Patent Document

BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to processes that reduce the effect of baseline wander and intersymbol interference in signals such as those used in communications. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     A modem or other transmitter using pulse code modulation (PCM) to transmit data generates a signal that includes a series of pulses representing a series of symbols. Each pulse has an amplitude that indicates a value for a corresponding symbol. A receiver determines the symbol values by measuring the amplitudes of the pulses relative to a baseline voltage. However, when the pulses are sent through a channel that blocks or attenuates DC or low frequency signal components, the level of each pulse sags toward zero during the duration of the pulse. This sag affects the level of the next pulse. In particular, the received amplitude of the next pulse is larger if the next pulse is of opposite polarity from the preceding pulse, and the amplitude of the next pulse is smaller if the next pulse is of the same polarity as the preceding pulse. This inter-symbol interference changes the baseline for accurate determination of pulse amplitudes and is commonly referred to as baseline wander. Similar baseline wander occurs in signals using other modulation protocols common to many standard communication signals. Baseline wander can cause a receiver to incorrectly identify symbol values associated with a portion of a received signal. 
     A transmitter can reduce baseline wander by reducing or avoiding the low frequency components in the transmitted signal. However, avoiding low frequency components reduces the bandwidth available for information transmission. Alternatively, a receiver can compensate for baseline wander using a feedback mechanism similar to the one described in “Quantized Feedback in an Experimental 280Mb/s Digital Repeater for Coaxial Transmission,” by F. D. Waldhauer, IEEE Trans. Communications, Vol. COM-22, No. 1, January 1974, pp 1-5. These feedback mechanisms commonly assume a particular model for the characteristics of the transmission channel and have little or no ability to adjust for actual performance of the channel. Thus, improved systems for handling baseline wander are needed. 
     SUMMARY 
     In accordance with the invention, a receiver compensates for baseline wander using a multi-tap filter to predict the amount of baseline shift in each sample of a received signal. The multi-tap filter is adaptive through coefficients that are updated during operation of the receiver. Generally, the coefficients converge to values that minimize differences between values extracted from a compensated signal and allowed symbol values for the signal according to the signal&#39;s protocol. 
     One particular system that compensates for baseline shift includes an adder that adds a predicted baseline shift to an uncorrected sample to generate a corrected sample. A slicer then compares values extracted from the corrected samples to values allowed for the symbols according to the signal protocol of the transmitted signal. The difference between an extracted value and the nearest allowed value indicates an error in the prediction or equivalently the amount of shift the prediction did not correct. A multi-tap finite impulse response (FIR) filter and an integrator predict the baseline shift for the next sample based on preceding predicted baseline shifts and the preceding errors in the predicted shifts. Additionally, for each prediction, filter coefficients of the multi-tap FIR filter can be changed according to the error in the preceding prediction so that the changed coefficients would have provided a better prediction of the baseline shift for the preceding sample. The changed filter coefficients generally provide better fixture predictions. If the channel characteristics are constant, the filter coefficients tend to converge to values that are adapted for the channel. If the channel changes, the filter coefficients adapt to the changes. The number of taps in the multi-tap filter is selected according to the desired correction of intersymbol interference in the received signal and the available computing power for signal conditioning. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a transmission to a receiver using adaptive DC compensation in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of an adaptive DC compensation unit in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, for use on a received signal using pulse amplitude modulation. 
     FIGS. 3 and 4 respectively show power spectral densities for typical signals before and after adaptive DC compensation in accordance with the invention. 
     Use of the same reference symbols in different figures indicates similar or identical items. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a receiver uses an adaptive multi-tap filter when predicting a shift in the baseline of a received signal. The predicted shift is then added to the received signal to compensate for baseline or DC wander in the received signal. 
