Variable length correlator

1. A method for processing a signal derived from a radio frequency signal at some rate in a range of allowable data rates, the method comprising:

downconverting an incoming signal derived from a radio frequency signal to complex near-baseband signals;

processing the complex near-baseband signals in two data correlators corresponding to data 0 and data 1; and

changing effective lengths of the correlators based on a symbol data rate of the incoming signal,

wherein each correlator includes a series of windowed integrators that are configurable for different lengths.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the outputs of the windowed integrators of each correlator are added in one path and subtracted in another path and processed by complex-to-magnitude modules to generate data signals, wherein the data signals are kept separate until after outputs of the complex-to-magnitude modules.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the windowed integrators of each correlator is a half symbol integrator correlator, wherein correlator variable delay modules provide a delay into two of the windowed integrators, wherein no delay is introduced into another two of the windowed integrators.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the correlator outputs are combined to create a combined correlator magnitude signal, and further comprising using the combined correlator magnitude signal to determine an end of a signal modulation.

5. A system, comprising:

hardware logic for downconvering an incoming signal derived from a radio frequency signal to complex near-baseband signals; and

two data correlators corresponding to data 0 and data 1 for processing the complex near-baseband signals,

wherein the correlators each have a variable effective length which is changeable based on a symbol data rate of the incoming signal,

wherein each correlator is a Tbit windowed integrator, wherein Tbit is a duration of a data symbol and is variable over a predetermined range, and where a residual subcarrier frequency on the near-baseband signal input to each correlator is small relative to the data rate.

6. A system, comprising:

hardware logic configured to downconvert an incoming signal derived from a radio frequency signal to complex near-baseband signals; and

two data correlators corresponding to data 0 and data 1 for processing the complex near-baseband signals;

wherein the correlators each have a variable effective length which is changeable based on a symbol data rate of the incoming signal,

wherein each correlator includes a series of windowed integrators that are configurable for different lengths.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the outputs of the windowed integrators of each correlator are added in one path and subtracted in another path and processed by complex to magnitude modules to generate data signals, wherein the data signals are kept separate until after outputs of the complex to magnitude modules.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein each of the windowed integrators of each correlator is a half symbol integrator correlator, wherein correlator variable delay modules provide a delay into two of the windowed integrators, wherein no delay is introduced.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the correlator outputs are combined to create a combined correlator magnitude signal, and further comprising using the combined correlator magnitude signal to determine an end of a signal modulation.

10. The system of claim 6 , further comprising at least one antenna for receiving the radio frequency signal.