Spread spectrum correlator

Claim 1

An apparatus for decoding a received spread spectrum signal having a data signal modulated with a PN code, comprising: threshold setting means for analyzing the pattern and application of the data signal, noise environment, and amount of error correction, and determining upper- and lower-threshold levels; first reference-sequence-storage means for storing a first pseudo-noise signal; second reference-sequence-storage means for storing a second pseudo-noise signal; receive-sequence-storage means for storing the received spread spectrum signal; first chip-comparison means coupled to said first reference-sequence-storage means and said receive-sequence-storage means, and responsive to the received spread spectrum signal for comparing each chip of the received spread spectrum signal with each respective chip of the first pseudo-noise signal to generate a first plurality of chip-comparison signals; first summer means coupled to said first chip-comparison means and responsive to the first plurality of chip-comparison signals for adding the first plurality of chip-comparison signals to generate a first correlation signal; second chip-comparison means coupled to said second reference-sequence-storage means and said receive-sequence-storage means, and responsive to the received spread spectrum signal for comparing each chip of the received spread spectrum signal with each respective chip of the second pseudo-noise signal to generate a second plurality of chip-comparison signals; second summer means coupled to said second chip-comparison means and responsive to the second plurality of chip-comparison signals for adding the second plurality of chip-comparison signals to generate a second correlation signal; and comparison means coupled to said first summer means and said second summer means, and responsive to the first correlation signal being greater than the upper-threshold level for generating a first data-symbol signal, responsive to the first correlation signal being less than the lower-threshold level for generating a second data-symbol signal, responsive to the second correlation signal being less than the lower-threshold level for generating a third data-symbol signal, and responsive to the second correlation signal being greater than the upper-threshold level for generating a fourth data-symbol signal.

Claim 2

An apparatus for decoding a received spread spectrum signal having a data signal modulated with a PN code, comprising: threshold setting means for analyzing the pattern and application of the data signal, noise environment, and amount of error correction, and determining upper- and lower-threshold levels; first reference-sequence-storage means for storing a first pseudo-noise signal; second reference-sequence-storage means for storing a second pseudo-noise signal; receive-sequence-storage means for storing the received spread spectrum signal; first chip-comparison means coupled to said first reference-sequence-storage means and said receive-sequence-storage means, and responsive to the received spread spectrum signal for comparing each chip of the received spread spectrum signal with each respective chip of the first pseudo-noise signal to generate a first plurality of chip-comparison signals; first summer means coupled to said first chip-comparison means and responsive to the first plurality of chip-comparison signals for adding the first plurality of chip-comparison signals to generate a first correlation signal; second chip-comparison means coupled to said second reference-sequence-storage means and said receive-sequence-storage means, and responsive to the received spread spectrum signal for comparing each chip of the received spread spectrum signal with each respective chip of the second pseudo-noise signal to generate a second plurality of chip-comparison signals; second summer means coupled to said second chip-comparison means and responsive to the second plurality of chip-comparison signals for adding the second plurality of chip-comparison signals to generate a second correlation signal; and comparison means coupled to said first summer means and said second summer means, and responsive to the first correlation signal being greater than the upper-threshold level for generating a first data-symbol signal, responsive to the first correlation signal being less than the lower-threshold level for generating a second data-symbol signal, responsive to the second correlation signal being less than the lower-threshold level for generating a third data-symbol signal, and responsive to the second correlation signal being greater than the upper-threshold level for generating a fourth data-symbol signal.

