from the received spread spectrum signal in one or more interference cancellation stages,

wherein the interference cancellation means is configured to cancel multiuser interference prior to external interference cancellation when external interference is lower than multiuser interference;

wherein the interference cancellation means is configured to cancel external interference prior to multiuser interference cancellation when multiuser interference is lower than external interference; and

wherein the interference cancellation means, in connection with multiuser interference cancellation, is configured to:

despread user signals in order to generate user signal estimates;

regenerate the user signals from the user signal estimates;

combine, as far as detection of each user signal is concerned, signals other than a particular user's signals into a multiuser interference signal; and

subtract the multiuser interference signal from the received combination signal in order to generate a residual signal to be used in generation of final user signal estimates, or in the next interference cancellation stage.

14. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor configured to process a spread spectrum signal; and

an interference cancellation device configured to cancel multiuser interference and external interference from the processed spread spectrum signal in one or more interference cancellation stages,

wherein the interference cancellation device is configured to cancel multiuser interference prior to external interference cancellation when external interference is lower than multiuser interference;

wherein the interference cancellation device is configured to cancel external interference prior to multiuser interference cancellation when multiuser interference is lower than external interference; and

wherein the interference cancellation device, in connection with multiuser interference cancellation, is configured to:

despread user signals in order to generate user signal estimates;

regenerate the user signals from the user signal estimates;

combine, as far as detection of each user signal is concerned, signals other than a particular user's signals into a multiuser interference signal; and

subtract the multiuser interference signal from the received combination signal in order to generate a residual signal to be used in generation of final user signal estimates, or in the next interference cancellation stage.