Patent ID: 7907637

Claim:
A method of acquisition in a mobile multimedia multicast system, said method comprising: receiving a superframe comprising a first digital symbol in a receiver operating in a first state of operation; assuming the first received digital symbol to be a Time Division Multiplexed (TDM) pilot symbol; calculating a first sparseness index of said first symbol; storing said first sparseness index; operating said receiver in a second state of operation; receiving a second digital symbol; calculating a second sparseness index for said second digital symbol; said receiver remaining in said second state of operation when said second sparseness index is greater than said first sparseness index, wherein said second digital symbol is assumed to be said TDM pilot symbol; verifying that the last assumed TDM pilot symbol is the correct TDM pilot of said superframe, wherein when said second sparseness index is less than said first sparseness index, then said method further comprising: said receiver assuming said second digital symbol is a Wide-area Identification Channel (WIC) symbol; and said receiver switching to a third state of operation; receiving additional new digital symbols; comparing a sparseness index of each said additional digital symbols with said first sparseness index; and said receiver switching to said second state of operation whenever a sparseness index of a newly received digital symbol is greater than said first sparseness index, wherein when the sparseness index of said newly received digital symbol is less than said first sparseness index, then said method further comprising: said receiver switching to a fourth state of operation; said receiver switching to a fifth state of operation upon completion of said fourth state of operation; said receiver switching to a sixth state of operation upon completion of said fifth state of operation; said receiver switching to a seventh state of operation upon completion of said sixth state of operation; and said receiver remaining in said seventh state of operation as long as each newly arriving digital symbol has a smaller sparseness index than said first sparseness index.