Claim 6

An apparatus of decoding a received spread spectrum signal having a data signal modulated with a PN code, comprising: threshold setting means for analyzing the pattern and application of the data signal, noise environment, and mount of error correction, and determining upper- and lower-threshold levels; first reference-sequence-storage means for storing a first pseudo-noise signal; second reference-sequence-storage means for storing a second pseudo-noise signal; receive-sequence-storage means for storing the received spread spectrum signal; first chip-comparison means coupled to said first reference-sequence-storage means and said receive-sequence-storage means, and responsive to the received spread spectrum signal for comparing each chip of the received spread spectrum signal with each respective chip of the first pseudo-noise signal to generate a first plurality of chip-comparison signals; first summer means coupled to said first chip-comparison means and responsive to the first plurality of chip-comparison signals for adding the first plurality of chip-comparison signals to generate a first correlation signal; second chip-comparison means coupled to said second reference-sequence-storage means and said receive-sequence-storage means, and responsive to the received spread spectrum signal for comparing each chip of the received spread spectrum signal with each respective chip of the second pseudo-noise signal to generate a second plurality of chip-comparison signals; second summer means coupled to said second chip-comparison means and responsive to the second plurality of chip-comparison signals for adding the second plurality of chip-comparison signals to generate a second correlation signal; and comparison means coupled to said first summer means, and responsive to the first correlation signal being greater than the upper-threshold level for generating a first data-symbol signal, and responsive to the first correlation signal being less than the lower-threshold level for generating a second data-symbol signal.

Claim 7

An apparatus of decoding a received spread spectrum signal having a data signal modulated with a PN code, comprising: threshold setting means for analyzing the pattern and application of the data signal, noise environment, and mount of error correction, and determining upper- and lower-threshold levels; first reference-sequence-storage means for storing a first pseudo-noise signal; second reference-sequence-storage means for storing a second pseudo-noise signal; receive-sequence-storage means for storing the received spread spectrum signal; first chip-comparison means coupled to said first reference-sequence-storage means and said receive-sequence-storage means, and responsive to the received spread spectrum signal for comparing each chip of the received spread spectrum signal with each respective chip of the first pseudo-noise signal to generate a first plurality of chip-comparison signals; first summer means coupled to said first chip-comparison means and responsive to the first plurality of chip-comparison signals for adding the first plurality of chip-comparison signals to generate a first correlation signal; second chip-comparison means coupled to said second reference-sequence-storage means and said receive-sequence-storage means, and responsive to the received spread spectrum signal for comparing each chip of the received spread spectrum signal with each respective chip of the second pseudo-noise signal to generate a second plurality of chip-comparison signals; second summer means coupled to said second chip-comparison means and responsive to the second plurality of chip-comparison signals for adding the second plurality of chip-comparison signals to generate a second correlation signal; and comparison means coupled to said first summer means, and responsive to the first correlation signal being greater than the upper-threshold level for generating a first data-symbol signal, and responsive to the first correlation signal being less than the lower-threshold level for generating a second data-symbol signal.

Claim 11

An apparatus for decoding a received spread spectrum signal having a data signal modulated with a PN code, comprising: first reference-sequence-storage means for storing a first pseudo-noise signal; second reference-sequence-storage means for storing a second pseudo-noise signal; receive-sequence-storage means for storing the received spread spectrum signal; first chip-comparison means coupled to said first reference-sequence-storage means and said receive-sequence-storage means, and responsive to the received spread spectrum signal for comparing each chip of the received spread spectrum signal with each respective chip of the first pseudo-noise signal to generate a first plurality of chip-comparison signals; first summer means couple to said first chip-comparison means and responsive to the first plurality of chip-comparison signals for adding the first plurality of chip-comparison signals to generate a first correlation signal; second chip-comparison means coupled to said second reference-sequence-storage means and said receive-sequence-storage means, and responsive to the received spread spectrum signal for comparing each chip of the received spread spectrum signal with each respective chip of the second pseudo-noise signal to generate a second plurality of chip-comparison signals; second summer means coupled to said second chip-comparison means and responsive to the second plurality of chip-comparison signals for adding the second plurality of chip-comparison signals to generate a second correlation signal; and comparison means having a upper-threshold level, coupled to said first summer means, and responsive to the first correlation signal being greater than an upper-threshold level for generating a first data-symbol signal.

