Multi-phase and multi-amplitude level modulator and modulation and demodulation methods

Claim 2

A multi-phase, multi-amplitude level modulation method comprising generating a carrier signal, generating a modulating signal having first, second and third amplitude levels and ten phases, and modulating said carrier with said first, second and third amplitude levels and ten phases to produce sixteen signal states, said first level corresponding to carrier off operation and providing a first signal state, said second level comprising an intermediate level and said carrier being modulated at five equally spaced phases for said second level to provide five of said sixteen signal states, and said third level comprising an amplitude level which is substantially higher than said intermediate level and said carrier being modulated at ten equally spaced phases for said third level to provide ten of said sixteen signal states, alternate/equally spaced phases of said third level being in phase with respective phases of the five phases of the second level.

Claim 3

A modulation method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said phases of said second level are equally spaced apart by 72° and said phase positions of said third level are equally spaced apart by 36°.

Claim 4

A modulation method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said method employs differential encoding so that data is indicated by the change in carrier phase from the last carrier phase thereof.

Claim 5

A modulation method as claimed in claim 3 wherein the coding for signal states of the second level beginning at a reference phase is 1011, 1101, 1110, 0011, and 0111 and the coding for the signal states of the third level, beginning at the same reference phase, is 1001, 0100, 0101, 1010, 1100, 0000, 0001, 0010, 0110 and 1000, said first signal state, corresponding to carrier off operation, being coded 1111 and the phase of the next transmitted carrier being compared to the phase of the last transmitted carrier when the last mentioned code is transmitted.

Claim 6

A modulation method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the amplitude levels of five alternate phase positions of the third level are closer to said second level than those of the other positions.

Claim 7

A modulation method as claimed in claim 5 wherein said alternate levels lie on the intersection between a radial line corresponding to that phase position and a line joining the signal states of the two adjacent phase positions.

Claim 8

A modulation method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the phase of all signal states are retarded or advanced by a predetermined amount for each transmitted baud.

Claim 9

A modulation method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the phase of said signal states are retarded or advance by 18° for each transmitted baud.

Claim 10

A modulation method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising encoding the input data so that a four-digit binary number is provided for each signal state.

Claim 11

A modulation method as claimed in claim 9 wherein the said first level is zero or carrier off the phases of the signal states of said second level are 36°, 108°, 180°, 252° and 324° measured from a 0° reference and phases of the signal states of said third level are 0°, 36°, 72°, 108°, 144°, 180°, 216°, 252°, 288° and 324°, measured from the same reference, the signal state of the said first level being coded as 1010, the signal states of said second level being coded as follows: 36°, 0010; 108°, 1110; 180°, 1011; 252°, 0110; 324°, 1000; and the signal states of said third level being coded as follows: 0°, 0001; 36°, 0011; 72°, 0111; 108°, 1111; 144°, 1101; 180°, 1001; 216°, 1100; 252°, 0101; 288°, 0100; and 324°, 0000.

Claim 12

A modulation method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the coding is the inverse of that of claim 5 whereby each "1" is changed to "0" and each "0" is changed to "1".

Claim 13

A modulation method as claimed in claim 10 wherein said coding is the mirror image of that of claim 10.

Claim 14

A modulation method as claimed in claim 9 wherein the phases of the signal states of said second level are 36°, 108°, 180°, 252° and 324° measured from a 0° reference and the phases of the signal states of said third level are 0°, 36°, 72°, 108°, 144°, 180°, 216°, 252°, 288° and 324° measured from the same reference, the signal states of said second level being coded as follows: 36°, 1101; 108°, 1110; 180°, 0011; 252°, 0111; and 324°, 1011; the signal states of said third level being coded as follows: 0°, 0100; 36°, 0101; 72°, 1010; 108°, 1100; 144°, 0000; 180°, 0001; 216°, 0010; 252°, 0110; 288°, 1000; and 324°, 1001; said first level being coded 1111.

Claim 15

A modulation method as claimed in claim 13 wherein said coding is the inverse of that of claim 13, whereby each "1" is changed to "0" and each "0" is changed to "1".

Claim 16

A modulation method as claimed in claim 13 wherein said coding is the mirror image of that of claim 13.

Claim 17

A modulation method as claimed in claim 9 wherein the phases of the signal states of said second level are 36°, 108°, 180°, 252° and 324° measured from a 0° reference and the phases of the signal states of said third level are 0°, 36°, 72°, 108°, 144°, 180°, 216°, 252°, 288° and 324° measured from the same reference, the signal states of said second level being coded as follows: 36°, 1011; 108°, 1001; 180°, 1101; 252°, 1111; and 324°, 1110; the signal states of said third level being coded as follows: 0°, 0010; 36°, 0011; 72°, 0001; 108°, 0000; 144°, 1000; 180°, 1100; 216°, 0100; 252°, 0101; 288°, 0111; and 324°, 0110; said first level being coded 1010.

Claim 18

A modulation method as claimed in claim 16 wherein said coding is the inverse of that of claim 16 whereby each "1" is changed to "0" and each "0" is changed to "1".

Claim 19

A modulation method as claimed in claim 16 wherein said coding is the mirror image of that of claim 16.

Claim 20

A multi-phase, multi-amplitude level modulator comprising means for generating a carrier, means for generating a modulating signal having first, second and third amplitude levels and 10 phases, and means for modulating said carrier with said first, second and third amplitude levels and ten phases to produce sixteen signal states, said first level corresponding to carrier off operation and providing a first signal state, said second level comprising an intermediate level and said carrier being modulated at five equally spaced phases for said second level to provide five of said 16 signal states, and said third level comprising an amplitude level which is substantially higher than said intermediate level and said carrier being modulated at ten equally spaced phases for said third level to provide 10 of said 16 signal states, alternate equally spaced phases of said third level being in phase with respective phases of the five phases of the second level.

Claim 21

A multi-phase, multi-amplitude level modulator comprising means for generating a carrier, means for generating a modulating signal having first, second and third amplitude levels and 10 phases, and means for modulating said carrier with said first, second and third amplitude levels and ten phases to produce sixteen signal states, said first level corresponding to carrier off operation and providing a first signal state, said second level comprising an intermediate level and said carrier being modulated at five equally spaced phases for said second level to provide five of said 16 signal states, and said third level comprising an amplitude level which is substantially higher than said intermediate level and said carrier being modulated at ten equally spaced phases for said third level to provide 10 of said 16 signal states, alternate equally spaced phases of said third level being in phase with respective phases of the five phases of the second level.

Claim 22

A modulator as claimed in claim 19 further comprising encoder means for coding each of said signal states responsive to a data input signal, said modulating signal generating means including a ten-stage serial-in, parallel-out shift register for generating ten outputs each corresponding to one of said ten phases, a phase selector connected to said shift register for selecting the one of the outputs of said shift register under the control of said encoder means, and level selector means for selecting the level of said modulating signal under the control of said encoder means.

Claim 23

A modulator as claimed in claim 20 further comprising a master oscillator, first divider means for dividing the output frequency of said master oscillator by a predetermined factor to produce a clocking signal for said shift register, second, divide-by-ten divider means connected to the output of said first divider means for producing an input signal to said shift register, third divider means for dividing the output frequency of said master oscillator by a further predetermined factor to produce a clocking signal for said encoder means, said level selector means comprising an attenuator connected to the output of said phase selector means, said modulator further comprising an intermediate frequency filter connected to the output of said attenuator for band limiting the phase modulated signal to a first carrier frequency f 1 , multiplier means for multiplying the output of said filter with a frequency f 2 to produce a desired carrier frequency f c = f 1 - f 2 and a further filter for rejecting the high frequency components of the output of said multiplier means.

Claim 24

A modulator as claimed in claim 19 wherein said encoder means codes each of said sixteen signal states as a different four-digit binary number.

