Patent ID: 7215699

Claim:
A path timing detection method in which code division multiple access signals are received by an array antenna and path timings are detected, said method comprising: a step of despreading the received signals over a plurality of chip timings and outputting despread signal sequences; a step of forming a plurality of directional beams from the despread signal sequences and outputting signal sequences of the respective beams; a step of generating delay profiles with respect to the respective beams from the signal sequences of the respective beams; and a step of selecting path timings one after another from chip timings in all the delay profiles, wherein, in said step of selecting the path timings, chip timings within a minimum selection timing interval corresponding to ±Nr chip timings centered about a chip timing already selected as a one of the path timings and chip timings within the minimum selection timing interval in each beam within a minimum selection beam interval corresponding to ±Nb beams centered about the beam associated with the one of the chip timings already selected are not selected in path timing detection subsequently performed, wherein Nr is an integer greater than or equal to one, and wherein Nb is an integer greater than or equal to one.