Implementation of chip rate processing algorithms for third generation W-CDMA mobile terminals

Two of the five air interface standards endorsed by the ITU as 3rd generation mobile standards are based on wideband CDMA. The standard CDMA receiver architecture employed in mobile terminals is the RAKE receiver (see Prohakis, J.G., 1995) because of its relatively low complexity. We discuss the architecture of the chip rate processing (CRP) part of a UMTS FDD mode compliant mobile receiver. We describe the role of the CRP within the UMTS physical layer and discuss the key performance issues, namely finger control and implementation bit widths.