Automatic frequency control system, operation control method thereof and mobile communication device using the same

• US 20040038659A1
• Filed: 08/05/2003
• Published: 02/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Hirata, Masaru
• Granted Patent: US 7,027,787 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/257
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 2200/02 Algorithm used as input for AFC action alignment receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 7/026 Means preventing a wrong working of the automatic frequency correction in case of fading or bad signal/noise ratio
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 7/04 where the frequency control is accomplished by varying the electrical characteristics of a non-mechanically adjustable element or where the nature of the frequency controlling element is not significant

Abstract

In a mobile communication device, communication can be resumed upon next communication without causing problem even when an AFC control signal becomes abnormal upon interruption of communication. Locked state and unlocked state of an AFC portion is monitored by an AFC monitoring portion 5. Upon interruption of communication, if in unlocked state, a TCXO 1 is controlled by the AFC portion using a TCXO control signal upon preceding locked state. By this, when communication failure is caused by influence of building, tunnel or the like or when communication is terminated, a reference frequency of the mobile communication device does not significantly offset from the reference frequency of a base station to facilitate communication upon next communication.

Claims

1. An automatic frequency control system comprising:

controlled oscillation means;

frequency converting means for generating a local oscillation frequency on the basis of a oscillation frequency of said controlled oscillation means and converting a reception signal including a reception reference frequency information into a base band signal on the basis of said local oscillation frequency;

automatic frequency control means for generating a frequency error information of said controlled oscillation means on the basis of said reception reference frequency information contained in said base band signal and controlling said controlled oscillation means by generating a control signal depending upon said frequency error information; and

control means for performing control of an automatic frequency control operation by said automatic frequency control means using said control signal upon preceding automatic frequency control locked state responsive to interruption of communication.

2. The automatic frequency control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said automatic frequency control means generates a state information indicative of automatic frequency control locked state/unlocked state,when said state information indicates automatic frequency control unlocked state, a signal indicative of automatic frequency control unlocked state is fed to said control means, and when said state information indicates automatic frequency control locked state, a signal indicative of automatic frequency locked state and the control signal thereat are fed to said control means.

3. The automatic frequency control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein when said state information indicates automatic frequency control unlocked state upon interruption of communication, said control means feeds the control signal upon preceding automatic frequency control locked state to said automatic frequency control means.

4. A mobile communication device employing an automatic frequency control system as set forth in claim 1.

5. The mobile communication device as set forth in claim 4, wherein said reception reference frequency information is information indicative of a reference frequency of a base station.

6. An operation control method for an automatic frequency control system including:

controlled oscillation means;

frequency converting means for generating a local oscillation frequency on the basis of a oscillation frequency of said controlled oscillation means and converting a reception signal including a reception reference frequency information into a base band signal on the basis of said local oscillation frequency;

automatic frequency control means for generating a frequency error information of said controlled oscillation means on the basis of said reception reference frequency information contained in said base band signal and controlling said controlled oscillation means by generating a control signal depending upon said frequency error information, the operation control method comprising the step of;

control step activated in response to interruption of communication, of performing control of an automatic frequency control operation by said automatic frequency control means using said control signal upon preceding automatic frequency control locked state.

7. The operation control method as set forth in claim 6, which further comprises a step of generating a state information indicative of automatic frequency control locked state/unlocked state in said automatic frequency control means, when said state information indicates automatic frequency control unlocked state, a signal indicative of automatic frequency control unlocked state is generated, and when said state information indicates automatic frequency control locked state, a signal indicative of automatic frequency locked state and the control signal thereat are generated, and

said control step includes a step of feeding the control signal upon preceding automatic frequency control locked state to said automatic frequency control means when said state information indicates automatic frequency control unlocked state upon interruption of communication.

9. The storage medium as set forth in claim 6, wherein said program further comprises a step of generating a state information indicative of automatic frequency control locked state/unlocked state in said automatic frequency control means, when said state information indicates automatic frequency control unlocked state, a signal indicative of automatic frequency control unlocked state is generated, and when said state information indicates automatic frequency control locked state, a signal indicative of automatic frequency locked state and the control signal thereat are generated, and

said control step includes a step of feeding the control signal upon preceding automatic frequency control locked state to said automatic frequency control means when said state information indicates automatic frequency control unlocked state upon interruption of communication.

8. A storage medium storing a program for making a computer to execute an operation control for an automatic frequency control system including:

controlled oscillation means;

frequency converting means for generating a local oscillation frequency on the basis of a oscillation frequency of said controlled oscillation means and converting a reception signal including a reception reference frequency information into a base band signal on the basis of said local oscillation frequency;

automatic frequency control means for generating a frequency error information of said controlled oscillation means on the basis of said reception reference frequency information contained in said base band signal and controlling said controlled oscillation means by generating a control signal depending upon said frequency error information, said program comprising the step of;

control step activated in response to interruption of communication, of performing control of an automatic frequency control operation by said automatic frequency control means using said control signal upon preceding automatic frequency control locked state.