CDMA/TDMA spread-spectrum communications system and method

Claim 2

A spread-spectrum transmitter for spread-spectrum processing a plurality of data signals on a carrier frequency, f o , comprising: a plurality of privacy-code generators for generating a plurality of privacy-code signals, respectively; a plurality of EXCLUSIVE-OR gates coupled to said plurality of privacy-code generators for modulo adding each of the respective plurality of privacy-code signals to each of the plurality of data signals to generate a plurality of privacy-encoded data signals, respectively; a plurality of data buffers coupled to said plurality of EXCLUSIVE-OR gates for storing the plurality of privacy-encoded data signals, respectively; a synchronization-code generator for generating a synchronization-code signal; a synchronization buffer coupled to said synchronization-code generator for storing the synchronization-code signal; a multiplexer coupled to said synchronization buffer and to said plurality of data buffers for time multiplexing the synchronization-code signal and the plurality of privacy-encoded-data signals, respectively, to generate a time-multiplexed signal; a chip-code generator for generating a chip-code signal; an EXCLUSIVE-OR gate coupled to said multiplexer and to said chip-code generator for spread-spectrum processing the time-multiplexed signal with the chip-code signal as a spread-spectrum-time-multiplexed signal; and a transmitter for transmitting the spread-spectrum-time-multiplexed signal on the carrier frequency over a communications channel.

Claim 3

A spread-spectrum transmitter for spread-spectrum processing a plurality of data signals on a carrier frequency, comprising: base-synchronization means for generating a synchronization-code signal; base-privacy means for encoding a plurality of data signals with a plurality of privacy-code signals as a plurality of privacy-encoded-data signals, respectively; multiplexer means for time multiplexing the synchronization-code signal and the plurality of privacy-encoded-data signals, respectively, to generate a time-multiplexed signal; base-spreading means for spread-spectrum processing the time-multiplexed signal with a chip-code signal to generate a spread-spectrum-time-multiplexed signal; and base-transmitter means for converting the spread-spectrum-time-multiplexed signal to a form suitable for sending over a communications channel.

Claim 4

A spread-spectrum transmitter for spread-spectrum processing a plurality of data signals on a carrier frequency, comprising: base-synchronization means for generating a synchronization-code signal; base-privacy means for encoding a plurality of data signals with a plurality of privacy-code signals as a plurality of privacy-encoded-data signals, respectively; multiplexer means for time multiplexing the synchronization-code signal and the plurality of privacy-encoded-data signals, respectively, to generate a time-multiplexed signal; base-spreading means for spread-spectrum processing the time-multiplexed signal with a chip-code signal to generate a spread-spectrum-time-multiplexed signal; and base-transmitter means for converting the spread-spectrum-time-multiplexed signal to a form suitable for sending over a communications channel.

Claim 5

The spread-spectrum transmitter as set forth in claim 2 wherein said base-privacy means includes: a plurality of privacy-code generators for generating the plurality of privacy-code signals, respectively; and a plurality of EXCLUSIVE-OR gates for modulo adding each of the respective plurality of privacy-code signals to each of the plurality of data signals, respectively.

Claim 6

The spread-spectrum transmitter as set forth in claim 2 wherein said multiplexer means includes: a plurality of data buffers for storing the plurality of privacy-encoded-data signals; a synchronization buffer for storing the synchronization-code signal; and a multiplexer for time multiplexing the synchronization-code signal and the plurality of privacy-encoded-data signals, respectively, to generate the time-multiplexed signal.

Claim 7

The spread-spectrum transmitter as set forth in claim 2 wherein said base-spreading means includes: a chip-code generator for generating a chip-code signal; and an EXCLUSIVE-OR gate for spread-spectrum processing the time-multiplexed signal with the chip-code signal to generate the spread-spectrum-time-multiplexed signal.

