A technique for receiving a data stream including a spreading sequence packet of information containing a data payload and, in addition to the data payload, packet overhead including at least periodic information and at least one unique section of known coded information that defines a unique position within the packet, includes performing a plurality of processing steps to detect the position of the unique section within the packet of information. The steps include detecting the periodicity of the periodic information in a first processing step; in a second processing step after periodicity in the received data stream has been determined, estimating the position of the unique section within the packet of information; and in a third processing step, correlating the information in the packet of information about the estimated position with the known coded information.