Patent ID: 7457377

Claim:
A method for estimating a sequence of N bits ({circumflex over (x)} 0 {circumflex over (x)} 1 . . . {circumflex over (x)} N−1 ) corresponding to a received sequence of M digital data (r 0 r 1 . . . r M−1 ), the method comprising: a) determining candidate sequences of M RS digital data from a reduced reference sequence space comprising 2 N RS reduced reference sequences of M RS reference digital data (s 0 s 1 . . . s M RS −1 ), M RS being less than M, and 2 N RS being less than or equal to 2 N ; b) making up each candidate sequence with the remaining reference digital data to obtain at least one complete candidate sequence of M digital data; and c) determining the sequence of N bits ({circumflex over (x)} 0 {circumflex over (x)} 1 . . . {circumflex over (x)} N−1 ) from the complete candidate sequences.