Patent ID: 7158505

Claim:
A user equipment (UE) for conducting cell search in a wireless communication system having a plurality of base stations, each of which transmits a common primary synchronization code (PSC) in a primary synchronization channel at a different timing within a system frame, and a midamble code in a broadcast channel, a transmitted power level of the PSC and the midamble code being at a common fixed ratio for each of said base stations, the UE comprising; a receiver configured to receive said PSCs and said midamble codes; means for identifying a received midamble code having a highest power level, said identifying means including: a signal power measuring device for measuring the power level of received PSCs and identifying a frame timing of received PSCs which exceed a power threshold; and a processor configured to analyze data signals received in the primary synchronization channel associated with the PSC having the highest power level of said received PSCs which exceeded said power threshold; and said processor further configured to synchronize with the base station associated with the received midamble code identified as having the highest power level.