Apparatus for generating timing signals for a digital television signal receiver

• US 5,872,815 A
• Filed: 02/16/1996
• Issued: 02/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AmTRAN Technology Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Sarnoff Corporation (SRI International, Inc.)
• Inventors: Liu, Tianmin, Jaffe, Steven Todd, Strolle, Christopher Hugh
• Primary Examiner(s): TSE, YOUNG TOI
• Application Number:
  US08/602,943
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: 375/321, 375/326-327, 375/343-345, 375/350, 375/355, 348/725-726, 348/537, 329/304, 329/307-308
• US Class Current: 375/321
• CPC Class Codes: H03D 3/007 by converting the oscillations into two quadrature related signals H03D3/245 takes precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2025/03382 Single of vestigal sideband
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2025/0342 QAM
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2025/0349 as a feedback filter
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/0307 using blind adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/0008 arrangements for allowing a transmitter or receiver to use more than one type of modulation negotiating modulation type for two-way transmission paths H04L5/1453
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/0278 Band edge detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/0334 Processing of samples having at least three levels, e.g. soft decisions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence

Abstract

A QAM/VSB digital receiver is disclosed which includes a source of a QAM/VSB signal. An analog-to-digital converter is coupled to the QAM/VSB signal source, and is further responsive to a sample clock signal. A filter/complement is coupled to the analog-to-digital converter and has a first output terminal which produces a low-pass filtered QAM/VSB signal, and a second output terminal which produces a high-pass filtered QAM/VSB signal complementary to the low-pass filtered QAM/VSB signal. A sample clock generating circuit is coupled to the second output terminal of the filter/complement and produces the sample clock signal in response to the high-pass filtered QAM/VSB signal.

Claims

1. Apparatus for generating timing signals from digital television signals, comprising:

a filter/complement for filtering said digital television signals having a first output terminal producing a low-pass filtered signal, and a second output terminal producing a high-pass filtered signal complementary to the low-pass filtered signal; and

a sample clock generating circuit, coupled to the second output terminal of the filter/complement, for producing a sample clock signal responsive to the high-pass filtered signal;

wherein

the sample clock generating circuit is a band edge timing recovery circuit; and

the high-pass filtered signal is a complex signal which contains a positive frequency component and a negative frequency component, and the sample clock generating circuit comprises;

a first band edge filter, coupled to the filter/complement, for extracting the positive frequency component from the high-pass filtered signal;

a second band edge filter, coupled to the filter/complement, for extracting the negative frequency component from the high-pass filtered signal;

a complex conjugating circuit coupled to one of the first and second filters;

a multiplier having a first input terminal coupled to the other one of the first and second filters, and a second input terminal coupled to the complex conjugating circuit; and

a serial connection of a phase detector, loop filter and voltage controlled oscillator coupled to the multiplier and producing the sample clock signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first and second band edge filters are Hilbert filters.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the filter/complement is a matched filter/complement in which the filter characteristic is matched to a transmit pulse shape of the digital television signals.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the filter characteristic is a root raised cosine filter.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said digital television signals comprise quadrature amplitude modulated (QAM) and vestigial sideband (VSB) signals.

6. Apparatus for generating timing signals from digital television signals, comprising:

a filter/complement for filtering said digital television signals having a first output terminal producing a low-pass filtered signal, and a second output terminal producing a high-pass filtered signal complementary to the low-pass filtered signal; and

a sample clock generating circuit, coupled to the second output terminal of the filter/complement, for producing a sample clock signal responsive to the high-pass filtered signal said sample clock generating circuit comprising a band edge timing recovery circuit;

wherein the high-pass filtered signal is a simple real signal which contains a positive frequency component and a negative frequency component, and the sample clock generating circuit comprises;

a first band edge filter, coupled to the filter/complement, for extracting one of the positive and negative frequency components from the high-pass filtered signal;

a complex conjugating circuit, coupled to the filter/complement;

a second band edge filter, coupled to the complex conjugating circuit, for extracting the other one of the positive and negative frequency components from the high-pass filtered signal;

a first phase detector, coupled to the first band edge filter;

a second phase detector, coupled to the second band edge filter;

a subtractor, having a minuend input terminal coupled to the first phase detector, and a subtrahend input terminal coupled to the second phase detector; and

a series connection of a loop filter and a voltage controlled oscillator coupled to a signal combiner and producing the sample clock signal.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the first and second band edge filters are Hilbert filters.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said digital television signals comprise quadrature amplitude modulated (QAM) and vestigial sideband (VSB) signals.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the filter/complement is a matched filter/complement in which the filter characteristic is matched to a transmit pulse shape of the digital television signal.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the filter characteristic is a root raised cosine filter.

