The 5th International Conference TSSA 2009

DISCRETE SIGNAL PROCESSING (DSP) BASED QPSK DEMODULATOR AND ITS

SYNCHRONIZATION DIGITAL CIRCUIT DESIGN
Aldo Agusdian1, Susmini I. Lestariningati2
Affiliation 1: School of Electrical Engineering and Informatics, Institute of Technology Bandung (ITB),
aldo@ltrgm.ee.itb.ac.id, 022-2501661/2534133
Affiliation 2: Department of Computer Engineering, Universitas Komputer Indonesia (UNIKOM),
lestariningati@yahoo.com, 022-2504119/ 2533754
Abstract-- In this paper will be presented design of
fully digital circuit demodulator with its
synchronization unit. The motivation of this design is
encouraged by low-noise, linearity and flexibility
property of digital circuit. The digital circuit design
for modulator is also performed to enable single chip
modulator-demodulator design. All of design or idea
will be represented mathematically or by
mathematical approach.
The digital design
realization will be in the form of truth table or statediagram to K-Map minimization to have Boolean
expression that is based logical gate circuit design, or
directly in the form of VHDL language expressions.
This digital design will be represented by inputoutput timing simulator software design, which can
represent real-time condition by considering
switching-time, propagation delay, noise margin, of
IC material chosen. The performance of demodulator
will be presented in figure of BER (Bit Error Rate) to
AWGN (Additive White Gaussian Noise) noise
exposure.
Index TermsDiscrete Signal Processing, BER,
AWGN, S/N, Timing and Phase Synchronization.
I. INTRODUCTION
In the present time the improvement of VLSI circuit is
achieving fantastic result. Many researches of material
study especially for electronics application has been
driving an exponential reduction in the recent years for
switching time or propagation delay and space or
dimension of an digital Integrated Circuit (IC). Many of
real world electronics application, which is identified to
have better performance if it is performed in digital area,
were restricted to be realized due to propagation delay
have been removed. Complex digital applications on
single chip also have become possible.
The notion of IF modulator and demodulator digital
realization has been growing up since VLSI is founded,
by the means low noise, linearity, and flexibility. The
possibility to deploy digital circuit as a demodulator
means numerical mathematical equation can be
implemented straightaway hence will impact increasing
development of several mathematical concepts for
demodulator performance improvement can be realized
by deriving the numerical method of those concepts and
deploy digital arithmetic circuit to perform the process.
The objectives of this research is to built modulatordemodulator prototype, which realize through digital
circuit, use numerical mathematical method which is
based on digital signal processing (DSP) to improve

modulator-demodulator performance, emphasize on

linearity, low-noise, and sophisticated method application
possibility.
In this paper will be presented design of fully digital
modulator-demodulator with its bit synchronization unit,
and will be realized in single chip. This full digital
equipment together with single chip realization is giving
mutual impact to acquire great enhancement to existing
device as follow:
Low noise modulator and demodulator
Low probability of EMI (Electromagnetic
Interference)
IF cross interference rejection between modulator
and demodulator
Possibility to implement variable bit-rate application
High performance demodulator by the means of
flexibility of digital circuit to apply sophisticated
method such as blind convolution equalizer, neural
network application, and Voltera non-linear effect
cancellation.
Nevertheless these remarkable improvements hence
will impact to every communication system that utilizes
modulator or demodulator scheme such as microwave
link, computer modem, and mobile communication
terminal.
The modulator-demodulator digital realization is a
new upcoming technology in the future; hence this
research result is one of typical development, which will
able to be considered as at the word-wide front line with
the several developments.
The QPSK modulation is chosen by the means of it is
the most popular modulation technique and basic of
higher order modulation. The QPSK modulation is
known as coherent modulation and requires a good
performance of synchronization circuit at demodulator
site. The most sophisticated work of the demodulator
design is the synchronization circuit.
The
synchronization circuit is designed in favor of both
carrier and symbol timing synchronization.
The real time simulation of BER (Bit Error Rate) to
AWGN (Additive White Gaussian Noise) is done to
obtain the demodulator performance. This simulation
result is compare to theoretical well-known maximum
likelihood receiver calculation.
Since digital IC design verification purposes, the
Altera software program as one of well-known digital IC
design software is chosen. The reason to decide on
Altera is by the means of its direct realization guarantee
of what have been simulated.

