CA2240679A1 - Impulse noise effect reduction - Google Patents

Abstract

In a receiver system (100) embodying the invention, the amplitude of the input signal (134) is sensed so that when it exceeds a predetermined level (202) the adaptation of adaptive filters (145, DFE) employed in the receiver is inhibited. In one embodiment of the invention the adaptation is inhibited for the extent of time that the sensed signal exceeds the predetermined level. In another embodiment of the invention, the adaptation is inhibited for a fixed period of time whenever the sensed signal exceeds the predetermined level. In still another embodiment of the invention, where the noise impulse has some repetitive pattern, an inhibiting signal is generated in anticipation of a repetitive noise impulse to inhibit adaptation of the adaptive filters during the period of time ("window") the noise impulse occurs.

Description

W O 97/~4802 PCTrUS96/20326 IMPULSE NOISE EFFl~CT REDUCTION

~ This invention relates to data commllnir~*r,n systems and, in parlicular, to a lec~iver sy~eLu in which the effect of noise impulses (e.g., 5 noise spikes) is rellnre-l The o~;u~ ce and presence at the input of a l~;~iv~r of u~w~ted noise impulses ~e.g., noise spikes) having .q~ fic~ntly greater ~mplihl(le (and energy) than the desired data .qi~n~l~ h~ei~g t~n~mitted presents numerous prohlemc;
Known l~~iv~r systems inrlnrl~ adaptive eqll~li7Prc such as a ic~n feedback equalizer ~DFE) for compPnq~*ng for noise and distortion introduced in the ~ncmiq.qinn rh~nnPl b~w~ a trsm~ - and its ~t:ivel. A D~: may typically inrlll~P an adaptive feed-rol vv~d filter and an adaptive fee~h~rk filter. A noise impulse (e.g., an ullwalll,ed noise spike) 15 produces a cignifir~nt problem in t_e adjllQ~nPnt of the coPffiriPntq of the adaptive filters of a DE~E. Typically, a noise impulse can occur either during the "I ,.;..;..~' phase of the D~E or dw~ng the data t~nqmiqqion (steady-state) phase of the DE E. The problem due to a noise impulse is more acute dllring ~-,.;..;..g because the adaptive filters are norm~lly adjusted using 20 larger steps during that phase. How~v~l, the problem is always present.
Dnring the data trz~nqmi~inn phase, the D~E is also prone to "error prop~ti~ n" because a slicer c~cuit in the D~E makes a rl~iqion i.e., an e~im~t~, as to the correct data symbol. Since the DPE ll*li7~ feedback, an incorrect c~im~te as to the current l~iv~d symbol affects subsequent 2 5 lect iv~d symbols. The net effect of a noise impulse is to cause the coPffir~i~nt-q of the adaptive filters to be misadjusted (i.e., i~ erly and incoll~;lly W O 97/24802 PCTrUS96/20326 adjusted) which, in tu~, causes the adaptive filters to propagate erroneous infnrm~t.~?n In full duplex systems there is also inrlll(lP-l echo r~n~PlPr ~
between the ~n~ il(e.- and the l.~c~ivel. Typically, an echo r~nr~pler is 5 cnnnertefl between the tr~n.~ ~R) section and the ~ ~v~r ~REC) section. I'he echo r~nrPlPr is an adaptive transversal filter that adaptively learns the response of the hybrid, and gPn~r,ltP.q a replica of 1~hat response which is subLl~ed from the hyb~d output to yield an echo-free lec~ived signal. Clearly, any large noise ~mpulse injected into the l~~iv~ line during 10 the ~ and/or du~ing data trzln.cmi~ ion of the echo r~nrPl~pr cu~ the response of the c~ncf~l~r for an P.X~nllP~ period of time. The net effect of a naise impulse is to cause the coPffiriPn~ of the echo c~ncPlin~ filter to be isadjusted ~i.e., i~ .J~erly and inc~ ;Lly adjusted) which, in turn, causes the adaptive filters to propagate Prrnneous infortnzl*nn In the case of the echo ~ncPl~r filter and the adaptive eq~ Pr, a large noise ~mpulse causes the prop~F~*on of errors within their respective filters. Huw~ver, the error levels decrease over time due to the adaptive nature of the filters.
Tr~n.~ receiver systems also include certain precoding filters 20 such as the tnmlin.~nn preco~ling, which are "set" (e.g, their filter coPffir~iPnt~
are updated and adjusted by a DP~E.) during certain phases (i.e., during training or immediately thereafter). Once "set", these filters remain set throughout a subsequent data t~nsmi~.qion phase. Obviously, iî a noise impulse is injected in the system du~ing the ~z~inin~ of such filters, the filter 25 will be ~~ erly set throughout the subsequent data t~n.~mi.c.~ion phase and the ~n~mit~ed data will cont~in a high degree of noise and errors.

