Abstract: A method includes: receiving an FM radio signal including an analog-modulated portion; digitally sampling an analog-modulated portion of the radio signal to produce a plurality of samples; using a ratio between an average magnitude and an RMS magnitude of a block of the samples to compute a signal quality metric; detecting sum and difference components of the baseband multiplex signal content; using the baseband content to produce an output signal; and blending the output signal from stereo to monaural as the signal quality metric falls below a threshold value.

Abstract: A method for detecting the digital quality of a radio signal includes: receiving a radio signal including a digital portion modulated by a series of symbols each including a plurality of samples; computing correlation points between endpoint samples in cyclic prefix regions of adjacent symbols; and using the correlation points to produce a digital signal quality metric. Receivers that implement the method are also provided.

Abstract: A method includes: (a) modulating a set of subcarriers with a set of data to produce a modulated OFDM symbol vector; (b) modulating a FM carrier signal with the set of data to produce a modulated FM symbol; (c) combining the modulated OFDM symbol and the modulated FM symbol to produce a modulated hybrid symbol; (d) limiting the magnitude of the modulated hybrid symbol to produce a first limited modulated hybrid symbol; (e) demodulating the first limited modulated hybrid symbol to recover distorted QPSK constellations; (f) constraining the distorted QPSK constellations to values greater than or equal to a minimum threshold value to produce constrained QPSK constellations; (g) demodulating the modulated hybrid symbol to produce a demodulated hybrid symbol vector; (h) subtracting the demodulated FM symbol vector from the Hybrid symbol vector to produce modified OFDM symbol vector; (i) applying a mask to inactive subcarriers in the plurality of subcarriers of the OFDM symbol vector; (j) modulating an OFDM symbol

Abstract: A method is provided for coherently tracking a radio signal including a plurality of digitally modulated reference subcarriers. The method comprises the steps of receiving symbols transmitted on the reference subcarriers, combining the reference subcarrier symbols with a known reference sequence conjugate to produce a plurality of samples, median filtering the samples to produce filtered samples, and smoothing the samples for each of the reference subcarriers over the plurality of reference subcarriers to produce a coherent reference signal estimate for each of the subcarriers. A receiver for coherently tracking a radio signal including at least one digitally modulated reference carrier is also provided.

Abstract: A method for processing a composite digital audio broadcast signal to mitigate intermittent interruptions in the reception of the digital audio broadcast signal, the method comprising the steps of separating an analog audio portion of the digital audio broadcast signal from a digital audio portion of the digital audio broadcast signal, detecting errors in the digital audio portion of the digital audio broadcast signal, adjusting the digital audio portion of the digital audio broadcast signal in response to errors in the digital audio portion of the digital audio broadcast signal to produce an adjusted digital audio portion, and blending the analog audio portion with the adjusted digital audio portion to produce an audio output. A receiver that performs the method is also included.

Abstract: A system is provided wherein a primary radio signal and a redundant radio signal are transmitted from a transmitter subsystem and received by a receiver subsystem. The output of an audio source is coupled to a modulator for modulating a radio frequency signal for coupling to a transmit antenna. A second output of audio source is coupled to a delay circuit, for adding a predetermined time delay thereto. The delayed audio source signal is coupled to a modulator for modulating a second radio frequency signal that is also coupled to the transmit antenna. The receiver subsystem receives both the primary radio signal and the delayed redundant radio signal and couples each to a respective demodulator. At least one demodulator includes a circuit for determining the degradation in the primary radio signal and provides a quality measurement output signal to a blend control circuit.

Abstract: A method for AM in-band-on-channel (IBOC) digital audio broadcasting (DAB) uses a center channel signal in a central frequency band of an AM radio channel, the center channel signal is modulated by first and second versions of the program material to be transmitted. Sub-carriers in a upper and lower sidebands of the AM radio channel are modulated with addition digitally encoded portions of the program material. The upper sideband lies within a frequency band extending from about +5 k Hz to about +10 kHz from a center frequency of the radio channel and the lower sideband lying within a frequency band extending from about −5 k Hz to about −10 kHz from the center frequency of the radio channel. The center channel signal the upper and lower sideband sub-carriers are transmitted to receivers.

Abstract: A system (100) for mitigating intermittent interruptions in an audio radio broadcast system is provided wherein a primary radio signal and a redundant radio signal are transmitted from a transmitter subsystem (120) and received by a receiver subsystem (140). The output (112) of an audio source (110) is coupled to a modulator (160) for modulating a radio frequency signal (162) for coupling to a transmit antenna (172). A second output (114) of audio source (110) is coupled to a delay circuit (116), for adding a predetermined time delay thereto. The delayed audio source signal is coupled to modulator (164) for modulating a second radio frequency signal (166) that is also coupled to the transmit antenna (172). The receiver subsystem (140) receives both the primary radio signal and the delayed redundant radio signal and couples each to a respective demodulator (180, 182).

Abstract: A system (100) is provided wherein a primary radio signal and a redundant radio signal are transmitted from a transmitter subsystem (120) and received by a receiver subsystem (140). The output (112) of an audio source (110) is coupled to a modulator (160) for modulating a radio frequency signal (162) for coupling to a transmit antenna (172). A second output (114) of audio source (110) is coupled to a delay circuit (116), for adding a predetermined time delay thereto. The delayed audio source signal is coupled to a modulator (164) for modulating a second radio frequency signal (166) that is also coupled to the transmit antenna (172). The receiver subsystem (140) receives both the primary radio signal and the delayed redundant radio signal and couples each to a respective demodulator (180, 182). At least one demodulator (180) includes a circuit (181) for determining the degradation in the primary radio signal and provides a quality measurement output signal (186) to a blend control circuit (190).

