Method and apparatus for tracking a communication signal in a wireless communication system

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An improvement for tracking a mobile communication signal which operates in a code division multiple access wireless communication system is presented.
This approach employs a controller in communication with a base site RAKE receiver.
The controller, based on characteristics and comparisons of received multipath signals pn-offset values, adjusts tracking operation in the base site RAKE receiver.
Stated specifically, a method for tracking a mobile communication signal, which operates in a code division multiple access wireless communication system is described herein.
The wireless communication system includes an antenna, and a base site receiver having at least two receiver tracking fingers.
The method includes receiving at the antenna a first multipath signal arriving at an on-time pn-offset and a second multipath signal arriving at an on-time pn-offset.
The on-time pn-offset value of the first multipath signal has an associated advanced pn-offset value and retard pn-offset value, which is subsequently calculated by a first delay lock loop in one of the two receiver tracking fingers.
Similarly, the on-time pn-offset value of the second multipath signal has an associated advanced pn-offset value and retard pn-offset value which is subsequently calculated by a second delay lock loop in the other receiver tracking finger.
A controller in communication with the base site receiver, receives and stores the advanced pn-offset value and the retard pn-offset value calculated by the first delay lock loop, and the advanced pn-offset value and the retard pn-offset value calculated by the second delay lock loop.
In addition, the controller receives the on-time pn-offset values from a finger manager and using the on-time pn offset values of the first and second multipath signals, determines a spacing between on-time pn offset values of the first and second multipath signals.
Based on the spacing, the controller adjusts the tracking of the at least two RAKE receiver fingers