Sliding window symbol timing synchronizer

A novel non-data-aided symbol timing synchronizer for M-ary phase shift keying (MPSK) modulation schemes is studied. It calculates the post-demodulation baseband signal energy in a sliding window. If the symbol timing is correct, the average signal energy will be the maximum. Based on this principle, the synchronizer detects the phase errors and/or frequency errors. The synchronizer structure is designed; its operational principles are described. Simulation is performed to evaluate the performance and results are presented in this paper. Simulation results show that the synchronizer can work for QPSK at signal-to-noise ratio (E_b/N₀) as low as -3 dB (E_s/N₀ = 0 dB), with a near zero phase error.