PROCESSOR FOR USE AS A PATH SEARCHER OF A SPREAD SPECTRUM RECEIVER AND A METHOD OF OPERATION OF THE PROCESSOR

摘要

A path searcher (109, 600) for use in a spread spectrum receiver (100), including a correlator (601 ) for correlating a received signal in different time positions with a reference code to select for further processing time positions of the signals showing the strongest correlations, wherein the correlator (601 ) is operable to obtain a correlation energy result for each time position in a set (A) of possible time positions, a comparator (603) for comparing the correlation energy results with each of a plurality of energy thresholds (T1, T2) and a recorder (615) for recording data indicating time positions for correlation energy results which are not less than the respective thresholds in different groups corresponding to the respective thresholds. Also described is a semiconductor device and a receiver (100) incorporating the path searcher and a method (200) of operation of the path searcher.