Patent ID: 6452961
Filing Date: 2002-09-17
Classification: G01S,H04B

Abstract:
A method that sequentially detects the presence of a pseudorandom noise (PN) code signal in a massively parallel acquisition correlator where an amount of correlation is indicated in a frequency-time array, the method comprising:(a) maintaining a plurality of correlation data in a frequency-time array, where an element of the frequency-time array corresponds to an amount of correlation at a frequency offset and a tap position; (b) accumulating the elements of the frequency-time array with a plurality of magnitudes of coherent integration samples, where the coherent integration sample corresponds to the frequency offset and tap position of the element; (c) searching the frequency-time array for the element corresponding to the highest amount of correlation, a content of the element termed a peak content; (d) comparing the peak content against a threshold; (e) ending the detection in a non-detected state if the peak content is below the threshold, and raising the threshold by a bias if the peak content is at or above the threshold; (f) unless (e) results in ending the detection in a non-detected state, repeating (a), (b), (c), (d), and (e) for a predetermined number of iterations; and (g) ending the detection in a detected state after the predetermined number of iterations.