Patent ID: 7702048

Claim:
An interference canceller configured for performing at least one iteration for each of a plurality of input symbol estimates for producing updated interference-cancelled symbol estimates, the canceller comprising a weighting module, the weighting module configured to apply at least one symbol weight to the plurality of input symbol estimates, the at least one symbol weight comprising a function of an input symbol merit, wherein the canceller is configured to measure the input symbol merit as at least one of a set of functions, the set comprising a function of an average ratio of signal power to interference-plus-noise power, and a function of at least one of the plurality of input symbol estimates and proximity of at least one of the plurality of input symbol estimates to a nearby constellation point, and wherein the function of the average ratio of signal power to interference-plus-noise power is substantially characterized by γ [ i ] = max ⁢ { C , 1 1 + 1 / SINR [ i ] } , where γ [i] is a symbol weight after an i th iteration of the interference canceller, max { } is a function for selecting a maximum value from a set of quantities within brackets { }, SINR [i] denotes an average ratio of signal power to interference-plus-noise power (SINR) of the symbol after the i th iteration of the interference canceller, and C is a non-negative real constant for enforcing a minimum symbol weight.