Fast synchronization method for CDMA communication systems

The synchronization phase of a code division multiple access communication system might pose a limitation on the performance of the system, since unlike other communication systems it is required to obtain the state (i.e., sequence phase) of a linear feedback shift register (LFSR). Usually the state is obtained by using a brute force exhaustive search over all possibilities, which might be a computationally demanding task. In this paper, we suggest a new method for LFSR sequence phase acquisition. Our method is suitable for practical systems in which an unknown frequency drift may be present. Simulation results for the IS-95/CDMA-2000 standard show a dramatic reduction in the time required to acquire synchronization when using the new algorithm compared to the standard synchronization method.