Abstract: A neural network is used to place macros on a chip canvas in an integrated circuit (IC) design. The macros are first clustered into multiple macro clusters. Then the neural network generates a probability distribution over locations on a grid and aspect ratios of a macro cluster. The grid represents the chip canvas and is formed by rows and columns of grid cells. The macro cluster is described by at least an area size, aspect ratios, and wire connections. Action masks are generated for respective ones of the aspect ratios to block out a subset of unoccupied grid cells based on design rules that optimize macro placement. Then, by applying the action masks on the probability distribution, a masked probability distribution is generated. Based on the masked probability distribution, a location on the grid is selected for placing the macro cluster with a chosen aspect ratio.

Abstract: A notch filter appropriately adjusts the amount of attenuation at a center frequency of its notch band through changing or adjusting a value of an adjustable parameter A, and adaptively controls the amount of signal attenuation of a predetermined frequency component for an input signal that passes the notch filter, so as to partially suppress or partially attenuates the predetermined frequency component without affecting the size of a bandwidth of the notch filter.

Abstract: An apparatus for eliminating impulse interference includes an impulse interference detecting unit, an impulse interference eliminating unit and a control unit. The impulse interference detecting unit detects whether impulse interference exists in an input signal according to a predetermined condition, and generates an impulse interference eliminating request when having detected that the input signal satisfies the predetermined condition. In response to the impulse interference eliminating request, the impulse interference eliminating unit performs an impulse interference eliminating process on the input signal to generate an output signal. According to an output signal quality index associated with the output signal, the control unit selectively adjusts the predetermined condition used for detecting whether the impulse interference exists.

Abstract: A communication device includes: a computing circuit, performing a Jth power operation according to a first plurality of time-domain signals to generate a first plurality of computed signals; a transforming circuit, coupled to the computing circuit, transforming the first plurality of computed signals to a first plurality of frequency-domain signals according to a time-frequency transformation; a control circuit, coupled to the converting circuit, performing an absolute value operation on the first plurality of frequency-domain signals to generate a first plurality of output signals; a selecting circuit, coupled to the control circuit, selecting a maximum output signal satisfying a check condition from the first plurality of output signals; and a frequency estimating circuit, coupled to the selecting circuit, estimating a carrier frequency offset according to the maximum output signal.

Abstract: A notch filter appropriately adjusts the amount of attenuation at a center frequency of its notch band through changing or adjusting a value of an adjustable parameter A, and adaptively controls the amount of signal attenuation of a predetermined frequency component for an input signal that passes the notch filter, so as to partially suppress or partially attenuates the predetermined frequency component without affecting the size of a bandwidth of the notch filter.

Abstract: A communication device includes: a receiving circuit, receiving a plurality of time-domain signals; a transforming circuit, coupled to the receiving circuit, transforming the plurality of time-domain signals to a plurality of frequency-domain signals according to a time-frequency transform operation; a magnitude circuit, coupled to the transforming circuit, performing an absolute value operation on the plurality of frequency-domain signals to generate a plurality of output signals; and a selecting circuit, coupled to the magnitude circuit, selecting a maximum signal that satisfies a check condition from the plurality of output signals.

Abstract: A communication device includes: a receiving circuit, receiving a plurality of pilot signals; a channel estimating circuit, coupled to the receiving circuit, estimating a channel frequency response according to the pilot signals; a transforming circuit, coupled to the channel estimating circuit, transforming the channel frequency response to a channel impulse response according to a time-frequency transform operation; a calculating circuit, coupled to the transforming circuit, determining a threshold according to a maximum path intensity of a plurality of paths of the channel impulse response, a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and a predetermined constant; and a selecting circuit, coupled to the calculating circuit, determining at least one effective path from the paths of the channel impulse response according to the threshold.

Abstract: A communication device includes: a computing circuit, performing a Jth power operation according to a first plurality of time-domain signals to generate a first plurality of computed signals; a transforming circuit, coupled to the computing circuit, transforming the first plurality of computed signals to a first plurality of frequency-domain signals according to a time-frequency transformation; a control circuit, coupled to the converting circuit, performing an absolute value operation on the first plurality of frequency-domain signals to generate a first plurality of output signals; a selecting circuit, coupled to the control circuit, selecting a maximum output signal satisfying a check condition from the first plurality of output signals; and a frequency estimating circuit, coupled to the selecting circuit, estimating a carrier frequency offset according to the maximum output signal.

Abstract: A signal detection method detects a digital signal in a channel. The signal detection method includes: performing a power operation and a frequency transformation operation on a signal of the channel to obtain at least one frequency-domain power set; and determining whether the channel carries the digital signal according to the at least one frequency-domain power set.

Abstract: An apparatus for eliminating impulse interference includes an impulse interference detecting unit, an impulse interference eliminating unit and a control unit. The impulse interference detecting unit detects whether impulse interference exists in an input signal according to a predetermined condition, and generates an impulse interference eliminating request when having detected that the input signal satisfies the predetermined condition. In response to the impulse interference eliminating request, the impulse interference eliminating unit performs an impulse interference eliminating process on the input signal to generate an output signal. According to an output signal quality index associated with the output signal, the control unit selectively adjusts the predetermined condition used for detecting whether the impulse interference exists.

