Low Complexity Synchronization Algorithm for Non-Coherent UWB-IR Receivers

This paper describes a synchronization acquisition algorithm for ultra-wideband impulse radio (UWB-IR) designed for energy constrained applications, such as sensors networks. The receiver performs an energy detection relying on a timebase-thresholder which is able to timestamp the threshold crossings. The algorithm exploits a synchronization preamble composed of time-hopped unmodulated symbols and manages to retrieve the time hopping sequence used by the transmitter. Simulations have been performed to validate the performances of such an algorithm in terms of accuracy and mean elapsed time in acquisition. The simulations results demonstrate the algorithm's validity and its applicability to systems with severe energy constraints.