Abstract: An improvement to a code-division-multiple-access (CDMA) system employing spread-spectrum modulation, with the CDMA system having a base station (BS) and a plurality of remote stations. The base station has a BS-spread-spectrum transmitter and a BS-spread-spectrum receiver. A remote station has an RS-spread-spectrum transmitter and an RS-spread-spectrum receiver. The BS transmitter transmits a broadcast common-synchronization channel, which includes a frame-timing signal. The broadcast common-synchronization channel has a common chip-sequence signal, which is common to the plurality of remote stations. In response to the RS-spread-spectrum receiver receiving the broadcast common-synchronization channel, and determining frame timing from the frame-timing signal, an RS-spread-spectrum transmitter transmits an access burst signal, which includes a plurality of RS-preamble signals, RS-power-control signals, and RS-pilot signals, respectively, transmitted in time, at increasing power levels.

Abstract: A subsystem and method for combining a spread-spectrum signal arriving from a plurality of paths. A header-matched filter detects each match of a header-chip-sequence signal with a first impulse response and, in response to the detection, outputs a header-detection signal having a header amplitude and a respective chip location. A data-matched filter detects, at the respective chip location of each header-detection signal, a respective data-chip-sequence signal and outputs a data-detection signal having a data amplitude. A combiner multiplies the header amplitude of each header-detection signal and the data amplitude of the respective data symbol to generate a plurality of weighted elements for each data symbol. The combiner then adds the plurality of weighted elements for each data symbol as a sum signal of the respective data symbol.

Abstract: A multi-channel spread-spectrum system separates a data stream, for example from a convolutional encoder and an interleaver, into sub-channel data-sequence signals. For each sub-channel data-sequence signal, m bits are translated to one code of a unique set of orthogonal chip-sequence signals. The other k bits of the same sub-channel data-sequence signal are translated to a distinct phasor. Each phasor is used to modulate the respective chip-sequence signal. A complex-signal combiner combines the real and imaginary components of all the phase-modulated chip-sequence signals into in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) spread-spectrum multi-channel signals, which are spread by a cell-site specific signature-sequence. The receiver decorrelates the received spread-spectrum signal, preferably with a bank of matched filter (MF) joint-detectors, to recover the bits from all the spread-spectrum sub-channel signals for remultiplexing into the transmitted data stream.

Abstract: A multi-channel spread-spectrum system separates a data stream, for example from a convolutional encoder and an interleaver, into sub-channel data-sequence signals. For each sub-channel data-sequence signal, m bits are translated to one code of a unique set of orthogonal chip-sequence signals. The other k bits of the same sub-channel data-sequence signal are translated to a distinct phasor. Each phasor is used to modulate the respective chip-sequence signal. A complex-signal combiner combines the real and imaginary components of all the phase-modulated chip-sequence signals into in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) spread-spectrum multi-channel signals, which are spread by a cell-site specific signature-sequence. The receiver decorrelates the received spread-spectrum signal, preferably with a bank of matched filter (MF) joint-detectors, to recover the bits from all the spread-spectrum sub-channel signals for remultiplexing into the transmitted data stream.

Abstract: Multi-path effects are common in mobile communications. When coupled with spread-spectrum signals utilizing spreading code sequences, detection of more than one multi-path signal becomes a necessity in order to output a clean signal with little loss. In accord with the invention, a spread-spectrum sliding matched-filter searcher system comprises a partial matched-filter that receives the input spread-spectrum signal. The searcher matches samples of the input signal with a tap length m of the reference code and produces a first correlation value. The first correlation value is compared to a first threshold. When it equals or exceeds the first threshold, the first correlation value is integrated to produce a second correlation value. This second value is compared with a second threshold, which if met signifies the detection of the multi-path signal. The process is repeated until all significant multi-path signals are detected.

Abstract: In a cellular spread-spectrum communications network, a system and method for handing off a remote station from a source-base station to a target-base station without loss of data. The remote station receives a first spread-spectrum signal having a first signal quality from the source-base station and transmits data to the source-base station at a first data rate and a first power level. Responsive to monitoring the first signal quality and comparing the first signal quality to a plurality of signal qualities of a respective plurality of received-spread-spectrum signals, the remote station initiates handoff when any of a number of predetermined criteria are met. Upon initiating handoff to the target-base station, the remote station stores the data that would otherwise have been transmitted.

Abstract: A sectorized smart antenna system includes multiple sector antennas with a software control algorithm for flexible association of physical antennas to a logical serving sector to provide signal coverage in a particular region of the cell served by the base station. The control algorithm can adapt to different situations without requiring any, or only very limited, physical hardware changes to reconfigure a base station to balance the traffic load throughout the cell. The smart antenna system and method includes measuring and recording a mobile station's signal strengths and its rate of changes received by an antenna in a serving sector relative to other antennas in either the same serving sector or different serving sector to determine the mobile station location and its movement, determining when a threshold signal level is reached, and handing-off the mobile station to an adjacent antenna, serving sector, or cell.

