Patent ID: 7613229

Claim:
A method of managing fingers for multipath signals in a wireless communication device, said method comprising: receiving said multipath signals at said wireless communication device; acquiring one of said multipath signals in a searcher portion of said wireless communication device; determining a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) level of said one of said multipath signals; evaluating said one of said multipath signals for categorization into one of a plurality of states using at least one SNR threshold; generating a finger assignment by selectively providing said one of said multipath signals for a demodulation operation based upon its state; receiving said finger assignment from said searcher portion of said communication device; determining a signal-strength for said finger assignment; enabling said finger assignment for a combine operation if said signal-strength for said finger assignment satiates a first signal-strength threshold; preventing said finger assignment from being deassigned if said signal-strength of said finger assignment satiates a second signal-strength threshold, said second signal-strength threshold being less than said first signal-strength threshold; and determining a time period over which said signal-strength of said finger assignment satiates said second signal-strength threshold but is below said first signal-strength threshold, wherein said finger assignment is allowed to be deassigned if said time period exceeds a time threshold.