Demodulator for demodulating a pi/4-shift DQPSK signal

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a demodulator for pi/4-shift DQPSK signals. The demodulator includes means (13,15) for rotating the reference phase axis in each symbol interval. The incoming signal is coherently demodulated (1,2), in such a way that the rotation of the signal and the rotation of the reference axis are never through the same angle, thus preventing the demodulator output assuming the zero level. According to another aspect of the invention, means (24 to 34) are provided for evaluating the changes in the locations of signal points.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention: The present invention generally relates to digital demodulators and, more particularly, to a demodulator for demodulating a π/4-shift DQPSK (differential quadrature-phaseshift keying) signal. Description of the Prior Art: A wide variety of digital Modulation systems has been proposed so far (see iapanese Published Patent Publication No. 59-16456). In a digital cellular system now examined in the U.S.A. and Japan, the employment of the π/4-shift DQPSK system is already determined. Further, there is known from DE-A-2 502 680 a π/4-shift QPSK demodulator. This demodulator comprises a phase shift unit for the π/4-rotation of a detection signal in synchronism with a timing at which a symbol to be detected. In the case of the π/4-shift DQPSK system, the occupied frequency band width thereof is the same as compared with that of the ordinary DQPSK and a fluctuation of a modulated wave is small. Accordingly, the π/4-shift DQPSK is advantageous for a power amplifier operable in a linear fashion. However, if the π/4-shift DQPSK signal is demodulated similarly to the conventional DQPSK signal, there is then the disadvantage such that an error rate is deteriorated. FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings shows the location of signal points corresponding to 2-bit data of the conventional DQPSK signal. In this case, a carriers having a phase parallel to an I axis or Q axis is employed as a carrier used in the demodulation. Assuming now that the carrier phase is equal to an axis OI, then a detection level of (+a/2 1/2 , +a/2 1/2 ) is obtained at a point P 1 . Accordingly, if this detection output is added to an I-axis discriminator and a Q-axis discriminator, then a discriminated output of (I = +, Q = +) is obtained so that a receiving signal (e.g., 00) can be demodulated. The above demodulation is also true in the π/4-shift DQPSK modulation system. An essential point of this π/4-shift DQPSK modulation system will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing an arrangement of the π/4-shift DQPSK modulation system. As shown in FIG. 2, in the π/4-shift DQPSK modulation system, original serial data, i.e., 2-bit signals X k , Y k transferred in series are converted into parallel signals by a serial-to-parallel (S/P) converter circuit 30 and these signals are supplied to a differential QPSK modulating circuit 31 which then produces phase-shifted signals I k , Q k . In such π/4-shift DQPSK modulation system, a modulated wave M k at time t = kT (T is a duration of symbol) is expressed by the following equation (1): M k = M k-1 · e jΔ+(Xk, Yk) Thus, the modulated wave M k can be expressed in the form of a complex number. The phase shift amount Δ is determined by the 2-bit signals X k and Y k as shown on the following table 1. X k Y k Δ 1 1 - 3/4π 0 1 + 3/4π 0 0 + 1/4π 1 0 - 1/4π Accordingly, the signal points of the π/4-shift DQPSK wave are expressed as shown in a signal point transition diagram forming FIG. 3. More specifically, let us assume that a signal point exists on a point P 1 at time of, for example, t = (k - 1) T. (1) If (X k = 1, Y k = 1), then a signal point is moved to P 6 ; (2) If (X k = 0, Y k = 1), then a signal point is moved to P 4 ; (3) If (X k = 0, Y k = 0), then a signal point is moved to P 2 ; and (4) If (X k = 1, Y k = 0), then a signal point is moved to P 8 . If (X k = 0, Y k = 0), then a signal point is moved to P 2 . Next, at the timing point of t = (k + 1), (1) If (X k+1 = 1, Y k+1 = 1), then a signal point is moved from P 2 to P 7 ; (2) If (X k+1 = 0, Y k+1 = 1), then a signal point is moved from P 2 to P 5 ; (3) If (X k+1 = 0, Y k+1 = 0), then a signal point is moved from P 2 to P 3 ; and (4) If (X k+1 = 1, Y k+1 = 0), then a signal point is moved from P 2 to P 1 . Signal points will hereinafter be moved similarly as described above. When the signal modulated according to the DQPSK modulation system is demodulated, if a carrier having the same phase as that of, for example, an axis OP 1 is employed as a demodulation reference axis, (+a, 0) is output as a demodulated output. When this demodulated output is supplied to an I-axis discriminator or Q-axis discriminator, in the reception condition in which a carrier-to-noise (C/N) ratio is low, there is a large possibility that the detector may derive an output (I = +, Q = -) or (I = +, Q = +), resulting in an error. As a consequence, an error rate of data is considerably deteriorated. However, the π/4-shift DQPSK modulation system might be considered as a DQPSK system in which the reference phase axis is rotated by 45 degrees each in the counter-clockwise direction in synchronism with the transmission time of symbol because the phase is shifted by π/4 at (0, 0). As a consequence, when the signal modulated according to the above modulation system is demodulated, if a conventional synchronizing detector in which a phase of a detection reference axis is fixed is utilized, then the above-mentioned disadvantage occurs at every time interval 2T (e.g., when 2-bit data is changed from P 1 to P 2 and to P 1 in that