Direct-sequence codes based blind synchronization algorithm for UWB systems

A new blind (non-data-aided) synchronization algorithm based on direct-sequence (DS) codes is proposed for ultra-wideband (UWB) systems. The proposed approach fully exploits prior knowledge of DS codes and bypasses channel estimation. The real-time acquisition is achieved using integrating-and-dumping (I&D) operation and DS codes matching filter. Because of pseudo randomicity and periodicity of DS codes, both the speed and the accuracy of synchronization are improved significantly. A lower bound on the acquisition probability of the proposed approach is also derived. Simulations confirm performance improvement of the proposed algorithm relative to existing alternatives in terms of acquisition probability, normalized mean square error (NMSE), and bit error rate (BER).