Rapid acquisition of pn synchronization in a direct-sequence spread-spectrum digital communications system

Abstract

In a direct sequence spread spectrum communication system, a system and method for recovering the timing of a pseudo-random noise (PN) sequence used for despreading the received signals. In one embodiment, the communication system is a time-division duplexing (TDD) or a time-division multiple-access (TDMA) system. A receiver in the communication system uses a “sliding correlator” maximal-likelihood (ML) detection system to scan through a range of possible PN phases to determine the correct one. In one embodiment of a method for performing the synchronization, a receiver acquires the PN phase by repeating the ML detection for a time greater than or equal to the period of the TDD or TDMA frames, with a sufficiently high repetition rate to ensure that the correct PN phase is examined at least once during a received frame. The acquisition is thereby completed within a fixed amount of time. One embodiment of a system for performing the synchronization includes an input for the received signal, a receiver PN clock, and an ML detection logic. The ML detection logic repeats the ML detection so that at least one complete set of PN phases is examined during a time when the received signal is active. In another embodiment of the method, the receiver acquires the PN phase by performing the ML detection during a timeslot in which a received frame is expected. Again, the acquisition is completed within a fixed amount of time.