US4891812A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for selecting a digital signal from a plurality of digital signals
Assignee: Motorola Solutions Inc
•
Filing: 1985-12-09
•
Granted: 1990-01-02
•
Expires: 2005-12-09
Abstract
Abstract In a mobile communications system, a plurality of base stations may receive the same signal, whereby the "best" reception may be determined. The plurality of received digital signals are combined to form a majority signal. Each of the received digital signals is compared to the majority signal to estimate the bit-error-rate (BER) of each received signal. If the difference between the highest and lowest BER is less than a predetermined threshold, the majority signal is selected for reception. Conversely, if the BER difference is greater than the predetermined threshold, the received digital signal with the lowest BER is selected for reception. Thus, the signal with the lowest BER is selected to provide the best possible communications.
Inventors
- 👤 Paul M. Bocci
- 👤 Kevin M. Cutts
- 👤 Carl M. Pietrzak, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 08:31
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/07; G06F11/16; G06F11/18; G06F11/183; H; H04; H04L; H04L1/00; H04L1/02; G06F11/0703; G06F11/0751; G06F11/0754; G06F11/076
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
160 words
A method for selecting an optimum signal from at least three received digital signals, comprising the steps of: (a) generating a majority signal from the at least three received digital signals by: (i) comparing, bit-by-bit, all of the at least three received digital signals; (ii) generating a majority signal bit having the same logical state as the majority of said compared bits of all of the at least three received digital signals, unless all of the at least three received signals comprises an even number of signals having a even distribution of alternate logical states, in which case a random selection of sai alternate logical states comprises said majority signal bit; (b) determining the error rate of each of the at least three received digital signals by individual bit-by-bit comparison with said majority signal; and (c) selecting a particular one of the at least three received digital signals if a predetermined condition is staisfied, else alternately selecting said majority signal.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
160 words
A method for selecting an optimum signal from at least three received digital signals, comprising the steps of: (a) generating a majority signal from the at least three received digital signals by: (i) comparing, bit-by-bit, all of the at least three received digital signals; (ii) generating a majority signal bit having the same logical state as the majority of said compared bits of all of the at least three received digital signals, unless all of the at least three received signals comprises an even number of signals having a even distribution of alternate logical states, in which case a random selection of sai alternate logical states comprises said majority signal bit; (b) determining the error rate of each of the at least three received digital signals by individual bit-by-bit comparison with said majority signal; and (c) selecting a particular one of the at least three received digital signals if a predetermined condition is staisfied, else alternately selecting said majority signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1, which further includes the step of time-aligning the plurality of received digital signals.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said predetermined condition is the difference between a highest error rate and a lowest error rate determined in step (b).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1, which further includes the step of processing either said majority signal or said selected one of the received digital signals to provide a recovered signal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 4, wherein said processing step comprises decoding either said majority signal or said selected one of the received digital signals.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
181 words
A method for selecting an optimum signal from at least three received digital ignals, comprising the steps of: (a) time-aligning the at least three received digital signals; (b) generating a majority signal from the at least three received digital signals by: (i) comparing, bit-by-bit, all of the at least three received digital signals; (ii) generating a majority signal bit having the same logical state as the majority of said compared bits of all of the at least rhee received digital signals, unless all of the at least three received signals comprises an even number of signals having a even distribution of alternate logical states, in which case a random selection of said alternate logical states comprises said majority signal bit; (c) determining the error rate of each of the at least three received digital signals by individual bit-by-bit comparison with said majority signal; (d) selecting a particular one of the at least three received digital signals if a predetermined condition is satisfied, else, alternately selecting said majoritysignal; and (e) decoding said signal selected in step (d) to provide a recovered signal.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
181 words
A method for selecting an optimum signal from at least three received digital ignals, comprising the steps of: (a) time-aligning the at least three received digital signals; (b) generating a majority signal from the at least three received digital signals by: (i) comparing, bit-by-bit, all of the at least three received digital signals; (ii) generating a majority signal bit having the same logical state as the majority of said compared bits of all of the at least rhee received digital signals, unless all of the at least three received signals comprises an even number of signals having a even distribution of alternate logical states, in which case a random selection of said alternate logical states comprises said majority signal bit; (c) determining the error rate of each of the at least three received digital signals by individual bit-by-bit comparison with said majority signal; (d) selecting a particular one of the at least three received digital signals if a predetermined condition is satisfied, else, alternately selecting said majoritysignal; and (e) decoding said signal selected in step (d) to provide a recovered signal.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