Claim 8

The spread-spectrum transmitter as set forth in claim 2 wherein said base-transmitter means includes: an oscillator for generating a carrier frequency; a product device for shifting the spread-spectrum-time-multiplexed signal to the carrier frequency; a power amplifier for amplifying the spread-spectrum-time-multiplexed signal at the carrier frequency; and an antenna for radiating the amplified spread-spectrum-time-multiplexed signal at the carrier frequency over the communications channel.

Claim 9

A spread-spectrum transmitter for spread-spectrum processing a plurality of data signals on a carrier frequency, comprising: synchronization means for generating a synchronization-code signal; multiplexer means for time multiplexing the synchronization-code signal and the plurality of data signals, respectively, to generate a time-multiplexed signal; spreading means for spread-spectrum processing the time-multiplexed signal with a chip-code signal to generate a spread-spectrum-time-multiplexed signal; and transmitter means for converting the spread-spectrum-time-multiplexed signal to a form suitable for sending over a communications channel.

Claim 10

A spread-spectrum transmitter for spread-spectrum processing a plurality of data signals on a carrier frequency, comprising: synchronization means for generating a synchronization-code signal; multiplexer means for time multiplexing the synchronization-code signal and the plurality of data signals, respectively, to generate a time-multiplexed signal; spreading means for spread-spectrum processing the time-multiplexed signal with a chip-code signal to generate a spread-spectrum-time-multiplexed signal; and transmitter means for converting the spread-spectrum-time-multiplexed signal to a form suitable for sending over a communications channel.

Claim 11

The spread-spectrum transmitter as set forth in claim 7 wherein said multiplexer means includes: a plurality of data buffers for storing the plurality of data signals; a synchronization buffer for storing the synchronization-code signal; and a multiplexer for time multiplexing the synchronization-code signal and the plurality of data signals, respectively, to generate the time-multiplexed signal.

Claim 12

The spread-spectrum transmitter as set forth in claim 7 wherein said spreading means includes: a chip-code generator for generating a chip-code signal; and an EXCLUSIVE-OR gate for spread-spectrum processing the time-multiplexed signal with the chip-code signal as the spread-spectrum-time-multiplexed signal.

Claim 13

The spread-spectrum transmitter as set forth in claim 7 wherein said transmitter means includes: an oscillator for generating a carrier frequency; a product device for shifting the spread-spectrum-time-multiplexed signal to the carrier frequency; a power amplifier for amplifying the spread-spectrum-time-multiplexed signal at the carrier frequency; and an antenna for radiating the amplified spread-spectrum-time-multiplexed signal at the carrier frequency over a communications channel.

Claim 14

A spread-spectrum receiver for spread-spectrum processing a spread-spectrum-time-division signal, wherein the spread-spectrum-time-division signal includes a plurality of spread-spectrum signals received sequentially in time from a plurality of remote units, comprising: a despreader circuit for despreading the spread-spectrum-time-division signal as a time-division signal; a demultiplexer coupled to said despreader circuit for demultiplexing the time-division signal as a plurality of remote-privacy-encoded-data signals; a synchronization-code generator for generating a synchronization-code signal; a timing circuit coupled to said synchronization-code generator and responsive to the synchronization-code signal for generating a timing signal; a plurality of privacy-code generators coupled to said timing circuit and responsive to the timing signal for generating a plurality of remote-privacy-code signals; and a plurality of EXCLUSIVE-OR gates coupled to said demultiplexer and to said plurality of privacy-code generators for decoding the plurality of remote-privacy-encoded-data signals, respectively, as a plurality of remote-data signals.