Claim 25

A modulator as claimed in claim 22 wherein said modulating signal generating means generates five phases for the signal states of said second level of 36°, 108°, 180°, 252°, and 324° measured from a 0° reference and ten phases of the signal states of said third level of 0°, 36°, 72°, 108°, 144°, 180°, 216°, 252°, 288° and 324° measured from the same reference, and said encoder codes the signal states of said second level as follows: 36°, 1011; 108°, 1001; 180°, 1101; 252°, 1111; and 324°, 1110; and codes the signal states of said third level as follows: 0°, 0010; 36°, 0011; 72°, 0001; 108°, 0000; 144°, 1000; 180°, 1100; 216°, 0100; 252°, 0101; 288°, 0111; and 324°, 0110, said first level being coded 1010.

Claim 26

A modulator as claimed in claim 23 wherein said encoder provides coding which is the inverse of that of claim 31, whereby each "1" is changed to "0" and each "0" is changed to "1".

Claim 27

A modulator as claimed in claim 23 wherein said encoder provides coding which is the mirror image of that of claim 23.

Claim 28

A modulator as claimed in claim 22 wherein said modulating signal generating means generates five phases for the signal states of said second level of 36°, 108°, 180°, 252° and 324° measured from a 0° reference and 10 phases of the signal states of said third level of 0°, 36°, 72°, 108°, 144°, 180°, 216°, 252°, 288° and 324° measured from the same reference, and said encoder codes the signal states of said second level as follows: 36°, 1101; 108°, 1110; 180°, 0011; 252°, 0111; and 324°, 1011; and codes the signal states of said third level as follows: 0°, 0100; 36°, 0101; 72°, 1010; 108°, 1100; 144°, 0000; 180°, 0001; 216°, 0010; 252°, 0110; 288°, 1000; and 324°, 1001, said first level being coded 1111.

Claim 29

A modulator as claimed in claim 26 wherein said encoder provides coding which is the inverse of that of claim 26, whereby each "1" is changed to "0" and each "0" is changed to "1".

Claim 30

A modulator as claimed in claim 26 wherein said encoder provides coding which is the mirror image of that of claim 26.

Claim 31

A modulator as claimed in claim 26 wherein said modulating signal generating means generates five phases for the signal states of said second level of 36°, 108°, 252° and 324° measured from a 0° reference and ten phases of the signal states of said third level of 0°, 36°, 72°, 108°, 144°, 180°, 216°, 252°, 288° and 324° measured from the same reference, and said encoder codes the signal states of said second level as follows: 36°, 0010; 108°, 1110; 180°, 1011; 252°, 0110; and 324°, 1000; and codes the signal states of said third level as follows: 0°, 0001; 36°, 0011; 72°, 0111; 108°, 1111; 144°, 1101; 180°, 1001; 216°, 1100; 252°, 0101; 288°, 0100; and 324°, 0000, said first level being coded 1010.

Claim 32

A modulator as claimed in claim 29 wherein said encoder provides coding which is the inverse of that of claim 28, whereby each "1" is changed to "0" and each "0" is changed to "1".

Claim 33

A modulator as claimed in claim 29 wherein said encoder provides coding which is the mirror image of that of claim 29.

Claim 34

A demodulation method for demodulating an amplitude-phase modulated signal having 16 states comprising a zero level or carrier off state, five intermediate level states and ten high level states, said method comprising the steps of demodulating the 16 states of the amplitude-phase modulated signal by coherently demodulating the signal for the five intermediate level states by comparing the phase of the signal with a reference signal, differentially demodulating the signal for the ten high level states by comparing the phase of the signal with that of the previous state and phase comparing the phase of the signal with that of the previous state for the zero level or carrier off state and amplitude demodulating the signal to determine the signal level and the type of demodulation.

Claim 35

A demodulation method for demodulating an amplitude-phase modulated signal having 16 states comprising a zero level or carrier off state, five intermediate level states and ten high level states, said method comprising the steps of demodulating the 16 states of the amplitude-phase modulated signal by coherently demodulating the signal for the five intermediate level states by comparing the phase of the signal with a reference signal, differentially demodulating the signal for the ten high level states by comparing the phase of the signal with that of the previous state and phase comparing the phase of the signal with that of the previous state for the zero level or carrier off state and amplitude demodulating the signal to determine the signal level and the type of demodulation.