     FIG. 1 illustrates portions of a communication system in which a transmitter  110  transmits data through a channel  120  to a receiver  130 . In the embodiment shown, transmitter  110  is a portion of a modem and contains an encoder  112 , a filter  114 , and a converter  116  that together generate a transmitted analog signal ATx. In operation, encoder  112  receives the data to be transmitted and maps the data into co-ordinates of symbols defined by a modem protocol. Each symbol co-ordinate has a corresponding unique function that a modulation scheme defines for the symbol co-ordinate. For example, for a pulse amplitude modulated (PAM) signal, each symbol value has a single co-ordinate and a function with a unique constant value. Filter  114  receives symbol co-ordinates from mapper  112  at a symbol (or baud) rate and upsamples and the co-ordinates to create a series at the sampling frequency of converter  116 . Filter  114  also shapes the series according to the characteristics of channel  120  for optimal reception at receiver  130 . Converter  116  sequentially samples the functions associated with co-ordinates in the series from filter  114  and generates analog signal ATx according to the samples. The sampling frequency of converter  116  is typically higher than the output symbol rate from encoder  112  so that converter  116  samples one or more functions multiple times for each symbol. 
     Channel  120  connects transmitter  110  to receiver  130  with an AC coupling or a coupling that otherwise strongly attenuates DC and low frequency components of a transmitted signal. For modem communication, channel  120  includes a conventional telephone connection. Such channels block or attenuate any DC or low frequency components of signal ATx so that receiver  130  receives an analog signal ARx that differs from transmitted signal ATx. Channel  120  may also include other imperfections that change transmitted signal ATx. 
     Receiver  130  which is part of another modem includes a converter  132 , a filter  134 , an equalizer  136 , an adaptive DC compensator  138 , and a slicer  139 . Converter  132 , filter  134 , and equalizer  136  perform initial signal conditioning. In particular, converter  132  converts analog signal ARx to a series of digital samples Rx(n) where n is a time index. Samples Rx(n) can result from direct sampling of signal ARx or from interpolation between samples directly taken. Filter  134  is a digital band pass filter that maximizes the energy at the transmitted frequencies and removes high frequency components which may be artifacts of channel  120  or converter  132 . Equalizer  136  compensates for alterations to transmitted signal ATx due to channel impairments. As a result, equalizer  136  at least partially compensates for attenuation of low frequency components and baseline wander. Each sample Rx′(n) from equalizer  136  is equal to a sample Tx(n) of the transmitted signal ATx minus some baseline shift S(n). Compensator  138  adds a predicted shift S′(n) to an associated sample Rx′(n) to compensate for the actual shift S(n). 
     In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, transmitter  110  and receiver  120  implement pulse amplitude modulation (PAM) signaling according to the V.PCM protocol. The V.PCM protocol defines 208 symbols, each symbol corresponding to a fixed voltage level relative to a baseline. The symbol rate for the convention is 4000 bauds/s so that a sampling rate of about 9600 Hz is sufficient for converter  116 . Converter  132  upsamples signal ARx to a frequency of about 16 kHz to provide multiple samples Rx(n) for each symbol. 
     FIG. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of compensator  138  suitable for compensating for baseline shift in a PAM signal. Compensation unit  138  is connected to slicer  139  and includes an adaptive FIR (finite impulse response) filter  240  and an integrator  250  which are connected to adders  210  and  230 . In operation, adder  210  adds a predicted shift S′(n) to an associated sample Rx′(n) to generate a corrected level Tx′(n). The number of possible discrete values for samples Rx′(n) and corrected levels Tx′(n) exceed the number of symbol values allowed by the PAM protocol. For example, levels Tx′(n) may be 16-bit values for a protocol having 208 allowed symbol levels. Slicer  139  converts corrected level Tx′(n) to a symbol level Tx(n) that is one of the 208 complying with the protocol. The differences between symbol level Tx(n) and sample Rx′(n) is the actual baseline shift S(n). If the predicted shift S′(n) is precisely equal to actual shift S(n), the corrected level Tx′(n) is equal to corresponding symbol level Tx(n). Adder  230  determines the difference between associated levels Tx(n) and Tx′(n) which indicates an amount ΔS(n) of uncorrected baseline shift or equivalently the error in predicted shift S′(n). 
     Adaptive FIR filter  240  and integrator  250  combined determine predicted shift S′(n) from previous predictions S′(n−1), S′(n−2), . . . and uncorrected shifts ΔS(n−1), ΔS(n−2), . . . In particular, adaptive filter  240  generates an integrand I(n) using an N-tap filter operating on the past uncorrected shifts ΔS(n−1) to ΔS(n−N), and integrator  250  generates predicted shift S′(n) from integrand I(n) and one or more of the previous predictions S′(n−1), S′(n−2), . . . Equation 1 shows the N-tap filter operation of FIR filter  240 .                I        (   n   )       =       ∑     i   =   1     N                c   i          (   n   )       ·   Δ                     S        (     n   -   i     )                   Equation  1:                                
     In Equation 1, i is a tap index that ranges from 1 to N, and c i (n) is a filter coefficient corresponding to tap index i and a time index n. 
     Integrator  250  combines integrand I(n) from filter  240  with M previously predicted shifts S′(n−1) . . . S′(n−M), for example, as indicated in Equation 2. 
     
