Method and apparatus for synchronizing a plurality of code division multiple access signals to enable acquisition and tracking based upon a single pseudonoise spreading code

A transmitter for transmitting information as a spread spectrum signal in a data communication system, the transmitter comprising:

• an input interface for receiving a message including the information to be transmit;
• a processor coupled to the input interface for processing the information;
• a plurality of pseudonoise (PN) sequence generators coupled to the processor for being initialized thereby to a plurality of predetermined initial states, wherein the processor controls the plurality of PN sequence generators to generate a plurality of transmit PN sequences that are time-synchronized with one another;
• and
• at least one radio frequency (RF) modulator for transmitting the spread spectrum signal after the plurality of transmit PN sequences are utilized to encode the information.

A receiver for receiving information in a spread spectrum signal in a data communication system, the receiver comprising:

• an acquisition and tracking element for acquiring and tracking a predetermined one of a plurality of transmit PN sequences that are time-synchronized with one another;
• a processor coupled to the acquisition and tracking element for predicting and tracking one of a plurality of predetermined initial states and for adjusting a first PN sequence generator to generate a selected PN sequence corresponding to one of the plurality of transmit PN sequences other than the predetermined one and time-synchronized with the predetermined one;
• and
• the first PN sequence generator coupled to the processor for despreading the corresponding one of the plurality of transmit PN sequences by utilizing the selected PN sequence to decode the information.

A receiver for receiving information in a spread spectrum signal in a data communication system, the receiver comprising:

• an acquisition and tracking element for acquiring and tracking a predetermined one of a plurality of transmit PN sequences that are time-synchronized with one another;
• a processor coupled to the acquisition and tracking element for predicting and tracking one of a plurality of predetermined initial states and for adjusting a plurality of PN sequence generators to simultaneously generate a plurality of selected PN sequences corresponding to ones of the plurality of transmit PN sequences and time-synchronized with the predetermined one;
• and
• the plurality of PN sequence generators coupled to the processor for simultaneously despreading the corresponding ones of the plurality of transmit PN sequences by utilizing the plurality of selected PN sequences to decode the information.