Removing low frequency interference in a digital fm receiver

Abstract

In a digital FM receiver having a demodulator that receives a radio signal and generates therefrom a phase sample whose behavior determines an output of the demodulator, an apparatus for removing a low-frequency interference signal from the phase sample converts the phase sample into a frequency sample which is then high-pass filtered to produce a filtered frequency sample. The filtered frequency sample is then converted into a filtered phase sample, which may be further demodulated in accordance with known techniques. Converting the phase sample into a frequency sample may be performed by a first order difference circuit. Converting the filtered frequency sample into the filtered phase sample may be performed by an integrator. Because the demodulator may produce degraded performance when the inventive apparatus is applied to a radio signal that does not have low-frequency interference, in another aspect of the invention the demodulator is further provided with a circuit for detecting the presence of the low-frequency interference signal in the radio signal, and alternatively selecting, in response thereto, either the filtered or original phase sample to be supplied to further demodulation circuitry.