The noise impulse may thus adversely affect the setting of adaptive filters employed in various sections of a lec~ive~ and its ~C~cor-i~te~
~sln~ e~ In brief, impulse noise distorts the filter response resulting in degr~*nn of the l~eiver'~ p~.rforln~n~e. This ~;Lively limits the 5 m~xi...U~ ct~nce between a tr~n.~....ilLel and l~ iVel' to produce reception with acceptable noise levels. A~;co~ gly, it is an object of the invention to reduce the adverse effect of a noise impulse injected into a ~ec~iv~r.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In a l~v~r system embodying the invention, the ~mrl~ P of the input signal is sensed so t_at when it exceeds a pred~....;..Pd level, the adaptation of adaptive filters employed in the leCt~iV~l' is inhihited. In one embo-lim~nt of the i~vention the adaptation is inhihited for the extent of time that the sensed signal exceeds the pred~t-....i.-erl level. In another 5 embo-limPnt of the invention, the adaptation is inhihit,e~l for a fLxed period of time whenever the sensed signal Px~ee~lq the predel~....;ne-l level. In still smo~er embodiment of the invention, where the noise impulse has some repetitive pattern, an inhihiting signal is generated in ~nti~ip~ti~)n of a repetitive noise impulse to inhihit adaptation of the adaptive f ters during 2 0 the period of time ~'window") the noise impulse occurs. In certain emborlim~ntq of the invention, the r~~iv~d signal is supplied to an input of a delay line whose output is coupled to adap1ive filter mP~n.q A threshold detector senses the signal at the input to the delay line and produces a controlsignal for inhihitin~ the adjllq~nPnt of the adaptive filter means when the 2 5 signal exceeds a prede~ e~l threshold level. Therefore, a received signal W O 97/24802 PCTrUS96/20326 exceeding the threshold level does not affect the adj~lF~ nt of the adaptive filter me~n~

p~R.T~.~ DESCRIPTION OF THE DR~WING
In the ~r~ompany~g ~dWi~g like lcf~ ce characters denote like componPnt~; and FIGURE 1 is a block diagram of a portion of a ,~c~ivel system embodying the illv~lion;
FIGURE 2 is a block and wav~u ~1 diagram of a threshold detector circuit for use in the invention;
~IGURE 3 is another block and WdV~O~ r~m of a threshold ~lPtect~ r circuit for use in a l~e~iv~r system embodying the invention;
FIGURE 4 is a block diagram of an adaptive filter whose adaptation may be inl~ibited in accordance with the illvellLion.
~IGURE 4A is a block diagram of a por~ion of Fig. 4; and l~lGURE ~ is a block ~ gr~m of a timing l~CUV~ circuit in accordance with the invention.

l:)ETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
2 0 ~re 1 illllF~t~.q the structure of a modem 100, inrlllrling echo rzms~linE, modified in accordance with the illv~lllion. A binary input data sequence present on line 101 is first proc~R.qe-l by a bit-to-sym~ol encoder 110which oul~ul~ a sequence of coml ]~.x-valued symbols (SS) at a nominfll rate l/T symbols per second, which are reprr.qPnt~ive of the i~put data sequence and may also inr.l~ e scr~mhlinF re-lllnrl~nl~y and other forms of encoding.
Symbol sequence {SS} is then proc~.~.qe(l by a tomlin.qon precoding circuit 112 E

