Method and apparatus for clock synchronization

Abstract: A clock synchronizing apparatus for use in a digital automobile telephone apparatus has a receiver, a clock synchronizing circuit, a timing control circuit, a multiplexer/demultiplexer, and a level comparator. The receiver detects the level of an electric field of a received radio wave. The clock synchronizing circuit selectively outputs a phase-corrected clock signal reproduced from the received wave or a free-running clock signal. The level comparator compares the detected level of the electric field with a predetermined threshold and controls the clock synchronizing circuit to select one of the phase-corrected and free-running clock signals in response to the result of comparison. Specifically, the level comparator controls the clock synchronizing circuit to output the phase-corrected clock signal if the detected level of the electric field is in excess of the predetermined threshold, and to output the free-running clock signal if the detected level of the electric field is equal to or less than the predetermined threshold.

Description: The present invention relates to a clock synchronizing system, and more particularly to a clock synchronizing system for use in a digital automobile telephone apparatus. Patent Abstracts of Japan, vol. 012, no. 168 (E-611), May 20, 1988 describe a clock signal regeneration circuit. As shown in FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings, a conventional clock synchronizing system for use in a digital automobile telephone apparatus comprises a receiver 1, a clock synchronizing circuit 2, a multiplexer/demultiplexer 4, and a timing control circuit 5. The receiver 1 reproduces data from a received radio wave and synchronously extracts a symbol-synchronizing clock signal from the data. The clock synchronizing circuit 2 generates and outputs a bit-synchronizing clock signal from the symbol-synchronizing clock signal or a free-running clock signal in phase with the symbol-synchronizing clock signal extracted by the receiver 1. The timing control circuit 5 counts clock pulses of the bit-synchronizing clock signal, and outputs a timing signal based on the count for controlling the timing of transmission and reception. The multiplexer/demultiplexer 4, which is of the TDMA (Time-Division Multiple Access) type, multiplexes and demultiplexes the time-divided data with the clock and timing signals. As shown in FIG. 2 of the accompanying drawings, a received analog radio wave signal which has been converted into an intermediate-frequency signal IF is detected with a delay by a delay detector demodulator 11 of the receiver 1, and reproduced and outputted as a received digital data signal. The delay detector demodulator 11 supplies a phase signal to a clock extractor 12. The clock extractor 12 generates, as the synchronizing clock signal, a symbol synchronizing clock signal (e.g., of 21 kbits/s) in synchronism with the received clock signal from the supplied phase signal. An oscillator/frequency divider 13 generates, as the free-running clock signal, a bit synchronizing clock signal (e.g., of 42 kbits/s) whose frequency is twice the frequency of the symbol synchronizing clock signal from the supplied phase signal. The bit synchronizing clock signal may be generated at a frequency very close to twice the frequency of the symbol synchronizing clock signal from a free-running clock signal, rather than the supplied phase signal. If reception, idle, and transmission time slots are arranged repetitively in the order named as shown in FIG. 3 of the accompanying drawings, the synchronizing clock signal extracted from the received radio wave by the clock extractor 12 is outputted during the periods in the reception time slots, even during a period a-a' in which a received level is lower than a threshold, and the free-running clock signal generated by the oscillator/frequency divider 13 and kept in phase with the received clock signal in the reception time slots is outputted during the periods of the idle and transmission time slots. The multiplexer/demultiplexer 4 controls the timing of transmission and reception of the data with the synchronizing clock signal outputted from the clock synchronizing circuit 2 and the timing signal outputted from the timing control circuit 5 to separate data in either the reception or transmission time slots from the data signal reproduced by the receiver 1. The operation of the multiplexer/demultiplexer 4 will be described below with respect to an example in which the data transmission rate is 42 kbits/s and reception and transmission data of 280 bits are arranged each for 6.6 ms, one on each side of an idle time slot and within one frame of 840 bits for 20 ms, as shown in FIG. 4 of the accompanying drawings. FIG. 6 shows, by way of example, the timing control circuit 5 which generates windows for separating the reception and transmission data. The timing control circuit 5 comprises a counter 51, a decoder 52, and two AND gates 53, 54. The counter 51 is supplied with successive clock pulses in phase with positive-going edges of the transmission data. The counter 51 counts clock pulses one by one up to 839 bits from a reference point 0 at the boundary between the reception and idle time slots, and outputs the count to the decoder 52. The decoder 52 continuously outputs a logic level 1 to either the AND gate 53 or 54 to open the same while the supplied count ranges from 560 to 839 in the transmission time slot and while the supplied count ranges from 238 to 518 in the reception time slot. Each of the AND gates 53, 54 generates a window in either the reception or transmission time slot by ANDing the output signal from the decoder 52 and the synchronizing clock signal. Since the conventional clock synchronizing system controls the timing of transmission and reception by counting clock pulses outputted from the clock synchronizing circuit 2, if the reproduced clock signal goes out of phase due, for example, to a reduction in the level of the received electric field during the reception time slots, as shown a-a' in FIGs. 3 and 5 of the accompanying drawings, the timing of transmission and reception may be disturbed or the reception data may be lost. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a clock synchronizing system which is capable of preventing the timing of transmission and reception from being disturbed as in cases when the level of a received electric field is lowered. According to the present invention, there is provided a clock synchronizing system comprising a receiver having means for reproducing a received data signal by demodulating a received radio wave, means for extracting a symbol synchronizing clock signal from a variation of the amplitude of the received radio wave, and means for detecting the level of an electric field of the received radio wave; a clock synchronizing circuit having means for correcting the phase of the clock signal extracted by the receiver, means for generating a free-running clock signal in synchronism with the extracted clock signal, and means for selectively outputting the phase-corrected clock signal or the free-running clock signal; a level comparator having means for comparing the detected level of the electric field with a predetermined threshold, and means for controlling the clock synchronizing circuit to select one of the phase-corrected and free-running clock signals in response to the result of comparison; a TDMA multiplexer/demultiplexer for separating time-divided data from the received data signal reproduced by the receiver with the synchronizing clock signal outputted from the clock synchronizing circuit; and a timing control circuit for counting clock pulses outputted from the clock synchronizing circuit to control the timing of transmission and reception of data. Preferably, the level comparator comprises means for controlling the clock synchronizing circuit to output the phase-corrected clock signal if the detected level of the electric field is in excess of the predetermined threshold, and to output the free-running clock signal if the detected level of the electric field is equal to or less than the predetermined threshold. Since the clock signal outputted from the clock synchronizing circuit changes to the phase-corrected clock signal reproduced from the received signal or the free-running clock signal depending on the detected level of the electric field under the control of the level comparator, the timing of operation of the multiplexer/ demultiplexer is prevented from being disturbed even when the clock signal goes out of phase due to a reduction in the electric field of the radio wave received by a digital automobile telephone apparatus with which the clock synchronizing system is associated. The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate an embodiment of the present invention by way of example. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional clock synchronizing apparatus; FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a clock reproducing circuit in a receiver; FIG. 3 is a timing chart illustrative of operation of the clock synchronizing circuit 2 shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is a timing chart of a time slot; FIG. 5 is a diagram showing each gate for transmission and reception time slots; FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a timing control circuit 5; and FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a clock synchronizing apparatus according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 7, a clock synchronizing apparatus according to the present invention comprises a receiver 1, a clock synchronizing circuit 2, a level comparator 3, a multiplexer/demultiplexer 4, and a timing control circuit 5. The receiver 1, the clock synchronizing circuit 2, the multiplexer/demultiplexer 4, and the timing control circuit 5 are identical to those shown in FIG. 1. The level comparator 3 is connected between the receiver 1 and the clock synchronizing circuit 2, for detecting the level of a received radio wave. The receiver 1 extracts data and symbol synchronizing clock signals from an intermediate-frequency signal converted from a received radio wave, and also smooths the intermediate-frequency signal to produce information indicative of the level of the received radio wave or electric field. The receiver 1 outputs the electric field level information to the level comparator 3. The level comparator 3 compares the electric field level information from the receiver 1 with a predetermined threshold. If the electric field level is higher than the threshold, the level comparator 3 applies a signal to the clock synchronizing circuit 2 to output the synchronizing clock signal. Conversely, if the threshold is higher than the electric field level, the level comparator 3 applies a signal to the clock synchronizing circuit 2 to output the free-running clock signal. The timing control circuit 5 is supplied with the clock signal outputted from the clock synchronizing circuit 2 and outputs a control signal for controlling the timing of transmission and reception of data to the receiver 1 and the multiplexer/demultiplexer 4. When the level of the received electric field varies in a reception time slot as shown in FIG. 3, the clock signal outputted from the clock synchronizing circuit 2 changes to either the synchronizing clock signal that is synchronously extracted from the variation of the radio wave or the free-running clock signal kept in phase, depending on the level of the electric field even within the reception time slot. The multiplexer/demultiplexer 4 is supplied with both the synchronizing clock signal, which is constant irrespective of the level of the received electric field, and the timing signal.