Abstract: A hybrid equalization system includes an equalization device, a target channel impulse response device, a maximum likelihood sequence estimation device and a multiplexer. The equalization device receives a sampled baseband signal and performs an equalization operation thereon for generating first estimated symbols. The target channel impulse response device convolutes the first estimated symbol and a predetermined target channel response function for generating a training symbol corresponding to a target channel. The maximum likelihood sequence estimation device performs a maximum likelihood sequence estimation on the sampled baseband signal trained by first estimated symbols based on the target channel impulse response for generating second estimated symbols. The multiplexer selects the first estimated symbol or the second estimated symbol as an output of the hybrid equalization system according to a selection signal.

Abstract: A horizontal synchronization signal detection system includes a coarse period estimator and a fine period time estimator. The coarse period estimator estimates a minimum value and corresponding position of each period of a CVBS signal to calculate a coarse period of a horizontal synchronization signal. The fine period time estimator divides the horizontal synchronization signal into a first part and a second part so as to generate a first sum and a second sum by adding signals of the first part and the second part, and detects a middle point of the horizontal synchronization signal when the first sum equals the second sum. The steps of fine-tuning the coarse period to generate a fine-tuned coarse period, extracting the horizontal synchronization signal according to the fine-tuned coarse period, and determining whether the first sum is equal to the second sum are repeatedly executed until the first sum equals the second sum.

Abstract: A horizontal synchronization signal detection system includes a coarse period estimator and a fine period time estimator. The coarse period estimator estimates a minimum value and corresponding position of each period of a CVBS signal to calculate a coarse period of a horizontal synchronization signal. The fine period time estimator divides the horizontal synchronization signal into a first part and a second part so as to generate a first sum and a second sum by adding signals of the first part and the second part, and detects a middle point of the horizontal synchronization signal when the first sum equals the second sum. The steps of fine-tuning the coarse period to generate a fine-tuned coarse period, extracting the horizontal synchronization signal according to the fine-tuned coarse period, and determining whether the first sum is equal to the second sum are repeatedly executed until the first sum equals the second sum.

Abstract: A hybrid equalization system includes an equalization device, a target channel impulse response device, a maximum likelihood sequence estimation device and a multiplexer. The equalization device receives a sampled baseband signal and performs an equalization operation thereon for generating first estimated symbols. The target channel impulse response device convolutes the first estimated symbol and a predetermined target channel response function for generating a training symbol corresponding to a target channel. The maximum likelihood sequence estimation device performs a maximum likelihood sequence estimation on the sampled baseband signal trained by first estimated symbols based on the target channel impulse response for generating second estimated symbols. The multiplexer selects the first estimated symbol or the second estimated symbol as an output of the hybrid equalization system according to a selection signal.

Abstract: A real-time channel estimation system, which receives a wireless transmission signal through a wireless channel and estimates channel parameters of the wireless channel in real-time. The system includes a channel estimator to receive the wireless transmission signal and output the channel parameters; first and second filters to filter the channel parameters for producing a first and a second sets of filtered channel parameters; first and second calculators to compute according to the first and the second sets of filtered channel parameters and the wireless transmission signal for producing a first and a second probabilities; a comparator to compare the first and the second probabilities for producing an indicative signal; and a multiplexer to receive the indicative signal for accordingly selecting the first or second set of filtered channel parameters as an output.

Abstract: This invention provides a diversity receiver, which has N branches for receiving M versions of an input signal. The diversity receiver comprises N channel state information estimators, a demodulator and a combining and demapping device. After receiving the M versions of the input signal, the demodulator performs demodulation and then generates M demodulated signals. N channel state information estimators, one channel state information estimator equipped for each branch, respectively fetches the signals from the demodulator to generate M channel parameters related to the M versions of the input signal. The combining and demapping device receives the M demodulated signals, performs signal combining operations and symbol demapping, and finally generate a pre-correcting signal.

Abstract: A transmission parameter recognition apparatus and the method thereof are disclosed. The transmission parameter recognition apparatus includes a correlation function processing module, a correlation symbol summing module and an energy interval detection module. The correlation function processing module computes a correction between two adjoining symbols in a sample sequence to generate a correlation function sequence. The correlation symbol summing module accumulates M symbols in the correlation function sequence to generate an energy interval. Since the distribution of the energy interval is related to the guard interval type, therefore, the energy interval detection module detects the distribution of the energy interval to generate a piece of guard interval information.

Abstract: A real-time channel estimation system, which receives a wireless transmission signal through a wireless channel and estimates channel parameters of the wireless channel in real-time. The system includes a channel estimator to receive the wireless transmission signal and output the channel parameters; first and second filters to filter the channel parameters for producing a first and a second sets of filtered channel parameters; first and second calculators to compute according to the first and the second sets of filtered channel parameters and the wireless transmission signal for producing a first and a second probabilities; a comparator to compare the first and the second probabilities for producing an indicative signal; and a multiplexer to receive the indicative signal for accordingly selecting the first or second set of filtered channel parameters as an output.

Abstract: A transmission parameter recognition apparatus and the method thereof are disclosed. The transmission parameter recognition apparatus includes a correlation function processing module, a correlation symbol summing module and an energy interval detection module. The correlation function processing module computes a correction between two adjoining symbols in a sample sequence to generate a correlation function sequence. The correlation symbol summing module accumulates M symbols in the correlation function sequence to generate an energy interval. Since the distribution of the energy interval is related to the guard interval type, therefore, the energy interval detection module detects the distribution of the energy interval to generate a piece of guard interval information.