An apparatus and method for detecting field sync signals in a high definition television

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a field sync signal in a HDTV includes a sign bit selector (202) for selecting only a sign bit from a received HDTV signal; a correlation portion (206) for determining the correlation value of the selected sign bit and a predetermined reference signal; a detector (208, 210) for comparing the correlation value with a threshold value, to thereby determine a field sync timing signal; and a generator (212, 214, 216) for generating a field sync signal which has a logic "HIGH" level during one field sync segment interval in response to the field sync timing signal. Here, only one MSB of input data is selected and then correlation with the reference signal is determined. Accordingly, a field sync signal which has a logic "HIGH" level during one field segment interval in each field can be accurately detected, and thus a hardware structure is simplified.

Description: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for detecting field sync signals in a high definition television, and more particularly, but not exclusively, to an apparatus for detecting field sync signals by use of the correlation of the input data and a reference value and a method therefor. As a result of a significant effort expended in developing a television having a large screen and high resolution, a high definition television (HDTV) receiver for receiving HDTV signals has been produced in Japan. In the United States, the Grand Alliance (GA) committee have proposed technical standards for designing a HDTV system. The GA committee has adopted the vestigial side band (VSB) modulation as a GA-HDTV modulation standard. In particular, the GA committee has adopted an 8-VSB standard having eight levels and 16-VSB standard having sixteen levels have been adopted for the terrestrial broadcast mode and a high speed cable mode, respectively. Such prior art GA-HDTV receivers are e.g. known from: US-A-5 260 793 (CITTA R. ET AL); BRETL W. ET AL: 'VSB MODEM SUBSYSTEM DESIGN FOR GRAND ALLIANCE DIGITAL TELEVISION RECEIVERS' IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON CONSUMER ELECTRONICS., vol. 41, no. 3, 30 August 1995, pages 773-786, NEW YORK US; and JP -A- 07 326993 (US-A-5,648,987 of SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO. LTD.). Figure 1 illustrates the format of a VSB data frame of the GA-HDTV. The VSB data frame has two fields, and each field has one field sync segment and 312 data segments. The field sync segments FIELD SYNC #1 and FIELD SYNC #2 are located in the first segment of each field to indicate the beginning of the field. Also, each of the data segment has 4 symbols for segment synchronization and 828 data symbols. The segment synchronization is located at the beginning of each data segment and has a predetermined pattern in which four symbols have signal levels of +5, -5, -5, +5. Meanwhile, each of the data symbols has an arbitrary signal level out of the eight levels ±1, ±3, ±5 and ±7. Figure 2 is a drawing for explaining a VSB data field sync signal of a GA-HDTV. As shown in Figure 2, the field sync segment has 832 symbols. The initial 4 symbols are used for the segment synchronization. The segment synchronization is followed by 511 symbols, designated as pseudo number PN511, which are in turn followed by 189 symbols divided into three PN63s. The remaining 128 symbols are used to carry the other information. Here, PN511 is a predetermined signal sequence composed of +5 and -5 levels and used as a training sequence for equalization. The phase of the second PN63 is inverted in each field. Since a field synchronization indicating the beginning of the field is located in the first segments of each field and has a uniform form, the field sync signals can be detected and generated. On the other hands, the field sync signals should be accurately detected in order to perform synchronization and decoding in a receiver. Accordingly, it is an aim of preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide an apparatus for generating a field sync signal in a GA-HDTV by use of the correlation of a sync signal sequence in the first segment of each field and a reference signal. It is another aim of preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide a method for generating a field sync signal in a GA-HDTV by use of the correlation of a sync signal sequence in the first segment of each field and a reference signal. According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for detecting a field sync signal in an HDTV receiver comprising: sign bit selection means for selecting only a sign bit from a received HDTV signal; correlation means for determining the correlation value of the selected sign bit and a predetermined reference signal; detection means for comparing the correlation value with a threshold value to determine a field sync timing signal; and generating means for generating a field sync signal which has a logic "HIGH" level during one field sync segment interval in response to the field sync timing signal. According to the present invention in a second aspect, there is provided an apparatus for detecting a field sync signal comprising: detection means for detecting a segment sync signal located at the beginning of a data segment of a received HDTV signal and outputting a data segment sync signal; a recovery unit for recovering a symbol clock signal from the HDTV signal in response to said data segment sync signal; MSB selection means for selecting only an MSB from the received HDTV signal; first generation means for generating a predetermined reference signal; correlation means for determining the correlation value of the MSB and the reference signal; second generation means for comparing the correlation value with a threshold value and generating a field sync timing signal when the correlation value is higher than said threshold value; first counting means for counting the number of data segments in each field