A data-aided timing acquisition for pulse position modulated UWB signals

Detecting the ultra-short pulses in ultra-wideband radios requires rapid and accurate timing acquisition. An optimal data-aided timing acquisition algorithm based on minimum probability of error criterion is proposed. The estimation of timing offset parameter is derived in closed form. The cross-modulation interference (CMI) due to multipath components during the transmission of pulse position modulated (PPM) signal is introduced. A suboptimal data-aided timing acquisition algorithm is derived from the optimal algorithm for practical implementations. The BER performances of the proposed and conventional algorithms are simulated. The results show that optimal algorithm performs better than suboptimal algorithm in CMl channel whereas the suboptimal algorithm performs as good as the optimal algorithm in CM4 channel. Both proposed algorithms outperform the conventional algorithm in both channels.