Correlation determination early termination

A body-coupled communications apparatus comprising correlation circuitry comprising:

• selection circuitry configured to select a sequence of symbol subsets comprising proper subsets of a candidate sequence of symbols and corresponding proper subsets of a target sequence of symbols;
• correlation value determining circuitry coupled to said selection circuitry and configured to determine for a given symbol subset of said sequence of symbol subsets comprising a given proper subset of said candidate sequence of symbols and a given proper subset of said target sequence of symbols a partial correlation value indicative of correlation between said given proper subset of said candidate sequence of symbols and said given proper subset of said target sequence of symbols;
• correlation value combining circuitry coupled to said correlation value determining circuitry and configured to generate a combined correlation value by combining said partial correlation value with one or more previously determined partial correlation values indicative of correlations between different proper subsets of said candidate sequence of symbols and corresponding different proper subsets of said target sequence of symbols;
• and
• early termination circuitry coupled to said correlation value combining circuitry and configured:
• (i) if said combined correlation value meets an early termination condition, then to terminate determination of correlation between said candidate sequence of symbol and said target sequence of symbol;
• and
• (ii) if said combined correlation value does not meet said early termination condition, then to permit continuation of determination of correlation between said candidate sequence of symbol and said target sequence of symbol.

Apparatus for processing data comprising:

• energy harvesting circuitry for harvesting energy to operate said apparatus from an environment of said apparatus;
• and
• correlation circuitry comprising:
• selection circuitry configured to select a sequence of symbol subsets comprising proper subsets of a candidate sequence of symbols and corresponding proper subsets of a target sequence of symbols;
• correlation value determining circuitry coupled to said selection circuitry and configured to determine for a given symbol subset of said sequence of symbol subsets comprising a given proper subset of said candidate sequence of symbols and a given proper subset of said target sequence of symbols a partial correlation value indicative of correlation between said given proper subset of said candidate sequence of symbols and said given proper subset of said target sequence of symbols;
• correlation value combining circuitry coupled to said correlation value determining circuitry and configured to generate a combined correlation value by combining said partial correlation value with one or more previously determined partial correlation values indicative of correlations between different proper subsets of said candidate sequence of symbols and corresponding different proper subsets of said target sequence of symbols;
• and
• early termination circuitry coupled to said correlation value combining circuitry and configured:
• (i) if said combined correlation value meets an early termination condition, then to terminate determination of correlation between said candidate sequence of symbol and said target sequence of symbol;
• and
• (ii) if said combined correlation value does not meet said early termination condition, then to permit continuation of determination of correlation between said candidate sequence of symbol and said target sequence of symbol.

Correlation circuitry comprising:

• selection means for selecting a sequence of symbol subsets comprising proper subsets of a candidate sequence of symbols and corresponding proper subsets of a target sequence of symbols;
• correlation value determining means, coupled to said selection means, for determining for a given symbol subset of said sequence of symbol subsets comprising a given proper subset of said candidate sequence of symbols and a given proper subset of said target sequence of symbols a partial correlation value indicative of correlation between said given proper subset of said candidate sequence of symbols and said given proper subset of said target sequence of symbols;
• correlation value combining means, coupled to said correlation value determining means, for generating a combined correlation value by combining said partial correlation value with one or more previously determined partial correlation values indicative of correlations between different proper subsets of said candidate sequence of symbols and corresponding different proper subsets of said target sequence of symbols;
• and
• early termination means, coupled to said correlation value combining means, for:
• (i) if said combined correlation value meets an early termination condition, then terminating determination of correlation between said candidate sequence of symbol and said target sequence of symbol;
• and
• (ii) if said combined correlation value does not meet said early termination condition, then permitting continuation of determination of correlation between said candidate sequence of symbol and said target sequence of symbol.

A method of determining a correlation comprising the steps of:

• selecting a sequence of symbol subsets comprising proper subsets of a candidate sequence of symbols and corresponding proper subsets of a target sequence of symbols;
• determining for a given symbol subset of said sequence of symbol subsets comprising a given proper subset of said candidate sequence of symbols and a given proper subset of said target sequence of symbols a partial correlation value indicative of correlation between said given proper subset of said candidate sequence of symbols and said given proper subset of said target sequence of symbols;
• generating a combined correlation value by combining said partial correlation value with one or more previously determined partial correlation values indicative of correlations between different proper subsets of said candidate sequence of symbols and corresponding different proper subsets of said target sequence of symbols;
• and
• (i) if said combined correlation value meets an early termination condition, then terminating determination of correlation between said candidate sequence of symbol and said target sequence of symbol;
• and
• (ii) if said combined correlation value does not meet said early termination condition, then permitting continuation of determination of correlation between said candidate sequence of symbol and said target sequence of symbol.