Patent US4859960A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US4859960A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Digital signal demodulation

Assignee: BAE Systems PLC
•
Filing: 1988-06-27
•
Granted: 1989-08-22
•
Expires: 2008-06-27
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A method of demodulating a high frequency carrier signal having at least one parameter modulated by a low frequency modulating signal comprises translating the signal to a low intermediate frequency, digitizing the translated intermediate frequency signal at a correspondingly low sampling rate and applying terms from the resulting digital time series to a non-linear processor to produce an output representative of the instantaneous value of the modulated parameter. Deriving an instantaneous value of the modulated parameter removes the need to use a high intermediate frequency for the carrier and enables the signal to be sampled at a low sampling rate.

Inventors

  • 👤 Richard T. A. Standford
  • 👤 Roger Biggs

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-07 09:46
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03D; H03D1/00; H03D3/00; H03D3/006; H03D2200/00; H03D2200/0041; H03D2200/005; H03D2200/0054; H03D2200/0056; H03D2200/006; H03D2200/0062

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 125 words
In a method of demodulating a modulated high frequency carrier signal, wherein a parameter of said modulated high frequency carrier signal is modulated by a low frequency modulating signal, said method comprising the steps of: initially translating said high frequency carrier signal to a low intermediate frequency which is such that a ratio between said low intermediate frequency and said frequency of said modulating signal is less than 500:1, sampling said intermediate frequency signal at a low sampling rate corresponding to said low intermediate frequency and thereby producing terms of a digital time series to thereby digitize said signal, applying said terms to non-linear processor means, and using said non-linear processor means to produce an output representative of an instantaneous value of said modulated parameter.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 125 words
In a method of demodulating a modulated high frequency carrier signal, wherein a parameter of said modulated high frequency carrier signal is modulated by a low frequency modulating signal, said method comprising the steps of: initially translating said high frequency carrier signal to a low intermediate frequency which is such that a ratio between said low intermediate frequency and said frequency of said modulating signal is less than 500:1, sampling said intermediate frequency signal at a low sampling rate corresponding to said low intermediate frequency and thereby producing terms of a digital time series to thereby digitize said signal, applying said terms to non-linear processor means, and using said non-linear processor means to produce an output representative of an instantaneous value of said modulated parameter.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 32 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said using said non-linear processor means step includes the step of producing said output representatives of said instantaneous value of said modulated parameter by sinusoidal curve-fitting.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 46 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said using said non-linear processor means step includes the step of applying at least three successive terms of said digital time series to said non-linear processor means to produce an output representative of said instantaneous value of said modulated parameter.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 58 words
The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of taking one further term from said digital time series and applying said one further term and all but a first one of said at least three successive terms to said non-linear processor means to produce a further output representatives of a next instantaneous value of said modulated parameter.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 35 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said using said non-linear processor means step includes the step of producing said output representative of said instantaneous value of said modulated parameter by performing a Fast Fourier Transform.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 123 words
A demodulating device, comprising: means for receiving a signal to be demodulated which includes a high frequency carrier signal modulated with a low frequency information signal; and demodulating means for demodulating said signal, including means for: (a) translating said high frequency carrier signal to a low intermediate frequency such that a ratio of said low intermediate frequency to said low frequency of said modulating information signal is less than 500:1, (b) converting said low intermediate frequency signal to a digital signal by sampling said low intermediate frequency signal at a low sampling rate which is lower than a Nyquist rate for said high frequency carrier signal, and (c) calculating values indicative of a demodulated information signal from said A/D converted intermediate frequency signal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 123 words
A demodulating device, comprising: means for receiving a signal to be demodulated which includes a high frequency carrier signal modulated with a low frequency information signal; and demodulating means for demodulating said signal, including means for: (a) translating said high frequency carrier signal to a low intermediate frequency such that a ratio of said low intermediate frequency to said low frequency of said modulating information signal is less than 500:1, (b) converting said low intermediate frequency signal to a digital signal by sampling said low intermediate frequency signal at a low sampling rate which is lower than a Nyquist rate for said high frequency carrier signal, and (c) calculating values indicative of a demodulated information signal from said A/D converted intermediate frequency signal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 28 words
A device as in claim 6 wherein said calculating means includes a means for fitting three successive terms of said digital intermediate frequency signal to a sinusoidal curve.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 15 words
A device as claim 6 wherein said demodulating means is formed by a digital computer.
Claim 11
Independent Claim 15 words
A device as claimed 7 wherein said demodulating means is formed by a digital computer.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

EP0046213A1 Cited
US4567442A Cited
GB2144288A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1992-08-21 1993-02-20 1993-08-22 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1996-08-21 1997-02-20 1997-08-22 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2000-08-21 2001-02-20 2001-08-22 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag