Abstract: In an integrated satellite receiver, improved header acquisition techniques are described for quickly locating a header symbol sequence in a data stream substantially implemented on a single CMOS integrated circuit. To identify the location of a header symbol sequence in a data stream, a selected header acquisition technique employs a real time correlator followed by an accumulator. Once accumulation over a predetermined number of frames is finished, the largest or maximum value among the accumulated correlator values is identified. If the maximum value exceeds a threshold, it will be declared as a peak and the address associated is the peak timing.

Abstract: In an integrated satellite receiver, improved header acquisition techniques are described for quickly locating a header symbol sequence in a data stream substantially implemented on a single CMOS integrated circuit. To identify the location of a header symbol sequence in a data stream, a selected header acquisition technique employs a real time correlator followed by an accumulator. In accordance with an alternative embodiment which reduces the cost very efficiently, a real time correlator is followed by a comparator to pick out and store the top N correlator values from NS symbols in a frame. The timing addresses associated with the stored correlator values are used during an accumulation mode of operation whereby a cumulative memory is used to accumulate the correlator value of each stored timing address. Once accumulation over a predetermined number of frames is finished, the largest or maximum value among the accumulated correlator values is identified.