Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
301 words
A stepped square QAM (quadrature amplitude modulation) demodulator comprising synchronous detector means for demodulating a signal modulated in accordance with a stepped square quadrature amplitude modulation system to produce a pair of I-channel (in-phase) and Q-channel (quadrature phase) demodulated analog signals, an I-channel system and a Q-channel system for processing said I-channel demodulated signal and said Q-channel demodulated signal, respectively, each of said I- and Q-channel systems comprising: control means (2i, 2q) for receiving the demodulated signal of the associated channel and controlling the received signal in accordance with a control signal applied thereto; analog-to-digital converter means (4i, 4q) for converting the output of said control means into an N-bit digital signal by comparison with decision thresholds; means (5i, 5q) for converting the digital signals of outermost signal points of the stepped square phasor diagram of said SS-QAM system to digital signals of signal points which form corner portions of a true square phasor diagram and converting the digital signals of inner signal points of said stepped square phasor diagram to digital signals of corresponding signal points in said true square phasor diagram, deriving an M-bit main data signal from all of said converted digital signals (where M is smaller than N), and for generating an auxiliary data signal representative of whether said M-bit main data signal represents the digital signals of said inner or outermost signal points, a first error signal representative of an error component of said M-bit main data signal and a second error signal representative of an error component of said auxiliary data signal; selector means (6i, 6q) for selecting one of said first and second error signals in response to said auxiliary data signal; and control signal generator means (3i, 3q) for deriving said control signal from said selected error signal and said main data signal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
301 words
A stepped square QAM (quadrature amplitude modulation) demodulator comprising synchronous detector means for demodulating a signal modulated in accordance with a stepped square quadrature amplitude modulation system to produce a pair of I-channel (in-phase) and Q-channel (quadrature phase) demodulated analog signals, an I-channel system and a Q-channel system for processing said I-channel demodulated signal and said Q-channel demodulated signal, respectively, each of said I- and Q-channel systems comprising: control means (2i, 2q) for receiving the demodulated signal of the associated channel and controlling the received signal in accordance with a control signal applied thereto; analog-to-digital converter means (4i, 4q) for converting the output of said control means into an N-bit digital signal by comparison with decision thresholds; means (5i, 5q) for converting the digital signals of outermost signal points of the stepped square phasor diagram of said SS-QAM system to digital signals of signal points which form corner portions of a true square phasor diagram and converting the digital signals of inner signal points of said stepped square phasor diagram to digital signals of corresponding signal points in said true square phasor diagram, deriving an M-bit main data signal from all of said converted digital signals (where M is smaller than N), and for generating an auxiliary data signal representative of whether said M-bit main data signal represents the digital signals of said inner or outermost signal points, a first error signal representative of an error component of said M-bit main data signal and a second error signal representative of an error component of said auxiliary data signal; selector means (6i, 6q) for selecting one of said first and second error signals in response to said auxiliary data signal; and control signal generator means (3i, 3q) for deriving said control signal from said selected error signal and said main data signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
A stepped square QAM demodulator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said converting means comprises a memory in which said digital signals of said inner and outermost signal points are stored in locations addressable as a function of said N-bit digital signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
136 words
A stepped square QAM demodulator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control signal generating means provides a first count indicating the number of signal points falling in a first outermost area of said stepped square phasor diagram and a second count indicating the number of signal points falling in a second outermost area of said phasor diagram opposite to said first outermost area and produces a dc offset control signal as said control signal depending on the relative values of said first and second counts, and wherein said control means comprises a dc offset controller for controlling the dc level of an associated one of said channel signals in response to said dc offset control signal so that said dc level coincides with a center point between corresponding decision thresholds of said analog-to-digital converter means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
126 words
A stepped square QAM demodulator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control signal generating means provides a first count indicating the number of signal points falling in a center rectangular area of said stepped square phasor diagram and a second count indicating the number of signal points falling in oppositely located outermost areas of said stepped square phasor diagram to produce a gain control signal as said control signal depending on the relative values of said first and second counts, and said control means comprises an automatic controlled amplifier means responsive to said gain control signal for varying amplification gain so that amplitude of an associated one of said channel signals coincides with a corresponding one of said decision thresholds of said analog-to-digital converter means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
70 words
A stepped square QAM demodulator as claimed in claim 4, wherein each of said channel systems further comprises equalizing means for processing said M-bit main data signal so that the maximum possible number of signal points in said center rectangular area is equalized to the maximum possible number of signal points in said outermost areas and for applying the processed M-bit main data signal to said control signal generator means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
A stepped square QAM demodulator as claimed in claim 5, wherein said equalizing means transposes the outermost signal points of said stepped square phasor diagram which lie within said center rectangular area to outside thereof in response to the auxiliary data signal of the other channel system.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
49 words
A stepped square QAM demodulator as claimed in claim 6, wherein said equalizing means comprises means for inverting at least one data bit of said M-bit data signal which is supplied to said control signal generator means in response to said auxiliary data signal of the other channel system.