Frequency stabilizing device

• US 5,461,645 A
• Filed: 05/18/1994
• Issued: 10/24/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Ishii, Junichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): ESPOSO, HUONG L
• Application Number:
  US08/245,647
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 375/52-54, 375/57, 375/178, 375/80, 375/83, 375/81, 375/86, 375/97, 329/304, 329/306, 329/346, 455/196.1, 455/197.1, 455/265
• US Class Current: 375/344
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 7/065 the counter or frequency divider being used in a phase locked loop

Abstract

An intermediate frequency (IF) converter converts a received signal to an IF signal. A demodulator demodulates the IF signal to a demodulated signal and detects a phase error. A frequency error detector detects a frequency error based on the phase error. A modulated-carrier detector detects a modulated carrier component from the IF signal. When the modulated carrier component is detected, a controller achieves a frequency stabilizing operation based on the frequency error.

Claims

1. A frequency stabilizing device comprising:

first detecting means for detecting a frequency error indicating the difference between an input signal and a predetermined signal;

control means for controlling an oscillation signal based on the frequency error;

second detecting means for detecting a modulated-carrier component of the input signal; and

generating means for generating a control signal to said control means in response to the detected modulated-carrier component.

2. The frequency stabilizing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second detecting means comprises:

third detecting means for detecting a field strength of the input signal;

a band pass filter, whose center frequency is an inverse of a symbol rate of the inputting signal, for input said field strength and for supplying a symbol rate component; and

means for holding a peak level of said symbol rate component and for supplying said peak level as said modulated-carrier component.

3. The frequency stabilizing device as claimed in claim 2, said frequency stabilizing device further comprising:

average detecting means for detecting an average of said field strength.

4. The frequency stabilizing device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said generating means comprises:

first comparing means for comparing said average with a first predetermined level;

second comparing means for comparing said peak level with a second predetermined level; and

an AND gate for inputting both compared signals and for supplying said control signal to said control means so that a frequency stabilizing operation is executed when the modulated carrier component is detected and said average of the field strength is equal to or higher than the first predetermined level.

5. The frequency stability device as claimed in claim 1, said frequency stabilizing device further comprising:

converting means for converting a frequency of said input signal from a micro wave frequency to an intermediate frequency; and

demodulating means for demodulating said intermediate frequency signal and detecting a phase error signal indicating a difference between a demodulated signal and said predetermined signal.

6. The frequency stabilizing device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said first detecting means comprises:

differentiating means for differentiating said phase error signal by a time and supplying said frequency error; and

latch means for latching said frequency error with a latch pulse based on said control signal.

7. The frequency stability device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said control means comprises:

adding means for adding the latched frequency error and a predetermined value; and

digital-to-analog converting means for converting the added signal to an analog signal in order to control said oscillation signal .

8. The frequency stability device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said control means comprises:

differentiating means for differentiating said phase error signal by a time and supplying said frequency error;

adding means for adding the said frequency error and a predetermined value;

sample holding means for latching said frequency error with a latch pulse based on said control signal; and

digital-to-analog converting means for converting a sample hold signal at sample holding means an analog signal in order to control said oscillation signal.

9. The frequency stabilizing device as claimed in claim 1, said frequency stabilizing device further comprising:

power control means for controlling a power to said first detecting means and said control means based on said control signal.

10. The frequency stabilizing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said input signal is modulated by π

/4 quadrature phase shift keying.

11. A frequency stabilizing device comprising:

a frequency converter for converting a frequency of a received signal to an intermediate frequency by mixing a local frequency signal;

a frequency detector for detecting a frequency error indicating the difference between said intermediate signal and a predetermined signal;

a controller for controlling a frequency of said local frequency signal based on the frequency error;

a modulated-carrier detector for detecting a modulated-carrier component of the intermediate frequency signal; and

a control signal generator for generating a control signal to said controller in response to the detected modulated-carrier component so that a frequency stabilizing operation is executed when the modulated carrier component is detected.

12. The frequency stabilizing device as claimed in claim 11, wherein said modulated-carrier detector comprises:

a received field strength detector for detecting a received field strength of said intermediate frequency signal; and

an alternating current detector for detecting said modulated-carrier component from the field strength.

13. The frequency stabilizing device as claimed in claim 11, wherein said alternating current detector comprises:

a band pass filter, whose center frequency is an inverse of a symbol rate of said received signal, for inputting said field strength and for supplying a symbol rate component; and

a peak holder for holding a peak level of said symbol rate component and for supplying said peak level as said modulated-carrier component.

14. The frequency stabilizing device as claimed in claim 11, said controller further comprising:

a power controller for controlling a power supply to said frequency detector and said controller according to said control signal so that a power is supplied to said frequency detector and controller when the frequency stabilizing operation is executed.

15. A method for controlling a frequency stabilizing device, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting a frequency error indicating a difference between an input signal and a predetermined signal;

(b) detecting a modulated carrier component from said input signal;

(c) generating a control signal based on the detected modulated carrier component; and

(d) controlling a frequency stabilizing operation based on the frequency error in response to the control signal.

16. The method for controlling said frequency stabilizing device as claimed in claim 15, wherein said step (b) comprises:

(e) detecting a received field strength from the input signal;

(f) detecting an alternating current component from the received field strength as the modulated carrier component.

17. A method for controlling a frequency stabilizing device, the method comprising the following steps of:

(a) converting a frequency of a received signal to an intermediate frequency by mixing with a local frequency signal;

(b) demodulating the intermediated frequency signal and detecting a phase error indicating a phase difference between the demodulated signal and a predetermined signal;

(c) detecting a frequency error based on the phase error;

(d) detecting a received field strength from said intermediate frequency signal;

(e) detecting an average of the received field strength;

(f) detecting a modulated carrier component from the received field strength;

(g) generating a control signal based on the detected modulated carrier component and the average of the received field strength; and

(h) controlling a frequency of the local frequency signal according to the frequency error in response to the control signal.

18. The method for controlling said frequency stabilizing device as claimed in claim 17, the method further comprising the following steps of:

(i) controlling a power supply whether or not the modulated carrier component is detected.