Claims: A clock synchronizing method for receiving a radio wave of time division multi-access system, comprising the steps of: extracting a symbol synchronizing clock signal from a variation of the amplitude of the received radio wave and at the same time detecting a level of an electric field of the received radio wave; reproducing a bit synchronizing clock signal from the extracted clock signal of symbol synchronizing and generating a free-running clock signal in synchronism with the extracted clock signal; comparing the detected level of the electric field with a predetermined threshold value; outputting the bit synchronizing clock signal reproduced when the detected level is higher than the predetermined value, and otherwise outputting the free-running clock signal while maintaining the synchronism with the extracted clock signal; generating a timing control signal by counting outputted clock pulses; and controlling the timing of transmission and reception of data. A clock synchronizing apparatus comprising: a receiver (1) having means (11) for reproducing a received data signal by demodulating a received radio wave, means (12) for extracting a symbol synchronizing clock signal from a variation of the amplitude of the received radio wave, and means for detecting the level of an electric field of the received radio wave; a clock synchronizing circuit (2) having means for correcting the phase of the clock signal extracted by said receiver (1), means for generating a free-running clock signal in synchronism with the extracted clock signal, and means for selectively outputting the phase-corrected clock signal or the free-running clock signal; a level comparator (3) having means for comparing the detected level of the electric field with a predetermined threshold, and means for controlling said clock synchronizing circuit (2) to select one of said phase-corrected and free-running clock signals in response to the result of comparison; a multiplexer/demultiplexer (4) for separating time-divided data from the received data signal reproduced by said receiver (1) with the synchronizing clock signal out-putted from said clock synchronizing circuit (2); and a timing control circuit (5) for counting clock pulses outputted from said clock synchronizing circuit (2) to control the timing of transmission and reception of data. The clock synchronizing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said level comparator (3) comprises means for controlling said clock synchronizing circuit (2) to output the phase-corrected clock signal if the detected level of the electric field is in excess of said predetermined threshold, and to output the free-running clock signal if the detected level of the electric field is equal to or less than said predetermined threshold.

Inventors: NAKANO FUMIO, NAKANO, FUMIO
Applicants: NIPPON ELECTRIC CO, NEC CORPORATION
Application year: 1993
Main classification: H04J3
IPC codes: H04L7