Channel impulse response estimate management

1. A method of steering a channel estimation search window, the method comprising:

providing a series of raw CIR tap values to span a channel estimation search window containing a sub-window whose contents are intended to be passed for further processing to produce a refined CIR estimate;

determining, amongst a plurality of groups of continuous tap values within the window, the group containing the largest amount of signal energy; and

time-shifting the window as necessary to arrange that the group so determined occupies the sub-window,

wherein the further processing of the sub-window contents to produce the refined CIR estimate involves the filtering of the sub-window contents,

wherein time shifting of the window is permitted only if the window has not been time shifted within a certain period of time.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the sub-window is centrally located within the window.

3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of groups of continuous tap values that is used in the determination of a maximum signal energy group comprises all possible groups of continuous tap values of length equal to the sub-window.

4. A non-transitory computer-readable memory medium storing instructions that, when executed by a data processing apparatus, cause the apparatus to:

provide a series of raw CIR tap values to span a channel estimation search window containing a sub-window whose contents are intended to be passed for further processing to produce a refined CIR estimate;

determine, amongst a plurality of groups of continuous tap values within the window, the group containing the largest amount of signal energy; and

time-shift the window as necessary to arrange that the group so determined occupies the sub-window,

wherein the further processing of the sub-window contents to produce the refined CIR estimate involves the filtering of the sub-window contents,

wherein time shifting of the window is permitted only if the window has not been time shifted within a certain period of time.

5. A method according to claim 4 , wherein the sub-window is centrally located within the window.

6. A method according to claim 4 , wherein the plurality of groups of continuous tap values that is used in the determination of a maximum signal energy group comprises all possible groups of continuous tap values of length equal to the sub-window.

7. A receiver for estimating a propagation channel, the receiver comprising:

means for producing a series of raw CIR tap values to span a channel estimation search window containing a sub-window whose contents are intended to be passed for further processing to produce a refined CIR estimate;

means for determining, amongst a plurality of groups of continuous tap values within the window, the group containing the largest amount of signal energy; and

means for time-shifting the window as necessary to arrange that the group so determined occupies the sub-window,

wherein the sub-window is centrally located within the window,

wherein the means for time-shifting the window is permitted to operate only if the window has not been time shifted within a certain period of time.

8. A receiver according to claim 7 further comprising filtering means for filtering the sub-window contents for producing the refined CIR estimate.

9. A receiver according to claim 7 , wherein the plurality of groups of continuous tap values that is used in the determination of a maximum signal energy group comprises all possible groups of continuous tap values of length equal to the sub-window.

10. A receiver according to claim 8 , wherein the plurality of groups of continuous tap values that is used in the determination of a maximum signal energy group comprises all possible groups of continuous tap values of length equal to the sub-window.