W O 97/24802 PCT~US96/20326 followed by a tr~n.cmit. .ch~I~in~ filter 114, the output of which ~ applied to a di~tal-to-analog cullv~L~r ~D/A) 116. The resulting analog signal is filtered by a low-pass filter ~P~i~ 118, forming a near-end tr~n.cmit1~l signal, ns(t).
The latter is coupled into trs~ncmi~Cinn rh~nn~.l 410 by hybrid 120.
- 5 Illu~L~aLvely, r.h~nn~l 410 is a twisted-pair or two-wire loop, that is typically cnnne~te-l to a central of ~ice (not shown).
In the other direction of comm~lnir.~tir,n, an analog line signal ~n.cmit~ed from a far modem (not shown) is lec~ved by hybrid 120 and is directed to bandpass filter (BP~;~ 130. This signal is referred to as the "far-0 end data signal," and ~tili7.es the same frequency band as the t~n.cmitted signal i.e., modem 100 is a full-duplex modem. The output of bandpass filter 130 which removes energy outside the signal passband from the far-end data signal, is applied to a~ltc-mz~tir gain control (AGC) circuit 132 which f~lnr~;nn.c to adjust the l~iv~d .ci~nz~l.c within a desired range and whose output is fed to the input of analog-to-digital (AID) cull~,~L~ 134 which co~v~Ls the lec~ived signal to digital form and forms a leceiv~d signal rs(t). Note that AGC circuit 132 adjusts the ~v~d signal such that norms~l r~~iv~d .ciFns~l.c will not trigger detector 202 described below.
The sig~al re~rl.;..F the input of bandpass filter 130 is corrupted by so 2 o called near and far erho~.c The near echoes cnmrri.~e tr~n.cmit signal energy which, rather than hav.ing been directed to the ~.h~nn~l by hybrid 120, has le:~ke(l through the hybrid. The far echoes are r.o npriced of signal energy which was directed onto rh~nn~.l 410 in the first in~onre but was r.o.fl~cter1 back to the modem as the result, for ~x~mI le, of impedance mi.cm~trhe~.c and 2 5 other ch~nn~ol slnnm~lie.s The ~~~iv~d signal rs(t) provided at the output of A/D co..v~Lel 134, thus cont~in.~ not only energy from the far-end data CA 02240679 l998-06-l6 W O 97/24802 PCT~US96/20326 - signal, but aLo near and far echo energy. A~D 134 is "strobed" by a clock signal which is part of timing lecov~ly circuit 133 to produce s~mple~ .ci~n~l.cat it_ output. The output of A/D 134 is connected to one input of delay network 135 and to one input of a threshold detector 202. D~Le.;~,ur 202 may 5 be any one of a number of analog or digital comp~
A clipping threshold signal is applied to ~~n.~,t~Pr input of threshold l~tect.~r 202; where the clipping (threshold) level may be a voltage level or a digital equivalent. Df~l~;lur 202 compares the ~mp~ e of the signal it ~ v~s from A/D 134 (which is proportional to the ~m~ rl~ of the signal 0 l~iv~d of the input to the lec~iver) and compares it to ~he t~hreshold (clipping) level. The threshold (clipping) level is set to a value above which there is no acceptable data .qi~n~1.c That is, when the value of the clipping (thre.chnl(l) level is exceeded it is in.l;~ ;ve that unwanted and ~Axce~ cive impuLse (or noise) is present at the lec~ivillg input. The threshold rl~tect~r 202 produces a control signal (CS) on }ine 209 which has a first value when its signal input (S~) is below the clipping level and has a seonnll value when its input signal (SI) is above the clipping level. When the control signal (CS) out~ut of detector 202 has the first value, the adaptive equalizer and the echo ~ncPlPr filnrtinn in their nnrm~ expected f~.chinn, as known in the prior ~t. Huw~v~r, when the CS out~ut of ~lPtect~,r 202 has the second value adaptation of the adaptive filters in the Dl~E and i~ the echo ~ncelPr is inhihite(l The output of the threshold detector 202 iS supplied via line 209 to the control li~e of mllltirlPxPr.s 210 and 211.
lVr~lltiI le~Pr 210 is a two input .sPlec~;on gate having a first input to which is applied the error signal (eQ) of t he DF E and a second input to which W O 97/24802 PCT~US96/20326 is applied a c~tno ~nt signal "EO". The signal "EO" corresponds to a value of eQ which is gPnPr~t~d when there is zero error signal; i.e., that value of eQ
which inrlic~t~.~ that there is, no P~ror present and that the coPffiriPntc of the adaptive feed-rol~lv~d filter ~Ei~ 160 and of the feedback filter ~3) 180 5 should not be changed and, hence, that they should be m~ti~ied at their previous value.
Mllltirl~Yer 211 is also a two input s~le~on gate havmg a first input to which is applied the error signal (eR) of the echo c~tnrP~r and a second input to which is applied a cnne' ~nt signal "EO". As in the case of the DF~E, the sigllal EO applied to mnl~lPxPr 211 corresponds to the value of eR which is gPnPr~ted when there is zero error signal; i.e., that value of eR which in~ h.c fhat there is no error present and that the coPffi~iPnf-~ of echo filter145 should not be ~h~nge~l When CS has a first value, eQ is coupled to the output line 212 of MUX210 and eR is coupled to the output line 213 of MUX2 11. When CS has a second value "EO" is coupled to the output lines of MUX2 10 and MUX2 11.
For prop~ga1;ng the received signal, the output of A/D 134 is coupled via a delay network 135 onto line 137 which is c~ nnected to one input of adder 146. The signal on li~e 137 will be the same as signal rs'(t) but delayed 2 o by the delay of network 135. The delay network 135 delays the props-g~ n of the received signal long enough to enable l~he threshold lletector 202 to sense the ~mplit~ of the signal at the output of A/D 134 and produce a signal CS having a second value to in~ih;t 1~e "adjustment" of the adaptive filters (e.g., 14~, 160 and 180) of the l~c~v~r systelm whenever the s~mp~
2 5 of the signal at the output of A/D 134 exceeds a pred~l~i ed value; i.e., the threshold (clipping).

W O 97/24802 PCTnUS96/20326 - Ar~l~r~te l~uv~l~ of the data represented by the far-end data signal requires that the echo energy present in the S~mI l.?.q on lead 137 be removed.
To this end, echo rs7nrPl~or 140 proce.~.~es l~ceived signal rs(t). Echo r~nrPlPr 140 may inrl~lrlP. a near-end and a far-end echo cS7nrPIPr. For purpose of 5c;imI~lirity~ only one is shown. Echo rs nrPl~r 140 comprises echo rs7nrPlPr 145 and adder 146. Echo cs7nrPler 145 forms an echo estimate (ec) which .X;l~slte~c the actual near (far) echo signal present in ,~~.v~d signal rs(t).
Echo rs~nrPlPr 145 is P.~ nti~lly an adaptive filter whose t~n~f~r fi-nr~ n is adaptively ~ ed so as to emulate the "echo path", i.e., all filtc~7ing l ooperations encountered by the l~ca7.1y tr~n.qmitted symbol sequence (ss) fromtomlin.~on preco~ing 112 and ~zln~mit.filter 114 through A~D collvel~,er 134.
At adder 146, (ec) is subtracted from rs(t) so as to produce a cllhston~ lly echo-free signal, rs'(t). The output of adder 146 is denoted here~ and ~n the appended claims as an error signal (eR) used to adjust and update the 15coPfflriPnt of echo r~7nr~l~r 145.
The rs'(t) signal ~n~ tc pr7ms7r7ly of the far-end signal, plus any noise introduced by the channel and the various l~LV~ mf~.nts (e.g., qlls nti7.s7ticn error introduced by analog-to-digital cOIlV~ L~r 134).
In Fig. 1 the rs'(t) signal, also denoted as eR, is supplied to one input of 2 0mllltiI)~ r 211. When a control signal (cs) on control line 2Q9 in~lir~tes that the noise level is below the clipping threshold level m.7l7~ r 210 passes tne eR signal onto its output line 213. The eR signal then adapts f;lter 145 via mllltirl~er 214 which mllltipli~.~ the error ~gnal (eR) by a conQ~ont or step size ~. The resultant signal on ]ine 215 is used to adapt filter 145.
2 5Fur~er proces.~ing of signal rs't is p~rfnr ned by an adaptive equalizer whi~h in Fig. 1 has the form of a rl~ri~ilm feedback equs~ .er ~DPE). The DFE

