Semi-coherent timing propagation for GERAN multislot configurations

1. A method for estimating timing in a wireless communication by a receiver, comprising the steps of:

receiving a plurality of symbol bursts corresponding to a plurality of time slots;

selecting a subset of symbols from a first symbol burst of the plurality of symbol bursts, the subset comprising a first midamble symbol;

calculating, for each symbol in the subset, a corresponding midamble estimation error;

determining the lowest calculated midamble estimation error to determine a timing for the first symbol burst;

processing the first symbol burst utilizing the timing determined for the first symbol burst; and

processing a second symbol burst of the plurality of symbol bursts utilizing the timing determined for the first symbol burst.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the calculating the midamble estimation error for each symbol in the subset comprises:

determining an estimated channel corresponding to the symbol;

performing single antenna interference cancellation on the estimated channel to obtain an estimated midamble sequence; and

comparing the estimated midamble sequence with a previously-known midamble sequence to determine the midamble estimation error.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the calculating the midamble estimation error for each symbol in the subset further comprises:

performing single antenna interference cancellation on the estimated channel to obtain an estimated data sequence for the first symbol burst; and

comparing the estimated data sequence with a previously-determined data sequence to determine the midamble estimation error.

4. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the determining the estimated channel corresponding to each symbol comprises selecting a predetermined number of adjacent symbols in the subset corresponding to a number of taps in the estimated channel.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the selecting a subset of the first symbol burst comprises estimating a position of the first midamble symbol in the first symbol burst and selecting a plurality of symbols centered around the estimated position.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first symbol burst and the second symbol burst correspond to first and second time slots assigned to a single user.

7. A receiver comprising:

an antenna configured to receive a plurality of symbol bursts corresponding to a plurality of time slots;

a timing estimator configured to select a subset of symbols from a first symbol burst of the plurality of symbol bursts, the subset comprising a first midamble symbol;

a midamble estimator configured to calculate, for each symbol in the subset, a corresponding midamble estimation error; and

a processor configured to:

determine the lowest calculated midamble estimation error to determine a timing for the first symbol burst,

process the first symbol burst utilizing the timing determined for the first symbol burst, and

process a second symbol burst of the plurality of symbol bursts utilizing the timing determined for the first symbol burst.

8. The receiver according to claim 7 , wherein the midamble estimator is configured to calculate the midamble estimation error for each symbol in the subset by:

determining an estimated channel corresponding to the symbol;

performing single antenna interference cancellation on the estimated channel to obtain an estimated midamble sequence; and

comparing the estimated midamble sequence with a previously-known midamble sequence to determine the midamble estimation error.

9. The receiver according to claim 8 , wherein the midamble estimator is further configured to calculate the midamble estimation error for each symbol in the subset by:

performing single antenna interference cancellation on the estimated channel to obtain an estimated data sequence for the first symbol burst; and

comparing the estimated data sequence with a previously-determined data sequence to determine the midamble estimation error.

10. The receiver according to claim 8 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the estimated channel corresponding to each symbol by selecting a predetermined number of adjacent symbols in the subset corresponding to a number of taps in the estimated channel.

11. The receiver according to claim 7 , wherein the timing estimator is configured to select a subset of the first symbol burst by estimating a position of the first midamble symbol in the first symbol burst and selecting a plurality of symbols centered around the estimated position.

12. The receiver according to claim 7 , wherein the first symbol burst and the second symbol burst correspond to first and second time slots assigned to a single user.

13. A receiver comprising:

means for receiving a plurality of symbol bursts corresponding to a plurality of time slots;

means for selecting a subset of symbols from a first symbol burst of the plurality of symbol bursts, the subset comprising a first midamble symbol;

means for calculating, for each symbol in the subset, a corresponding midamble estimation error;

means for determining the lowest calculated midamble estimation error to determine a timing for the first symbol burst;

means for processing the first symbol burst utilizing the timing determined for the first symbol burst; and

means for processing a second symbol burst of the plurality of symbol bursts utilizing the timing determined for the first symbol burst.

14. The receiver according to claim 13 , wherein the means for calculating the midamble estimation error for each symbol in the subset comprise:

means for determining an estimated channel corresponding to the symbol;

means for performing single antenna interference cancellation on the estimated channel to obtain an estimated midamble sequence; and

means for comparing the estimated midamble sequence with a previously-known midamble sequence to determine the midamble estimation error.

15. The receiver according to claim 14 , wherein the means for calculating the midamble estimation error for each symbol in the subset further comprise:

means for performing single antenna interference cancellation on the estimated channel to obtain an estimated data sequence for the first symbol burst; and

means for comparing the estimated data sequence with a previously-determined data sequence to determine the midamble estimation error.

16. The receiver according to claim 14 , wherein the means for determining the estimated channel corresponding to each symbol comprise means for selecting a predetermined number of adjacent symbols in the subset corresponding to a number of taps in the estimated channel.

17. The receiver according to claim 13 , wherein the means for selecting a subset of the first symbol burst comprise means for estimating a position of the first midamble symbol in the first symbol burst and means for selecting a plurality of symbols centered around the estimated position.

18. The receiver according to claim 13 , wherein the first symbol burst and the second symbol burst correspond to first and second time slots assigned to a single user.

19. A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising instructions for estimating timing in a wireless communication, the instructions comprising code for:

receiving a plurality of symbol bursts corresponding to a plurality of time slots;

selecting a subset of symbols from a first symbol burst of the plurality of symbol bursts, the subset comprising a first midamble symbol;

calculating, for each symbol in the subset, a corresponding midamble estimation error;

determining the lowest calculated midamble estimation error to determine a timing for the first symbol burst;

processing the first symbol burst utilizing the timing determined for the first symbol burst; and

processing a second symbol burst of the plurality of symbol bursts utilizing the timing determined for the first symbol burst.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable medium according to claim 19 , wherein the code for calculating the midamble estimation error for each symbol in the subset comprises code for:

determining an estimated channel corresponding to the symbol;

performing single antenna interference cancellation on the estimated channel to obtain an estimated midamble sequence; and

comparing the estimated midamble sequence with a previously-known midamble sequence to determine the midamble estimation error.

21. The non-transitory machine-readable medium according to claim 20 , wherein the code for calculating the midamble estimation error for each symbol in the subset further comprises code for:

performing single antenna interference cancellation on the estimated channel to obtain an estimated data sequence for the first symbol burst; and

comparing the estimated data sequence with a previously-determined data sequence to determine the midamble estimation error.

22. The non-transitory machine-readable medium according to claim 20 , wherein the code for determining the estimated channel corresponding to each symbol comprises code for selecting a predetermined number of adjacent symbols in the subset corresponding to a number of taps in the estimated channel.

23. The non-transitory machine-readable medium according to claim 19 , wherein the code for selecting a subset of the first symbol burst comprises code for estimating a position of the first midamble symbol in the first symbol burst and code for selecting a plurality of symbols centered around the estimated position.

24. The non-transitory machine-readable medium according to claim 19 , wherein the first symbol burst and the second symbol burst correspond to first and second time slots assigned to a single user.