according to said segment sync signal, outputting a first carry signal, and being reset by a field sync timing signal; second counting means for counting the number of symbols in each segment according to said symbol clock, outputting a second carry signal, and being reset by the first carry signal; and third generation means for generating a field sync signal which has a logic "HIGH" level during one field sync segment interval in response to the first and second carry signals. According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for detecting a field sync signal included in a received HDTV signal, comprising the steps of: a) selecting only a sign bit from the received HDTV signal; b) determining the correlation value of the sign bit and a predetermined reference signal; c) comparing the correlation value determined in said step b) with a threshold value, to thereby detect a field sync timing signal; and d) generating a field sync signal which has a logic "HIGH" level during one field sync segment interval in response to said field sync timing signal. According to the present invention in a fourth aspect, there is provided a method for detecting a field sync signal in each field of a received HDTV signal wherein a frame of data includes two fields, and each field includes a field sync segment and data segments of a first predetermined number, and each segment includes symbols of a second predetermined number, comprising the steps of: a) detecting a segment synchronization signal located at the beginning of a data segment of an HDTV signal and outputting the data segment sync signal; b) recovering a symbol clock in response to the data segment sync signal; c) selecting only a most significant bit (MSB) of the received HDTV signals; d) determining the correlation value of the MSB and a predetermined reference signal; e) comparing the correlation value with a threshold value and generating a field sync timing signal when the correlation value is higher than the threshold value; f) counting the number of data segments in each field according to the data segment sync signal and outputting a first carry signal; g) counting the number of symbols in each segment according to the recovered symbol clock signal and outputting a second carry signal; and h) generating a field sync signal which has a logic "HIGH" level during one field sync segment interval in response to the first and second carry signals. Further features of the present invention are set out in the appended claims. The present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail a preferred embodiment thereof, by way of example only, with reference to the attached drawings in which: Figure 1 illustrates the format of a VSB data frame in a GA-HDTV; Figure 2 is a drawing for explaining a VSB data field sync signal of a GA-HDTV; Figure 3 is a block diagram of an HDTV receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 is a detailed block diagram of the field sync detection circuit shown in Figure 3; and Figure 5A is a waveform diagram of input data; Figure 5B is a waveform diagram of a field sync timing signal; Figure 5C is a waveform diagram of the output of a first counter; Figure 5D is a waveform diagram of the output of a second counter; and Figure 5E is a waveform diagram of a field sync signal generated by the field sync detection circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 is a block diagram of an HDTV receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, the HDTV receiver comprises a tuner 102, an intermediate frequency (IF) amplifier 104, an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter 106, a digital frequency and phase locked loop (DFPLL) 108, a matched filter 110, a symbol clock recovery unit 112, a data segment sync detector 114, a field sync detection circuit 200, an equalizer 116, a phase tracking loop (PTL) 118, a channel decoder 120, and a source decoder 122. The tuner 102 inputs broadcast signals via an antenna, selectively tunes a particular HDTV channel, and converts the HDTV signal of the tuned channel into intermediate frequency (IF) signal. The IF amplifier 104 amplifies the output signal of the tuner 102 such that the input of the A/D converter 106 is maintained at proper levels. The analog-to-digital converter 106 converts the analog IF signal output from the IF amplifier 104 into digital signal in accordance with a sampling clock supplied from the symbol clock recovery unit 112. The digital frequency and phase locked loop (DFPLL) circuit 108 recovers the carrier signal by detecting the pilot signal contained in the data output from the A/D converter 106. Then, the DFPLL 108 demodulates the data output from the A/D converter 106 into a baseband signal by multiplying the data by a recovered carrier signal. The matched filter 110 matches the demodulated baseband signals, to thereby eliminate signal distortion and aliasing, and controls the symbol rate of data output from the DFPLL circuit 108. The symbol rate of data output from the matched filter 110 is fs, while the symbol rate of data input to the matched filter 110 is 2fs. The symbol clock recovery unit 112 recovers a symbol clock in response to the output of the matched filter 110 and a data segment sync signal output from the data segment sync signal detector 114. Additionally, the symbol clock recovery unit 112 generates a sampling clock having a frequency (2fs) which is twice that of the symbol clock and provide the sampling clock to the A/D converter 106. The symbol clock recovered by the symbol clock recovery unit 112 is supplied to all the not shown blocks which processes digital signals as well as the analog-to-digital converter 106, the matched filter 110, and the field sync detection circuit 200. The data segment sync detector 114 calculates the correlation value of data output from the matched filter 110 in a unit of 4 symbols, and accumulates the calculated correlation values in a segment unit. Then, it generates a data segment sync signal at the time when the accumulated correlation