Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
336 words
In a receiver for digital message signals transmitted via two conjugate carrier waves of like frequency identifying 4b different signal levels, b being an integer, in combination: first and second demodulating means for deriving from said carrier waves a first and a second bipolar input voltage defining respective coordinates of an imaginary coordinate system divided by its coordinate axes into four quadrants, the input voltages concurrently derived by said first and second demodulating means defining a point on one of said quadrants in the vicinity of one of 4b predetermined locations on respective radii emanating from the origin of said coordinate system, each of said radii including with a fixed reference direction an angle representing one of said signal levels, each quadrant being divided into b+1 zones of possible signal deviation, each of said zones encompassing one of said predetermined locations, said zones being identically distributed in all quadrants, said first and second demodulating means comprising a pair of coherent detectors followed by a pair of analog-digital converters for quantizing said input voltages, thereby forming binary words each including a sign bit and a multiplicity of modular bits; and decision means connected to said first and second demodulating means for identifying the corresponding signal level in response to said input voltages, said decision means including a first stage for converting the relationship of the absolute magnitudes of said input voltages into a zone-identifying code and a second stage in cascade with said first stage for deriving an angle code from said zone-identifying code and from the polarities of said input voltages; said first stage comprising a first read-only memory with first cells jointly addressable by the modular bits of said first and second input voltages, each of said first cells storing one of b+1 binary-zone-identifying codes, said second stage comprising a second read-only memory with second cells jointly addressable by said zone-identifying codes and by the sign bits of said first and second input voltages, each of said second cells storing one of 2b+1 angle codes.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
336 words
In a receiver for digital message signals transmitted via two conjugate carrier waves of like frequency identifying 4b different signal levels, b being an integer, in combination: first and second demodulating means for deriving from said carrier waves a first and a second bipolar input voltage defining respective coordinates of an imaginary coordinate system divided by its coordinate axes into four quadrants, the input voltages concurrently derived by said first and second demodulating means defining a point on one of said quadrants in the vicinity of one of 4b predetermined locations on respective radii emanating from the origin of said coordinate system, each of said radii including with a fixed reference direction an angle representing one of said signal levels, each quadrant being divided into b+1 zones of possible signal deviation, each of said zones encompassing one of said predetermined locations, said zones being identically distributed in all quadrants, said first and second demodulating means comprising a pair of coherent detectors followed by a pair of analog-digital converters for quantizing said input voltages, thereby forming binary words each including a sign bit and a multiplicity of modular bits; and decision means connected to said first and second demodulating means for identifying the corresponding signal level in response to said input voltages, said decision means including a first stage for converting the relationship of the absolute magnitudes of said input voltages into a zone-identifying code and a second stage in cascade with said first stage for deriving an angle code from said zone-identifying code and from the polarities of said input voltages; said first stage comprising a first read-only memory with first cells jointly addressable by the modular bits of said first and second input voltages, each of said first cells storing one of b+1 binary-zone-identifying codes, said second stage comprising a second read-only memory with second cells jointly addressable by said zone-identifying codes and by the sign bits of said first and second input voltages, each of said second cells storing one of 2b+1 angle codes.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
77 words
The combination defined in claim 1 wherein each of said second cells further stores a pair of corrective binary words trigonometrically related to the corresponding angle code, said second memory being provided with a main output carrying said angle code and with two collateral outputs carrying said corrective words, said first and second demodulating means being provided with feedback circuitry connected to said collateral outputs for superimposing said corrective words upon succeeding first and second input voltages.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
The combination defined in claim 1 wherein b=2, said quadrants being bounded by four of said radii and bisected by the four remaining radii, adjacent zones within a quadrant being separated by lines substantially bisecting the distances between said predetermined locations on adjoining radii.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
229 words
The combination defined in claim 1 wherein b=2, each of said zone-identifying codes being a bit pair, said first cells being disposed in said first memory in an array of 2 h rows and 2 h columns where h is the number of modular bits utilized from each of said input voltages, said first memory being provided with 2 h row inputs and with 2 h column inputs for addressing said first cells and with a pair of readout leads for the bit pair of an addressed first cell, said second cells being disposed in said second memory in an array of three columns and four rows, said second memory being provided with three column inputs and with four row inputs for addressing said second cells, each of said analog/digital converters being provided with an h-lead output multiple for the utilized modular bits thereof and with a single output lead for the corresponding sign bit; further comprising a first decoder connected between the output multiple of one of said converters and said 2 h row inputs, a second decoder connected between the output multiple of the other of said converters and said 2 h column inputs, a third decoder connected between the single output leads of said converters and said four row inputs, and a fourth decoder connected between said pairs of readout leads and said three column inputs.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
8 words
The combination defined in claim 4 wherein h=6.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The combination defined in claim 4 wherein said second memory is provided with a fourth column input connected to said fourth decoder for receiving a locally generated test signal therefrom.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
231 words
In a receiver for digital message signals transmitted via two conjugate carrier waves of like frequency identifying eight different signal levels, in combination: first and second demodulating means for deriving from said carrier waves a first and second bipolar input voltage defining respective coordinates of an imaginary coordinate system divided by its coordinate axes into four quardants, the input voltages concurrently derived by said first and second demodulating means defining a point on one of said quadrants in the vicinity of one of eight predetermined locations on four radii in line with said coordinate axes and on four radii bisecting said quadrants, each of said radii including an angle representative of one of said signal levels with a fixed reference direction coinciding with one of said radii, each quadrant being divided into three zones of possible signal deviation, adjacent zones within each quadrant being separated by lines substantially bisecting the distances between said predetermined locations on adjoining radii; and decision means connected to said first and second demodulating means for identifying the corresponding signal level in response to said input voltages, said decision means including a first stage for converting the relationship of the absolute magnitudes of said input voltages into a zone-identifying code and a second stage in cascade with said first stage for deriving an angle code from the zone-identifying code and from the polarities of said input voltages.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
231 words
In a receiver for digital message signals transmitted via two conjugate carrier waves of like frequency identifying eight different signal levels, in combination: first and second demodulating means for deriving from said carrier waves a first and second bipolar input voltage defining respective coordinates of an imaginary coordinate system divided by its coordinate axes into four quardants, the input voltages concurrently derived by said first and second demodulating means defining a point on one of said quadrants in the vicinity of one of eight predetermined locations on four radii in line with said coordinate axes and on four radii bisecting said quadrants, each of said radii including an angle representative of one of said signal levels with a fixed reference direction coinciding with one of said radii, each quadrant being divided into three zones of possible signal deviation, adjacent zones within each quadrant being separated by lines substantially bisecting the distances between said predetermined locations on adjoining radii; and decision means connected to said first and second demodulating means for identifying the corresponding signal level in response to said input voltages, said decision means including a first stage for converting the relationship of the absolute magnitudes of said input voltages into a zone-identifying code and a second stage in cascade with said first stage for deriving an angle code from the zone-identifying code and from the polarities of said input voltages.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
The combination defined in claim 7 wherein said first and second demodulating means comprise a pair of coherent detectors followed by a pair of analog-digital converters for quantizing said input voltages.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
46 words
The combination defined in claim 7 wherein said predetermined locations lie on a common circle centered on the intersection of said coordinate axes, the lines separating the zones of a quadrant originating at said intersection and diverging at angles of substantially π/8 from said coordinate axes.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
45 words
The combination defined in claim 7 wherein said predetermined locations lie on a larger circle at the boundaries of said quadrants and on a smaller circle midway of said quadrants, the lines separating the zones of a quadrant converging on the bisector of the quadrant.