-W O 97/24802 PCTrUS96/20326 ~ includes a feed-rol ~v~d filter ~i~i') 160 whose output s supplied to one input of an adder 15. F'F 160 filnc~m.c to remove int~uylllbol int~- r~ ~ce (ISI) from the signal propagated therethrough. The output of an adaptive feedback filter 170 is applied to ~no~er input of adder 15 which, 5 theoretically, subtracts the r~m~;nin~ portion of ISI from the output ~gnal of~F 160. The output of adder 15 is supplied to the input of slicer 170 and one input of an adder 16.
Slicer 170 selects a parl;icular data symbol as a ffin~ n of the mapping of the signal el at the output of adder 15 to a point in a pre(lf~.fin~
0 cnnctell~tir~n of data symbols (not showIl). Slicer 170 provides a data symbolevery T secon-lc., where llT is the data symbol rate. This data symbol is an eC*mslte of the r~c~ved symbol and is provided by slicer 170 on line 123 for proc~.s.cing by symbol-to-bit decoder 182 and other i~~v~r ~ y (not show~) to lcX~ V~l the ~ lly tr~n.cmi~erl data.
The output of slicer 170 is also provided to as~ feedback filter FB and adder 16. Feedback filter FB predicts the amount of ISI present in the ~~ived sig~al and provides an ISI pre~lirtinn signal to adder 15, via line 126.
Adder 15, as described above, removes the r~.m~ining portion of ISI from the l~~v~d signal by sub1~ ~r~ng the ISI prediction signal from the output signal 20 offeed-fo.vv~lfilter~ ;) 160.
Adder 16 subtracts the ~.s*m~ted data symbol provided by slicer 170 from the ISI reduced sigIlal (el) present on line 127 to provide an ERROR
signal (eQ) on line 129. The eQ sigQal ~ e3~ i the amount of ISI error and rh~nnel noise that has not been coll~.,ted by the op.o.r~tinn of either feed-2 5 r. ~ ~a.d filter ~F or feerlh~rk filter FB. The eQ signal is used to adapt bothfeed-rul ~,v~d filter ~) 160 and feedback filter ~B) 180.

W O 97/24802 PCT~US96/20326 The eQ signal is supplied via line 129 to an input of mnltiI)lP~r 210.
When a control signal (CS) on control line 209 in f~ir,~t~ that the noise level is below the clipping (thrP.~-.l(l) level. mllltirlPY~r 210 passes the eQ signal toits output 212. The eQ signal then adapts filters 160 and 180 via mllltiIlliPr~
111 and 131, respectively.
It is assumed that the adaptation alg~rit~m~ (not shown) of 1~he feed-~ul~lv~d and fee-lh~rk filters co..ro.... to the use of ...;..;...u~ mean squareerror (MM.C~,), zero forcIng, or its vz-r~ Oll~, as known in the art. MllltipliPr 111 m~lltirliP.~ t~he ER~OR signal (eQ) by a con~nt or step size, al. The 0 resulting signal provided on line 136 is used to adapt feed-f~ li~ 160.
Further, the ERROR signal (eQ) on line 129 is also provided to ml~ltirliPr 131, which effectively mllltirli~.c the ERROR signal by the step size a 2. The r~ l*ng signal provided on line 141 is used to adapt feedback filter ~E;B) 180.
Thus, when the l~ceiv~d signal is within an accepted and ~n*ripated range of values, the leceiv~r system f~lnrt~ c as is known in the prior art.
HOw~vel, whenever an impulse noise is received, r~ ing the leceived signal to exceed a present clipping (or threshold) level, the adaptation of the adaptive filters of the I~C~iv~r system is inhihited In Fig. 1 it is assumed that the threshold detector ftlnctinn~ as a comparator providing a signal CS having the .secon-l value (i.e., input signal exceeds threshold level) so long as the r )nlli*on of ~x~ 4;ve signal ~e.g., impulse noise) exists.
Fig. 2 shows a threshold detector 202 comprising a level ~letect~-r 2~1 driving a one shot 252. One shot 2~2 may be a mono,st~hle multivibrator or any type of timing circuit or a~Tangement which produces, or provides, a .