Claim 15

A spread-spectrum receiver for spread-spectrum processing a spread-spectrum-time-division signal, wherein the spread-spectrum-time-division signal includes a plurality of spread-spectrum signals received sequentially in time from a plurality of remote units, comprising: a despreader circuit for despreading the spread-spectrum-time-division signal as a time-division signal; a demultiplexer coupled to said despreader circuit for demultiplexing the time-division signal as a plurality of remote-privacy-encoded-data signals; a synchronization-code generator for generating a synchronization-code signal; a timing circuit coupled to said synchronization-code generator and responsive to the synchronization-code signal for generating a timing signal; a plurality of privacy-code generators coupled to said timing circuit and responsive to the timing signal for generating a plurality of remote-privacy-code signals; and a plurality of EXCLUSIVE-OR gates coupled to said demultiplexer and to said plurality of privacy-code generators for decoding the plurality of remote-privacy-encoded-data signals, respectively, as a plurality of remote-data signals.

Claim 16

The spread-spectrum receiver as set forth in claim 11 wherein said despreader means includes a surface-acoustic-wave device for despreading the received spread-spectrum-time-division signal as the time-division signal.

Claim 17

The spread-spectrum receiver as set forth in claim 11 wherein said despreader means includes a tapped-delay-line matched filter for despreading the received spread-spectrum-time-division signal as the time-division signal.

Claim 18

The spread-spectrum receiver as set forth in claim 11 wherein said despreader means includes: a chip-code generator for generating a chip-code signal; a mixer coupled to said chip-code generator and responsive to the chip-code signal for despreading the received spread-spectrum-time-division signal as the time-division signal; and a filter coupled to said mixer for filtering the time-division signal.

Claim 19

A spread-spectrum receiver for spread-spectrum processing a spread-spectrum-time-division signal, wherein the spread-spectrum-time-division signal includes a plurality of spread-spectrum signals received sequentially in time from a plurality of remote units, comprising: despreader means for despreading the spread-spectrum-time-division signal as a time-division signal; and demultiplexer means for demultiplexing the time-division signal as a plurality of remote-data signals.

Claim 20

A spread-spectrum receiver for spread-spectrum processing a spread-spectrum-time-division signal, wherein the spread-spectrum-time-division signal includes a plurality of spread-spectrum signals received sequentially in time from a plurality of remote units, comprising: despreader means for despreading the spread-spectrum-time-division signal as a time-division signal; and demultiplexer means for demultiplexing the time-division signal as a plurality of remote-data signals.

Claim 21

The spread-spectrum receiver as set forth in claim 15 wherein said despreader means includes a surface-acoustic-wave device for despreading the received spread-spectrum-time-division signal as the time-division signal.

Claim 22

The spread-spectrum receiver as set forth in claim 15 wherein said despreader means includes a tapped-delay-line matched filter for despreading the received spread-spectrum-time-division signal as the time-division signal.

Claim 23

The spread-spectrum receiver as set forth in claim 15 wherein said despreader means includes: a chip-code generator for generating a chip-code signal; a mixer coupled to said chip-code generator and responsive to the chip-code signal for despreading the received spread-spectrum-time-division signal as the time-division signal; and a filter coupled to said mixer for filtering the time-division signal.

Claim 24

The spread-spectrum receiver as set forth in claim 15 wherein said demultiplexer means includes a demultiplexer for demultiplexing the time-division signal as the plurality of data signals.

Claim 25

A spread-spectrum receiver for spread-spectrum processing a spread-spectrum-time-division signal, wherein the spread-spectrum-time-division signal includes a plurality of spread-spectrum signal received sequentially in time from a plurality of remote units, comprising: base-despreader means for despreading the spread-spectrum-time-division signal as a time-division signal; base-demultiplexer means for demultiplexing the time-division signal as a plurality of remote-privacy-encoded data signals; base-synchronization means for generating a timing signal; and base-decoder means responsive to the timing signal for decoding the plurality of remote-privacy-encoded signals as a plurality of remote-data signals, respectively.

