Patent ID: 8467365

Claim:
A method of searching for a target spread spectrum signal for a mobile station, said target spread spectrum signal having a nominal phase, said method comprising: said mobile station receiving a base station almanac, wherein said base station almanac identifies locations of a plurality of transmitters in a spread spectrum communication system; said mobile station receiving a synchronization signal from a source transmitter, said synchronization signal providing information regarding a system time used by said spread spectrum communication system; said mobile station developing a mobile station time based on said synchronization signal, wherein said mobile station time differs from said system time by a source-transmitter transmission delay; estimating said source-transmitter transmission delay; said mobile station obtaining a target transmitter location of a target transmitter from said base station almanac, wherein said target transmitter transmits said target spread spectrum signal; estimating a mobile station location of said mobile station; estimating a target-transmitter transmission delay based on at least said target transmitter location and said mobile station location; calculating an expected phase of said target spread spectrum signal at said mobile station based on at least said nominal phase, said source-transmitter transmission delay, and said target-transmitter transmission delay; and said mobile station searching for a spread spectrum signal having a phase at said mobile station that is within a predefined range of said expected phase.