Patent ID: 6219345
Filing Date: 2001-04-17
Classification: H04B,H04L,H04W

Abstract:
In a time domain multiple access mobile communication system having at least one base station and at least one mobile unit where information is transmitted therebetween in a burst transmission mode, an apparatus for locating a known pattern in each signal burst so as to synchronize system timing of said mobile unit with said base station, said apparatus comprising:a receiver, said receiver recovering said signal bursts and developing base-band complex digital samples from said signal burst; anda correlator and interpolator, said correlator and interpolator determining the time of arrival of each signal burst and refining the activation of said receiver, said interpolator comprising a parabolic interpolator for comparing correlator samples and selecting a coarse peak indicating a coarse estimate of the time of arrival of a signal burst from correlator samples derived from a portion of said signal burst and interpolating a time offset of a fine peak relative to said course peak by fitting a second order polynomial curve to a first sample corresponding to the course peak and one or more adjacent samples on either side of the first sample, and determining the time offset of the fine peak relative to the course peak based on where the polynomial reaches a maximum.