Claim 12

An apparatus for decoding a received spread spectrum signal having a data signal modulated with a PN code, comprising: first reference-sequence-storage means for storing a first pseudo-noise signal; second reference-sequence-storage means for storing a second pseudo-noise signal; receive-sequence-storage means for storing the received spread spectrum signal; first chip-comparison means coupled to said first reference-sequence-storage means and said receive-sequence-storage means, and responsive to the received spread spectrum signal for comparing each chip of the received spread spectrum signal with each respective chip of the first pseudo-noise signal to generate a first plurality of chip-comparison signals; first summer means couple to said first chip-comparison means and responsive to the first plurality of chip-comparison signals for adding the first plurality of chip-comparison signals to generate a first correlation signal; second chip-comparison means coupled to said second reference-sequence-storage means and said receive-sequence-storage means, and responsive to the received spread spectrum signal for comparing each chip of the received spread spectrum signal with each respective chip of the second pseudo-noise signal to generate a second plurality of chip-comparison signals; second summer means coupled to said second chip-comparison means and responsive to the second plurality of chip-comparison signals for adding the second plurality of chip-comparison signals to generate a second correlation signal; and comparison means having a upper-threshold level, coupled to said first summer means, and responsive to the first correlation signal being greater than an upper-threshold level for generating a first data-symbol signal.

Claim 16

An apparatus for decoding a received spread spectrum signal having a data signal modulated with a PN code, comprising: a plurality of reference-sequence-storage means for storing a plurality of pseudo-noise signals; receive-sequence-storage means for storing the received spread spectrum signal; a plurality of chip-comparison means coupled to plurality of reference-sequence-storage means and said receive-sequence-storage means, and responsive to the received spread spectrum signal for comparing each chip of the received spread spectrum signal by each corresponding chip of the plurality of pseudo-noise signals to generate sets of a plurality of chip-comparison signals; a plurality of summer means respectively coupled to said plurality of chip-comparison means and responsive to the respective set of the plurality of chip-comparison signals for adding the plurality of chip-comparison signals within each set to generate a plurality correlation signals; and comparison means coupled to said plurality of summer means, and responsive to the plurality of correlation signals and one of a plurality of threshold levels for generating one of a plurality of data-symbol signals.

Claim 17

An apparatus for decoding a received spread spectrum signal having a data signal modulated with a PN code, comprising: a plurality of reference-sequence-storage means for storing a plurality of pseudo-noise signals; receive-sequence-storage means for storing the received spread spectrum signal; a plurality of chip-comparison means coupled to plurality of reference-sequence-storage means and said receive-sequence-storage means, and responsive to the received spread spectrum signal for comparing each chip of the received spread spectrum signal by each corresponding chip of the plurality of pseudo-noise signals to generate sets of a plurality of chip-comparison signals; a plurality of summer means respectively coupled to said plurality of chip-comparison means and responsive to the respective set of the plurality of chip-comparison signals for adding the plurality of chip-comparison signals within each set to generate a plurality correlation signals; and comparison means coupled to said plurality of summer means, and responsive to the plurality of correlation signals and one of a plurality of threshold levels for generating one of a plurality of data-symbol signals.

Claim 20

An apparatus for decoding a received spread spectrum signal having a data signal modulated with a PN code comprising: code-register means for storing a pseudo-noise signal; receive-sequence-storage means for storing the received spread spectrum signal; means for correlating the received spread spectrum signal with the pseudo-noise signal for generating a correlation signal; and comparison means responsive to the correlation signal for generating a first data-symbol signal when the correlation signal is greater than a upper-threshold level and for generating a second data-symbol signal when the correlation signal is less than a lower-threshold level.

Claim 21

An apparatus for decoding a received spread spectrum signal having a data signal modulated with a PN code comprising: code-register means for storing a pseudo-noise signal; receive-sequence-storage means for storing the received spread spectrum signal; means for correlating the received spread spectrum signal with the pseudo-noise signal for generating a correlation signal; and comparison means responsive to the correlation signal for generating a first data-symbol signal when the correlation signal is greater than a upper-threshold level and for generating a second data-symbol signal when the correlation signal is less than a lower-threshold level.