Abstract: Multi-path effects are common in mobile communications. When coupled with spread-spectrum signals utilizing spreading code sequences, detection of more than one multi-path signal becomes a necessity in order to output a clean signal with little loss. In accord with the invention, a spread-spectrum sliding matched-filter searcher system comprises a partial matched-filter that receives the input spread-spectrum signal. The searcher matches samples of the input signal with a tap length m of the reference code and produces a first correlation value. The first correlation value is compared to a first threshold. When it equals or exceeds the first threshold, the first correlation value is integrated to produce a second correlation value. This second value is compared with a second threshold, which if met signifies the detection of the multi-path signal. The process is repeated until all significant multi-path signals are detected.

Abstract: A spread-spectrum-phase-locked-loop apparatus and method for coherent detection without a pilot channel. The system comprises symbol-matched means, a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), a first product device, a second product device, a third product device, a fourth product device, a first combiner, a second combiner, and a fifth product device. The method comprises the steps of despreading, from a received spread-spectrum signal, an in-phase component and a quadrature-phase component of a symbol sequence signal using the symbol-matched means. The first and second product devices multiply the despread in-phase component by the VCO-cosine and the VCO-sine signals, respectively, to generate a first and a second product signal. The third and fourth product devices multiply the despread quadrature-phase component by the VCO-sine and the VCO-cosine signals, respectively, to generate a third and a fourth product signal.

Abstract: An improvement to a code-division-multiple-access (CDMA) system employing spread-spectrum modulation, with the CDMA system having a base station (BS) and a plurality of remote stations. The base station has a BS-spread-spectrum transmitter and a BS-spread-spectrum receiver. A remote station has an RS-spread-spectrum transmitter and an RS-spread-spectrum receiver. The BS transmitter transmits a broadcast common-synchronization channel, which includes a frame-timing signal. The broadcast common-synchronization channel has a common chip-sequence signal, which is common to the plurality of remote stations. In response to the RS-spread-spectrum receiver receiving the broadcast common-synchronization channel, and determining frame timing from the frame-timing signal, an RS-spread-spectrum transmitter transmits an access-burst signal. The BS-spread-spectrum transmitter, responsive to the BS-spread-spectrum receiver receiving the access-burst signal, transmits an acknowledgment signal.

Abstract: Encoding and transmitting packet-switched, spread-spectrum data. Data are encoded for privacy and to restrict intelligent receipt of the data to the intended recipient. The encoded data are demultiplexed into sub-data-sequence signals. The sub-data-sequence signals are spread-spectrum processed and combined as a multichannel spread-spectrum signal. The multichannel spread-spectrum signal is concatenated with a header to make a packet-spread-spectrum signal. The packet-spread-spectrum signal is transmitted over radio waves to a packet receiver. The packet receiver obtains timing for the multichannel spread-spectrum signal from the header. The packet receiver depsreads the multichannel spread-spectrum signal, and multiplexes the despread multichannel spread-spectrum signal as received-encoded data. The received-encoded data is decoded by the intended recipient and may be stored in a receiver memory or outputted directly.

Abstract: A system and method for handing off a remote unit from a first base station to a second base station, in a cellular spread-spectrum communications network, without loss of data. The remote unit transmits data to the first base station at a first data rate, and receives a first spread-spectrum signal having a first signal quality from the first base station. The remote unit monitors the first signal quality and compares the first signal quality to a plurality of signal qualities of a respective plurality of received-spread-spectrum signals. The remote unit initiates handoff when any of a number of predetermined criteria are met. Upon initiating handoff to the second base station, the remote unit stores the data that would otherwise have been transmitted. Once handoff is complete, the remote unit transmits the stored data to the second base station at a second data rate, with the second data rate greater than the first data rate.

Abstract: A two-step automatic-gain-control (AGC) loop for use with a receiver. An AGC amplifier amplifies a received signal. From an output signal from the AGC amplifier, a received-signal-strength-indicator (RSSI) circuit generates an RSSI signal proportional to a received-signal-power level of the received signal. An RSSI-mapping circuit has an RSSI-mapping table. From the RSSI signal, the RSSI-mapping circuit, using the RSSI-mapping table, generates an AGC signal. An AGC-storing circuit stores the AGC signal. The AGC amplifier uses the stored-AGC signal to adjust the AGC gain. A converter circuit converts the output signal from the AGC amplifier to an in-phase component and a quadrature-phase component at a processing frequency. The error circuit determines an error signal from the in-phase component and the quadrature-phase component.

