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A method and apparatus for improved cell detection in a cellular communication system correlates a received signal with both a primary synchronization signal and a secondary synchronization signal. The results from the primary and secondary synchronization detection are used to determine if a new c

A method and apparatus for improved cell detection in a cellular communication system correlates a received signal with both a primary synchronization signal and a secondary synchronization signal. The results from the primary and secondary synchronization detection are used to determine if a new cell has been found. By also including the secondary synchronization signal during the cell detection procedure, the rate of false detection can be reduced while still maintaining detection performance. In addition, a longer standby time can be achieved for the user terminal.

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What is claimed is: 1. A method for cell detection in a communication system comprising: receiving a communication signal; correlating the received signal with a primary synchronization signal to produce a primary detection signal; correlating the received signal with a secondary synchronization si

What is claimed is: 1. A method for cell detection in a communication system comprising: receiving a communication signal; correlating the received signal with a primary synchronization signal to produce a primary detection signal; correlating the received signal with a secondary synchronization signal to produce a secondary detection signal; detecting a new cell based on the primary detection signal and the secondary detection signal determining a decision variable from the primary detection signal; comparing the decision variable to a first threshold; comparing the decision variable to a second threshold; and using the secondary detection signal to determine if a new cell has been found if the decision variable is less than the first threshold and the decision variable is greater than the second threshold. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the secondary detection signal to determine if a new cell has been found if the decision variable is greater than the first threshold. 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining that no new cell has been found if the decision variable is less than the second threshold. 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining an optimal time delay corresponding to the decision variable. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the decision variable is determined from a maximum value of the primary detection signal over a plurality of selected time delays. 6. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of using the secondary detection signal to determine if a new cell has been found further comprises: grouping values of the secondary detection signal into a plurality of sets, wherein each set has at least one associated time delay; determining that a new cell has been found if the optimal time delay is associated with a particular set of the plurality of sets. 7. The method of claim 6, further comprising determining for each set a sum of said values in the set, wherein the particular set comprises a set of the plurality of sets having a maximum of said sums. 8. The method of claim 1, further comprising: accumulating the correlated received signal and primary synchronization signal over a number of transmission periods to produce the primary detection signal. 9. The method of claim 1, further comprising: accumulating the correlated received signal and secondary synchronization signal over a predetermined number of transmission periods to produce the secondary detection signal. 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining a decision variable using the primary detection signal and the secondary detection signal; comparing the decision variable to a first threshold; and indicating that a new cell has been found if the decision variable is greater than the first threshold. 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication system is a WCDMA system. 12. A method for cell detection in a communication system comprising: receiving a communication signal; correlating the received signal with a primary synchronization signal to produce a primary detection signal; correlating the received signal with a secondary synchronization signal to produce a secondary detection signal; determining a decision variable from the primary detection signal; comparing the decision variable to a first threshold; determining that a new cell has been found if the decision variable is greater than the first threshold; comparing the decision variable to a second threshold if the decision variable is less than the first threshold; and using the secondary detection signal to determine if a new cell has been found if the decision variable is less than the first threshold and the decision variable is greater than the second threshold. 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising: indicating that no new cell has been found if the decision variable is less than the second threshold. 14. The method of claim 12, further comprising: determining an optimal time delay corresponding to the decision variable. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the decision variable is determined from a maximum value of the primary detection signal over a plurality of selected time delays. 16. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of using the secondary detection signal to determine if a new cell has been found further comprises: grouping values of the secondary detection signal into a plurality of sets, wherein each set has at least one associated time delay; determining that a new cell has been found if the optimal time delay is associated with a particular set of the plurality of sets. 17. The method of claim 12, further comprising: accumulating the correlated received signal and primary synchronization signal over a number of transmission periods to produce the primary detection signal. 18. The method of claim 12, further comprising: accumulating the correlated received signal and secondary synchronization signal over a predetermined number of transmission periods to produce the secondary detection signal. 19. An apparatus for cell detection in a communication system comprising: a front end receiver for receiving a communication signal; a primary synchronization channel correlator for correlating the received signal with a primary synchronization signal to produce a primary detection signal; a secondary synchronization channel correlator for correlating the received signal with a secondary synchronization signal to produce a secondary detection signal; a detector for determining if a new cell has been found using the primary detection signal and the secondary detection signal; a primary synchronization accumulator for determining a decision variable from the primary detection signal, said detector including a control unit for comparing the decision variable to a first threshold and a second threshold, wherein the detector uses the secondary detection signal to determine if a new cell has been found if the decision variable is less than the first threshold and the decision variable is greater than the second threshold. 20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the detector uses the secondary detection signal to determine if a new cell has been found if the decision variable is greater than the first threshold. 21. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising: a maximum detector for determining an optimal time delay corresponding to the decision variable. 22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the decision variable is determined from a maximum value of the primary detection signal over a plurality of selected time delays. 23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the detector further includes: a secondary synchronization detector for grouping values of the secondary detection signal into a plurality of sets, wherein each set has at least one associated time delay; and a comparator for determining that a new cell has been found if the optimal time delay is associated with a particular set of the plurality of sets. 24. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the primary synchronization channel correlator comprises a matched filter. 25. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the secondary synchronization channel correlator comprises a matched filter. 26. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising: a primary synchronization accumulator for accumulating the correlated received signal and primary synchronization signal over a number of transmission periods to produce the primary detection signal. 27. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising: a secondary synchronization accumulator for accumulating the correlated received signal and secondary synchronization signal over a number of transmission periods to produce the secondary detection signal. 28. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the detector further includes: a control unit for determining a decision variable using the primary detection signal and the secondary detection signal; and a comparator for comparing the decision variable to a first threshold and indicating that a new cell has been found if the decision variable is greater than the first threshold. 29. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the communication system is a WCDMA system.