Method, apparatus, and system for fast base synchronization and sector identification

In a communication system in which primary and secondary control channels are transmitted from at least one base station serving a cell containing at least one sector to a remote station, an apparatus for identifying a sector in which a connection is to be established or to which a connection is to be redirected, the apparatus comprising:

• means for determining an identification code group corresponding to the sector based on information in the secondary control channel;
• means for determining an identification code from information in the primary control channel if the determination of the identification code group does not result in identification of the sector;
• and
• means for identifying the sector based on information multiplied with symbols in the primary control channel if determination of the identification code does not result in identification of the sector.

A communication system comprising:

• at least one remote station;
• at least one base station serving a cell containing at least one sector, wherein the at least one base station transmits primary and secondary control channels to the at least one remote station;
• and
• a processor for identifying a sector in which a connection is to be established or to which a connection is to be redirected, wherein the processor determines an identification code group corresponding to the sector based on information in the secondary control channel, determines an identification code from information in the primary control channel if the determination of the identification code group does not result in identification of the sector, and identifies the sector based on information multiplied with symbols in the primary control channel if determination of the identification code does not result in identification of the sector.