Abstract: An improvement to a code-division-multiple-access (CDMA) system employing spread-spectrum modulation, with the CDMA system having a base station (BS) and a plurality of remote stations. The base station has a BS-spread-spectrum transmitter and a BS-spread-spectrum receiver. A remote station has an RS-spread-spectrum transmitter and an RS-spread-spectrum receiver. The BS transmitter transmits a broadcast common-synchronization channel, which includes a frame-timing signal. The broadcast common-synchronization channel has a common chip-sequence signal, which is common to the plurality of remote stations. In response to the RS-spread-spectrum receiver receiving the broadcast common-synchronization channel, and determining frame timing from the frame-timing signal, an RS-spread-spectrum transmitter transmits an access-burst signal. The BS-spread-spectrum transmitter, responsive to the BS-spread-spectrum receiver receiving the access-burst signal, transmits an acknowledgment signal.

Abstract: A system and method for encoding and transmitting data with a spread-spectrum time-division-multiple-access (SS-TDMA) system. Data to be transmitted by a SS-TDMA transmitter are sent within a particular specified group of time slots. Random packets also can be sent by transmission during an open time slot. The TDMA data are demultiplexed into sub-data-sequence signals, each of which are spread-spectrum processed and then combined as a multichannel, BPSK, QPSK or QAM spread-spectrum signal. The multichannel spread-spectrum signal is concatenated with a header to output a packet-spread-spectrum signal which is transmitted over radio waves to a packet receiver. The packet receiver obtains timing for the multichannel spread-spectrum signal from the header. The multichannel spread-spectrum signal is then despread and multiplexed as received-TDMA data. The received-TDMA data are selected from a particular time slot by the intended recipient and stored in a receiver memory for output.

Abstract: A spread-spectrum-phase-locked-loop apparatus and method for coherent detection without a pilot channel. The system comprises symbol-matched means, a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), a first product device, a second product device, a third product device, a fourth product device, a first combiner, a second combiner, and a fifth product device. The method comprises the steps of despreading, from a received spread-spectrum signal, an in-phase component and a quadrature-phase component of a symbol sequence signal using the symbol-matched means. The first and second product devices multiply the despread in-phase component by the VCO-cosine and the VCO-sine signals, respectively, to generate a first and a second product signal. The third and fourth product devices multiply the despread quadrature-phase component by the VCO-sine and the VCO-cosine signals, respectively, to generate a third and a fourth product signal.

Abstract: A spread-spectrum receiver for time sharing a correlator for simultaneously receiving a plurality of parallel spread-spectrum signals. A combined multiplicity of symbols includes a multiplicity of symbols, simultaneously occurring during a symbol-time duration, from a plurality of spread-spectrum signals. A demultiplexer demultiplexes a sequence of the combined multiplicity of symbols into a plurality of symbol registers. Each of the symbol registers stores the chip-sequence signals corresponding to the combined multiplicity of symbols which were sent to the particular symbol register. A multiplexer selects a symbol register, other than the symbol register selected by the demultiplexer. The multiplicity of chip-sequence signals stored in the selected symbol register by the multiplexer are compared by a comparator with a multiplicity of replicas of the chip-sequence signals used to generate the spread-spectrum signals.

Abstract: A system and method using a Costas loop to effect accelerated convergence with minimal system complexity. The system comprises an in-phase-limiter and a quadrature-phase limiter, operatively coupled to an EXCLUSIVE-OR gate, for exclusively-ORing an in-phase-sign signal and a quadrature-phase-sign signal to output a first error signal, responsive to the signals having same signs, or a second error signal, responsive to the signals having different signs. An AGC circuit, operatively coupled to an output of the EXCLUSIVE-OR gate, increases and decreases a voltage level of an AGC signal responsive to two consecutive first or second error signals and consecutive dissimilar error signals, respectively. A voltage-controlled oscillator, operatively coupled to an output of the AGC circuit and responsive to the increased or decreased voltage level, changes the frequency of a voltage-controlled-oscillator output signal.

Abstract: A system for maintaining orthogonality among a plurality of spread-spectrum signals arriving at a base station from a plurality of remote units. Each spread-spectrum signal of the plurality of spread-spectrum signals from each remote unit of the plurality of remote units is transmitted as a packet having a header followed by data. A base station sends a plurality of adjustment signals over a communications channel to the plurality of remote units, respectively. At each remote unit, a circuit selects, from the plurality of adjustment signals, a received-adjustment signal designated for each remote unit. A chip-sequence generator, located at each remote unit, generates a chip-sequence signal assigned to a respective remote unit and, responsive to the adjustment signal, adjusts timing of a chip-sequence signal generated by the chip-sequence generator.

Abstract: A system and method for W-CDMA transmissions from the base to a remote unit and spread-TDMA transmissions from the remote unit to the base. By using spread-TDMA on the reverse link, limitations inherent with the use of CDMA due to non-zero cross correlation are avoided. The resulting system provides high quality performance in both directions.