Engineering of a Multifunction Spread Spectrum System

Abstract

In the past ten years there have been dramatic strides in the spread spectrum communications system area. The knowledge of spread spectrum systems has progressed from a fragmented understanding of the techniques and their characteristics to the point where spread spectrum communication techniques are well documented and their characteristics are well understood. Thus, spread spectrum has progressed from analytical investigation into practical application. This presentation will provide a brief tutorial on spread spectrum techniques in the RF, modulation detection, and coding areas. The characteristics of these techniques will be addressed and related to specific communication functions. The presentation will address the application of spread spectrum techniques to a communication system design and will emphasize the suitability of spread spectrum for multiple applications in a given system. Specific examples of multiple spread spectrum usage will be given and a generalized approach to spread spectrum engineering will be presented. The application of this system approach to spread spectrum engineering results in spread spectrum taking on functions beyond its primary purpose of existence and becoming an integral part of a communication system rather than being an add-on, necessary but undesirable, appendage.