Abstract: A method for detecting a constant envelope burst-mode radio frequency (RF) signal with a known periodic synchronization sequence (PSS) represented therein includes transforming an incoming RF signal into a digital baseband signal (DBS), and processing the phase domain part by: 1) applying a correlation algorithm to correlate the DBS with a synchronization pattern corresponding to the PSS, 2) filtering the resulting correlation signal for removing at least a DC component of the correlation signal, 3) down-sampling the filtered correlation signal with a sampling time controlled by a clock aligned with amplitude peaks in the filtered correlation signal, 4) performing a decision algorithm on the down-sampled signal to determine if PSS is present in the incoming RF signal, then 5) generating an output signal indicating if the known PSS is present in the incoming RF signal, in response to a result of the decision algorithm.

Abstract: A method for detecting a constant envelope burst-mode radio frequency (RF) signal with a known periodic synchronization sequence (PSS) represented therein, e.g. to be for reading of data from utility meters. An incoming RF signal is transformed into a digital baseband signal (DBS), and the phase domain part is processed by: 1) applying a correlation algorithm to correlate the DBS with a synchronization pattern corresponding to the PSS. 2) filtering the resulting correlation signal for removing at least a DC component of the correlation signal. 3) down-sampling the filtered correlation signal (or the correlation signal) with a sampling time controlled by a clock aligned with amplitude peaks in the filtered correlation signal (or the correlation signal). 4) performing a decision algorithm on the down-sampled signal to determine if PSS is present in the incoming RF signal.