Abstract:
An electronic, programmable filter is disclosed which selectively removes interference, noise or distortion components from a frequency band without perturbing any of the other signals of the band. An input frequency band such as a television channel spectrum is initially demodulated to baseband and applied to the input of the filter. The baseband spectrum is combined in a complex mixer with a synthesized frequency signal that shifts the spectrum a characteristic amount, in the frequency domain, so as to position an interference component in the region about DC. Once shifted, the frequency components about DC are removed by DC canceler circuit and the resulting spectrum is mixed with a subsequent synthesized frequency signal which shifts the spectrum back to its original representation and baseband. The frequency signals are developed by a programmable frequency synthesizer which a user may program with an intelligence signal that defines the frequency location of an interference signal within the spectrum. Filter blocks may be added or subtracted in order to optimize the filter response for any number of interference components for which rejection is desired.
Abstract:
Improved carrier recovery and symbol timing systems and methods suitable for use in connection with a dual-mode QAM/VSB receiver system is disclosed. Carrier and symbol timing acquisition and tracking loops are phase/frequency locked to an inserted pilot signal provided in an input VSB spectrum at a given frequency. An input spectrum is centered about baseband and the pilot is extracted by an equivalent filter which functions as a bandpass filter having pass bands centered about the pilot frequency. Since the pilot signal's frequency is given, its position in the frequency domain for any sampling frequency, is deterministic. The receiver's sampling frequency is provided such that the relationship is expressed as fcnullfs/4. When tracked by a phase-lock loop, the pilot signal will appear at the correct location in the spectrum if the sampling frequency fs is correct, and will be shifted in one direction or the other if the sampling frequency fs is too high or too low.
Abstract:
A digital IF demodulator receives and demodulates an analog IF input signal to produce a digital audio signal and a digital video signal. The digital IF demodulator includes an A/D converter, a first digital complex mixer, a second digital complex mixer, and various digital filters. The first digital complex mixer receives the output of the A/D converter and down-converts the output of the A/D converter to baseband. Additionally, the picture carrier is recovered from the output of the first digital complex mixer, and fed back to a direct digital synthesizer to control the tuning accuracy of the first digital complex mixer. More specifically, a feedback loop is formed to so that the picture carrier is down-converted to DC so as to control the tuning accuracy of the first digital complex mixer. The complex output of the first complex mixer is further processed using Nyquist filtering and other filtering to recover the digital video signal. The digital audio signal is recovered by further processing the output of the first digital complex mixer. With the picture carrier located at DC, the audio signal is shifted off DC by approximately 4.5 Mhz. A second complex mixer down-converts the output of the first digital complex mixer so that the audio signal at 4.5 MHz is down-converted to baseband. After filtering and demodulation, the digital audio signal is recovered.
Abstract:
An electronic, programmable filter is disclosed which selectively removes interference, noise or distortion components from a frequency band without perturbing any of the other signals of the band. An input frequency band such as a television channel spectrum is initially demodulated to baseband and applied to the input of the filter. The baseband spectrum is combined in a complex mixer with a synthesized frequency signal that shifts the spectrum a characteristic amount, in the frequency domain, so as to position an interference component in the region about DC. Once shifted, the frequency components about DC are removed by DC canceler circuit and the resulting spectrum is mixed with a subsequent synthesized frequency signal which shifts the spectrum back to its original representation and baseband. The frequency signals are developed by a programmable frequency synthesizer which a user may program with an intelligence signal that defines the frequency location of an interference signal within the spectrum. Filter blocks may be added or subtracted in order to optimize the filter response for any number of interference components for which rejection is desired.
