Forward error correction encoding is applied to a first stream of input bits associated with a first data layer to generate a first stream of coded bits. The first steam of coded bits is mapped to K1 binary streams. A first layer-specific set of stream-specific modulators are applied to the K1 binary streams to generate K1 independent complex-valued symbol streams. The symbol streams are transmitted using T1 resource elements out of N1 resource elements. The T1 resource elements are defined by a first layer-specific signature of length N1, where 1T1<N1. The same process may also be carried out for a second stream of input bits associated with a second data layer using a second layer-specific set of stream-specific modulators and a second layer-specific signature, which may differ from the first layer-specific signature in terms of sparsity pattern and/or sparsity level.

Selecting a control channel set in a communication system involves monitoring received signals to identify a plurality of nodes of interest (NOI) and determining E.sub.b/N.sub.0 values for a plurality of control channels. For this purpose, a data metric and spectral data can be provided to the communication device by the respective NOI for which E.sub.b/N.sub.0 values are being determined. A comparison is made of the E.sub.b/N.sub.0 values for all NOI to select an optimal control channel set. The optimal control channel set is then used by the communication device to transmit the control channel information to the plurality of NOI.

A method that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, analyzing a signal to identify a present interference and extracting the interference from the signal. The extracting can include comparing a presence time for the interference with a reference time; if the presence time exceeds the reference time and at least one of a plurality of filters is available for filtering the present interference, an available filter of the plurality of filters is activated, thereby causing filtering of the interference from the signal. If no filter is available due to activation of the filters for filtering a plurality of previously identified interferences, a priority order is determined for the present interference and the previously identified interferences, based on their interference signal levels. The filters are assigned to the interferences in accordance with the priority order. Other embodiments are disclosed.

A system for phased array signal beam tracking includes a phased array transmitter configurable for transmitting a signal beam at a selected transmit beam angle from a plurality of different transmit beam angles. The system also includes a beam gain angle coding assembly configured for modulation of a gain of the signal beam to produce a resulting gain profile of the signal beam. The resulting gain profile includes offset angle coding that indicates an offset incident angle of the signal beam at a receiving antenna.

The present invention is directed to the selective provision of interference canceled signal streams to demodulating fingers in a communication receiver. According to the present invention, potential interferer signal paths are identified. Signal streams having one or more potential interferer signals removed or canceled are created, and a correlation is performed to determine whether the strength of a desired signal path increased as a result. If the correlation indicates that the strength of a desired signal path was increased by the signal cancellation, the interference canceled signal stream is provided to the demodulation finger assigned to track the desired signal path. If the correlation determines that the strength of the desired signal path did not increase as a result of performing interference cancellation, the raw or a different interference canceled signal stream is provided to the demodulation finger.

Selecting a control channel set in a communication system involves monitoring received signals to identify a node of interest (NOI) and determining E.sub.b/N.sub.0 values for a plurality of control channels. For this purpose, a data metric and spectral data can be provided to the communication device by the NOI for which E.sub.b/N.sub.0 values are being determined. A comparison is made of the E.sub.b/N.sub.0 values to select an optimal control channel set. The optimal control channel set is then used by the communication device to transmit the control channel information to the NOI.

Selecting a control channel set in a communication system involves monitoring received signals to identify a plurality of nodes of interest (NOI) and determining E.sub.b/N.sub.0 values for a plurality of control channels. For this purpose, a data metric and spectral data can be provided to the communication device by the respective NOI for which E.sub.b/N.sub.0 values are being determined. A comparison is made of the E.sub.b/N.sub.0 values for all NOI to select an optimal control channel set. The optimal control channel set is then used by the communication device to transmit the control channel information to the plurality of NOI.

Determination of a signal loss profile relative to a receiver based on measured signal power of a sounding signal from a sounding transmitter having a known signal power in free space relative to the receiver. The signal loss profile may include a plurality of signal loss values corresponding to a plurality of received sounding signals at the receiver. In an embodiment, the sounding signal may comprise a GNSS navigational signal (e.g., a GPS signal). The signal loss profile may be used to extrapolate signal loss for a transmitter collocated with the receiver. In turn, the signal loss profile may be used in conjunction with a shared spectrum system to model a signal propagation from the collocated transmitter when determining allocation of a shared spectrum resource of the shared spectrum system.

A system that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a process for detecting power levels of signals of a group of signals that lie within a wideband channel, wherein the detecting of the power levels is according to an analysis order for the group of channels, determining an adaptive threshold based on power levels of at least some of the signals, and detecting interference associated with a channel of the group of channels based on the adaptive threshold. Other embodiments are disclosed.

A receiver, including: a tuner receiving an input signal; a signal processor configured to process the input signal; an automatic gain control (AGC) controller configured to: initialize the receiver in a low gain state; determine the presence of a signal; and increase the receiver gain to determine if a weak signal is present prior to a strong signal.