order). There is then the disadvantage that a bit error rate is deteriorated considerably. OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved demodulator for a 45-shift PSK signal in which the aforesaid shortcomings and disadvantages of the prior art can be eliminated. More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a demodulator for a 45-shift PSK signal in which a bit error rate can be improved when a signal modulated according to the π/4-shift DQPSK modulation system is demodulated. As an aspect of the present invention, a digital demodulator is comprised of a detection signal generating circuit for generating a plurality of detection signals whose phases are shifted by a predetermined angle, a detection signal selecting circuit for selecting one of the plurality of detection signals generated by the above detection signal generating circuit and supplying the signal thus selected to a synchronizing detector as a symbol detecting signal, and a detection reference axis control circuit for controlling the selection operation of the detection signal selecting circuit such that a phase of a detecting signal output from the detection signal selecting circuit is shifted by a predetermined angle in the counter-clockwise direction in synchronism with a timing at which a symbol to be detected is supplied. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a digital demodulator is arranged such that an I-axis output and a Q-axis output from the synchronizing detectors are supplied to a gate circuit so that, when the gate circuit derives a predetermined logic output, the above-mentioned detection reference axis starts being shifted in the counter-clockwise direction. According to the digital demodulator arranged as described above, since the phase of the detection signal is shifted by the predetermined angle in the counter-clockwise direction in synchronism with the timing at which the symbol detected is supplied, it becomes possible to prevent the rotation angle of the symbol and the angle of the reference axis of the detection signal from becoming coincident with each other. Therefore, the zero level output can be avoided from being output as a demodulated output. which reduces a probability of error in the level detector. The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals are used to identify the same or similar parts in the several views. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram used to explain location of signal points in a DQPSK Modulation according to the prior art; FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a r/4-shift DQPSK Modulation system according to the prior art; FIG. 3 is a schematic representati-on used to explain a reference phase shift of a carrier; FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a differential PSK signal demodulator according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 4 of the accompanying drawings is a block diagram showing a main portion of a digital demodulator according to an embodiment of the present invention. This digital demodulator is adapted to demodulate a digital signal which is modulated according to the π/4-shift DQPSK modulation system. As shown in FIG. 4, a digital demodulator of this embodiment is arranged such that an intermediate frequency (IF) signal supplied from a circuit of the preceding stage (not shown) is supplied to first and second synchronizing detectors 1 and 2 and also supplied to a multiplier 3. The first detector 1 is adapted to detect an input information in the I-axis direction and the second detector 2 is adapted to detect an input information in theQ-axis direction. The first and second detectors 1 and 2 are supplied with an input information extracting signal S 1 from a selector 4. More specifically, the detecting signal S 1 is directly supplied to the first detector 1 and is also supplied to the second detector 2 through a π/2 phase-shifter 5, whereby the input information extracting signals are phase-shifted by π/2 in the first and second detectors 1 and 2. As will be described later, according to this embodiment, the phase of the detecting signal S 1 is rotated in synchronism with a timing at which the 2-bit symbol of the digital signal is transmitted. A detected output signal S 1 from the first detector 1 is supplied to an I-axis level discriminator 6 and a detected output signal S Q from the second detector 2 is supplied to a Q-axis level discriminator 7. The detected output signals S 1 and S Q of the first and second detectors 1 and 2 are supplied to and multiplied with each other by a multiplier 10. The multiplier 10 is adapted to generate a symbol detecting timing signal. An output of this multiplier 10 is supplied to a first phase-locked loop (PLL) circuit 11 and an output of the first PLL circuit 11 is supplied to a divide-by 2 circuit 12, thereby a symbol detecting timing signal S 2 being generated. That is, a timing of 2T (T is the duration of symbol) is detected by these circuits. The timing signals S 2 from the frequency dividing circuit 12 is supplied to a 3-bit counter 13. This 3-bit counter 13 generates a decode signal S 3 that is used to determine the selecting operation of the selector 4 of the next stage. An AND output signal S 4 derived from an AND circuit 15 is supplied to a reset terminal R of the 3-bit counter 13. The AND circuit 15 is supplied at its input terminals with level detected outputs of the I-axis and Q-axis level discriminators 6 and 7. Thus, when both outputs of these level discriminators 6 and 7 go to high "H" level (e.g., reference phase is 0 - I and signal point is P 2 in FIG. 3), the 3-bit counter 13 is reset, setting the phase of the decode signal S 3 in the initial state. The IF signal supplied