Claim 26

A spread-spectrum receiver for spread-spectrum processing a spread-spectrum-time-division signal, wherein the spread-spectrum-time-division signal includes a plurality of spread-spectrum signal received sequentially in time from a plurality of remote units, comprising: base-despreader means for despreading the spread-spectrum-time-division signal as a time-division signal; base-demultiplexer means for demultiplexing the time-division signal as a plurality of remote-privacy-encoded data signals; base-synchronization means for generating a timing signal; and base-decoder means responsive to the timing signal for decoding the plurality of remote-privacy-encoded signals as a plurality of remote-data signals, respectively.

Claim 27

The spread-spectrum receiver as set forth in claim 20 wherein said base-despreader means includes a surface-acoustic-wave device for despreading the received spread-spectrum-time-division signal as the time-division signal.

Claim 28

The spread-spectrum receiver as set forth in claim 20 wherein said base-despreader means includes a tapped-delay-line matched filter for despreading the received spread-spectrum-time-division signal as the time-division signal.

Claim 29

The spread-spectrum receiver as set forth in claim 20 wherein said base-despreader means includes: a chip-code generator for generating a chip-code signal; a mixer coupled to said chip-code generator and responsive to the chip-code signal for despreading the received spread-spectrum-time-division signal as the time-division signal; and a filter coupled to said mixer for filtering the time-division signal.

Claim 30

The spread-spectrum receiver as set forth in claim 20 wherein said base-demultiplexer means includes a demultiplexer for demultiplexing the time-division signal as the plurality of privacy-encoded-data signals.

Claim 31

The spread-spectrum receiver as set forth in claim 20 wherein said base-synchronization means includes: a synch-code generator for generating a synchronization code; and a timing circuit responsive to the synchronization-code signal for generating a timing signal.

Claim 32

The spread-spectrum-receiver as set forth in claim 20 wherein said base-decoder means includes: a plurality of privacy-code generators responsive to the timing signal for generating a plurality of privacy-code signals; and a plurality of EXCLUSIVE-OR gates for the decoding the plurality of privacy-encoded data signals as a plurality of data signals, respectively.

Claim 33

A remote unit for receiving a spread-spectrum-time-multiplexed signal, having a synchronization signal and a plurality of privacy-encoded data signals including a first privacy-encoded-data signal, on a first carrier frequency, f 1 , and for spread-spectrum transmitting a remote-data signal on a second carrier frequency, f 2 , comprising: an antenna; a despreader circuit coupled to said antenna for despreading the spread-spectrum-time-multiplexed signal as a time-multiplexed signal; a synchronization-code matched filter coupled to said despreader circuit and responsive to a synchronization-code signal embedded in the time-multiplexed signal for generating a timing signal; a controller coupled to said synchronization-code matched filter and responsive to the timing signal for generating a control signal; a first buffer coupled to said despreader circuit and to said controller, said first buffer responsive to the control signal for storing the first privacy-encoded-data signal embedded in the time-multiplexed signal; a first privacy-code generator coupled to said controller and responsive to the control signal for generating a first privacy-code signal; a first EXCLUSIVE-OR gate coupled to said first privacy-code generator and to said first buffer for decoding the first privacy-encoded-data signal as a first data signal; a second privacy-code generator coupled to said controller and responsive to the control signal for generating a remote-privacy-code signal; a second EXCLUSIVE-OR gate coupled to said second privacy-code generator for encoding the remote-data signal with the remote-privacy-code signal as a remote-privacy-encoded-data signal; a second buffer for storing the remote-privacy-encoded-data signal; a second chip-code generator for generating a second chip-code signal; a third EXCLUSIVE-OR gate coupled to said second buffer and to said second chip-code generator for spread-spectrum processing the remote-privacy-encoded signal with the second chip-code signal as a spread-spectrum signal; a transmitter for transmitting the spread-spectrum encoded signal on the second carrier frequency, f 2 ; and a transmit-receive switch responsive to the control signal for switching the antenna from the despreader circuit to the transmitter.

