False lock detection for physical layer frame synchronization
AssigneeViaSat, Inc.
InventorsDonald W. Becker, Matthew D. Nimmon, William H. Thesling
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Abstract
Systems, devices, processors, and methods are described which may be used for the reception of a wireless broadband signal at a user terminal from a gateway via a satellite. A wireless signal may include a series of physical layer frames, each frame including a physical layer header and payload. The received signal is digitized and processed using various novel physical layer headers and related techniques to synchronize the physical layer frames and recover data from physical layer headers for purposes of demodulation and decoding.
Claims20
A receiver to receive and process a plurality of physical layer frames of a received wireless signal, the receiver comprising:
- a physical layer frame synchronization module configured to identify one or more start of frame locations for the plurality of physical layer frames to achieve frame synchronization;
- a physical layer header decoder module, communicatively coupled with the physical layer frame synchronization module, and configured to decode a physical layer header associated with an identified start of frame location of a selected one of the plurality of physical layer frames according to a first decoding technique;
- an error identification module, communicatively coupled with the physical layer header decoder module, and configured to:
- decode the physical layer header according to a second decoding technique, wherein the physical layer header is divided into a plurality of sub-blocks and the second decoding technique decodes the sub-blocks of the physical layer header;
- compare results from the first decoding technique to results of the second decoding technique;
- and
- generate an error value associated with the physical layer header when the compared results do not match;
- and
- an error accumulator module, communicatively coupled with the error identification module, and configured to:
- receive the generated error value;
- accumulate generated error values from one or more physical layer frames;
- and
- determine that a false synchronization lock has occurred when the accumulated error value exceeds a threshold.
A method for processing a plurality of physical layer frames, the method comprising:
- acquiring frame synchronization for at least one physical layer frame of the plurality of physical layer frames;
- decoding a code block of a physical layer header associated with a selected one of the at least one synchronized physical layer frame according to a first decoding technique;
- decoding the code block of the physical layer header according to a second decoding technique, wherein the physical layer header is divided into a plurality of sub-blocks and the second decoding technique decodes the sub-blocks of the physical layer header;
- comparing results from the first decoding technique to results of the second decoding technique;
- generating an error value when the compared results do not match;
- accumulating generated error values from one or more physical layer frames;
- and
- determining that a false synchronization lock has occurred when an accumulated error value exceeds a threshold.
A device for processing a stream of physical layer frames, the device comprising:
- means for acquiring frame synchronization for at least one physical layer frame of the plurality of physical layer frames;
- means for decoding a code block of a physical layer header associated with a selected one of the at least one synchronized physical layer frame according to a first decoding technique;
- means for decoding the code block of the physical layer header according to a second decoding technique, wherein the physical layer header is divided into a plurality of sub-blocks and the second decoding technique decodes the sub-blocks of the physical layer header;
- means for comparing results from the first decoding technique to results of the second decoding technique;
- means for generating an error value when the compared results do not match;
- means for accumulating generated error values from one or more physical layer frames;
- and
- means for determining that a false synchronization lock has occurred when an accumulated error value exceeds a threshold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.