       
         S′(n)=F(S′(n−1), . . . ,S′(n−M))+I(n)  Equation 2: 
       
     
     Equation 2 is appropriate for an M-pole infinite impulse response (IIR) integrator. Equation 2(a) is a special case of Equation 2 where a single-pole integrator determines the predicted shift S′(n) from the immediately preceding prediction S′(n−1) and integrand I(n). 
     
       
         S′(n)=a S′(n−1)+I(n)  Equation 2(a): 
       
     
     In Equation 2(a), α is a constant on the order of 1, and in an exemplary embodiment of the invention, α is 0.95. Alternatively, any desired integration can be employed. Adder  210  adds the predicted shift S′(n) from integrator  250  to uncorrected sample Rx′(n). 
     Filter  240  is adaptive in that filter coefficients c i (n) change according to the amount ΔS(n) of baseline shift the predicted shift S′(n) fails to correct. Generally, for filter  240  to adapt, coefficients c i (n) change over time to increase (or decrease) the size of predicted shifts S′(n) when predicted shifts S′(n) are generally less (or greater) than the actual shifts S(n). A variety of interative methods for determining changes in the coefficient c i (n) based on measured uncorrected shift ΔS(n) provide the appropriate feedback. However, in the exemplary embodiment, coefficients c i (n+1) are determined according to Equation 3. 
      c i (n+1)=c i (n)+μ·ΔS(n)·ΔS(n−i)  Equation 3: 
     In Equation 3, μ is a constant that controls the speed at which filter coefficients c i (n) adapt to the channel imperfections. Adaptive Filter Theory, Prentice Hall, 1985 by S. Haykin, further describes adapting filter coefficients and is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. For each level Tx′(n) through slicer  139 , coefficients of adaptive filter  240  change. For a steady state in channel  120 , coefficients c i  converge toward and oscillate about best values. Constant μ determines how quickly coefficients ci converge and the amplitude of the oscillations about the best values. 
     Adaptive DC compensator  138  can be implemented in specialized hardware that performs the functions of components  240  and  250  or alternatively in software. Such software can be stored in computer readable storage such as on a floppy disk, hard disk, CD-ROM, or DVD disk or in memory such as RAM or ROM. A digital signal processor in a conventional modem or a the central processor of a host computer containing a host signal processing modem can execute the software that compensates for DC or baseline wander in a received signal. Table A in the appendix contains a listing of a MatLab program implementing adaptive DC compensation in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. 
     Table 1 shows the results of a simulation of compensation unit  138  using different size filters in the exemplary embodiment of the invention. 
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
             
             
               
                   
               
               
                 Interference Reduction for Different Size Filters 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                   
                 Reduction in Baseline 
               
               
                   
                 No. of Taps 
                 Wander (db) 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 0 
                 9 
               
               
                   
                 1 
                 17 
               
               
                   
                 3 
                 20.4 
               
               
                   
                 10 
                 21.3 
               
               
                   
                 20 
                 23 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     In Table 1, zero taps is the case without filtering where integrator  250  receives the uncorrected shift ΔS(n) directly from adder  230 . With one tap, uncorrected shift ΔS(n) is multiplied by a coefficient (or adaptive multiplier) that can change to adapt to channel imperfections. For Table 1, the data rate is 48 kbits/s for the V.PCM protocol. As shown, the multi-tap filters provide reductions of several decibels in power levels for wander over no filtering (zero taps) or use of an adaptive multiplier (one tap). 
     For V.PCM and other bandwidth limited signal protocols, the reduction in baseline wander depends on the data rate (or the symbol rate) of the transmitted signal since signals with different data rates have different frequency spectrums. Distortion and baseline wander depend on the DC and low frequency components of the transmitted signal. Table 2 illustrates the performance of a 3-tap adaptive filter at reducing intersymbol interference for a series of different bit rates using the V.PCM protocol. 
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 2 
               
             
             
               
                   
               
               
                 Interference Reduction at Different Bit Rates 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                   
                 Reduction in Baseline 
               
               
                   
                 Bit Rate (kbits/s) 
                 Wander (db) 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 40 
                 15 
               
               
                   
                 42 
                 15 
               
               
                   
                 48 
                 20 
               
               
                   
                 52 
                 22 
               
               
                   
                 54 
                 21.5 
               
               
                   