Claim 24

An apparatus for decoding a received spread spectrum signal having a data signal modulated with a PN code comprising: code-register means for storing a plurality of pseudo-noise signals; receive-sequence-storage means for storing the received spread spectrum signal; means for correlating the received spread spectrum signal with the plurality of pseudo-noise signals for generating a plurality of correlation signals, respectively; and comparison means responsive to the plurality of correlation signals for generating one of a plurality of data-symbol signals in response to the correlation signals, respectively, crossing a particular set of a plurality of threshold levels.

Claim 25

An apparatus for decoding a received spread spectrum signal having a data signal modulated with a PN code comprising: code-register means for storing a plurality of pseudo-noise signals; receive-sequence-storage means for storing the received spread spectrum signal; means for correlating the received spread spectrum signal with the plurality of pseudo-noise signals for generating a plurality of correlation signals, respectively; and comparison means responsive to the plurality of correlation signals for generating one of a plurality of data-symbol signals in response to the correlation signals, respectively, crossing a particular set of a plurality of threshold levels.

Claim 28

A method using a correlator for decoding a received spread spectrum signal having a data signal modulated with a PN code comprising the steps, using said correlator, of: pseudo-noise signal in code register means; storing the received spread spectrum signal in receive-sequence-storage means; correlating the received spread spectrum signal with the pseudo noise signal for generating a correlation signal; comparing the correlation signal to a upper-threshold level and a lower-threshold level; generating a 1-bit data signal in response to the correlation signal greater than the upper-threshold level; and generating a 0-bit data signal in response to the correlation signal less than the lower-threshold level.

Claim 29

A method using a correlator for decoding a received spread spectrum signal having a data signal modulated with a PN code comprising the steps, using said correlator, of: pseudo-noise signal in code register means; storing the received spread spectrum signal in receive-sequence-storage means; correlating the received spread spectrum signal with the pseudo noise signal for generating a correlation signal; comparing the correlation signal to a upper-threshold level and a lower-threshold level; generating a 1-bit data signal in response to the correlation signal greater than the upper-threshold level; and generating a 0-bit data signal in response to the correlation signal less than the lower-threshold level.

Claim 30

A method using a correlator for decoding a received spread spectrum signal having a data signal modulated with a PN code comprising the steps, using said correlator, of: storing a pseudo-noise signal in code register means; storing the received spread spectrum signal in receive-sequence-storage means; correlating the received spread spectrum signal with the pseudo-noise signal for generating a correlation signal; comparing the correlation signal to a upper-threshold level; and generating a 1-bit data signal in response to the correlation signal greater than the upper-threshold level.

Claim 31

A method using a correlator for decoding a received spread spectrum signal having a data signal modulated with a PN code comprising the steps, using said correlator, of: storing a pseudo-noise signal in code register means; storing the received spread spectrum signal in receive-sequence-storage means; correlating the received spread spectrum signal with the pseudo-noise signal for generating a correlation signal; comparing the correlation signal to a upper-threshold level; and generating a 1-bit data signal in response to the correlation signal greater than the upper-threshold level.

Claim 32

A method using a correlator for decoding a received spread spectrum signal having a data signal modulated with a PN code comprising the steps, using said correlator, of: storing a plurality of pseudo-noise signals in code register means; storing the received spread spectrum signal in receive-sequence-storage means; correlating the received spread spectrum signal with the plurality of pseudo-noise signals for generating a plurality of correlation signals; comparing the plurality of the correlation signals to a plurality of threshold levels; and generating one of a plurality of data-symbol signals in response to the comparing step.

Claim 33

A method using a correlator for decoding a received spread spectrum signal having a data signal modulated with a PN code comprising the steps, using said correlator, of: storing a plurality of pseudo-noise signals in code register means; storing the received spread spectrum signal in receive-sequence-storage means; correlating the received spread spectrum signal with the plurality of pseudo-noise signals for generating a plurality of correlation signals; comparing the plurality of the correlation signals to a plurality of threshold levels; and generating one of a plurality of data-symbol signals in response to the comparing step.

Claim 34

An apparatus for transmitting a transmitted signal having a data signal modulated with spread spectrum, comprising: means for generating the data signal having data symbols; and means for generating a pseudo-noise signal having L chips, and for modulating each data symbol of the data signal by the L chips of the pseudo noise signal.