value has a maximum value in each data segment, using the characteristic that the correlation value of the 4 field sync symbols is maximized, that is, that accumulated correlation values has a maximum value in the sync symbol intervals of the corresponding segment. The field sync detection circuit 200 determines the correlation of data output from the matched filter 110 and a reference signal, to thereby generate field sync signals by use of a symbol clock (fs) from the symbol clock recovery unit 112 and a data segment sync signal from the data segment sync detector 114. The field sync signals are input to an equalizer 116 and a channel decoder 120, to be used for equalization and decoding of data. The equalizer 116 eliminates multipath distortion and outputs an undistorted signal. The multipath distortion results from the reflection of electromagnetic waves from landscape, buildings and airplanes, etc. when the HDTV signal is broadcast over the earth. Specifically, the equalizer 116 carries out the equalizing operation by updating the coefficients of a filter therein by use of the training sequence PN511 located in the field sync segment according to the field sync signals from the field sync detection circuit 200. Meanwhile, data having an arbitrary level is output during the updating period of the coefficient. Thus, high speed tracking of moving ghost signals is ensured. The phase tracking loop (PTL) 118 inputs the undistorted signal and corrects any phase noise, i.e., phase errors which were not completely eliminated by the DFPLL circuit 108. The channel decoder 120 inputs the phase corrected signal from the PTL 118 and decodes the phase corrected signal in a manner which corresponds to the manner in which the original HDTV signal was encoded before it was transmitted. For example, in order to reduce the symbol errors generated during transmission, the HDTV signal is coded via a Reed-Solomon (RS) coding process, an interleaving operation, and a Trellis coded modulation (TCM) process before being transmitted. As a result, the channel decoder 120 may perform a Trellis demodulation operation on the phase corrected signal to produce an interleaved signal and may perform a de-interleaving operation on the interleaved signal to produce a de-interleaved signal. Finally, the decoder 120 may perform an RS decoding operation on the de-interleaved signal based on the parity of such signal in order to produce an error corrected signal. The source decoder 122 inputs the error corrected signal and performs a variable length decoding operation to produce decoded signal and performs an inverse quantizing operation on the decoded signal to generate inverse quantized data. Subsequently, the decoder 122 performs an inverse discrete cosine transform (IDCT) operation in accordance with the quantization step size used during the encoding process of the original HDTV signal. As a result, the compressed data is converted in the original HDTV signal, and the original signal is displayed via a display. Figure 4 is a detailed block diagram of the field sync detection circuit shown in Figure 3. The field sync detection circuit 200 includes a most significant bit (MSB) selector 202, a reference signal generator 204, a correlator 206, a comparator 208, a latch 210, a first counter 212, a second counter 214, and a flip-flop 216. The most significant bit (MSB) selector 202 selects only the MSB (also called a sign bit) of signals output from the matched filter 110 of Figure 3. The reference signal generator 204 generates a PN511 reference signal. The correlator 206 calculates the correlation value of the MSB from the MSB selector 202 and the reference signal from the reference signal generator 204. The comparator 208 inputs the output of the correlator 206 and a threshold value through a first and a second input terminals A and B, respectively, and compares such signals. The latch 210 inputs the output of the comparator 208 according to the symbol clock fs and stores temporarily the input data. The first counter 212 inputs the segment sync signal from the segment sync detector 114 of Figure 3 and the output of the latch 210 through a clock input terminal CLK and a reset terminal RST, respectively, counts the number of 312 data segments, and outputs a carry when the counted value is reset to 0. The second counter 214 inputs a symbol clock signal from the symbol clock recovery unit 112 and the carry from the first counter 212 through a clock input terminal CLK and a reset terminal RST, respectively, counts the number of 832 symbols, and outputs a carry. The flip-flop 216 inputs the carry of the second counter 214 and the carry of the first counter 212 through a reset terminal R and a set terminal S, respectively, and outputs a final field sync signal. The operation of the circuit shown in Figure 4 will now be described with reference to Figures 3 and 5A through 5E. In Figure 4, the MSB selector 202 inputs the HDTV VSB data output from the matched filter 110 shown in Figure 3, selects only the MSB of the input data, and outputs the selected MSB to the correlator 206. Here, the waveform of the data input to the MSB selector 202 is shown in Figure 5A. The reference signal generator 204 repeatedly generates signals which are the same as PN511 in the field sync segment. The correlator 206 calculates the cross correlation value of the MSB output from the MSB selector 202 and the reference signal generated from the reference signal generator 204, and accumulates the calculated correlation values in the unit of PN511 symbols, and outputs the accumulated correlation values to the first input terminal A of the comparator 208. Here, when a large amount of noises, ghosts or interferences are included in the transmitted signal, a correlation value of the PN63 data and the PN63 reference signal (which is referred to as a correlation value of PN63) is not so high that the peak value cannot be detected. However, since the correlation value of PN511 is larger than that of PN63 by about eight times, the peak