W O 97/24802 PCT~US96/20326 desired pulse width in response to a triggering input signal. The threshold (letect~r 202 of Fig. 2 is ~ nerl to have one shot 252 provide a pulse having a pulse width 'l'W each time a noise impulse is sensed by level llet~tor 251 and its output (OL) goes from the iirst value (threshold level ~ot exceeded) to ~ 5 the second value (threshold level exceeded). Typically (as shown in w~vefu A of Fig. 2) a noise impulse has a ~iling edge ~post cursor) and .~sr.ll~
about a l~el~ce level for a period of time shown to extend from time tl to t3 in w~v~o~ ~ The use of a one-shot (e.g., 252) g~n~r~t~s a pulse having a width TW to create a window ~nrnmr~.~.cin~ the full rising and ~ilin~ edge of the noise impulse as shown in W~v ~U~ S B and (:~ of Eig 2. Thus, in response to a noise impulse, the one-shot generates a pulse during which the adaptive filters of the receiver system are inhibited from adapting. Note that typically the noise impulse also has a ~ sur (i.e., a period during which the impulse builds up, as shown for time t0 to tl in wav~u~ A
A reason for pl~ring a delay network, such as 135, in the signal path is to delay the prop~ n of the noise impulse and to trigger a one-shot such that most (if not all) of the noise impulse (i.e., the ~ and the pOSL~-SUl' of the noise impulse) occurs within the one-shot period and then has little or no effect on the adaptation of the adaptive filters.
2 o A delay line is generally an expensive component and it is diffirlllt to produce a delay line having the requisite time delay. It is therefore desirable,where pos.~ihl~, to ~n~ p~te the o~ ce of a noise impulse and use a noise impulse predictor in conjllnr1i~ n with a one-shot like timing circuit to inhihjt the adaptive filters.
Fig. 3 shows a threshold detector 202 which inrllld~s a noise impulse predictor 253 in 7~ 1i*l n to the level detector 251 and one shot 252 already W O 97124802 PCT~US96120326 shown in Fig. 2. The circuit of Fig. 3 is useful where the noise iInpulse shown in wnv~Ol~u A of Fig. 3 occurs periodically or may be predicted. Ill the ~hsf~nre of noise impulse predictor 253, the level detector produces a pulse upo~ the o~;ull~l.ce of the impulse and triggers one shot 252 to produce a control signal (CS) to MUX210 and MUX211 following each noise impulse as shown in wnv~ru~ CS of Fig. 3. The cing portion of the noise impulse is allowed through the circuit and may adversely affect the adaptive filters if there is insuffiri~nt delay before the filters are inhihitell as tliccllcsed above.
Thus, where the noise impulse has a repetitive pattern, or its occulle~ce can be predicted, use is made of noise impulse predictor 253 which filnrtinnc to produce pulses, as shown in wnv~l... B of Fig. 3, in anticipation of each noise pulse. The anticipatory pulses (B) are coupled through OR gate 254 and trigger one shot 252 c~ ing the signal CS to be mo~ifi~d as shown i~ he CS MOD w~v~rulm in Fig. 3. The resultant pulses shown in the CS MOD
wnv~rullll become the .ci~n~lc applied tc the MUX210 and ~UX211.
Consequently, the control signal (CS) would inhihit the updating of the adaptive filters of the ~ec~iver for a first period of 1;ime preceding the oc~ ce of the noise impulse and a second period of time following the o~ ce of the noise impulse. The setting of the co~.ffir.if~ntc of the adaptive 2 0 filters of the system are thus rendered relatively impervious to this type (i.e., repetitive or pre-lirtohle) of noise impulse. Noise impulse predictor 253 may be part of a I ~oculltroller or state Tn~rhine (not shown) controlling va~ous filnr,tionc; and operations of the l~v~r system.
In Fig. 1, each adaptive filter (e.g., FF filter 160) is adapted by feeding 25 an error signal (e.g., eQ) or a zero error co~.stsnt (e.g., EO) to a mlll1~pl~xer (e.g., 210) and the output of the mul~lPxrr is then ~ed to a mlllh~ r (e.g., , W O 97/24802 PCTnUS96/2032 111) whose output is then used to adapt the coPffiriPntc of the filter. This is by way of illustration and it should be appreciated that there are other ways and means to inhibit the adapting of the adaptive filters ~or .sPl~terl time periods.
Fig. 4 shows certain details of an adaptive filter 400 which, for purpose Of illllq~zlt;nn~ is :~.csllmefl to be the feed-rul ~Iv~d filter ~F). Huw~ver, filter 400 may be any other adaptive filter in the ~n.Cc~iver. The data input finP~ the signal input to the filter. The data input .eign~l.s on input line 401are fed to a data delay line 403 which is controlled by a memory read line signal 405 and a m~mory write line signal 407 generated by a l~iv~r control~er circuit (not shown) The data .si~n~l.q d(n) produced by data delay line 4û3 are output to a m~ ipliPr 409. The other input to mllltipli~r 409 is the value of cof~-ffiri~n~-s (cn) provided at the output of coPffiri~nt storage 423.
The output of mllltirli~r 409 is supplied to adder 411 whose output is supplied to ~ lm~ tor 413 whose output ~l~fines the filter output. One mode of adjusting (~h:~n~in~) the coPffiM.on~s of the filter 400 innll~ s the appli~ tinn of an error signal (eQ or EO) mlll1;plied by a of mlll~irlier 111 and via line 136 to a coPffi~iPnt. updater 41~. Input .~ l.s to coPffini~nt. updater41~ in~ (lP the present coPffiniPnt value fc(n)] on line 417, the present data value [d(n)] on liIle 419 and the value of the error ~signal (eQ or EO) m ~ rlie~l by the value of a on line 136. CoPffi~ nt updater 415 may ~nrl~
a mlll~irlier 416 and an adder 418, as shown in Fig. 4~ Mnl1;~1iPr 416 mllltipliP~ the signal (eQ or EO) on line 136 with the data signal d(n) to produce a ~ig~al denoted as DELTA. The DELTA signal is subtr~ftp-~l from c(n) in adder 418 to produce c(n+l). Co~ iPnt updater 415 produces a new ,~ updated co~ffiriPnt value [c(n~1)] which may be expressed as follows:

