Time-Frequency HOP Signals Part I: Coding Based upon the Theory of Linear Congruences

Time-frequency hop codes are developed based upon the theory of linear congruences. These codes can be used for multiuser radar and asynchronous spread spectrum communications systems. A uniform upper bound is placed on the cross-correlation function between any two elements of the code set. The upper bound is minimized by choice of time-bandwidth product and is shown to diminish as 2/N, where N is the number of elements in the code set. The size and position of spurious peaks in the autocorrelation functions are discussed. The results are extended to narrowband ambiguity functions.