Abstract: A method for enabling synchronization of a communications terminal in a wireless communication system, and a corresponding acquisition system of the communications terminal, wherein the method consists of the steps of: receiving a burst at a receiver of the communications terminal, the burst containing a composite waveform including two or more component waveforms, wherein each of the two or more waveforms has a known frequency variation throughout the burst; detecting the presence of the composite waveform; and estimating a frequency offset and a timing offset of the composite waveform as received into the receiver, whereby synchronization is achieved.

Abstract: A system and method for establishing an integrated forward error correction (FEC) scheme to perform multi-rate encoding on different priority data bits of a channel access message transmitted on a random access channel between devices of a communications network, such as between an access terminal and a base station of a satellite-based communications network. The channel access message includes a first data group representing first information and a second data group representing second information, which is transmitted between an access terminal and a base station in a satellite-based communications network. The system and method encodes the second data group at an encoding rate to provide a second encoded data group, and encodes the first data group at the same encoding rate to provide a first encoded data group. The encoding of the first and second data groups is performed by a single encoder, such as a rate ¼ convolutional encoder.

Abstract: A system and method for establishing an integrated forward error correction (FEC) scheme to perform multi-rate encoding on different priority data bits of a channel access message transmitted on a random access channel between devices of a communications network, such as between an access terminal and a base station of a satellite-based communications network. The channel access message includes a first data group representing first information and a second data group representing second information, which is transmitted between an access terminal and a base station in a satellite-based communications network. The system and method encodes the second data group at an encoding rate to provide a second encoded data group, and encodes the first data group at the same encoding rate to provide a first encoded data group. The encoding of the first and second data groups is performed by a single encoder, such as a rate ¼ convolutional encoder.

Abstract: A waveform to be transmitted as a burst within a channel that is used for the synchronization of unsynchronized wireless communications terminals in a wireless communications system, and a method of synchronization involving the waveform, that consists of a composite waveform. The composite waveform comprises two or more component waveforms, wherein each of the two or more component waveforms has a known frequency variation throughout the burst. The composite waveform has a composite bandwidth on an order of an available channel bandwidth and each of said two or more component waveforms have a component bandwidth on the order of the available channel bandwidth. Furthermore, a range of values for the differences between the instantaneous frequencies of two of said two or more component waveforms is on an order of twice of said available channel bandwidth.

Abstract: A method for improving spectral sampling using Discrete Fourier Transforms in a processor to detect a continuous wave (CW) signal in a burst having large initial uncertainties comprises the steps of dividing the burst into smaller sub-bursts; performing a Discrete Fourier Transform on each sub-burst; and non-coherently combining each sub-burst. A further variation includes selecting an optimal number L of sub-bursts based upon system performance, and desired detection performance at a minimum operating signal to noise ratio.

Abstract: A high bandwidth efficient spread spectrum modulation using chirp waveform. The invention provides a method and apparatus for effecting the high bandwidth efficient spread spectrum modulation using chirp waveform. The method involves reducing the data rate by narrowing the bandwidth or by using a smaller set of orthogonal sequences. The apparatus includes a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter includes an encoder, an interleaver, a serial to parallel convertor, a baseband modulator that modulates the original bits onto each orthogonal sequence, and IF modulation. The receiver includes a down converter, an analog to digital converter, digital correlators, a synchronizer, a parallel to serial convertor, a deinterleaver, and a decoder.

Abstract: A method of channel estimation in a wireless communication system has steps of receiving a data burst comprising a plurality of portions of known data, and remaining data that is unknown; comparing reference data to each of the plurality of portions of known data and determining error for each of the portions of known data; averaging the determined error for predetermined ones of the portions of known data; and estimating error for at least a portion of the remaining data as a function of the determined error having been averaged.