Method, apparatus and computer program product providing synchronization for OFDMA downlink signal

A computer readable medium storing a computer program, execution of the computer program by a data processor resulting in operations that comprise obtaining time, carrier frequency and cell-specific preamble synchronization to a received signal by:

• detecting a frame boundary using preamble delay correlation;
• detecting the frame boundary with greater precision using a conjugate symmetry property over a region identified during the first operation of detecting the frame boundary;
• using cyclic prefix correlation to resolve symbol boundary repetition;
• using the cyclic prefix to estimate and correct a fractional carrier frequency offset;
• performing a fast fourier transform of an identified preamble symbol;
• and
• performing a frequency domain cross-correlation to identify cell-specific preamble sequences and an integer frequency offset in sub-carrier spacing.

An apparatus, comprising:

• at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code;
• the at least one memory and the computer program code stored on the memory is configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus, in response to a received downlink signal, to obtain time, carrier frequency and cell-specific preamble synchronization to the received signal said apparatus comprising a plurality of synchronization units comprising a first detector to detect a frame boundary using preamble delay correlation;
• a second detector to detect the frame boundary with greater precision using a conjugate symmetry property over a region identified by the first detector;
• a cyclic prefix correlator to resolve symbol boundary repetition;
• an estimator, using the cyclic prefix, to estimate and correct a fractional carrier frequency offset;
• an operator to perform a fast fourier transform of an identified preamble symbol;
• and
• a frequency domain cross-correlator to identify cell-specific preamble sequences and an integer frequency offset in sub-carrier spacing.

A mobile station, comprising:

• means for receiving a downlink signal, said receiving means operable to obtain time, carrier frequency and cell-specific preamble synchronization to the received signal and comprising a plurality of synchronization units comprising first means for detecting a frame boundary using preamble delay correlation;
• second means for detecting the frame boundary with greater precision using a conjugate symmetry property over a region identified by the first means for detecting;
• means for cyclic prefix correlation for resolving symbol boundary repetition;
• means for estimating and correcting, using the cyclic prefix, a fractional carrier frequency offset;
• means for performing a fast fourier transform of an identified preamble symbol;
• and
• means for frequency domain cross-correlation for identifying cell-specific preamble sequences and an integer frequency offset in sub-carrier spacing.