11. Apparatus for generating timing signals from digital television signals, comprising:

a filter/complement for filtering said digital television signals having a first output terminal producing a low-pass filtered signal, and a second output terminal producing a high-pass filtered signal complementary to the low-pass filtered signal; and

a sample clock generating circuit, coupled to the second output terminal of the filter/complement, for producing a sample clock signal responsive to the high-pass filtered signal, said sample clock generating circuit comprising a band edge timing recovery circuit;

wherein;

the second output terminal of the filter/complement comprises a real component signal output terminal and an imaginary component signal output terminal, and the high-pass filtered signal contains a positive frequency component and a negative frequency component; and

the sample clock generating circuit comprises;

a first band edge filter, having a real signal input terminal coupled to the real signal output terminal of the filter/complement, and an imaginary signal input terminal, for extracting one of the positive and negative frequency components from the high-pass filtered signal;

a first multiplexer, having a first data input terminal coupled to the imaginary component signal output terminal of the filter/complement, a second data input terminal coupled to a source of a zero-valued signal, an output terminal coupled to the imaginary signal input terminal of the first band edge filter, and a control input terminal;

a controllable I/Q swapper circuit, having respective real and imaginary signal input terminals coupled to corresponding output terminals of the filter/complement, respective real and imaginary signal output terminals, and a control input terminal;

a second band edge filter, having a real signal input terminal coupled to the real signal output terminal of the controllable I/Q swapper circuit, and an imaginary signal input terminal, for extracting the other one of the positive and negative frequency components from the high-pass filtered signal;

a second multiplexer, having a first data input terminal coupled to the imaginary signal output terminal of the controllable I/Q swapper circuit, a second data input terminal coupled to the source of a zero-valued signal, an output terminal coupled to the imaginary signal input terminal of the second band edge filter, and a control input terminal;

a complex conjugating circuit, coupled to the second band edge filter;

a complex multiplier, having a first input terminal coupled to the first band edge filter, and a second input terminal coupled to the complex conjugating circuit;

a complex multiplexer, having a first input terminal coupled to the first band edge filter, a second input terminal coupled to the complex multiplier, and a control input terminal;

a first phase detector, coupled to the complex multiplexer;

a second phase detector, coupled to the second band edge filter;

a third multiplexer, having a first data input terminal coupled to the second phase detector, a second data input terminal coupled to the source of a zero-valued signal, and a control input terminal;

a subtractor, having a minuend input terminal coupled to the first phase detector, and a subtrahend input terminal coupled to the third multiplexer;

a series connection of a loop filter and a voltage controlled oscillator coupled to a signal combiner and producing the sample clock signal; and

a source of control signal having one of a first and second state, coupled to respective control input terminals of the controllable I/Q swapper circuit, the first, second and third multiplexers, and the complex multiplexer;

wherein;

when the control signal is in the first state;

the first multiplexer is conditioned to couple the signal from the filter/complement to the first band edge filter;

the controllable I/Q swapper circuit is conditioned to pass the signal from the filter/complement to its respective output terminals unchanged;

the second multiplexer is conditioned to couple the signal from the controllable I/Q swapper circuit to the second band edge filter;

the complex multiplexer is conditioned to couple the signal from the complex multiplier to the first phase detector; and

the third multiplexer is conditioned to couple the signal from the zero-valued signal source to the subtractor; and

when the control signal is in the second state;

the first multiplexer is conditioned to couple the signal from the zero-valued signal source to the first band edge filter;

the controllable I/Q swapper circuit is conditioned to pass swapped I/Q data signals from the filter/complement to its respective output terminals;

the second multiplexer is conditioned to couple the signal from the zero-valued signal source to the second band edge filter;

the complex multiplexer is conditioned to couple the signal from the first band edge filter to the first phase detector; and

the third multiplexer is conditioned to couple the signal from the second phase detector to the subtractor.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said digital television signals comprise quadrature amplitude modulated (QAM) and vestigial sideband (VSB) signals.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the filter/complement is a matched filter/complement in which the filter characteristic is matched to a transmit pulse shape of the digital television signal.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the filter characteristic is a root raised cosine filter.

15. In a receiver for television signals, apparatus for sampling said television signals comprising:

an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter for periodically sampling said television signals in response to a timing signal to produce sampled television signals;

a quadrature demodulator, coupled to said A/D converter, for demodulating said sampled television signals into an in-phase component and a quadrature component;

a first matched filter/complement, coupled to said quadrature demodulator, for filtering said in-phase component having a first output terminal producing an in-phase low pass filtered signal, and a second output terminal having an in-phase high pass filtered signal complementary to the in-phase low pass filtered signal;

a second matched filter/complement, coupled to said quadrature demodulator, for filtering said quadrature component having a first output terminal producing a quadrature low pass filtered signal, and a second output terminal having a quadrature high pass filtered signal complementary to the quadrature low pass filtered signal; and

