Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
161 words
A spread spectrum receiver for use in a spread spectrum communication system, said spread spectrum receiver comprising: an analog-to-digital converter for receiving an analog spread spectrum signal, and for converting said received analog signal to a digital signal, said received analog signal having a plurality of both main and multipath return signals of varying signal strengths; a frequency offset correction device, electrically connected to said analog-to-digital converter, for modifying said digital signal in accordance with a frequency correction term signal to thereby correct for frequency offset in said received analog signal; searching means for receiving said modified digital signal, and for searching through said modified digital signal to identify M of said main and multipath return signals having the strongest signal strengths; and processing means, electrically connected to said searching means and said frequency offset correction device, for processing said identified main and multipath return signals in accordance with predetermined maximum likelihood techniques to thereby generate said frequency correction term signal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
161 words
A spread spectrum receiver for use in a spread spectrum communication system, said spread spectrum receiver comprising: an analog-to-digital converter for receiving an analog spread spectrum signal, and for converting said received analog signal to a digital signal, said received analog signal having a plurality of both main and multipath return signals of varying signal strengths; a frequency offset correction device, electrically connected to said analog-to-digital converter, for modifying said digital signal in accordance with a frequency correction term signal to thereby correct for frequency offset in said received analog signal; searching means for receiving said modified digital signal, and for searching through said modified digital signal to identify M of said main and multipath return signals having the strongest signal strengths; and processing means, electrically connected to said searching means and said frequency offset correction device, for processing said identified main and multipath return signals in accordance with predetermined maximum likelihood techniques to thereby generate said frequency correction term signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
99 words
The spread spectrum receiver of claim 1, wherein said searching means comprises a plurality of correlators each accumulating signal strength information for one of said main and multipath return signals of said received analog signal, said spread spectrum receiver also comprising a plurality of pseudo noise (PN) code generators each electrically connected to one of said correlators, said PN code generators comprising means for generating PN codes with different offsets, wherein said PN codes are compared to values accumulated by said correlators to thereby identify said M of said main and multipath return signals having the strongest signal strengths.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
57 words
The spread spectrum receiver of claim 1, wherein said processing means comprises a plurality of phase estimators, electrically connected to said searching means, for processing said identified main and multipath return signals in accordance with predetermined maximum likelihood techniques to thereby generate carrier phase correction estimates and weighting factors for said identified main and multipath return signals.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
57 words
The spread spectrum receiver of claim 3, wherein said processing means also comprises a plurality of phase correcting circuits, electrically connected to said phase estimators, for correcting for respective phase offsets in said identified main and multipath return signals by modifying said identified main and multipath return signals as a function of said carrier phase correction estimates.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
74 words
The spread spectrum receiver of claim 4, wherein said processing means also comprises weighing means, electrically connected to said phase correcting circuits, for using said weighing factors to weight said phase corrected main and multipath return signals in accordance with signal strength, said processing means further comprising a maximal-ratio diversity combiner, electrically connected to said weighing means, for combining said weighted main and multipath return signals to thereby produce a maximal-ratio combined return signal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
46 words
The spread spectrum receiver of claim 5, wherein said processing means also comprises a frequency offset estimator, electrically connected to said maximal-ratio diversity combiner to process said maximal-ratio combined return signal in accordance with predetermined maximum likelihood techniques to thereby generate said frequency correction term signal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The spread spectrum receiver of claim 5, further comprising a slicer, electrically connected to said maximal-ratio diversity combiner, for estimating a symbol content of said maximal-ratio combined return signal.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
113 words
A method of receiving spread spectrum signals, comprising the steps of: (a) receiving an analog spread spectrum signal having a plurality of both main and multipath return signals of varying signal strengths; (b) converting said received analog signal to a digital signal; (c) modifying said digital signal in accordance with a frequency correction term signal to thereby correct for frequency offset in said received analog signal; (d) searching through said modified digital signal to identify M of said main and multipath return signals having the strongest signal strengths; and (e) processing said identified main and multipath return signals in accordance with predetermined maximum likelihood techniques to thereby generate said frequency correction term signal.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
113 words
A method of receiving spread spectrum signals, comprising the steps of: (a) receiving an analog spread spectrum signal having a plurality of both main and multipath return signals of varying signal strengths; (b) converting said received analog signal to a digital signal; (c) modifying said digital signal in accordance with a frequency correction term signal to thereby correct for frequency offset in said received analog signal; (d) searching through said modified digital signal to identify M of said main and multipath return signals having the strongest signal strengths; and (e) processing said identified main and multipath return signals in accordance with predetermined maximum likelihood techniques to thereby generate said frequency correction term signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
112 words
The method of claim 8, wherein step (e) comprises the steps of: processing said identified main and multipath return signals in accordance with predetermined maximum likelihood techniques to thereby generate carrier phase correction estimates and weighting factors for said identified main and multipath return signals; correcting for respective phase offsets in said identified main and multipath return signals by modifying said identified main and multipath return signals as a function of said carrier phase correction estimates; using said weighting factors to weight said phase corrected main and multipath return signals in accordance with signal strength; and combining said weighted main and multipath return signals to thereby produce a maximal-ratio combined return signal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 9, wherein step (e) further comprises the step of processing said maximal-ratio combined return signal in accordance with predetermined maximum likelihood techniques to thereby generate said frequency correction term signal.