A new analysis of matched filter pseudo-noise code acquisition for direct sequence spread spectrum system

Rapid pseudo-noise (PN) code acquisition with matched filter correlators has been very popular in direct-sequence spread spectrum systems. Conventionally, the analysis of this acquisition method is based on the assumption that the detections between cells are independent. However, there may be strong correlations between cell detections for the case that the cell size is less than a chip duration. In this paper, the mean acquisition time performance of the acquisition method is analyzed with the cell correlations being taken into account. Numerical results show that depending on the threshold value and other system parameters the effect of cell correlations may be over 20% of the mean acquisition time for signal to noise ratios of practical interest. The analytical results are substantiated by using computer simulations.