Abstract: An improved satellite beam acquisition and crossover technique for finding an appropriate satellite beam by searching for and acquiring a strongest pilot channel, searching for signalling channels on the acquired strongest pilot channel and monitoring the acquired signalling channel. Beam acquisition of a continuous wave pilot as in the preferred embodiment is faster and more reliable than beam acquisition of a modulated channel. Moreover, the acquired pilot channel can be used to unambiguously precalibrate the frequency reference of the mobile terminal. Also, acquisition of the pilot ensures that the corresponding satellite beam is not blocked or shadowed immediately prior to searching for a signalling channel, which significantly improves the reliability while reducing the time required for the search process. Mitigation of fading and shadowing is provided by using fast attack, slow decay non-linear filtering.

Abstract: The carrier tracking loop technique and apparatus provides smooth, accurate frequency tracking, fast reacquisition and doppler tracking over a wide dynamic range. The loop parameters of the carrier tracking loop are varied as a function of mode, i.e. flywheel, tracking or reacquisition modes. The various modes of operation are automatically detected and loop operation is enhanced by non-linear techniques. The enhancements include fourth power sample normalization to improve performance over a large dynamic range and to ease fixed point scaling. A slope limiter is included which aids in coherent detection by reducing phase noise introduced by the carrier tracking loop. Also, a predifferentiation filter further aids in coherent detection by reducing phase noise.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for synchronizing symbol timing for a QPSK demodulator. A matched filter pair outputs respective "early-punctual-late" signals. The early and late signals are input to a symbol synchronizing estimator that produces an interpolation control signal used by the filters to synchronize the symbol timing to the sample timing. The punctual signal is output as an information bearing signal representing the received inphase and quadrature signals. The matched filters are interpolating matched filters. The symbol synchronizing estimator normalizes the early and late signals in a manner that allow the demodulator to "flywheel" over signals having a low signal to noise ratio below a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A locally coherent Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK) detector that uses a normalized fourth power weighting technique to generate an ambiguous local phase reference of a current symbol. A phase adjusted previous symbol reference is used to resolve the ambiguity using differentially coded data and yield current soft symbol information.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for estimating a frequency of a received carrier wave in a Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK) system. The invention uses a combination of an FFT, DFT bins, and three point interpolation to estimate a frequency of the carrier wave. The system is robust and compensates for multipath fading and other types of signal degradation.

Abstract: A carrier tracking loop that uses a frequency locked loop (FLL) and incorporates synchronized matched filters to minimize complexity of the system. The synchronized matched filters eliminate out-of-band interference while minimizing computation. The carrier tracking loop has an improved error signal generation to extend a frequency range and by employing error signal normalization, which extends the dynamic range of the amplitude of the input signal and allows the frequency to flywheel when signal fading occurs.

Abstract: A QPSK demodulator symbol tracking loop including automatic noise normalization and reacquisition control enables improved symbol tracking and acquisition during fading or intermittent channel conditions. A noise variance estimate is determined and the symbol tracking loop flywheels when the signal level dips below a flywheel threshold relative to the noise variance estimate during fading or intermittent channel conditions. Determination in advance of an absolute power level of the thermal noise floor of analog front end components is dispensed with and precise control of the gain and noise level of the analog front end components is not needed, thus simplifying design. A reacquisition mode is declared upon determination of an abrupt increase in signal level indicative of emergence from a fading condition or upon detection of an excessive symbol tracking error signal. During the reacquisition mode, the loop gain of the symbol tracking loop is temporarily increased to improve reacquisition time.

Abstract: A digital quadriphase-shift keying modulator is described which generates a modulated intermediate carrier frequency (IF) based on a desired number of samples for each input information bit. The design includes a ROM (or RAM) look-up table which stores digitized waveforms. The inphase and quadrature components of a complex baseband signal are translated to an IF at a multiple of the sampling rate simply by alternating the inphase and quadrature samples and alternating signs. The real IF output is produced by summing the inphase and quadrature signals.

Abstract: A numerically controlled oscillator that outputs a complex exponential value (sine and cosine). The numerically controlled oscillator inputs a scalar phase increment and uses the scalar phase increment to approximate a complex exponential phasor increment. A complex multiplier multiplies the exponential increment by an exponential value previously output from the oscillator to yield a multiplication result. A recursive amplitude normalizer, connected to the complex multiplier, normalizes the multiplication result to yield the complex exponential value.

Abstract: A system for transmitting and receiving outbound and inbound data signals through a satellite communications network, the system having a network data rate and including a satellite and an end user transceiver, the system comprising a half-duplex mobile transceiver for transmitting and receiving the inbound and outbound data signals, respectively, for spreading the inbound data signal from the network data rate to a reduced data rate having an increased signal-to-noise ratio using a spread sequence, and for despreading the outbound data signal from the reduced data rate to the network data rate.

Abstract: In a local area network all communication nodes are connected only to a centrally located star network coupler, but data is transmitted from one communication node to the next active communication node in a sequence defined by a ring protocol. The star network coupler may be implemented by switches capable of connecting a receiver for one communication node to a transmitter for the next communication node or to a bypass line for the next communication node. However, preferably the star network coupler comprises a selective multiplexer for each of the nodes. Each selective multiplexer has inputs connected to all of the communication nodes to receive therefrom transmission data and a line status signal indicating communication activity with each node so that inactive nodes can be bypassed.