Claim 34

A remote unit for receiving a spread-spectrum-time-multiplexed signal, having a synchronization signal and a plurality of privacy-encoded data signals including a first privacy-encoded-data signal, on a first carrier frequency, f 1 , and for spread-spectrum transmitting a remote-data signal on a second carrier frequency, f 2 , comprising: an antenna; a despreader circuit coupled to said antenna for despreading the spread-spectrum-time-multiplexed signal as a time-multiplexed signal; a synchronization-code matched filter coupled to said despreader circuit and responsive to a synchronization-code signal embedded in the time-multiplexed signal for generating a timing signal; a controller coupled to said synchronization-code matched filter and responsive to the timing signal for generating a control signal; a first buffer coupled to said despreader circuit and to said controller, said first buffer responsive to the control signal for storing the first privacy-encoded-data signal embedded in the time-multiplexed signal; a first privacy-code generator coupled to said controller and responsive to the control signal for generating a first privacy-code signal; a first EXCLUSIVE-OR gate coupled to said first privacy-code generator and to said first buffer for decoding the first privacy-encoded-data signal as a first data signal; a second privacy-code generator coupled to said controller and responsive to the control signal for generating a remote-privacy-code signal; a second EXCLUSIVE-OR gate coupled to said second privacy-code generator for encoding the remote-data signal with the remote-privacy-code signal as a remote-privacy-encoded-data signal; a second buffer for storing the remote-privacy-encoded-data signal; a second chip-code generator for generating a second chip-code signal; a third EXCLUSIVE-OR gate coupled to said second buffer and to said second chip-code generator for spread-spectrum processing the remote-privacy-encoded signal with the second chip-code signal as a spread-spectrum signal; a transmitter for transmitting the spread-spectrum encoded signal on the second carrier frequency, f 2 ; and a transmit-receive switch responsive to the control signal for switching the antenna from the despreader circuit to the transmitter.

Claim 35

The remote unit as set forth in claim 27 wherein said despreader circuit includes a surface-acoustic-wave device for despreading the received spread-spectrum-time-multiplexed signal as the time-multiplexed signal.

Claim 36

The remote unit as set forth in claim 27 wherein said despreader circuit includes a tapped-delay-live matched filter for despreading the received spread-spectrum-time-multiplexed signal.

Claim 37

The remote unit as set forth in claim 27 wherein said despreader circuit includes: a first chip-code signal; a mixer coupled to said first chip-code generator and responsive to the first chip-code signal for despreading the received spread-spectrum-time-multiplexed signal as the time-multiplexed signal; and a filter for filtering the time-multiplexed signal.

Claim 38

A remote unit for receiving a spread-spectrum-time-multiplexed signal, having a synchronization-code signal and a plurality of privacy-encoded data signals including a first privacy-encoded data signal, at a first carrier frequency, and for spread-spectrum transmitting a remote-data signal at a second carrier frequency, comprising: remote-despreader means for despreading the spread-spectrum-time-multiplexed signal as a time-multiplexed signal; remote-synchronization means responsive to the time-multiplexed signal for detecting the synchronization-code signal and generating a timing signal; control means responsive to the timing signal for generating a control signal; remote-decoder means responsive to the control signal for decoding the first privacy-encoded data signal embedded in the time-multiplexed signal as a first data signal; remote-privacy means responsive to the control signal for encoding the remote-data signal with a remote-privacy-code signal as a remote-privacy-encoded data signal; remote-spreading means for spread-spectrum processing the remote-privacy-encoded data signal with a second chip-code signal to generate a spread-spectrum signal; and remote-transmitter means for converting the spread-spectrum signal to a form suitable for sending over a communications channel.