The 5th International Conference TSSA 2009

II. QPSK MODULATION REVIEW

In(t)
A

In this section will be reviewed the QPSK modulation

and demodulation process with its mathematical
presentation. The demodulation performance analysis
based on ideal maximum likelihood receiver also will be
conferred.

Tb

Tb

-A

Tb

Tb

Tb

Tb

Tb

Tb

Tb

InQ-Phase (t)

InI-Phase (t)

0
t

-A

Ts=2Tb

Ts=2Tb

Ts=2Tb

Ts=2Tb

BPSK Q-Phase (t)

2.1. QPSK Modulator

0
t

-A

Ts=2Tb

Ts=2Tb

Ts=2Tb

Ts=2Tb

Ts=2Tb

Ts=2Tb

Ts=2Tb

Ts=2Tb

BPSK I-Phase (t)

-A

-A

Mathematical model of QPSK modulation and its

vector phase output can be seen in the picture 2.1.

Ts=2Tb

Ts=2Tb

Ts=2Tb

Ts=2Tb

QPSK(t)
01=7/4

00=/4

01=7/4

10=3/4

Modulator QPSK

t
-A

I-Phase
10
Bit Data

S to P
converter

Cos t
Sin t

Tb

Tb
Ts

00

Tb

Tb
Ts

Tb

Tb

Tb

Ts

Tb

Tb

Ts

QPSK
output
Q-Phase

11

Picture 2.2 QPSK Modulator Input and Output Signal.

01

Picture 2.1.QPSK Modulator Model and Output

Lets declare the incoming information data bit as in the
equation 2.1.

2.2. QPSK Demodulator

Mathematical model of QPSK demodulation process
and its possible received vector phase after through noisy
channel can be seen in the picture 2.3.
Demodulator QPSK

I n (t ) A

(n 1)Tb t nTb

(2.1)

(
0

QPSK
input

I phase
n

( n 1) 2Tb t n 2Tb

(t ) A

(2.2)

(
0

(
0

QPSK
input

g c1 cos( c t init )

g c2 sin( c t init )

(2.3)

The result of both I-Phase and Q-Phase mixers is

shown in the equation 2.4.

BPSK Q Phase A cos( c t init )

BPSK I Phase A sin( c t init )

01

) dt

) dt

Decision Device
threshold = 0

P to S
Converter

) dt

Data Bit
Output

Decision Device
threshold = 0

Picture 2.3 QPSK Demodulator Model and Input.

Received QPSK modulated signal experience AWGN
channel is represented by equation 2.6.

R QPSK ( t ) A cos(c t ( t ) init ) n ( t )

3 5 7
,
,
,
4 2 4
4

(t )

(2.6)

(2.4)

v QPSK (t ) A cos( c t (t ) init ) )

3 5 7
,
,
,
4 2 4 4

00
Q-Phase

11

)
Sin (t +

10

The approximation of probability of bit error can be

expressed in the following equation [1].

The summation of those Q-Phase and I-Phase BPSK

will yields QPSK signal that is described bellow.

(t )

Data Bit
Output

)
Cos (t +

On the other hand the output of both QPSK

Modulator vector oscillators is represented in the
following equation:

Symbol
Decision
Circuit

)
Cos (t +
)
Sin (t +

Then the serial to parallel converter output can be

express as follow:

I nQ phase (t ) A

I-Phase

) dt

(2.5)

An ideal input and output of QPSK Modulator is

illustrated in the next picture.

Pb Q

2 b
N0

1 1 Q
2

2 b
N0

(2.7)
The equation 2.7 is not taking into account the error
that might be occur if the carrier frequency and symbol
timing is not synchronized between modulator and
demodulator.
The synchronization of carrier frequency and symbol
timing is done separately in this design. The maximum
likelihood (ML) carrier recovery method [1] is favored

The 5th International Conference TSSA 2009

by its simplicity. The equation of estimate phase shift in
carrier wave is approach as bellow.

