Search NASA⌕ Search

Engineering topics

Simon, M. K.

Publications and source records attributed to Simon, M. K..

At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2005

Data-Rate Estimation for Autonomous Receiver Operation

In this article, we present a series of algorithms for estimating the data rate of a signal whose admissible data rates are integer base, integer powered multiples of a known basic data rate. These algorithms can be applied to the Electra radio currently used in the Deep Space Network (DSN), which employs data rates having the above relationship. The estimation is carried out in an autonomous setting in which very little a priori information is assumed. It is done by exploiting an elegant property of the split symbol moments estimator (SSME), which is traditionally used to estimate the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the received signal. By quantizing the assumed symbol-timing error or jitter, we present an all-digital implementation of the SSME which can be used to jointly estimate the data rate, SNR, and jitter. Simulation results presented show that these joint estimation algorithms perform well, even in the low SNR regions typically encountered in the DSN.

Tkacenko, A.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Bandwidth efficient trellis-coded modulation with prescribed decoding delay - new interpretations and results

Motivated by previous work of Li and Rimoldi for obtaining bandwidth efficient TCM signals with finite decoding delay, we present an alternative representation for their encoder/signal mapper transmitter structure which merely consists of a single filter having an input equal to the equivalent of the inoput data bits in their implementation.

trellis coding bandwidth efficient modulation digi↗
NASA NTRS1998

MAP-Motivated Carrier Synchronization of GMSK Based on the Laurent AMP Representation

Using the MAP estimation approach to carrier synchronization of digital modulations containing ISI together with a two pulse stream AMP representation of GMSK, it is possible to obtain an optimum closed loop configuration in the same manner as has been previously proposed for other conventional modulations with ISI.

GMSK Laurent Amp digital modular↗
NASA NTRS1995

Optimum detection of tones transmitted by a spacecraft

The performance of a scheme proposed for automated routine monitoring of deep-space missions is presented. The scheme uses four different tones (sinusoids) transmitted from the spacecraft (S/C) to a ground station with the positive identification of each of them used to indicate different states of the S/C. Performance is measured in terms of detection probability versus false alarm probability with detection signal-to-noise ratio as a parameter. The cases where the phase of the received tone is unknown and where both the phase and frequency of the received tone are unknown are treated separately. The decision rules proposed for detecting the tones are formulated from average-likelihood ratio and maximum-likelihood ratio tests, the former resulting in optimum receiver structures.

Simon, M. K.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Carrier arraying: Revisited

Depending on the basis used for comparison, it is possible to predict different gains when applying carrier arraying to a conventional coherent receiver. In the past, the specific performance comparisons were made between the arrayed and nonarrayed cases assuming a fixed carrier-tracking closed-loop bandwidth. While the notion of loop bandwidth for the nonarrayed loop with a single input is well defined and meaningful, the comparable notion for an arrayed loop with multiple inputs is not uniquely defined since it depends on the knowledge of the statistical relation, e.g., degree of correlation, among the various antenna inputs. To circumvent the need for such knowledge, which is often not completely available, we suggest in this article an alternate criterion for comparing arrayed and nonarrayed loops, namely, fixed steady-state phase error, which, in the arrayed case, is independent of the statistical relation among the antenna inputs. We show that, in this case, the gain derived from carrier arraying is quite different from that obtained under the assumption of fixed-loop bandwidth, which suggests that one should exercise care when comparing arrayed and unarrayed loops in that the criterion used for comparison should be directly applicable to the situation at hand.

Simon, M. K.↗
NASA NTRS1995

CDMA with interference cancellation for multiprobe missions

Code division multiple-access spread spectrum has been proposed for use in future multiprobe/multispacecraft missions. This article considers a general parallel interference-cancellation scheme that significantly reduces the degradation effect of probe (user) interference but with a lesser implementation complexity than the maximum-likelihood technique. The scheme operates on the fact that parallel processing simultaneously removes from each probe (user) the total interference produced by the remaining most reliably received probes (users) accessing the channel. The parallel processing can be done in multiple stages. The proposed scheme uses tentative decision devices with different optimum thresholds at the multiple stages to produce the most reliably received data for generation and cancellation of probe/spacecraft interference. The one-stage interference cancellation was analyzed for two types of tentative decision devices, namely, hard and null zone decisions. Simulation results are given for one- and two-stage interference cancellation for equal as well as unequal received power probes.