Claim 39

A remote unit for receiving a spread-spectrum-time-multiplexed signal, having a synchronization-code signal and a plurality of privacy-encoded data signals including a first privacy-encoded data signal, at a first carrier frequency, and for spread-spectrum transmitting a remote-data signal at a second carrier frequency, comprising: remote-despreader means for despreading the spread-spectrum-time-multiplexed signal as a time-multiplexed signal; remote-synchronization means responsive to the time-multiplexed signal for detecting the synchronization-code signal and generating a timing signal; control means responsive to the timing signal for generating a control signal; remote-decoder means responsive to the control signal for decoding the first privacy-encoded data signal embedded in the time-multiplexed signal as a first data signal; remote-privacy means responsive to the control signal for encoding the remote-data signal with a remote-privacy-code signal as a remote-privacy-encoded data signal; remote-spreading means for spread-spectrum processing the remote-privacy-encoded data signal with a second chip-code signal to generate a spread-spectrum signal; and remote-transmitter means for converting the spread-spectrum signal to a form suitable for sending over a communications channel.

Claim 40

The remote unit as set forth in claim 31 wherein said remote-despreader means includes a surface-acoustic-wave device for despreading the spread-spectrum-time-multiplexed signal as the time-multiplexed signal.

Claim 41

The remote unit as set forth in claim 31 wherein said remote-despreader means includes a tapped-delay-time matched filter for despreading the spread-spectrum-time-multiplexed signal as the time-multiplexed signal.

Claim 42

The remote unit as set forth in claim 31 wherein said remote-despreader means includes: a first chip-code signal; a mixer coupled to said first chip-code generator and responsive to the first chip-code signal for despreading the received spread-spectrum-time-multiplexed signal as the time-multiplexed signal; and a filter for filtering the time-multiplexed signal.

Claim 43

The remote unit as set forth in claim 31 wherein: said remote-synchronization means includes a synchronization-matched filter responsive to the synchronization-code signal for generating the timing signal; and said control means includes a controller responsive to the timing signal for generating the control signal.

Claim 44

The remote unit as set forth in claim 31 wherein said remote-decoder means includes: a first buffer responsive to the control signal for storing the first privacy-encoded data signal embedded in the time-multiplexed signal; a first-privacy-code generator responsive to the control signal for generating a privacy-code signal; and a first EXCLUSIVE-OR gate for decoding the first privacy-encoded data signal as the first data signal.

Claim 45

The remote unit as set forth in claim 31 wherein said remote-privacy means includes: a second privacy-code generator responsive to the control signal for generating the remote-privacy-code signal; and a second EXCLUSIVE-OR gate for encoding the remote-data signal with the remote-privacy-code signal as the remote-privacy-encoded data signal.

Claim 46

The remote unit as set forth in claim 31 wherein said remote-spreading means includes: a second buffer for storing the remote-privacy-encoded data signal; a second chip-code generator for generating a second chip-code signal; and a third EXCLUSIVE-OR gate for spread-spectrum processing the second privacy-encoded signal with the second chip-code signal as a spread-spectrum signal.

Claim 47

The remote unit as set forth in claim 31 further including: an antenna; and a transmit-receive switch responsive to the control signal for switching the antenna from said despreader means to said transmitter means.

Claim 48

A remote unit for receiving a spread-spectrum-time-multiplexed signal, having a synchronization-code signal and a plurality of data signals including a first data signal, at a first carrier frequency, and for spread-spectrum transmitting a remote-data signal at a second carrier frequency, comprising: remote-despreader means for despreading the spread-spectrum-time-multiplexed signal as a time-multiplexed signal; remote-synchronization means responsive to the time-multiplexed signal for detecting the synchronization-code signal and generating a control signal; remote-spreading means for spread-spectrum processing the remote-data signal with a second chip-code signal as a spread-spectrum signal; and remote-transmitter means for converting the spread-spectrum signal to a form suitable for sending over a communications channel.

