Weak signal processing based on impulse noise blanking

Abstract

An improved noise reduction system () is provided for a radio frequency audio processor having one or more weak signal processing components for generating one or more corresponding control values () for controlling characteristics of the audio output from the processor, and a blanking pulse generation component () for generating a blanking pulse signal () in relation to an impulse noise signal imposed on the radio frequency signal. The improvement () can include at least one detector () for determining a state value of the blanking pulse signal, such as the pulse density or frequency. At least one alignment function module () is provided that is operable on the state value to generate at least one corrected control value corresponding to one of the weak signal processing components. The corrected control value is fed to a decision module () for comparing the corrected control value to the control value () generated by a corresponding one of the weak signal processing components. The decision module () then selects the control value that will have the greatest impact on the impulse noise reduction, and then provides that selected control values () to the audio processor for controlling characteristics of the audio output from the processor.