Method and apparatus for timing recovery based on dispersion characterization and components therefor

A method for recovering a symbol stream using a sampling device controlled by a timing offset signal by characterizing the dispersion of received signal, comprising:

• generating a derivative signal approximating the derivative of the symbol stream;
• producing a constant representative of an expected value of the symbol stream;
• multiplying the derivative signal, the constant, and a signal one of corresponding to and approximating the symbol stream to thereby generate a noisy timing offset signal;
• filtering the noisy timing offset signal to thereby generate a filtered timing offset signal;
• and
• applying the filtered timing offset signal to the sampling device to thereby generate the symbol stream.

A receiver extracting a digital symbol stream from a filtered signal output by a receiver filter in response to a received broadcast signal by characterizing the dispersion of received broadcast signal, comprising:

• a sampling device which samples the filtered signal responsive to a control signal to thereby generate the digital symbol stream;
• a differentiator which generates a derivative signal from a selected signal comprising one of the filtered signal and the digital signal stream;
• an arithmetic element which generates a constant representative of an expected value of the symbol stream;
• a multiplier which generates a noisy timing offset signal responsive to the selected signal, the constant, and the derivative signal;
• a noise limiting device which generates the timing offset signal responsive to the noisy timing offset signal;
• and
• a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) which generates the control signal responsive to the timing offset signal.

A receiver extracting a digital symbol stream from a filtered signal output by a receiver filter in response to a received broadcast signal by characterizing the dispersion of the received broadcast signal, comprising:

• a sampling device which operates at a predetermined frequency and which samples the filtered signal at the predetermined frequency to thereby generate a sampled symbol stream;
• a differentiator which generates a derivative value responsive to the sampled signal stream;
• an arithmetic element which generates a constant representative of an expected value of the symbol stream;
• a multiplier which generates a noisy timing offset signal responsive to the sampled symbol stream, the constant, and the derivative value;
• a noise limiting device which generates the timing offset signal responsive to the noisy timing offset signal;
• and
• an interpolator responsive to the timing offset signal for interpolating the sampled symbol stream to thereby generate the digital sample stream.

A receiver extracting a digital symbol stream from a filtered signal output by a receiver filter in response to a received broadcast signal by characterizing the dispersion of received broadcast signal, comprising:

• a sampling device which operates at a predetermined frequency and which samples the filtered signal at the predetermined frequency to thereby generate a sampled symbol stream;
• a differentiator which generates a derivative value responsive to the sampled signal stream;
• an arithmetic element which generates a constant representative of an expected value of the symbol stream;
• a multiplier which generates a noisy timing offset signal responsive to the sampled symbol stream, the constant, and the derivative value;
• a noise limiting device which generates the timing offset signal responsive to the noisy timing offset signal;
• and
• a resampling circuit responsive to the timing offset signal for resampling the sampled symbol stream to thereby generate the digital sample stream.