a timing signal generating circuit, coupled to the second output terminals of the first and second filter/complements, for producing the timing signal for said A/D converter.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said television signals include quadrature amplitude modulated (QAM) and vestigial sideband (VSB) signals.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said timing signal generating circuit comprises:

a complex signal generator, coupled to said first and second filter/complements, for forming a complex signal from said in-phase high pass filtered signal and said quadrature high pass filtered signal, the complex signal contains a positive frequency component and a negative frequency component;

a first band edge filter, coupled to the complex signal generator, for extracting the positive frequency component from the complex signal;

a second band edge filter, coupled to the complex signal generator, for extracting the negative frequency component from the complex signal;

a complex conjugating circuit coupled to one of the first and second filters;

a multiplier having a first input terminal coupled to the other one of the first and second filters, and a second input terminal coupled to the complex conjugating circuit; and

a serial connection of a phase detector, loop filter and voltage controlled oscillator coupled to the multiplier and producing the timing signal.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the first and second band edge filters are Hilbert filters.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein:

the second output terminal of the first matched filter/complement comprises a real component signal output terminal and the second output terminal of the second matched filter/complement comprises an imaginary component signal output terminal, and the in-phase and quadrature high-pass filtered signals each contain a positive frequency component and a negative frequency component; and

the timing signal generating circuit comprises;

a first band edge filter, having a real signal input terminal coupled to the real signal output terminal of the first matched filter/complement, and an imaginary signal input terminal, for extracting one of the positive and negative frequency components from the quadrature high-pass filtered signal;

a first multiplexer, having a first data input terminal coupled to the imaginary component signal output terminal of the second matched filter/complement, a second data input terminal coupled to a source of a zero-valued signal, an output terminal coupled to the imaginary signal input terminal of the first band edge filter, and a control input terminal;

a controllable I/Q swapper circuit, having respective real and imaginary signal input terminals coupled to corresponding output terminals of the first and second matched filter/complements, respective real and imaginary signal output terminals, and a control input terminal;

a second band edge filter, having a real signal input terminal coupled to the real signal output terminal of the controllable I/Q swapper circuit, and an imaginary signal input terminal, for extracting the other one of the positive and negative frequency components from the quadrature high-pass filtered signal;

a second multiplexer, having a first data input terminal coupled to the imaginary signal output terminal of the controllable I/Q swapper circuit, a second data input terminal coupled to the source of a zero-valued signal, an output terminal coupled to the imaginary signal input terminal of the second band edge filter, and a control input terminal;

a complex conjugating circuit, coupled to the second band edge filter;

a complex multiplier, having a first input terminal coupled to the first band edge filter, and a second input terminal coupled to the complex conjugating circuit;

a complex multiplexer, having a first input terminal coupled to the first band edge filter, a second input terminal coupled to the complex multiplier, and a control input terminal;

a first phase detector, coupled to the complex multiplexer;

a second phase detector, coupled to the second band edge filter;

a third multiplexer, having a first data input terminal coupled to the second phase detector, a second data input terminal coupled to the source of a zero-valued signal, and a control input terminal;

a subtractor, having a minuend input terminal coupled to the first phase detector, and a subtrahend input terminal coupled to the third multiplexer;

a series connection of a loop filter and a voltage controlled oscillator coupled to the subtractor and producing the sample clock signal; and

a source of control signal having one of a first and second state, coupled to respective control input terminals of the controllable I/Q swapper circuit, the first, second and third multiplexers, and the complex multiplexer;

wherein;

when the control signal is in the first state;

the first multiplexer is conditioned to couple the signal from the second matched filter/complement to the first band edge filter;

the controllable I/Q swapper circuit is conditioned to pass the signal from the first and second matched filter/complements to its respective output terminals unchanged;

the second multiplexer is conditioned to couple the signal from the controllable I/Q swapper circuit to the second band edge filter;

the complex multiplexer is conditioned to couple the signal from the complex multiplier to the first phase detector; and

the third multiplexer is conditioned to couple the signal from the zero-valued signal source to the signal combiner; and

when the control signal is in the second state;

the first multiplexer is conditioned to couple the signal from the zero-valued signal source to the first band edge filter;

the controllable I/Q swapper circuit is conditioned to pass swapped I/Q data signals from the first and second matched filter/complements to its respective output terminals;

the second multiplexer is conditioned to couple the signal from the zero-valued signal source to the second band edge filter;

the complex multiplexer is conditioned to couple the signal from the first band edge filter to the first phase detector; and

the third multiplexer is conditioned to couple the signal from the second phase detector to the signal combiner.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the first and second filter/complements are matched filter/complements in which the filter characteristic is matched to a transmit pulse shape of the television signals.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the filter characteristic is a root raised cosine filter.