Abstract:
A digital IF demodulator includes an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter that receives an analog IF signal and converts it to a digital IF signal. A parallel multiplier then down-converts the digital IF signal to a baseband signal having a video component and an audio component. The frequency down-conversion uses a parallel multiplier driven by an outer feedback loop that corrects gross frequency errors in said digital IF signal. The digital IF demodulator also includes a video recovery circuit that selects the video component from the baseband signal and further down-converts the baseband signal to a video baseband using a video complex mixer driven by an inner feedback loop that corrects fast phase perturbations in the video recovery circuit. Finally, the digital IF demodulator includes an audio recovery circuit that (i) receives said baseband signal from the parallel multiplier, and (ii) down-converts the audio component to an audio baseband signal using an audio complex mixer.
Abstract:
Method and apparatus for determining the stopping point of an iterative decoding process. In one embodiment the estimated values of an iteration of an iterative decoder are provided to a signature circuit. If the signature does not differ from the previous signature developed from a prior iteration, or the signature developed from an iteration prior to the previous iteration, the decoding stops. The variance may also be tested and compared to a threshold as a criteria to stop the iterative decoding.
Abstract:
Improved decision feedback equalizer and decision directed timing recovery systems and methods suitable for use in connection with a dual mode QAM/VSB receiver system are disclosed. A trellis decoder operates in conjunction with a decision feedback equalizer circuit on trellis coded 8-VSB modulated signals. The trellis decoder includes a 4-state traceback memory circuit outputting a maximum likelihood decision as well as a number of intermediate decisions based upon the maximum likelihood sequence path. Any number of decisions, along the sequence, may be provided as an input signal to timing recovery system loops, with the particular decision along the sequence chosen on the basis of its delay through the trellis decoder. Variable delay circuitry is coupled to the other input of the timing recovery system loops in order to ensure that both input signals bear the same timestamp. Final decisions are output from the trellis decoder to a DFE in order to enhance the DFE's ability to operate in low SNR environments. A decision sequence estimation error signal is also generated and used to drive the tap updates of both the DFE and an FFE portion of the equalizer.
Abstract:
A feedforward filter has a plurality of feedforward filter taps, including a feedforward filter reference tap. The reference tap of the feedforward filter is positioned proximate a center position of the feedforward filter. A ramping circuit assembly has an input port configured to receive at least one decision feedback filter tap coefficient from a decision feedback filter. A coefficient ramping circuit is configured to provide a ramped output for at least one of the decision feedback filter tap coefficients. The ramped output is varied over time from a first value to a second value. The second value is dependent upon the value of a decision feedback filter tap coefficient. An output port of the ramping circuit assembly is configured to communicate information representative of the ramped output(s) to a precoder.
Abstract:
A communications system, having a combination Reed-Solomon encoder and a Turbo-Code encoder Data frame configuration which may be changed to accommodate embedded submarkers of known value are embedded in with the data order to aid synchronization in the receiver system, by providing strings of known symbols. The string of known symbols may be the same as the symbols within a training header that appears at the beginning of a data frame. Frame parameters may be tailored to individual users and may be controlled by information pertaining to receivers, such as bit error rate, of the receiver. Additional headers may be interspersed within the data in order to assist in receiver synchronization. Frames of data may be acquired quickly by a receiver by having a string of symbols representing the phase offset between successive header symbols in the header training sequence in order to determine the carrier offset. Phase lock to a signal may achieved after determining carrier offset in receivers by con-elating successive symbols in successive headers. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or the meaning of the claims.
Abstract:
Improved carrier recovery and symbol timing systems and methods suitable for use in connection with a dual-mode QAM/VSB receiver system is disclosed. Carrier and symbol timing acquisition and tracking loops are phase/frequency locked to an inserted pilot signal provided in an input VSB spectrum at a given frequency. An input spectrum is centered about baseband and the pilot is extracted by an equivalent filter which functions as a bandpass filter having pass bands centered about the pilot frequency. Since the pilot signal's frequency is given, its position in the frequency domain for any sampling frequency, is deterministic. The receiver's sampling frequency is provided such that the relationship is expressed as fcnullfS/4. When tracked by a phase-lock loop, the pilot signal will appear at the correct location in the spectrum if the sampling frequency fS is correct, and will be shifted in one direction or the other if the sampling frequency fS is too high or too low.