Method and apparatus for reducing interference within a communication system

1. An apparatus for reducing interference within a communication system, the apparatus comprising:

an antenna receiving a signal y(n), where y(n) comprises a desired signal, s(n), and a co-channel interfering signal, i(n), wherein s(n) and i(n) are not time-synchronized;

a transformer for transforming y(n) into a frequency-domain signal Y(k);

a weight calculator outputting a weight vector W(k), wherein W(k) is based on s(n) and i(n), and additionally based on a time offset T existing between s(n) and i(n); and

a signal combiner applying W(k) to Y(k) in order to reduce co-channel interference i(n), wherein W(k) is additionally based on a spatial correlation matrix of the desired signal on a subcarrier k, R d (k), wherein W(k) is additionally based on a spatial correlation matrix of the interferer on subcarrier k, R I (k), wherein W(k) is additionally based on a spatial correlation matrix of noise, R E (k), and wherein W(k)=(R d (k)+R I (k)+R E (k)) −1 p(k), wherein p(k) is an M×1 crosscorrelation vector.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the weight calculator further comprises:

logic circuitry utilized to calculate correlation matrices R d (k) and R I (k);

logic circuitry utilized to calculate the crosscorrelation matrix p(k);

logic circuitry utilized to calculate noise correlation matrix R E (k); and

logic circuitry used to calculate W(k).

3. An apparatus comprising:

logic circuitry utilized to calculate a spatial correlation matrix of a desired signal on a sub carrier k, R d (k);

logic circuitry utilized to calculate a spatial correlation matrix of an interferer on the subcarrier k, R I (k);

logic circuitry utilized to calculate on a spatial correlation matrix of noise, R E (k); and

logic circuitry used to calculate a weighting vector W(k) to be applied to a received signal, the weighting vector W(k) being based on R d (k), R I (k), and R E (k), wherein W(k)=(R d (k)+R I (k)+R E (k)) −1 p(k), wherein p(k) is an M×1 crosscorrelation vector.

4. A method for reducing interference within a communication system, the method comprising the steps of:

calculating a spatial correlation matrix of the desired signal on subcarrier k, R d (k);

calculating a spatial correlation matrix of the interferer on subcarrier k, R I (k);

calculating a spatial correlation matrix of the noise, R E (k); and

calculating a weighting vector W(k) to be applied to a received signal to reduce interference, the weighting vector W(k) being based on R d (k), R I (k), and R E (k)), wherein W(k)=(R d (k)+R I (k)+R E (k)) −1 p(k), wherein p(k) is an M×1 crosscorrelation vector.

5. A method for reducing interference within a communication system, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a signal y(n), where y(n) comprises a desired signal, s(n), and a co-channel interfering signal, i(n), wherein s(n) and i(n) are not time-synchronized;

converting y(n) into a frequency-domain signal Y(k);

calculating a weight vector W(k), wherein W(k) is based on s(n) and i(n), and additionally based on a time offset T existing between s(n) and i(n); and

applying W(k) to Y(k) in order to reduce co-channel interference i(n), wherein the step of calculating W(k) comprises the step of calculating W(k) based on a spatial correlation matrix of the desired signal on a subcarrier k, R d (k), wherein the step of calculating the weight vector W(k) comprises the step of calculating W(k)=(R d (k)+R E (k)) −1 p(k), wherein p(k) is an M×1 crosscorrelation vector.

6. The method of claim 5 the step of calculating W(k) comprises the step of calculating W(k) based on a spatial correlation matrix of noise, R E (k).

7. A method for reducing interference within a communication system, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a signal y(n), where y(n) comprises a desired signal, s(n), and a co-channel interfering signal, i(n), wherein s(n) and i(n) are not time-synchronized;

converting y(n) into a frequency-domain signal Y(k);

calculating a weight vector W(k), wherein W(k) is based on s(n) and i(n), and additionally based on a time offset T existing between s(n) and i(n); and

applying W(k) to Y(k) in order to reduce co-channel interference i(n), wherein the step of calculating W(k) comprises the step of calculating W(k) based on a spatial correlation matrix of the desired signal on a subcarrier k, wherein the step of calculating W(k) comprises the step of calculating W(k)=(R d (k)+R I (k)+R E (k)) −1 p(k), wherein p(k) is an M×1 crosscorrelation vector.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of calculating W(k) comprises the step of calculating W(k) based on a spatial correlation matrix of the interferer on subcarrier k, R I (k).