W O 97/24802 PCTrUS96/20326 c(n+l) = c(n) - (a)(error .qignal)[d(n)] eq. 1 That is, a new (updated) value of the filter coPffi-~iPnt rc(n+l)] is equal to the present value of the filter coPffi~iPnt {c(n)] minus a DELTA; where DELTA is equal to the product of the mlllfiI liPr (a), the value of the error sig~al (eQ or 5 EO) and the value of the data input ld(n)].
In accordance with the showing of Fig. 1, the error signal eQ is set to zero (i.e., "EO") when the input signal exceeds a threshold level. It should be noted that inete~l of setting eQ to zero, the m~ll~li~r a may be set to zero such that c(n+l) = c(n). Clearly, any means which causes c(n+l) to be equal 10 to c(n) in response to the (lptpc1;nn of a noise impulse Px~ee~ling a preset threshold level is within the cnnf~ npl~tinn of the invention.
Tn~te~rl of contro~ing the value of c(n+l), it is possible to allow c(n+l) to vary, but to inhihit its ~ula~;~ and future use, as ~liccllccell below. The output [c(n+l)] of coPffi~.Pnt updater 415 is supplied to coPffi~Pnt storage 423which is cont~olled by a mPmOry read line 425 and a memory write line 427.
In Fig. 4, mPmory writ,e line 427 is shown e~mnecte~ to a logic gate 429 whose output on line 431 is applied to coPffiriPnt storage 423 to control the writing of the new va}ue c(n+l) into the coPffiriPnt storage. Acc~ .g to an aspect of the invention, a control signal (CSA) is applied to logic gate 429 to prevent 20 the ~ a~;e of c(n+l) in coPffiriPnt storage 423 for the period of ~me that CSA
is in~lir~tive of a noise impulse exceeding a preset threshold (clipping) level. It should be evident that CSA is derived from ~ ~lrJ~ 202 and l~hat controlling (inhihitin~) the storage of the updated value of the filter coPffi-~iPnt is another way of inhihiting adaptation of the coPffiriPntq of the adaptive 25 filter when the noise impulse exceeds a dPqir~hle threshold level.

W O 97/24802 PCTrUS96/20326 In the circuit of Fig. 1, the threshold detection is pprfinrmed at the output of the A/O cu~v~ller 134. Huw~ver, it should be noted lhat the noise impulse (letec~ n can be p~rfor ne(l in the analog portion of the circuit at, orbefore, the input to the AID cullv~el.
The i,Iv~l,Lion has been ill~ ts~l for a single lac~iv~r rh~nn~.l but it should be evident that the invention is apI lir.~hle to multi-rh~nnel lac~v~l-systems.
It should be evident that the invention is applir~hle to inhibit adaptation o~ any adjl~ct~hle circuit of the system, inr.llllling the phase-1Ocked loop timing l~ov~L~ circuit (See block 133 in Fig. 1.). This may be better .xpls~ined with l~fel~ce to Fig. 5 which shows more detail of the timing Cuv~l~ loop.
Fig. 5 shows the output of A/D COllv~l ~ 134 conn~te~l to timing l~uv~l~y band edge filters 501 which produce a timing vector applied to phase-locked loop ~PLL) circuit 603. In accordance with the invention, PI.L
503 is controlled by means of a signal (cs) derived from (ietector 202. The output 504 of the PIL is supplied to timing synt~.ci7.~r 505 to which is also supplied a basic clock signal from o,srill~tor 507. Timingsyn ~ ~.ei7.~.r 505 then produces the i~~iv~l~ s~mpling clock applied to A/D 134 tû s~mple the 2 o received .ei~nz~le and also generates a tr~n.~ s~mplin~ clock applied to digital-to-analog co~v~llel 116. The PLL 503 (which in~ e adaptive filt~rinE) provides a sig~al to sy~t)~.ei7.Pr 505 via line 504 which filn~;~n.e to cause the syn~e~ei~pr to either increase the frequency ûf the S~mI~ling clock, decrease the frequency of the s?.m~ling clock or cause the 2 5 frequency to remain the same. A noise impulse in the analog lect:i~e sig~al causes distortion in the ou~put of the band edge filters which, in turn, causes WO 97/24802 PCT~US96/20326 the PIL ou1;put to shift whereby the r~~iv~l .s:~mI lin~ clock will not have thee~cact frequency desired and 1~e received si~n~ will not be s~mIlled at the pre~sely co~ect time. A~ gly, the flPtertor 202 supplies a s~gnal to PLL
503 inhihitin~ the frequency at the output of the synthe.~i7e ~o:m rhz~n~ing 5 during the pre~sence of a noise impuLse.

