Abstract: Method for randomly detecting a unique word comprising M bits in a predetermined number of segments within a frame containing L bits of data, where M and L are integers greater than one and wherein M is less than L, includes steps for (a) randomly sampling the data to thereby obtain the segments, (b) comparing a first segment of the segments with the first portion of an actual unique word so as to permit determination of a match between the first segment and the first portion of the actual unique word, (c) when a match is found between the first segment and the respective portion of the actual unique word, comparing a next segment of the segments with the next portion of the actual unique word, (d) when a match is found between the next segment and the next portion of the actual unique word, repeating step (c) until all of the segments are matched with corresponding portions of the actual unique word, and (e) when the comparison of any segment does not result in an appropriate match, returning to step (a) to