Patent ID: 7272189

Claim:
A method for determining in a radio communications system a presence of multiple carrier frequency components in an electrical signal having at least one set of peaks in a defined portion of the frequency spectrum, comprising steps of: receiving an electrical signal having multiple carrier frequency components; creating frequency bins through spectral characterization of at least a portion of the frequency spectrum containing the multiple carrier frequency components, wherein resolution of said spectral characterization is finer than said portion of the frequency spectrum containing said multiple carrier frequency components, determining a set of peaks by measuring signal level in at least three of said frequency bins; calculating a value for at least one characteristic of said set of peaks based on results of said measuring of signal level; defining a range of values of the characteristic that indicates said presence of multiple carrier components; comparing the calculated characteristic value against the values in the defined range of values; determining that said multiple carrier frequency components are present when said calculated value falls within said defined range of values; terminating reception in said radio communications system of said electrical signal when said calculated value does not fall within said defined range of values.