Processing a spread spectrum signal in a frequency adjustable system

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In one aspect, the invention features processing a spread spectrum signal sampled at a selected sampling rate.
The sampled signal is received, despread, and accumulated at a center frequency lower than the sampling rate and higher than zero.
A frequency adjustment element is used to adjust the resonant frequency during accumulation to equal approximately the center frequency.
Embodiments of the invention may include one or more of the following features.
The frequency adjustment element may be configured to introduce a quadrature error.
The apparatus may include an error correction element configured to correct this quadrature error after the resonant frequency has been adjusted.
Advantages of the invention may include one or more of the following.
A spread spectrum signal may be processed at some center frequency, with downconversion to DC occurring only after the signal is processed.
A device used to process the spread spectrum signal may be tuned as it processes the signal to resonate at the center frequency.
As a result, the device may be used in widely varying applications and will more accurately and efficiently process the spread spectrum signal.
Other advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and from the claims.