Acquisition time distribution for Z search strategies in spread spectrum receivers

An analysis of the acquisition process for Z serial-search direct-sequence spread spectrum receivers is presented. Using strictly time-domain techniques, equations for the acquisition time probability density function and mean are derived. Probabilities for small acquisition time may be calculated exactly, while larger times require Gaussian approximation to reduce computation time. The analysis brings out the effect of various factors that contribute to acquisition time. The results are suitable for use in the design of receivers which incorporate Z search and utilize a priori information about the code pulse. The method is illustrated by providing acquisition time distribution graphs. The technique known as broken-center/Z search provides the best performance among the various Z strategies