ML tan

r ( t ) sin 2f c tdt

T0

III. QPSK DEMODULATOR AND MODULATOR CIRCUIT

DESIGN

r ( t ) cos 2f c tdt

T0

(2.8)

In this section will be presented the QPSK modulator

and demodulator design with its technical specification.
3.1. Technical Objection

While in order to synchronize the symbol timing the

MMSE (minimum mean square error) with stochastic
gradient approach method is picked [2]. The timing shift
is express in the equation 2.9.

k 1
k Re Q k ( k ) A

Q( t )
t

Design of 5-bit digital circuit discrete time QPSK

modulator, and demodulator:
Transmission bit-rate: 2 Mbps
2Mhz DSP IF frequency output, by 20 sample for 1
discrete sinus period, means 40 MHz sampling and
clock frequency.

t kT k

3.2. Modulator Design

(2.9)

Based on mathematical interpolation theory, it can be

built a modulator that perform modulation process in
discrete time domain and then transferred it to continuous
time domain by utilizing D/A (digital to analog)
converter. The encouragement of performing modulation
in discrete time domain is to eliminate the non-linear
effect of analog modulator.

It has to be noted that for QPSK signal Q(t) and A is a

complex number. The mathematical block model is
depicted in the picture 2.3 bellow.
xn

I
n
_

d_
dt

In(t)
A

clock
VCC

Approximate MMSE Timing Estimation

Tb

Tb

-A

Tb

d_
dt

Tb

Tb

Tb

Tb

Tb

Tb

QPSK(t)
01=7/4

00=/4

01=7/4

10=3/4

yn

J n

t
-A

Picture 2.4 MMSE Timing Synchronization

Mathematical Model of QPSK Signal.

Tb

Tb

Tb

Ts

Tb

Tb

Ts

Tb

Tb

Tb

Ts

Ts

01=7/4

10=3/4

Tb

QPSK(n)

An ideal input and output of QPSK Demodulator is

illustrated in the next picture.

01=7/4

00=/4

n
-A

QPSK(t)
01=7/4

00=/4

01=7/4

Tb

10=3/4

Tb
Ts

Tb

Tb
Ts

Tb

Tb
Ts

Tb

Tb

Tb

Ts

t
-A

Tb

Tb
Ts

Tb

Tb

Tb

Ts

Tb
Ts

Tb

Tb

Picture 3.1 QPSK Modulator Discrete and Continuous

Signal

Tb

Ts
QPSK(n)
01=7/4

00=/4

01=7/4

10=3/4

n
-A

Tb

Tb
Ts

Tb

Tb
Ts

Tb

Tb
Ts

Tb

Tb

Tb

Ts

In(t)
A

0
1

Tb

Tb

-A

Tb

Tb

Tb

Tb

Tb

Tb

Tb

Picture 2.5 QPSK Demodulator Input and Output Signal

The designed block diagram of discrete time that can

be declared as digital circuit based modulator is similar to
its counterpart analog-based modulator. The parts of
DSP (discrete signal processing) based modulator is
composed of Serial to parallel converter, Direct Digital
Frequency Synthesizers (DDFS), discrete time multiplier
(mixers), discrete time signal combiner (adders), and
digital to analog converters (DAC), as illustrated in the
picture 3.2.

The 5th International Conference TSSA 2009

Discrete Time QPSK Modulator

Discrete Time
Mixers
Bit Data

S to P
converter

DDFS
Cosinus
and Sinus

Discrete Time
Signals Combiner
(Adders)

QPSK
discrete time
output

DAC

QPSK
output

Discrete Time
Mixers

Picture 3.2 DSP Based QPSK Modulator Block Diagram.

The Direct Digital Frequency Synthesizers (DDFS) is
the part that functions to generate 5 signed bit discrete
sinus and cosines signal. The DDFS functions as
frequency carrier synthesizer or oscillator in the
conventional analog circuit based modulator. This
discrete sinusoid signal can be generated by several
manners, but the most efficient one is by semi look up
table process. The designed block diagram of DDFS is
illustrated in picture 3.3. The separated look-up table of
cosines and sinus is made for real time consideration, that
is to have the very close propagation delay of digital
circuit for both discrete sinus and cosines signals.

