Abstract: A correlation method and a digital correlation device allowing detection of the occurrence of a coded reference sequence including N code elements or chips in a sampled reception signal are described. The reception signal is sampled at a frequency equal to d times the chip rate of the reference sequence, and d×Nd correlation values are generated for d×Nd successive delays of the reception signal, Nd being a lower number than the number N of chips. Each correlation value, for a given delay of the reception signal, is obtained, according to the present invention, at the end of a plurality of correlation operations during which partial correlation values covering code portions including Nd successive chips of the reference sequence are generated.