Methods and apparatus for processing burst signals in a telecommunication system

A method for processing burst signals in a telecommunication system including determining symbol timing in a burst transmission of a TDMA-based telecommunication system between a cable control unit and a cable access unit at a subscriber site, the method comprising the steps of:

• loading a sampled digital signal into memory, the sampled digital signal having a predetermined number of symbols, each symbol being represented by four samples;
• generating a timing error signal for substantially every sample of the sampled digital signal;
• generating four timing error sums, each of the four timing error sums determined by summing the timing error signals for all of the symbols within the burst signal for each of the four samples such that each of the four samples has an associated one of the four timing error sums;
• and
• evaluating the timing error sums to select an optimum sample of the four samples.

An apparatus for processing burst signals in a telecommunication system including a control unit for use in a TDMA-based telecommunications system that includes a plurality of access units that transmit information to the control unit in bursts within predetermined time slot windows, each burst having a predetermined number of symbols, the control unit comprising:

• sampling receiver circuitry coupled to at least one of the access units to receive the bursts;
• conversion circuitry connected to the sampling receiver circuitry to convert the bursts to samples at a predetermined sampling rate;
• memory connected to the conversion circuitry to store the samples, the memory comprising a buffer memory circuit storing bursts as they are converted, and a processor memory circuit that is accessed by a timing error detection circuitry, an accumulation circuitry, an evaluation circuitry, and a symbols detection circuitry;
• the timing error detection circuitry produces a timing error signal for substantially all of the samples for each burst;
• the accumulation circuitry sums the timing error signals for each burst, generating respective sums;
• the evaluation circuitry processes the sums to determine an optimum sample for each burst;
• and
• the symbol detection circuitry removes noise from the burst to extract symbol information from the burst, the symbol detection circuitry operating on the optimum sample for each symbol.