Fast and Low-Complexity Frame-Level Synchronization for Transmitted Reference Receivers

A frame-level synchronization (FLS) algorithm for the UWB transmitted-reference (TR) receiver is designed and analyzed in this paper. The algorithm exploits the robustness of the TR receiver to synchronization errors (N. He and C. Tepedelenlioglu, 2004), and has a moderate accuracy but a very low complexity and fast synchronization speed compared to conventional approaches requiring subnanosecond-level accuracy. Detailed analysis of the algorithm is carried out. Synchronization performance of both blind and non-blind approaches are derived and compared in terms of the average acquisition time. Error detection and correction strategies are built in to further improve the performance of the algorithm. Parameter selections that minimize the average acquisition time are also discussed, based on our in-depth analysis