                 56 
                 21.5 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     At higher bit rates, intersymbol interference increases which makes compensation more important. As shown in Table 2, adaptive DC compensation in accordance with the invention provides greater decibel reduction in baseline wander at the higher bit rates. 
     FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the improvement that adaptive DC compensation gives in reduction of DC wander when compared to equalization alone. In FIG. 3, a plots  310  and  320  show the power spectrums for the channel disturbance or intersymbol interference as indicated by the difference between the output samples Rx′(n) from equalizer  136  and the actual symbol levels Tx(n) for a test data stream. In plot  310 , equalizer  136  includes an adaptive 150-tap filter selected for imperfections across the spectrum (0 to 4 kHz) of frequencies in the transmitted signal. Plot  320  shows the results when equalizer  136  includes a 250-tap filter. Both plots show that conventional equalizers by themselves are ineffective at removing low frequency components of the channel disturbance. In contrast FIG. 4 shows the power spectrum of uncorrected shift ΔS in a 46-kbit/s V.PCM signal when adaptive DC compensation having a 20-tap adaptive filter is used with a 150-tap equalizer (plot  410 ) or a 250-tap equalizer (plot  420 ). As shown in FIG. 4, after DC adaptive compensation, the power spectrum of the uncorrected error is relatively flat and small when compared with plots  310  and  320  of FIG.  3 . 
     DC compensator  200  of FIG. 2 compensates for DC wander in a signal having pulse amplitude modulation. Embodiments of the invention can also compensate for DC wander in signals using other baseband modulation techniques. Signals using baseband modulation have significant low frequency components which are strongly attenuated in transmission channels. 
     Although the invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments, the description is only an example of the invention&#39;s application and should not be taken as a limitation. For example, although embodiments of the invention are described primarily in modems, embodiments of the invention are applicable to a variety of communication systems, not limited to modems and facsimile machines. Various other adaptations and combinations of features of the embodiments disclosed are within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims. 
     Appendix 
     The following table contains a MatLab listing of program implementing a DC compensation process in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
     
       
         
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE A 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
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                 %This program implements a 3 tap dc compensator along with a 250 tap 
               
               
                 %equalizer and a slicer. The input to the system is V.pcm signal. 
               
               
                 constnum=80; 
               
               
                 sampnum=40000; 
               
               
                 mu1=0.00032*0.2; 
               
               
                 tapnum=3; 
               
               
                 C1=zeros(tapnum,sampnum/2); 
               
               
                 E=zeros(tapnum,1); 
               
               
                 ahat=zeros(sampnum/2+1,1); 
               
               
                 %Declarations for equalizer eqtapnum=250; 
               
               
                 sampnum=length(rx16)-28-50-1; 
               
               
                 err=zeros(1,sampnum/2); 
               
               
                 R1=[rx16(28+50+eqtapnum/2:sampnum+28+50+eqtapnum/2)′]; 
               
               
                 T=tx(1+eqtapnum/2:sampnum/2+eqtapnum/2); 
               
               
                 %begin applying the equalizer to the rxed data for i=1:sampnum 
               
               
                  if mod(i,2)==0 
               
               
                   eqout=0; 
               
               
                   for j=−(eqtapnum/2-1):eqtapnum/2 
               
               
                    eqout=eqout+equaltap250(j+eqtapnum/2)*R1(i+eqtapnum/2-1+j); 
               
               
                   end; 
               
               
                   err(i/2)=−eqout+T(i/2); 
               
               
                 % begin applying the dc compensator 
               
               
                   for j=0:(tapnum-1) 
               
               
                    ahat(i/2+1)=ahat(i/2+1)+C1(j+1,i/2)*E(tapnum-j); 
               
               
                   end; 
               
               
                   ahat(i/2+1)=ahat(i/2+1)+0.95*ahat(i/2); 
               
               
                   D=eqout+ahat(i/2+1); 
               
               
                 % Slicing using Euclidian distance 
               
               
                   temptab=abs(table(1:constnum)-D); 
               
               
                   tabindex=find(temptab==min(temptab)); 
               
               
                   Dhat=table(tabindex); 
               
               
                   Dhat=T(i/2); 
               
               
                 % Slicing done 
               
               
                   ERROR=Dhat-D; 
               
               
                 %Update the DC-compensator&#39;s taps; 
               
               
                   for j=0:tapnum-1 
               
               
                    C1(j+1,i/2+1)=C1(j+1,i/2)+mu1*ERROR*E(tapnum−j); 
               
               
                   end; 
               
               
                   for j=1:tapnum−1 
               
               
                    E(j)=E(J+1); 
               
               
                   end; 
               
               
                   E(tapnum)=ERROR; 
               
               
                   end; 
               
               
                 end; 
               
               
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Technology Category: 5