Patent ID: 7532688

Claim:
A method for adjusting the tap weights of an equalizer comprising: estimating an intermediate impulse response of a channel, wherein the intermediate impulse response comprises a plurality of multipath spikes and a plurality of non-deterministic noise components at locations throughout the channel; applying a variable level threshold function to the intermediate impulse response across at least a portion of the channel in order to provide a final impulse response of the channel, wherein the variable level threshold function comprises a plurality of components, wherein each of the components comprises a statically predetermined shape spanning plural indices of the intermediate impulse response, wherein the variable level threshold function has the effect of removing the noise components of the channel having values less than the variable level threshold function at locations within the channel corresponding to the noise components, and wherein the variable level threshold function is characterized by a level that varies across the at least portion of the channel; determining the tap weights from the final impulse response; and, applying the tap weights to the equalizer.