Access burst detector correlator pool

A Node-B/base station having an access burst detector comprising:

• at least one antenna for receiving signals from users;
• a pool of reconfigurable correlators, each correlator for correlating an inputted access burst code with an inputted antenna output of the at least one antenna;
• an antenna controller for selectively coupling any output of the at least one antenna to an input of any of the correlators;
• a plurality of code generators for outputting a plurality of access codes;
• a series of delays, each delay delaying the plurality of access codes by a predetermined amount, the output of each of the series of delays being input into a different correlator of the correlators;
• and
• a sorter/post processor for sorting output energy levels of the correlators.

A scalable Node-B/base station comprising:

• at least one antenna for receiving signals from users;
• at least one application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) having a pool of reconfigurable correlators, each correlator for correlating an inputted access burst code at an inputted code phase with an inputted antenna output of the at least one antenna, the at least one ASIC having an antenna controller for selectively coupling any output of the at least one antenna to an input of any of the correlators;
• software for reconfiguring the selective coupling as additional ASICs are added at the Node-B/base station, each additional ASIC having a pool of reconfigurable correlators;
• a sorter/post processor for sorting output energy levels of the correlators.

A method for configuring an access burst detector for a Node-B/base station, the method comprising:

• providing a bank of correlators, the bank of correlators having a plurality of correlators, each correlator capable of selecting one of a plurality of access codes and correlating that access code with an inputted signal, each of the plurality of correlators receiving a different delayed version of the selected one code and the set of correlators spanning a preassigned delay spread;
• determining a cell radius to be serviced by the Node-B/base station and a delay spread associated with the cell radius;
• if the cell radius delay spread is greater than the preassigned delay spread, assigning ones of the plurality of access codes to be delayed versions of others of the access codes;
• if the cell radius delay spread is not greater than the preassigned delay spread, not assigning ones of the plurality of access codes to be delayed versions of others of the access codes;
• and
• detecting access codes using the bank of correlators and the assignment of the plurality of access codes.