Claims (29)

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A receiver comprising:
an input terminal for receiving input signals;
means coupling an adaptive filter means to said input terminal, said adaptive filter means being normally adjustable as a function of the signals received at said input terminal;
detector means for sensing the amplitude of the input signals received at said input terminal and comparing the amplitude to a threshold level for producing a control signal having a first value when the amplitude of the input signal is below the threshold level and having a second value when the amplitude of the input signal exceeds the threshold level; and means responsive to said control signal coupled to said adaptive filter means for preventing adjustment of said adaptive filter means when said control signal has said second value.

2. A receiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein said detector means includes means for producing said control signal having said second value for a predetermined period of time, each time the input signal makes a transition from a value below the threshold level to a value exceeding the threshold level.

3. A receiver as claimed in claim 2, wherein said means for producing said control signal having said second value for a predetermined period of time is a monostable multivibrator.

4. A receiver as claimed in claim 1, further including means responsive to the expected occurrence of an input signal exceeding the threshold level for producing a control signal coupled to said adaptive filter means for preventing adjustment of said adaptive filter means for a first period of time preceding the expected occurrence of a signal exceeding the threshold level and a second period of time following the expected occurrence of the signal exceeding the threshold level.

5. A receiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means coupling an adaptive filter means to said input terminal includes an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter having an input coupled to said input terminal having an output; and a delay means coupled between the output of said A/D converter and said adaptive filter means for delaying the application of the received signals to the adaptive filter means; and wherein the output of the A/D converter is coupled to the detector for enabling the detector means to sense the presence of any received signal exceeding the threshold level and inhibiting adjustment of the adaptive filter means prior to the propagation of the signal to the adaptive filter means.

6. A receiver as claimed in claim 5, wherein said adaptive filter means includes:
(a) an echo canceler circuit having an input coupled to said output of said A/D converter; and (b) an adaptive equalizer having an input coupled to said output of said A/D converter.

7. A receiver as claimed in claim 6, wherein each one of said echo canceler and adaptive equalizer includes an adaptive filter having adjustable coefficients, and each adaptive filter includes a means responsive to the signals received by the receiver for producing an error signal which is normally used to adjust the coefficients of its associated filter.

8. A receiver as claimed in claim 6, wherein the output of the A/D converter is coupled via said delay means to one input of a first adder circuit; and wherein said echo canceler includes an echo canceler adaptive filter coupled at its output to another input of the first adder for producing at the output of the first adder a first signal in which an estimated echo signal from the echo canceler adaptive filter is subtracted from echo signals present in the signal at the output of the A/D converter;
wherein the signal at the output of the first adder is fed to the echo canceler adaptive filter for adjusting and updating its coefficients; and wherein any change in the coefficients of the echo canceler adaptive filter is inhibited when the received signal exceeds the predetermined threshold level.

9. A receiver as claimed in claim 8 wherein the output of the first adder is fed to the echo canceler adaptive filter for adjusting its coefficientswhen the received input signal is below the threshold level and wherein a signal causing no change in the coefficients is fed to the echo canceler adaptive filter when the received input signal exceeds the threshold level.

10. A receiver as claimed in claim 6, wherein the output of the A/D
converter is coupled via said delay means to an input of a decision feedback equalizer (DFE) comprising: an adaptive feed-forward filter; an adaptive feedback filter; a slicer circuit; and a first and a second adder circuit.

11. A receiver claimed in claim 1, further including a timing recovery circuit which provides frequency signals for sampling the input signals, the frequency varying as a function of the amplitude of the received signal; and means responsive to said control signal coupled to said timing recovery circuit for inhibiting any change in frequency during the presence of a received signal exceeding said threshold level.

12. A method for reducing the effect of a noise impulse on the adaptive filter of a receiver system comprising the steps of:
producing a control signal whenever an input signal to the receiver system exceeds a threshold level; and applying the control signal to the adaptive filter of the receiver system for inhibiting a change in the response of the adaptive filter during the presence of an input signal exceeding the threshold level.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the adaptive filter includes coefficients which are normally adapted as a function of the input signal, and wherein the step of applying the control signal to the adaptive filter for inhihiting a change in the response of the adaptive filter includes inhibiting any change in the coefficients of the adaptive filter.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the coefficients of the adaptive filter are normally updated as a function of the product of an error signal, a constant multiplier and a data signal, and wherein the step for inhibiting any change in the coefficients includes the step of setting the product of the error signal, the constant multiplier and the data signal to zero.

15. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the coefficients of the adaptive filter are normally updated as a function the product of an error signal, a constant multiplier and a data signal, and wherein the step for inhibiting any change in the coefficients includes the step of setting the errorsignal equal to zero to set the product equal to zero.

16. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the coefficients of the adaptive filter are normally updated as a function the product of an error signal, a constant multiplier, and a data signal, and wherein the step for inhibiting any change in the coefficients includes the step of setting the constant multiplier equal to zero to set the product equal to zero.

