Timing estimation for GSM bursts based on past history

A receiver for synchronizing data bursts received in a data stream, each data burst including a number of bits comprising a training sequence at a fixed location, the receiver including circuitry for estimating the timing position of the data bursts received in the data stream, wherein the receiver is configured to:

• (A) for each of the first N received data bursts, where N>1:
• (i) select a plurality of estimated timing locations of the training sequence;
• (ii) correlate the training sequence for each estimated timing location;
• and
• (iii) determine the timing location associated with a highest correlation value;
• (B) for the first N data bursts, determine an average timing location of the timing locations associated with the highest correlation values;
• and
• (C) for each of the next M−N data bursts, where M>N, synchronize each data burst based on the average timing location, wherein each of the next M−N data bursts is synchronized without correlating a training sequence from any of said M−N data bursts.

A communications system comprising a receiver for synchronizing data bursts received in a data stream, each data burst including a number of bits comprising a training sequence at a fixed location, the receiver including circuitry for estimating the timing position of the data bursts received in the data stream, wherein the receiver is configured to:

• (A) for each of the first N received data bursts, where N>1:
• (i) select a plurality of estimated timing locations of the training sequence;
• (ii) correlate the training sequence for each estimated timing location;
• and
• (iii) determine the timing location associated with a highest correlation value;
• (B) for the first N data bursts, determine an average timing location of the timing locations associated with the highest correlation values;
• and
• (C) for each of the next M−N data bursts, where M>N, synchronize each data burst based on the average timing location, wherein each of the next M−N data bursts is synchronized without correlating a training sequence from any of said M−N data bursts.