Claim 49

A remote unit for receiving a spread-spectrum-time-multiplexed signal, having a synchronization-code signal and a plurality of data signals including a first data signal, at a first carrier frequency, and for spread-spectrum transmitting a remote-data signal at a second carrier frequency, comprising: remote-despreader means for despreading the spread-spectrum-time-multiplexed signal as a time-multiplexed signal; remote-synchronization means responsive to the time-multiplexed signal for detecting the synchronization-code signal and generating a control signal; remote-spreading means for spread-spectrum processing the remote-data signal with a second chip-code signal as a spread-spectrum signal; and remote-transmitter means for converting the spread-spectrum signal to a form suitable for sending over a communications channel.

Claim 50

The remote unit as set forth in claim 40 wherein said remote-despreader means includes a surface-acoustic-wave device for despreading the spread-spectrum-time-multiplexed signal as the time-multiplexed signal.

Claim 51

The remote unit as set forth in claim 40 wherein said remote-despreader means includes a tapped-delay-time matched filter for despreading the spread-spectrum-time-multiplexed signal as the time-multiplexed signal.

Claim 52

The remote unit as set forth in claim 40 wherein said remote-despreader means includes: a first chip-code signal; a mixer coupled to said first chip-code generator and responsive to the first chip-code signal for despreading the received spread-spectrum-time-multiplexed signal as the time-multiplexed signal; and a filter for filtering the time-multiplexed signal.

Claim 53

The remote unit as set forth in claim 40 wherein: said remote-synchronization means includes a synchronization-matched filter responsive to the synchronization-code signal for generating and timing signal; and further including control timing signal for generating the control signal.

Claim 54

The remote unit as set forth in claim 40 wherein said remote-spreading means includes: a second buffer for storing the remote-data signal; a second chip-code generator for generating a second chip-code signal; and a third EXCLUSIVE-OR gate for spread-spectrum processing the remote-data signal with the second chip-code signal to generate a spread-spectrum signal.

Claim 55

The remote unit as set forth in claim 40 further including: an antenna; and a transmit-receive switch responsive to the control signal for switching the antenna from said despreader means to said transmitter means.

Claim 66

A spread-spectrum transmitter for spread-spectrum processing a plurality of data signals on a carrier frequency, comprising: base-synchronization means for generating a synchronization-code signal a plurality of base-spreading means for spread-spectrum processing the synchronization-code signal and the plurality of data signals and with a plurality of chip-code signals to generate a spread-spectrum-processed-synchronization-code signal and a plurality of spread-spectrum signals, respectively; combiner means for combining the plurality of spread-spectrum signals, respectively, to generate a combined-spread-spectrum signal; multiplexer means for time multiplexing the spread-spectrum-processed-synchronization-code signal and the combined-spread-spectrum signal as a multiplexed-spread-spectrum signal; and base-transmitter means for converting the time-multiplexed spread-spectrum signal to a form suitable for sending over a communications channel.

Claim 67

A spread-spectrum transmitter for spread-spectrum processing a plurality of data signals on a carrier frequency, comprising: base-synchronization means for generating a synchronization-code signal a plurality of base-spreading means for spread-spectrum processing the synchronization-code signal and the plurality of data signals and with a plurality of chip-code signals to generate a spread-spectrum-processed-synchronization-code signal and a plurality of spread-spectrum signals, respectively; combiner means for combining the plurality of spread-spectrum signals, respectively, to generate a combined-spread-spectrum signal; multiplexer means for time multiplexing the spread-spectrum-processed-synchronization-code signal and the combined-spread-spectrum signal as a multiplexed-spread-spectrum signal; and base-transmitter means for converting the time-multiplexed spread-spectrum signal to a form suitable for sending over a communications channel.

Claim 68

The spread-spectrum transmitter as set forth in claim 2, further including: a plurality of base-privacy means for encoding the plurality of data signals with a plurality of privacy-code signals as a plurality of privacy-encoded-data signals, respectively; and wherein said plurality of base-spreading means spread-spectrum processes the plurality of privacy-encoded-data signals with the plurality of chip-code signals to generate the plurality of spread-spectrum signals, respectively.

