Channel estimation and data detection in a wireless communication system in the presence of inter-cell interference

1. A method of channel estimation and data detection in a wireless communication system, comprising:

receiving a signal, wherein said signal is composed of a data signal, a desired reference signal and an interference reference signal from an interfering cell;

selecting a channel estimator to generate channel estimate weights for said desired reference signal, said interference reference signal or both;

generating one or more reference signal channel estimate weights for said desired reference signal, said interference reference signal or both, using the selected channel estimator;

generating one or more data channel estimate weights using the one or more reference signal channel estimate weights;

determining whether the one or more data channel estimate weights indicate significant interference from the interfering cell;

selecting a data detector based on whether the one or more data channel estimate weights are determined to indicate significant interference from the interfering cell; and

detecting said data signal using said selected data detector.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said desired reference signal is transmitted from a serving cell.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said interference reference signal is transmitted from a neighbor cell.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said signal is an orthogonal frequency division multiplex (“OFDM”) signal.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein when no significant interference from an interfering signal is detected, said selected channel estimator uses a least squares (“LS”) channel estimator.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein when significant interference from an interfering signal is detected, said selected channel estimator uses a maximum likelihood (“ML”) channel estimator, maximum a posteriori (“MAP”) channel estimator or both.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said generating one or more data channel estimate weights using said reference signal channel estimate weights further comprises applying an interpolation filter, smoothing filter or both.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said interpolation filter is matched to a channel time-frequency correlation function.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said generating one or more data channel estimate weights using said reference signal channel estimate weights further comprises using said detected data signal.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said detected data signal includes a detected desired data signal and a detected interference data signal.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said generating one or more data channel estimate weights using said reference signal channel estimate weights further comprises applying the minimum mean-square error (“MMSE”) algorithm.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein when data channel estimate weights are determined to indicate significant interference, said selected data detector uses a maximum likelihood (“ML”) data detector, a maximum a posteriori (“MAP”) data detector or both.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein said selected data detector uses a minimum mean-square error (“MMSE”) data detector.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein said data signal includes a desired data signal and an interference data signal.

15. A device in a wireless communication system, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a signal, wherein said signal is composed of a data signal, a desired reference signal and an interference reference signal from an interfering cell; and

a controller operative to select a channel estimator to generate channel estimate weights for said desired reference signal, said interference reference signal or both, generate one or more reference signal channel estimate weights for said desired reference signal, said interference reference signal or both, using the selected channel estimator, generate one or more data channel estimate weights using the one or more reference signal channel estimate weights, determine whether the one or more data channel estimate weights indicate significant interference from the interfering cell; select a data detector based on whether the one or more data channel estimate weights were determined to indicate significant interference from the interfering cell; and detect said data signal using said selected data detector.

16. A device in a wireless communication system, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a signal, wherein said signal is composed of a data signal, a desired reference signal and an interference reference signal from an interfering cell; and

a channel estimator processor operative to select a channel estimator to generate channel estimate weights for said desired reference signal, said interference reference signal or both, generate one or more reference signal channel estimate weights for said desired reference signal, said interference reference signal or both, using the selected channel estimator, generate one or more data channel estimate weights using the one or more reference signal channel estimate weights, determine whether the one or more data channel estimate weights indicate significant interference from the interfering cell; select a data detector based on whether the one or more data channel estimate weights were determined to indicate significant interference from the interfering cell; and detect said data signal using said selected data detector.