Frame synchronization of convolutionally coded systems for packet transmission

This letter proposes a decoder-assisted frame synchronization scheme for convolutionally encoded information packets. Rather than placing sync bits in a separate header, the sync bits are placed in a mid-amble and encoded as part of the information sequence, using the error correction encoder to resolve time ambiguities. This technique requires fewer bits for frame synchronization. The performance improvement over the conventional synchronization technique is explored via simulation.