Sign Bit

Akumulator
4 bit

3 bit
Addressing

3 bit
Addressing

QPSK
input
ADC

QPSK
discrete
time
input

ROM
Contain
7 bit
Discrete
Cosinus
value

Discrete Time
Integrator

Discrete Time
Mixers

DDFS
Cosinus
and Sinus

P to S
converter

Discrete Time
Mixers

Discrete Time
Integrator

Discrete Time
Decision Circuit

arctan (y / x)

Symbol /
Timing Phase
Synchronizer

Discrete Time
Decision Circuit

Timing Tone
Extraction
Internal
Timing Tone

Picture 3.4 DDFS Block Diagram Designed.

MSB

ROM
Contain
7 bit
Discrete
Sinus
value

8 bit frequency
synthesizer
sinus output
LSB

Sign Bit

Akumulator
4 bit

Fixed Bit-Rate Discrete Time QPSK Demodulator

Sampling
Clock

Frequency Synthesizer Block Diagram

clock input
40.960 MHz

DSP based QPSK demodulator requires delayed carrier

signal and shifted symbol timing to detect the baseband
information correctly, hence the synchronization circuit
to extract carrier and symbol timing for digital circuit
based QPSK demodulator is also equipped.
The designed block diagram of DSP based
Demodulator is pictured below.

MSB
8 bit frequency
synthesizer
Cosinus output
LSB

Picture 3.3 DDFS Block Diagram Designed.

The accumulator is realized from 5 bits (1 signed bit
and 4 value bits) binary-Up/Down Counter to perform as
address sequence pointer of 4 bit ROM (read only
memory), which hold of sinus of cosine values.
Accumulator can count up or down and can be negative
or positive (used signed bit terminology), which to have
efficient use of ROM. The values of sinusoid that hold in
4 bit ROM in this design are only period positive value
of sinusoid.
The working principle of other blocks is the same as
in the analog circuit based modulator. It is just to be
noticed that all of process is done in the digital form or
discrete time domain and DAC (digital to analog
converter) is added to accomplish modulator block
diagram.
3.3. Demodulator Design
The incoming continuous modulated QPSK signal is
sampled and quantisize by ADC to have discrete and
digital QPSK signal. The digital QPSK signal then will
be demodulated to detect the baseband information
signal. As in its analog circuit based demodulator, the

The same as in DSP based modulator design, the

designed block diagram of digital circuit based
demodulator is similar to its counterpart analog-based
demodulator. The difference is that the demodulation or
detection and synchronization process is done on discrete
time domain or it is performed digitally. Part of digital
circuit based demodulator are Analog to digital
converters (ADC), Direct Digital Frequency Synthesizers
(DDFS) with adjustable addressing pointer, discrete time
multiplier (mixers), discrete time signal comparator, and
carrier and timing synchronization circuit.
The DDFS of demodulator is based on the same
principle that is designed for modulator, but for
synchronization purpose the DDFS accumulator for
demodulator must be able to jump not in sequence to
shift the phase or can be said that it is equipped with
adjustable addressing pointer.
This kind of DDFS can be realized by 3 (three)
possible manner, that are:
Multiplication ROM Synthesizer: Multiply the
numerical sinus or cosines of phase difference detect
with value of ordinary DDFS.
Shifted ROM Synthesizer: The phase difference
triggers the phase shift of DDFS.
Numeric Synthesizer: All value is numerically
generated.
Those three DDFS synchronization methods are
described below.