Claim 35

An apparatus for transmitting a transmitted signal having a data signal modulated with spread spectrum, comprising: means for generating the data signal having data symbols; and means for generating a pseudo-noise signal having L chips, and for modulating each data symbol of the data signal by the L chips of the pseudo noise signal.

Claim 36

An apparatus for decoding a received spread spectrum signal having a data signal modulated with a PN code, comprising: threshold setting means for analyzing the pattern and application of the data signal, noise environment, and amount of error correction, and determining upper- and lower-threshold levels; first reference-sequence-storage means for storing a first pseudo-noise signal; receive-sequence-storage means for storing the received spread spectrum signal; first chip-comparison means coupled to said first reference-sequence-storage means and said receive-sequence-storage means, and responsive to the received spread spectrum signal for comparing each chip of the received spread spectrum signal with each respective chip of the first pseudo-noise signal to generate a first plurality of chip-comparison signals; first summer means coupled to said first chip-comparison means and responsive to the first plurality of chip-comparison signals for adding the first plurality of chip-comparison signals to generate a first correlation signal; and comparison means coupled to said first summer means, and responsive to the first correlation signal being greater than the upper-threshold level for generating a first data-symbol signal, and responsive to the first correlation signal being less than the lower-threshold level for generating a second data-symbol signal.

Claim 37

An apparatus for decoding a received spread spectrum signal having a data signal modulated with a PN code, comprising: threshold setting means for analyzing the pattern and application of the data signal, noise environment, and amount of error correction, and determining upper- and lower-threshold levels; first reference-sequence-storage means for storing a first pseudo-noise signal; receive-sequence-storage means for storing the received spread spectrum signal; first chip-comparison means coupled to said first reference-sequence-storage means and said receive-sequence-storage means, and responsive to the received spread spectrum signal for comparing each chip of the received spread spectrum signal with each respective chip of the first pseudo-noise signal to generate a first plurality of chip-comparison signals; first summer means coupled to said first chip-comparison means and responsive to the first plurality of chip-comparison signals for adding the first plurality of chip-comparison signals to generate a first correlation signal; and comparison means coupled to said first summer means, and responsive to the first correlation signal being greater than the upper-threshold level for generating a first data-symbol signal, and responsive to the first correlation signal being less than the lower-threshold level for generating a second data-symbol signal.

Claim 38

An apparatus for decoding a received spread spectrum signal having a data signal modulated with a PN code, comprising: first reference-sequence-storage means for storing a first pseudo-noise signal; receive-sequence-storage means for storing the received spread spectrum signal; first chip-comparison means coupled to said first reference-sequence-storage means and said receive-sequence-storage means, and responsive to the received spread spectrum signal for comparing each chip of the received spread spectrum signal with each respective chip of the first pseudo-noise signal to generate a first plurality of chip-comparison signals; first summer means coupled to said first chip-comparison means and responsive to the first plurality of chip-comparison signals for adding the first plurality of chip-comparison signals to generate a first correlation signal; and comparison means having a upper-threshold level, coupled to said first summer means, and responsive to the first correlation signal being greater than an upper-threshold level for generating a first data-symbol signal.

Claim 39

An apparatus for decoding a received spread spectrum signal having a data signal modulated with a PN code, comprising: first reference-sequence-storage means for storing a first pseudo-noise signal; receive-sequence-storage means for storing the received spread spectrum signal; first chip-comparison means coupled to said first reference-sequence-storage means and said receive-sequence-storage means, and responsive to the received spread spectrum signal for comparing each chip of the received spread spectrum signal with each respective chip of the first pseudo-noise signal to generate a first plurality of chip-comparison signals; first summer means coupled to said first chip-comparison means and responsive to the first plurality of chip-comparison signals for adding the first plurality of chip-comparison signals to generate a first correlation signal; and comparison means having a upper-threshold level, coupled to said first summer means, and responsive to the first correlation signal being greater than an upper-threshold level for generating a first data-symbol signal.