to the multiplier 3 is multiplied with 8 and then fed to a second PLL circuit 16 which then generates a clock signal S Ck synchronized with the input IF signal. The clock signal S Ck is supplied to a clock input terminal ck of a shift register 17 as a clock signal which is used to control a timing of the shift operation. This clock signal S Ck is divided by 8 by a frequency dividing circuit 18 and fed to a signal input terminal of the shift register 17. The shift register 17 shifts an input signal in 8 stages in synchronism with the clock signal S Ck and outputs a serial input signal in the form of parallel signals. Accordingly, the shift register 17 outputs 8 carrier signals S CA whose phases are shifted by π/4 each. These carrier signals S CA are supplied to the above-mentioned selector 4, in which one of them is selected on the basis of the decode signal S 3 and fed to the first and second detectors 1 and 2 as the detecting signal S 1 . The detecting signal S 1 is directly supplied to the first detector 1 which synchronizing-detects a digital signal with reference to the I-axis and also supplied through the π/2 phase-shifter 5 to the second detector 2 which synchronizing-detects a digital signal with reference to the Q-axis. According to the synchronizing detections in the first and second detectors 1 and 2, the phases of the symbol detecting reference axes are rotated by 45 degrees each in the counter-clockwise direction in synchronism with the timing signal S 2 by which the symbol is transmitted. The detected output signals S 1 and S Q from the first and second detectors 1 and 2 are supplied to the input terminals of the AND circuit 15 as described above and also fed to a parallel-to-serial (i.e., P/S) converter circuit 19. When the digital demodulator of this embodiment is set in the stationary state, i.e., when the carrier is phase-shifted by 45 degrees each in synchronism with the symbol transmitting timing and the synchronizing demodulation is carried out, then the same processing as that of the ordinary DQPSK is carried out in order to demodulate serial data from the detected symbol. More specifically, phase rotation angles of signal points at time t' = (k - 1) and t = kT are observed and parallel data are converted into serial data in accordance with the following table 2. ΔP output bit (2 bits) - π 1 1 + π/2 0 1 0 0 0 - π/2 1 0 In this way, the signal converted to the serial signal by the parallel-to-serial converter circuit 19 is delivered to the external circuit as a demodulator output signal S 0 . According to the circuit configuration of the present invention as described above, since the rotational angle of the symbol and the angle of the detection reference axis are prevented from becoming coincident with each other by phase-shifting the phases of the detecting signals by the predetermined angle in the counter-clockwise direction in synchronism with the timing at which the symbol detected is supplied, the zero level output can be prevented from being output as the demodulated output. Therefore, as compared with the synchronizing detector supplied with a carrier whose phase is fixed, the level detector which reproduces serial data can be simplified in circuit configuration, which can make the digital demodulator compact and inexpensive. Furthermore, since the zero level output is prevented from being output as the demodulated output, error detection in the level detector can be avoided, thereby a bit error rate (BER) being improved considerably.

Claims: A differential phase-shift keying (PSK) signal demodulator comprising: a synchronizing detector (1,2) for synchronizing-detecting a digital modulated signal; a detecting signal generating circuit (4,17) for generating a plurality of detecting signals whose phases are different by a predetermined angle; and a detection signal selecting circuit (4) for selecting one detecting signal from said detecting signal generating circuit and supplying a selected signal to said synchronizing detector (1,2) as a symbol detecting signal; characterised in that , a detecting reference axis control circuit (15,13) is provided for shifting a phase of said detecting signal output from said detecting signal selecting circuit (4) by a predetermined angle each in synchronism with a timing at which a symbol to be detected is supplied. A differential PSK signal demodulator according to claim 1, wherein said synchronizing detector (1,2) detects an I-axis level signal and a Q-axis level signal and supplies said detected outputs to a gate circuit (15) so that, when said gate circuit (15) derives a predetermined logic output, then said detecting reference axis is set to an initial phase. A differential PSK signal demodulator according to claim 2, wherein the phase of said detecting signal output from said detecting signal selecting circuit (4) is shifted by an angle of π/4 each. A differential PSK signal demodulator according to anyone of claims 1 to 3, wherein said detecting signal generating circuit for generating a plurality of detecting signals whose phases are shifted by a predetermined angle is composed of a shift register (17) to which a clock signal is supplied, said detecting reference axis control circuit is composed of a counter (13) which resets said detecting reference axis to an initial phase when said gate circuit (15) derives a predetermined logic output and a selector (4) for selecting an output of said shift register (17) in response to an output of said counter (13) and an output selected by said selector (4) is supplied to said synchronizing detector (1,2).

Inventors: SATO TERUO, SATO, TERUO
Applicants: SONY CORP, SONY CORPORATION
Application year: 1992
Main classification: H04L27
IPC codes: H04L27, H04L25