Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a null symbol of an input signal includes: a first circuit for processing the input signal to obtain a first output signal, the first output signal being used to track the influence of a channel phenomenon; a second circuit for processing the input signal to obtain a second output signal, the second output signal being used to track the null symbol in the input signal; and a determining circuit coupled to the first circuit and the second circuit and determining the null symbol of the input signal according to the first output signal and the second output signal. A method for detecting a null symbol of an input signal is also disclosed.

Abstract: A PLL device includes a first hybrid PLL and a second digital phase/frequency detection module. The second digital phase/frequency detection module and the first hybrid PLL's oscillator, switching unit, and analog control signal generating module are capable of forming a second hybrid PLL. The switching unit selectively activates either the first hybrid PLL or the second hybrid PLL according to a selection signal to generate an analog control signal with the analog control signal generating module for controlling the oscillator, in order to control the frequency of a clock signal generated by the oscillator.

Abstract: A decoding apparatuses and a method utilized in an optical storage device are disclosed. The decoding apparatus includes: a level slicer for setting a plurality of adjustable boundary values to distinguish a plurality of signal regions, and outputting a set of state values in accordance with signal regions corresponding to an input value; and a Viterbi detector coupled to the level slicer for decoding a transmission data according to the state value.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for signal equalization in a light storage system is disclosed. The method includes observing run length of an RF signal read from the optical disc; classifying run lengths into sets; calculating the mean of certain run lengths; comparing the values with expected values of said run lengths to generate an error value; and adjusting equalizing parameters of boost and frequency if the error value lies outside an expected range.

Abstract: A PLL device includes a first hybrid PLL and a second digital phase/frequency detection module. The second digital phase/frequency detection module and the first hybrid PLL's oscillator, switching unit, and analog control signal generating module are capable of forming a second hybrid PLL. The switching unit selectively activates either the first hybrid PLL or the second hybrid PLL according to a selection signal to generate an analog control signal with the analog control signal generating module for controlling the oscillator, in order to control the frequency of a clock signal generated by the oscillator.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an apparatus for generating a tracking error signal in an optical disc drive. The disclosed apparatus includes: an analog-to-digital conversion module for receiving a plurality of analog signals generated by accessing an optical disc and for converting the plurality of analog signals into a plurality of digital signals with a sampling rate; a frequency control module coupled to the analog-to-digital conversion module for adjusting the sampling rate according to the plurality of digital signals; and a signal generation module coupled to the analog-to-digital conversion module for generating the tracking error signal according to the plurality of digital signals.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an apparatus and method for generating a tracking error signal in an optical disc drive. The apparatus contains an optical detection module, an ADC module, a phase detection module, and a filter module. The optical detection module generates a first analog signal and a second analog signal. The ADC module samples the first and second signals in a first sampling time to generate a first digital value and a second digital value, and samples the first and second signals in a second sampling time to generate a third digital value and a fourth digital value. The phase detection module generates a digital phase difference value according to the first, the second, the third, and the fourth digital values. The filter module generates the tracking error signal according to the digital phase difference value.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an apparatus for generating a TE signal in an optical disc drive. The disclosed apparatus includes a signal generation module, a quality detection module coupled to the signal generation module, and a signal-synthesizing module coupled to the signal generation module and the quality detection module. The signal generation module generates a first and a second candidate TE signal according to a light beam reflected off an optical disc. The quality detection module estimates the signal quality of the first and/or the second candidate TE signal and controls the signal-synthesizing module accordingly. The signal-synthesizing module generates the TE signal according to the first and/or the second candidate TE signal.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an apparatus and method for generating a tracking error signal in an optical disc drive. The method includes: receiving a first and a second analog signals; converting the first and the second analog signals into a first and a second digital signals respectively; delaying the first and second digital signals to generate a first and a second delay signals respectively; generating the tracking error signal according to the first and second digital signals and the first and second delay signals.

Abstract: A method of processing an OFDM signal to determine its FFT mode or the number of carriers without regard to the pilot pattern. The OFDM receiver determines autocorrelation functions corresponding to a plurality of possible FFT modes and variation-to-average ratios of these autocorrelation functions, respectively. The correct FFT mode is determined based on the variation-to-average ratios. In addition, a novel time and frequency synchronization scheme is performed after the correct FFT mode is detected.