Digital post-detection FM spatial diversity combination circuit

Abstract

A Digital Post-Detection (Post-Discriminator) FM spatial diversity combination circuit improves performance for fading channels typical of cellular radio operating environments. A feature of this system is its flexibility. The system can be configured to use signal quality information in a manner which is appropriate for a given radio environment. Also, the weighting information can be derived from various sources and then processed to accommodate various situations. This spatial combiner has the ability to perform as a "hybrid" combiner. For example, this circuit can combine signals from various receivers based on soft weighting information, as in a maximal ratio combiner, or on hard weighting information, as in a switching combiner. The basic circuit includes a normalizing circuit (21, 22, 23) which receives the digitized received signal strength indicator samples from each of first and second receivers (11, 12) and generates first and second weighting signals. A first multiplier (24) multiplies the digitized discriminator samples from the first receiver by the first weighting signal to generate a first weighted output signal. A second multiplier (25) multiplies the digitized discriminator samples from the second receiver by the second weighting signal to generate a second weighted output signal. The first and second weighted output signals are combined in a post-detection, maximal ratio combining circuit (26).

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