Divsalar, D.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Multiple symbol partially coherent detection of MPSK

It is shown that by using the known (or estimated) value of carrier tracking loop signal to noise ratio (SNR) in the decision metric, it is possible to improve the error probability performance of a partially coherent multiple phase-shift-keying (MPSK) system relative to that corresponding to the commonly used ideal coherent decision rule. Using a maximum-likeihood approach, an optimum decision metric is derived and shown to take the form of a weighted sum of the ideal coherent decision metric (i.e., correlation) and the noncoherent decision metric which is optimum for differential detection of MPSK. The performance of a receiver based on this optimum decision rule is derived and shown to provide continued improvement with increasing length of observation interval (data symbol sequence length). Unfortunately, increasing the observation length does not eliminate the error floor associated with the finite loop SNR. Nevertheless, in the limit of infinite observation length, the average error probability performance approaches the algebraic sum of the error floor and the performance of ideal coherent detection, i.e., at any error probability above the error floor, there is no degradation due to the partial coherence. It is shown that this limiting behavior is virtually achievable with practical size observation lengths. Furthermore, the performance is quite insensitive to mismatch between the estimate of loop SNR (e.g., obtained from measurement) fed to the decision metric and its true value. These results may be of use in low-cost Earth-orbiting or deep-space missions employing coded modulations.

Simon, M. K.↗
NASA NTRS1991

A carrier-arraying demonstration at Goldstone for receiving Pioneer 11 signals

A carrier arraying technique was demonstrated at Goldstone. The Block III receivers of two 34-m antennas, Deep Space Station 12 and 15, were arrayed together to receive S band (2.3 GHz) signals from the Pioneer 11 spacecraft. Carrier phases in the two receivers were synchronized by the analog phase lock loops, and carrier signals were added at an intermediate frequency to enhance tracking performance. The receiver at DSS 15, which has been unable to lock up and track the Pioneer 11 signal by itself due to a wider tracking loop bandwidth and a higher system temperature, was now able to track the carrier and produce usable baseband signals. The receiver at DSS 12 achieved a reduction of the rms phase error, increasing the telemetry symbol SNR by an average of 0.35 dB. The baseband signals from both antennas were then synchronized and combined using the existing Baseband Assembly, thereby achieving a total symbol SNR increase of 2.5 + or - 0.7 dB relative to DSS 12 alone. A more comprehensive model is presented to permit evaluation of both thermal and phase noise effects. The analysis agrees well with observed data.

Pham, T. T.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Double Differential Encoding And Detection In MPSK

Proposed communication system based on multiple-phase-shift-keying (MPSK) modulation includes double differential encoder in transmitter and double differential detector in receiver. Transmitter generates phase-modulated signal suitable for decoding and detection by subsystem. Detector removes Doppler-frequency component from noisy, Doppler-shifted signal encoded in subsystem. Overall effect of double-differential scheme to cancel effect of Doppler shift on modulation in received signal. Not necessary to estimate Doppler shift to correct for it.

Divsalar, D.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Trellis-Coded MDPSK System With Doppler Correction

Multiple-differential-phase-shift-keyed (MDPSK) microwave system designed for communications between mobile and/or fixed terrestrial stations via satellite transponders. Stations in system transmit and receive data or digitally-coded voice signals at rates up to 4.8 kb/s in channels only 5 kHz wide. Incorporates advanced encoding, decoding, modulation, and demodulation techniques to minimize effects of error bursts. Uses feedforward techniques for fast recovery from deep fades.

Divsalar, D.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Multiple-Trellis-Coded Modulation

Theoretical gain over simple multiple-phase-shift keying at least 2 to 3 decibels. Multiple-trellis-coded modulation scheme combined with M-ary modulation shows theoretically to yield asymptotic gains in performance over uncoded multiple-phase-shift keying, while employing symmetric multiple-phase-shift signal constellations and avoiding code catastrophe. Suitable for satellite and terrestrial-mobile/satellite communications or other communications requiring burst-error correction. Extended to such higher dimensional modulations as quadrature amplitude modulation.

Divsalar, D.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Combined trellis coding and feedforward processing for MSS applications

The idea of using a multiple (more than two) symbol observation interval to improve error probability performance is applied to differential detection of trellis coded MPSK over a mobile satellite (fading) channel. Results are obtained via computer simulation. It is shown that only a slight increase (e.g., one symbol) in the length of the observation interval will provide a significant improvement in bit error probability performance both in AWGN and fading environments.

Divsalar, D.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Generalized Multiple-Trellis-Coded Modulation

Generalized multiple-trellis-coded modulation technique combines multiple trellis coding (more than one channel symbol per trellis branch transmitted) with symmetrical M-ary phase-shift keying. Transmitter puts out k M-ary code symbols for every b input binary symbols. Throughout performances, b/k, of trellis-coded multiple-phase-shift-keying channels compared with computational cutoff rates, R0, of multiple-phase-shift keying. Performs better than conventional trellis-coded modulation technique, with no increase in complexity.

Divsalar, D.↗
NASA NTRS1989

The use of interleaving for reducing radio loss in trellis-coded modulation systems

It is demonstrated how the use of interleaving/deinterleaving in trellis-coded modulation (TCM) systems can reduce the signal-to-noise ratio loss due to imperfect carrier demodulation references. Both the discrete carrier (phase-locked loop) and suppressed carrier (Costas loop) cases are considered and the differences between the two are clearly demonstrated by numerical results. These results are of great importance for future communication links to the Deep Space Network (DSN), especially from high Earth orbiters, which may be bandwidth limited.

Divsalar, D.↗