Effective multi-mode equalization for ATSC receivers
Elias Nemer · 2006
This paper presents a new equalization scheme for VSB-based digital video broadcasting (DVB) receivers used in the North-American ATSC standard. The proposed equalizer consists of switching between multiple modes of adaptation, depending on its convergence state. The contribution described in this paper is about a novel criteria to switch between a blind and a decision-directed adaptation, and is based on the 4th order statistics (the kurtosis) of the slicer error (the error between the received soft symbols and their estimated hard levels). Simulation in adverse channel conditions shows the scheme is effective and very robust in the presence of high levels of noise and the echo sets specified in the Grand Alliance requirements (9) for DTV broadcast. Comparison to other known methods showed this scheme is more reliable and accurate in changing channel conditions, thus ensuring proper equalizer convergence in all practical situations.