value of PN511 can easily be detected. Accordingly, in order to detect the field sync timing, the correlation value of PN511 is used. The comparator 208 compares the correlation value from the correlator 206 with the predetermined threshold value, and outputs a "HIGH" signal when A≥B. That is, using the characteristic that the correlation value of the correlator 206 is maximized when the MSB sequence output from the MSB selector 202 is a field sync sequence, the comparator 208 compares the correlation value with the predetermined threshold value, and outputs a "High" signal of 1 symbol interval which indicates a field sync signal sequence when the correlation value is higher than the predetermined threshold value. The output signal of the comparator 208, which is incomplete in timing, is held in a latch 210 according to the symbol clock fs recovered in the symbol clock recovery unit 112 shown in Figure 3. The output of the latch 210 becomes a field sync timing signal. The waveform of the signal is shown in Figure 5B. The field sync timing signal shown in Figure 5B is generated in each field. However, since the field sync timing signal is generated from an intermediate point of a field sync signal sequence and the width of the signal corresponds to one symbol interval and thus is very narrow, the signal is inappropriate for being used directly as a field sync signal. Accordingly, the timing and the width of the field sync timing signal are controlled so that a field sync signal useful for signal processing is generated. When the field sync timing signal output from the latch 210 is input to a reset terminal (RST) of the first counter 212 and a data segment sync signal output from the data segment sync signal detector 114 is input to a clock terminal (CLK), the first counter 212 counts 312 data segment sync signals and outputs a carry signal shown in Figure 5C and is simultaneously reset by the field sync timing signal. The operation described above is repeatedly performed in each field. Here, the first counter 212 counts 312 times, since the data segment sync signals generated by the data segment sync generator 114 shown in Figure 3 are located at the beginning of the 312 data segments excluding the field sync segment. When the carry signal from the first counter 212 is input to the reset terminal RST of the second counter 214 and the symbol clock fs generated by the symbol clock recovery unit 112 is input to a clock input terminal CLK thereof, the second counter 214 counts 832 symbol clock pulses and then outputs a carry signal shown in Figure 5D and is simultaneously reset by the carry signal from the first counter 212. The second counter 214 counts 832 times according to the symbol clock fs, since one segment includes 832 symbols as shown in Figure 1. The flip-flop 216 outputs a "LOW" level signal through the output terminal Q when the carry signal from the second counter 214 is input to a reset terminal R, and it outputs a "HIGH" level signal when the carry signal from the first counter 212 is input to a set terminal S. Therefore, a perfect field sync signal which has a logic "HIGH" level during one field sync segment is output through an output terminal Q of the flip-flop 216, as shown in Figure 5E. As described above, the circuit of the present embodiment of the invention for detecting field sync signals which indicate the beginning of each field uses only one bit, i.e. MSB, of the input data to bring the same result as the floating point calculation. Thus, calculation time is reduced to a great extent, and the structure is simplified so that integration of the circuit is facilitated. Also, according to the circuit of the present invention, the timing of the field sync signal is detected by use of the correlation value of the PN511 correlator, so that the field sync signal can be detected accurately even when there exists noise, ghost or interference. Furthermore, since the circuit according to the present embodiment of the invention generates a field sync signal having a waveform which has a logic "HIGH" state during the actual field sync segment interval, the circuit may be used in another block of GA-HDTV system which requires a field sync signal having a waveform which has a logic "HIGH" state during the actual field sync segment interval without any additional circuits. The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference. All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive. Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features. The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims: An apparatus (200) for detecting a field sync signal in an HDTV receiver comprising: sign bit selection means (202) for selecting only a sign bit from a received HDTV signal; correlation means (206) for determining the correlation value of the selected sign bit and a predetermined reference signal; detection means (208, 210) for comparing the correlation value with a threshold value to determine a field sync timing signal; and generating means (212, 214, 216) for generating a field sync signal which has a logic "HIGH" level during one field sync segment interval in response to the field sync timing signal. An apparatus (200) for detecting a field sync signal according to claim 1, wherein said generating means (212, 214, 216) comprises: a first counter (212) for counting the number of data segments in each field, outputting a first carry signal, and being reset by the field sync timing signal; and a second counter (214) for counting the number of symbols in each data segment, outputting a second carry signal, and being reset by the first carry signal; a logic circuit (216) which is set by the first carry signal and reset by the second carry signal, and outputs a field sync signal which has a logic "HIGH" level during one field sync segment interval. An apparatus (200) for detecting a field sync signal according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said detection means (208, 210) comprises: a comparator (208) for comparing said detected