Patent ID: 7324559
Filing Date: 2008-01-29
Classification: H04J,H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of synchronizing a base station with a remote terminal, in which the base station has a base oscillator, the base oscillator having a base sample period, and in which the remote terminal has a remote oscillator, the remote oscillator having a remote sample period, the method comprising the steps of: transmitting a training sequence from the remote terminal to the base station over a channel; upon receipt of the training sequence at the base station, transmitting a first vernier signal from the base station to the remote terminal over the channel, in which the first vernier signal comprises successive time segments, each time segment being offset in time from a multiple of the remote sample period by different multiples of a fraction of the remote sample period; identifying a time segment in the successive time segments that upon receipt by the remote terminal most closely matches the remote oscillator; determining a first time offset between the base oscillator and the remote oscillator from the identified time segment; and advancing signals transmitted from the base station to the remote terminal by the first time offset.