A method includes receiving a signal including a two-dimensional signal pattern in a time-frequency representation, the two-dimensional signal pattern including first reference resource elements at predetermined positions in the two-dimensional signal pattern. The method further includes determining a first covariance measure based on the first reference resource elements of the signal pattern. The method further includes determining a second covariance measure based on resource elements of the signal pattern different from the first reference resource elements. The method further includes determining a noise and interference covariance measure of the received signal based on the first covariance measure and based on the second covariance measure.