Apparatus and method for scheduling correlation operations of a DS-CDMA shared correlator

A method of scheduling at least one correlation finger request of a shared vector correlator comprising the steps of:

• a) determining parameters defining an ID-tag for at least one matched-filter PN vector from finger information of a correlation request;
• b) selecting, based on the finger information of the correlation request, a slot of a periodic symbol cycle corresponding to a time to generate the matched-filter PN vector;
• c) associating the slot with the ID-tag;
• and
• d) sequentially providing the ID-tag of each slot from a memory in accordance with the periodic symbol cycle and based on the value of a counter.

A receiver having a circuit for scheduling at least one correlation finger request of a shared vector correlator, the circuit comprising:

• a control processor adapted to:
• determine parameters for an ID-tag from finger information of a correlation request, the parameters specifying at least one matched-filter PN vector,
• select, based on the finger information of the correlation request, a slot of a periodic symbol cycle corresponding to a time to generate the matched-filter PN vector, and
• associate the slot with the ID-tag;
• and
• a scheduler adapted to sequentially provide the ID-tag of each slot of the periodic symbol cycle, wherein the scheduler includes a counter, the value of the counter employed to provide the ID-tag from a memory.

A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions including instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to implement a method for scheduling at least one correlation finger request of a shared vector correlator, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) determining parameters defining an ID-tag for at least one matched-filter PN vector from finger information of a correlation request;
• b) selecting, based on the finger information of the correlation request, a slot of a periodic symbol cycle corresponding to a time to generate the matched-filter PN vector;
• c) associating the slot with the ID-tag;
• and
• d) sequentially providing the ID-tag of each slot from a memory in accordance with the periodic symbol cycle and based on the value of a counter.

An integrated circuit having a circuit for scheduling at least one correlation finger request of a shared vector correlator, the circuit comprising:

• a control processor adapted to:
• determine parameters for an ID-tag from finger information of a correlation request, the parameters specifying at least one matched-filter PN vector,
• select, based on the finger information of the correlation request, a slot of a periodic symbol cycle corresponding to a time to generate the matched-filter PN vector, and
• associate the slot with the ID-tag;
• and
• a scheduler adapted to sequentially provide the ID-tag of each slot of the periodic symbol cycle, wherein the scheduler includes a counter, the value of the counter employed to provide the ID-tag from a memory.