US Patent 7773662 Synchronizing to symbols received via wireless communications channel

Synchronization techniques for reducing the effects of time dispersive wireless communications channels are presented. A synchronization technique for communications over a time dispersive wireless channel includes receiving a signal having at least identical first and second symbols, and calculating a metric for each sampling time by correlating respective samples of the first symbol included in a first sampling window with respective samples of the second symbol included in a second sampling window. The technique further includes identifying one of the sampling times at which the metric attains a maximum value, and estimating an optimal time offset for synchronizing to the received signal based on the identified sampling time. Optionally, the technique further includes estimating a carrier frequency offset based on the difference of phase of the complex conjugate samples at the maximum absolute value of the metric.