Patent ID: 7471754

Claim:
A method for fine synchronization of a digital telecommunication receiver, comprising a code tracking process for maintaining fine alignment between an incoming spread spectrum signal and a locally generated code, said method comprising: storing a plurality of consecutive samples (E−1, E, M, L, L+1) of said incoming spread spectrum signal in a delay line ( 56 ); determining by interpolation between consecutive samples of said incoming spread spectrum signal, by means of a first ( 26 ) digitally controlled interpolator, an interpolated early sample (e) anticipating an optimal sampling time instant; determining by interpolation between consecutive samples of said incoming spread spectrum signal, by means of a second ( 24 ) digitally controlled interpolator, an interpolated middle sample (m) corresponding to said optimal sampling time instant; determining by interpolation between consecutive samples of said incoming spread spectrum signal, by means of a third ( 28 ) digitally controlled interpolator, an interpolated late sample (l) delayed with respect to said optimal sampling time instant; calculating an error signal (ξ) as the difference between the energy of the symbols computed from said interpolated early (e) and late (l) samples; characterised in that said method further comprises the following steps: extracting the sign of said error signal (ξ); accumulating said sign of said error signal (ξ) for the generation of control signals (S E , S M , S L ) for controlling the interpolation phases of said digitally controlled interpolators; wherein the time distance between said interpolated early (e) and late (l) samples varies in relation with a first of said control signal (S M ), and the time resolution used for determining by interpolation said interpolated early (e) and late (l) samples is lower than the time resolution used for determining by interpolation said middle interpolated sample (m).