Abstract:An analytical approach to a search process is a mathematical prerequisite for digital synchronization acquisition analysis and optimization. A search is performed for an arbitrary set of sequences within random but not equiprobable L-ary data. This paper derives in detail an expression for probability distribution function, from which other statistical parameters - expected value and variance - can be obtained. The probabilistic nature of (cross-) bifix indicators is shown and application examples are outlined, ranging beyond the usual telecommunication field.