Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for use in a synchronous CDMA communications system (10) that employs orthogonal pn spreading codes. The methods are intended for synchronizing transmissions from a subscriber unit (SU 14) to a radio base unit (RBU 12), and include the steps of: (a) transmitting individual ones of a plurality of bursts from the SU to the RBU, each burst being transmitted with a different pn spreading code timing alignment; (b) receiving individual ones of the plurality of bursts with the RBU and determining a power estimate of each received burst; and (c) in response to a determined power estimate of one of the bursts exceeding a threshold, sending a message from the RBU to the SU. The message indicates that the SU is to use for subsequent transmissions the pn spreading code timing alignment that was employed when transmitting the burst that exceeded the threshold.

Abstract: An electronic data transmission system has a low peak-to-average power ratio by including a transmitter circuit which receives an input signal and in response generates a distorted output signal. This distorted output signal is generated by amplifying the input signal with one particular gain when the input signal is at a maximum magnitude which gives the distorted output signal a corresponding maximum magnitude, and by amplifying the input signal with a larger gain when the input signal is in a predetermined range below the maximum magnitude. The distorted output signal travels over a communication channel to a receiver circuit, which regenerates the input signal by amplifying the distorted output signal with a gain that is the inverse of the gain by which the distorted signal is generated.