The adaptive filter for system identification is an adaptive filter that uses an algorithm in the feedback loop that is designed to provide better performance when the unknown system model has sparse input, i.e., when the filter has only a few non-zero coefficients, such as digital TV transmission channels and echo paths. In a first embodiment, the algorithm is the Normalized Least Mean Square (NLMS) algorithm in which the filter coefficients are updated at each iteration according to:
where the step size μ is varied according to μ(i+1)=αμ(i)+γ|e(i)|. In a second embodiment, the algorithm is a Reweighted Zero Attracting LMS (RZA-LMS) algorithm in which the filter coefficients are updated at each iteration according to:
where the step size μ is varied according to μ(i+1)=αμ(i)+γ|e(i)|. The adaptive filter may be implemented on a digital signal processor (DSP), an ASIC, or by FPGAs.