Low Complexity Carrier Phase Tracking Decoders for Continuous Phase Modulations

Phase tracking capability is incorporated into two sequence estimation decoders for continuous phase modulations. One decoder employs the Viterbi algorithm; the other uses a reduced-survivor approach proposed earlier by one of the authors [11] for the more bandwidth efficient of these modulations. Computational complexity with the simplest of the joint data/phase algorithms is only marginally greater than that required for the equivalent decoding algorithm employing an externally derived carrier phase reference as supplied by a conventional carrier recovery circuit. Simulations with representative partial response modulations demonstrate the phase synchronization and tracking capabilities of the decoders. High SNR losses relative to an optimal receiver having perfect phase knowledge are found to be small (∼ 1 dB).