Claim 69

The spread-spectrum transmitter as set forth in claim 53 wherein each of said base-privacy means includes: a privacy-code generator for generating the privacy-code signal; and an EXCLUSIVE-OR gate for modulo-2 adding the respective privacy-code signal to the data signal, respectively.

Claim 70

The spread-spectrum transmitter as set forth in claim 52 wherein each of said base-spreading means includes: a chip-code generator for generating a chip-code signal; and an EXCLUSIVE-OR gate for spread-spectrum processing the privacy-encoded-data signal with the chip-code signal to generate the spread-spectrum signal.

Claim 71

The spread-spectrum transmitter as set forth in claim 52 wherein said multiplexer means includes: a first data buffer for storing the combined-spread-spectrum signal; a second buffer for storing the spread-spectrum-processed-synchronization-code signal; and a multiplexer for time multiplexing the spread-spectrum-processed-synchronization-code signal and the combined-spread-spectrum signal, respectively, to generate the multiplexed-spread-spectrum signal.

Claim 72

The spread-spectrum transmitter as set forth in claim 52 wherein said base-transmitter means includes: an oscillator for generating a carrier frequency; a product device for shifting the combined-spread-spectrum signal to the carrier frequency; a power amplifier for amplifying the multiplexed-spread-spectrum signal at the carrier frequency; and an antenna for radiating the amplified multiplexed-spread-spectrum signal at the carrier frequency over the communications channel.

Claim 73

A spread-spectrum transmitter for spread-spectrum processing a plurality of data signals on a carrier frequency, comprising: base-generic means for generating a generic-chip-code signal; a plurality of base-spreading means for spread-spectrum processing the plurality of data signals with a plurality of chip-code signals to generate a plurality of spread-spectrum signals; combiner means for combining the generic-chip-code signal and the plurality of spread-spectrum signals, respectively, to generate a combined-spread-spectrum signal; and base-transmitter means for converting the combined-spread-spectrum signal to a form suitable for sending over a communications channel.

Claim 74

A spread-spectrum transmitter for spread-spectrum processing a plurality of data signals on a carrier frequency, comprising: base-generic means for generating a generic-chip-code signal; a plurality of base-spreading means for spread-spectrum processing the plurality of data signals with a plurality of chip-code signals to generate a plurality of spread-spectrum signals; combiner means for combining the generic-chip-code signal and the plurality of spread-spectrum signals, respectively, to generate a combined-spread-spectrum signal; and base-transmitter means for converting the combined-spread-spectrum signal to a form suitable for sending over a communications channel.

Claim 75

The spread-spectrum transmitter as set forth in claim 58, further including: a plurality of base-privacy means for encoding a plurality of data signals with a plurality of privacy-code signals as a plurality of privacy-encoded-data signals, respectively; and wherein said plurality of base-spreading means spread-spectrum processes the plurality of privacy-encoded-data signals with the plurality of chip-code signals to generate the plurality of spread-spectrum signals, respectively.

Claim 76

The spread-spectrum transmitter as set forth in claim 59 wherein each of said base-privacy means includes: a privacy-code generator for generating the privacy-code signal, respectively; and an EXCLUSIVE-OR gate for modulo-2 adding the respective privacy-code signal to the data signal, respectively.

Claim 77

The spread-spectrum transmitter as set forth in claim 58 wherein each of said base-spreading means includes: a chip-code generator for generating a respective chip-code signal; and an EXCLUSIVE-OR gate for spread-spectrum processing the privacy-encoded-data signal with the chip-code signal to generate the spread-spectrum signal, respectively.

Claim 78

The spread-spectrum transmitter as set forth in claim 58 wherein each of said base-transmitter means includes: an oscillator for generating a carrier frequency; a product device for shifting the combined-spread-spectrum signal to the carrier frequency; a power amplifier for amplifying the combined-spread-spectrum signal at the carrier frequency; and an antenna for radiating the amplified combined-spread-spectrum signal at the carrier frequency over the communications channel.