correlation value with the threshold value, to thereby output a comparative signal when the correlation value is higher than the threshold value; and a latch (210) for holding said comparative signal and outputting the field sync timing signal. An apparatus (200) for detecting a field sync signal according to any preceding claim, wherein said correlation means (206) determines the correlation value of Pseudo Number PN511 located in a field sync signal sequence which is output from said selection means (202) and a PN511 reference signal. An apparatus (200) for detecting a field sync signal according to any preceding claim, wherein said correlation means (206) outputs a maximum correlation value when the sign bit output from said selection means (202) is the field sync signal sequence. An apparatus (200) for detecting a field sync signal according to any preceding claim, wherein the sign bit is a most significant bit. An apparatus for detecting a field sync signal comprising: detection means (114) for detecting a segment sync signal located at the beginning of a data segment of a received HDTV signal and outputting a data segment sync signal; a recovery unit (112) for recovering a symbol clock signal from the HDTV signal in response to said data segment sync signal; MSB selection means (202) for selecting only an MSB from the received HDTV signal; first generation means (204) for generating a predetermined reference signal; correlation means (206) for determining the correlation value of the MSB and the reference signal; second generation means (208, 210) for comparing the correlation value with a threshold value and generating a field sync timing signal when the correlation value is higher than said threshold value; first counting means (212) for counting the number of data segments in each field according to said segment sync signal, outputting a first carry signal, and being reset by a field sync timing signal; second counting means (214) for counting the number of symbols in each segment according to said symbol clock, outputting a second carry signal, and being reset by the first carry signal; and third generation means (216) for generating a field sync signal which has a logic "HIGH" level during one field sync segment interval in response to the first and second carry signals. An apparatus for detecting a field sync signal according to claim 7, wherein said correlation means (206) determines the correlation value of PN511 located in the field sync signal sequence which is output from said selection means (202) and a PN511 reference signal. An apparatus for detecting a field sync signal according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein said correlation means (206) outputs a maximum correlation value when the sign bit output from said selection means (202) is a field sync signal sequence. An apparatus for detecting a field sync signal according to any one of claims 7-9, wherein said second generation means (208, 210) comprises: a comparator (208) for comparing said detected correlation value with the threshold value, to thereby output a comparative signal when the correlation value is higher than the threshold value; and a latch (210) for holding said comparative signal and outputting the field sync timing signal. An apparatus for detecting a field sync signal according to any one of claims 7-10, wherein said third generation means includes a flip-flop (216) which are set by the first carry signal and reset by the second carry signal in order to output a field sync signal which has a logic "HIGH" level during one field sync segment interval. A method for detecting a field sync signal included in a received HDTV signal, comprising the steps of: a) selecting only a sign bit from the received HDTV signal; b) determining the correlation value of the sign bit and a predetermined reference signal; c) comparing the correlation value determined in said step b) with a threshold value, to thereby detect a field sync timing signal; and d) generating a field sync signal which has a logic "HIGH" level during one field sync segment interval in response to said field sync timing signal. A method for detecting a field sync signal according to claim 12, wherein the reference signal is a pseudo number PN511 signal. A method for detecting a field sync signal according to claim 12 or claim 13, wherein the sign bit is a most significant bit (MSB). A method for detecting a field sync signal in each field of a received HDTV signal wherein a frame of data includes two fields, and each field includes a field sync segment and data segments of a first predetermined number, and each segment includes symbols of a second predetermined number, comprising the steps of: a) detecting a segment synchronization signal located at the beginning of a data segment of an HDTV signal and outputting the data segment sync signal; b) recovering a symbol clock in response to the data segment sync signal; c) selecting only a most significant bit (MSB) of the received HDTV signals; d) determining the correlation value of the MSB and a predetermined reference signal; e) comparing the correlation value with a threshold value and generating a field sync timing signal when the correlation value is higher than the threshold value; f) counting the number of data segments in each field according to the data segment sync signal and outputting a first carry signal; g) counting the number of symbols in each segment according to the recovered symbol clock signal and outputting a second carry signal; and h) generating a field sync signal which has a logic "HIGH" level during one field sync segment interval in response to the first and second carry signals. A method for detecting a field sync signal according to claim 15, wherein the reference signal is a Pseudo Number PN511 signal.

Inventors: KI-BUM KIM, KI-BUM, KIM
Applicants: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD, SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Application year: 1997
Main classification: H04N5
IPC codes: H04N5