Spread spectrum multipath receiver apparatus and method

Abstract

An apparatus for adapting to receive a particular path, having the greatest amplitude, of a spread-spectrum signal with multipath. The spread-spectrum signal is modulated by a chip-code. A chip-code generator generates a chip-code signal having the same chip-code as the spread-spectrum signal. A plurality of shift registers shift the chip-code signal by a plurality of time delays. First and second ring counters generate first and second sequencing signals for controlling first and second switching devices. The first switching device successively switches between a plurality of taps of the shift registers in a direction of increasing or decreasing delays for generating the chip-code signal with the first time delay. The second switching device successively switches between the plurality of taps of the shift registers in a direction of increasing or decreasing delays for generating the chip-code signal with a second time delay. A first correlator correlates the spread-spectrum signal received at the input with the chip-code signal with the first time delay. A second correlator correlates the spread-spectrum signal received at the input with the chip-code signal with the second time delay. A comparator generates first and second comparator signals by comparing the outputs of the first correlator and the second correlator.