Bit Data

The 5th International Conference TSSA 2009

Table 4.1. BER Simulation Result

Frequency Synthesizer
Cos( )

(beda fasa)

S/N

Cos(t-)

ROM
Cosinus
Sinthesizer
ROM
Sinus
Sinthesizer

(beda fasa)

ROM
Cosinus
Sinthesizer

Sinus
Counter
Shifter

ROM
Sinus
Sinthesizer

Cos( )

(beda fasa)

0.833

230 symbol

0.104

1.055

1000 symbol

0.089

Multiplication ROM Sinthesizer

1.2

1135 symbol

0.075

1.597

1103 symbol

0.0507

1.875

4300 symbol

0.0304

2.23

1003 symbol

0.0139

5.067

1632 symbol

0.00306

Cos(t-)
Shifted ROM Sinthesizer
Sin(t-)

Cos(t-)
Numerical Sinthesizer

t counter
Sin( )

BER

Sin(t-)

Sin ( )

Cosinus
Counter
Shifter

Duration

The graphic of the simulation can be examined in the

picture 4.2.
0.5

Sin(t-)

0.45

Picture 3.5 Synchronized DDFS Methods.

The working principle of other blocks is the same as

in the analog circuit based demodulator. It is just to be
noticed that all of process is done in the digital form or
discrete time domain hence there is errors by numerical
approach.
IV. SIMULATION RESULT AND ANALYSIS
Simulation is performed to help design and to acquire
the demodulator performance, hence to assist the analysis
too.
The Picture bellow is a simulation program that is
made to analyze the demodulator performance

Picture 4.1 Simulation Program.

0.3
BER

The shifted ROM is favored by the means of yields

the less numerical error, hence the counter or
accumulator will be more complex than it was designed
for modulator

0.4
0.35

0.25
0.2
0.15
0.1
0.05
0
-2

-1

2
Eb/No

Picture 4.2 Simulation Result BER (bit error rate) to

Eb/No Graphic.
Overall performance of demodulator designed is
illustrated in the pictured 4.2. The line in that picture is
the theoretical performance of maximum likelihood (ML)
QPSK demodulator as stated in equation 2.7, while the
points on the picture are simulation result of demodulator
designed. At glance the demodulator designed can be
stated as in good performance (for such BER=0.00306
for S/N=5.067 figure).
The result that worse from theoretical calculation seems
to be natural for practical application. The worse result is
obtain from certain addressable error such 5 bit discrete
processing, 40 sample/symbol, which affect ADC, DDFS
and Digital Integrator. But from calculation if the S/N <
30 rounding error of ADC and DDFS will not be
significant, hence the major error is occur in digital
integrator, which impact on symbol timing estimation
and synchronization. The designed digital integrator it
self has inherent error due to its integrator approach using
IIR [3] method that only use 40 sample to calculate the
integral for 1 symbol, hence this inherent error will be
worse by numerical rounding effect. Nevertheless the
error is not significant because of adjustment in digital
circuit design. The integrator error calculation result
0.7%.
The more significant error is occurred if the carrier
frequency or symbol timing is not synchronized. The
designed carrier recovery can yield the worse error of 9 o
shift or 17.6% integrator error, hence for S/N <1.7 the
error certainly occur. While the designed timing recovery

The 5th International Conference TSSA 2009

can yield worst error of 0.5 Tsampling (sampling period).
Synchronization error is 0.2% for leading and 0.8% for
lagging.
V. CONCLUSION
The demodulator is feasible enough to be
implemented (BER=0.00306 for S/N=5.067), with the
note of clock frequency of demodulator must be stable
enough by the means of synchronization error depends
on the clock stabilization.
This demodulator synchronization implementation is
suggested based on application. The carrier recovery
must be prior to timing recovery, require about 1-2
symbol, and then the timing recovery requires about 2-4
bit. For digital microwave transmission case the carrier
synchronization can be done when the terminal turn on,
and then follow by timing recovery, after that there will
not be required major adjustment of both
synchronization. For the cellular terminal case, the
carrier synchronization can be done while terminal turned
on and initialized by base station, while bit timing
synchronization can be inserted as a header of
transmission frame.
REFERENCE
[1] Proakis, J.G., Digital Communication 3rd ed., Singapore: McGrawHill, 1995.
[2] Lee, e.A.and d. G. Messerschmitt, Digital Communication 2nd ed.,
Massachusetts: Kluwer Academic Publisher, 1994.
[3] Orfanidis, S.J., Optimum Signal processing: An Introduction, 2nd
ed., Singapore: McGraw-Hill, 1988.