Digital signal processing requirements for spread-spectrum communications

The architecture, partitioning, packaging, intercommunications, and throughput capacity required to implement algorithms for error correction coding, direct sequence generation, variable data rate, data compression, and adaptive processing into a spread-spectrum system are discussed in this paper. A current Sperry Univac 10-megabit spread-spectrum system is compared to a potential design incorporating very-large-scale integration (VLSI) and very-high-speed integrated circuit (VHSIC) technologies. Performance, size, weight, and power requirements are compared to the current system. VLSI/VHSIC programs promise system solutions to spread-spectrum issues because increased throughput capacity allows design implementation of algorithms which until recently were impractical. Full spread-spectrum advantages of imbedded microprocessors can now be realized.