183 words
An apparatus for selecting an optimum signal from a plurality of received digital signals, comprising: means for generating a majority signal from at least three received digital signals, comprising: (i) means for comparing, bit-by-bit, all of the at least three received digital signals; (ii) means for generating a majoority signal bit having the same logical state as the majority of said compared bits of all of the at least three received digital signals, unless all of the at least three received signals comprises an even number of signals having a even distribution of alternate logical states, in which case a randomselection of said alternate logical states comprises said majority signal bit; means for determining the error rates of each of the at least three received digital signals; and means for selecting a particular one of the at least three received digital signals if a predetermined condition is satisfied, else, alternately selecting said majroity signal, whereby, all of the received digital signal are included in said comparison, of said generating means, and none are excluded from contributing to the generation of said majority signal.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
183 words
An apparatus for selecting an optimum signal from a plurality of received digital signals, comprising: means for generating a majority signal from at least three received digital signals, comprising: (i) means for comparing, bit-by-bit, all of the at least three received digital signals; (ii) means for generating a majoority signal bit having the same logical state as the majority of said compared bits of all of the at least three received digital signals, unless all of the at least three received signals comprises an even number of signals having a even distribution of alternate logical states, in which case a randomselection of said alternate logical states comprises said majority signal bit; means for determining the error rates of each of the at least three received digital signals; and means for selecting a particular one of the at least three received digital signals if a predetermined condition is satisfied, else, alternately selecting said majroity signal, whereby, all of the received digital signal are included in said comparison, of said generating means, and none are excluded from contributing to the generation of said majority signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 7, which further includes means for decoding either said majority signal or said selected one of the received digital signals.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 7, which further includes means for time-aligning the plurality of received digital signals.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
216 words
An apparatus for selecting an optimum signal from at least three received digital signals, comprising: means for time-aligning the at least three received digital signals; means for generating a majority signal from at least three received digital signals, comprising: (i) comparing, bit-by-bit, all of the at least three received digital signals; (ii) generating a majority signal bit having the same logical state as the majority of said compared bits of all of the at least three received digital signals, unless all of the at least three received signals comprises an even number of signals having a even distribution of alternate logical states, in which case a random selection of said alternate logical states comprises said majority signal bit; means for determining the error rate of each of the at least three received digital signals; means for selecting a particular one of the at least three received digital signals if a predetermined condition is satisfied, else, selecting said majority signal; and means for decoding either said majority signal or said particular one of the at least three received digital signals to provide a recovered signal; whereby, all of the at least three received digital signal are included in said comparison of said generating means, and none are excluded from contributing to the generation of said majority signal.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
216 words
An apparatus for selecting an optimum signal from at least three received digital signals, comprising: means for time-aligning the at least three received digital signals; means for generating a majority signal from at least three received digital signals, comprising: (i) comparing, bit-by-bit, all of the at least three received digital signals; (ii) generating a majority signal bit having the same logical state as the majority of said compared bits of all of the at least three received digital signals, unless all of the at least three received signals comprises an even number of signals having a even distribution of alternate logical states, in which case a random selection of said alternate logical states comprises said majority signal bit; means for determining the error rate of each of the at least three received digital signals; means for selecting a particular one of the at least three received digital signals if a predetermined condition is satisfied, else, selecting said majority signal; and means for decoding either said majority signal or said particular one of the at least three received digital signals to provide a recovered signal; whereby, all of the at least three received digital signal are included in said comparison of said generating means, and none are excluded from contributing to the generation of said majority signal.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3681578A
Cited
US3667057A
Cited
US4225961A
Cited
US4214213A
Cited
US4328581A
Cited
US4342112A
Cited
US4442531A
Cited
US4375101A
Cited
US4375683A
Cited
US4583224A
Cited
US4562575A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-01-01 | 1993-07-03 | 1994-01-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-01-01 | 1997-07-03 | 1998-01-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-01-01 | 2001-07-03 | 2002-01-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |