Signal receiver for integrating and combining integrations in alternating time segments for signal acquisition at low signal strength

A receiver for receiving an incoming spread spectrum signal having data bits spread by a spreading code, comprising:

• a segment timer for segmenting a reception time period for said incoming signal into first time segments and second time segments, a first one of said second time segments following a first one of said first time segments;
• a correlation machine for integrating said incoming signal for said first time segments for determining first segment magnitude sets, respectively, and for said second time segments alternating with said first time segments for determining second segment magnitude sets, respectively;
• said first segment magnitude sets having first segment magnitudes corresponding to code phases of said spreading code, respectively, and said second segment magnitude sets having second segment magnitudes corresponding to said code phases, respectively;
• a first combiner for combining said first segment magnitude sets according to said code phases for providing a first combined magnitude set having first combined magnitudes corresponding to said code phases, respectively;
• and
• a second combiner for combining said second segment magnitude sets according to said code phases for providing a second combined magnitude set having second combined magnitudes corresponding to said code phases, respectively.

A tangible readable medium containing a set of instructions stored in the tangible readable medium for causing a processor to carry out the following steps:

• integrating an incoming signal having data bits spread by a spreading code in first time segments for determining first segment magnitude sets, respectively, having first segment magnitudes corresponding to code phases of said spreading code;
• integrating said incoming signal in second segments alternating with said first time segments, a first one of said second time segments following a first one of said first time segments, for determining second segment magnitude sets, respectively;
• said second segment magnitude sets, respectively, having second segment magnitudes corresponding to said code phases, respectively;
• and
• combining said first segment magnitude sets according to said code phases for providing a first combined magnitude set having first combined magnitudes corresponding to said code phases, respectively, and said second segment magnitude sets according to said code phases for providing a second combined magnitude set having second combined magnitudes corresponding to said code phases, respectively.