17. A transmitter receiver system comprising:
an input terminal for receiving input signals;

an adaptive filter means having an input for the application thereto of input signals derived from said input terminal and having an output, said adaptive filter means having coefficients which are normally updated as a function of the input signals and an error signal applied to a control terminal of the adaptive filter means;
means coupling the input of said adaptive filter means to said input terminal;
detector means for sensing the amplitude of the input signals received at said input terminal and comparing the amplitude to a threshold level for producing a control signal having a first value when the amplitude of the input signal is below the threshold level and having a second value when the amplitude of the input signal exceeds the threshold level; and means responsive to said control signal coupled to the control terminal of said adaptive filter means for inhibiting adjustment of said adaptive filter means when said control signal has said second value.

18 A receiver as claimed in claim 17, wherein said detector means includes means for producing said control signal having said second value for a predetermined period of time, each time the input signal makes a transition from a value below the threshold level to a value exceeding the threshold level.

19. A receiver as claimed in claim 17, further including means responsive to the expected occurrence of an input signal exceeding the threshold level for producing a control signal coupled to said control terminal of said adaptive filter means for inhibiting adjustment of said adaptive filter means for a first period of time preceding the expected occurrence of a signal exceeding the threshold level and a second period of time following the expected occurrence of the signal exceeding the threshold level.

20. A receiver as claimed in claim 17, wherein said means coupling the input of said adaptive filter means to said input terminal includes an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter having an input coupled to said input terminal and having an output; and a delay means coupled between the output of said A/D converter and the onput of said adaptive filter means for delaying the application of the received signals to the adaptive filter means; and wherein the output of the A/D converter is coupled to the detector for enabling the detector means to sense the presence of any received signal exceeding the threshold level and inhibiting adjustment of the adaptive filter means prior to the propagation of the signal to the adaptive filter means.

21. A receiver as claimed in claim 20, wherein said adaptive filter means includes:
(a) an echo canceler circuit having an input coupled to said output of said A/D converter; and (b) an adaptive equalizer having an input coupled to said output of said A/D converter.

22. A receiver as claimed in claim 21, wherein each one of said echo canceler and adaptive equalizer includes an adaptive filter having adjustable coefficients, and each adaptive filter includes a means responsive to the input signals for producing an error signal coupled to said control terminal for normally adjusting the coefficients of its associated filter.

23. A receiver as claimed in claim 21, wherein the output of the A/D converter is coupled via said delay means to one input of a first adder circuit; and wherein said echo canceler includes an echo canceler adaptive filter coupled at its output to another input of the first adder for producing at the output of the first adder a first signal in which an estimated echo signal from the echo canceler adaptive filter is subtracted from echo signals present in the signal at the output of the A/D converter;
wherein the signal at the output of the first adder is fed to the control terminal of the echo canceler adaptive filter for adjusting and updating its coefficients; and wherein any change in the coefficients of the echo canceler adaptive filter is inhibited when the received signal exceeds the predetermined threshold level.

24. A receiver as claimed in claim 23 wherein the output of the first adder is fed to the echo canceler adaptive filter for adjusting its coefficientswhen the received input signal is below the threshold level and wherein a signal causing no change in the coefficients is fed to the echo canceler adaptive filter when the received input signal exceeds the threshold level.

25. A receiver as claimed in claim 23, wherein the output of the A/D
converter is coupled via said delay means to an input of a decision feedback equalizer (DFE) comprising: an adaptive feed-forward filter; an adaptive feedback filter; a slicer circuit, and a first and a second adder circuit.

26. A receiver compromising:
an input terminal for receiving analog signals;
an analog-to digital (A/D) converter having an input coupled to said input terminal and having an output;
an echo canceler coupled to the output of said A/D converter, said echo canceler including a first adaptive filter means, adjustable as a function of the amplitude of the signal at the output of said A/D converter;
an adaptive equalizer coupled to the output of said A/D converter for processing and propagating the signal produced at the output of said A/D
converter, said adaptive equalizer, including a second adaptive filter means adjustable as a function of the amplitude of the signal at the output of said A/D converter; and detector means coupled between the output of said A/D
converter and said first and second adaptive filter means for sensing when the amplitude of the signal at the output of the A/D converter exceeds a predetermined value for inhibiting the adjustment of the first and second adaptive filter means when the signal exceeds the predetermined value.

27. A receiver as claimed in claim 26, wherein said detector means includes a threshold detector having an input coupled to the output of the A/D converter and having another input to which is applied a predetermined threshold level, wherein when the signal at the output of the A/D converter is below the threshold level, the threshold detector produces a control signal having a first value and when the signal at the output of the AID converter is above the threshold level, the threshold detector produces a control signal having a second value; and wherein when the control signal has said second value it inhibits the adjustment of the first and second adaptive filter means.

28. A receiver as claimed in claim 27, wherein the threshold detector produces a control signal having said second value for a preset period of time whenever the output signal of the A/D converter exceeds the threshold level.

29. A receiver as claimed in claim 26, further including a timing recovery circuit which provides frequency signals for sampling the input signals applied to the A/D converter, the frequency signals varying as a function of the amplitude of the received signal; and means responsive to said control signal coupled to said timing recovery circuit for inhibiting any change in frequency during the presence of a received signal exceeding said threshold level.