FM/PM DEMODULATION Dr.

Ali Muqaibel
Ver. 3.1

DR. ALI MUQAIBEL 1

METHODS FOR FREQUENCY DEMODULATION
What are frequency demodulators ?
They produce output voltage whose instantaneous amplitude is directly
proportional to the instantaneous frequency of the input FM wave.
Methods:
1. Frequency Discriminator (Slope Circuit) followed by an envelope
detector.
 Signal differentiation method
2. PLL demodulator.
3. Zero-crossing detector.
4. Ratio-detector. (old)

DR. ALI MUQAIBEL 2

 form

FREQUENCY DISCRIMINATOR
𝑡
𝑔𝐹𝑀 𝑡 = 𝐴 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜔𝑐 𝑡 + 𝑘𝑓 න 𝑚 𝛼 𝑑𝛼
−∞
First, transfer the information from the angle to the magnitude
For example: differentiation of a sinusoid results in multiplying the magnitude of the sinusoid
by the derivative of its angle, the derivative of the above FM signal becomes
𝑡
𝑑
𝑔𝐹𝑀 𝑡 = −𝐴 𝜔𝑐 + 𝑘𝑓 𝑚(𝑡) 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜔𝑐 𝑡 + 𝑘𝑓 න 𝑚 𝛼 𝑑𝛼
𝑑𝑡 −∞

Is this signal amplitude or frequency modulated?

DR. ALI MUQAIBEL 3

 Signal Differentiation Frequency Demodulator

 t

− A c + k f m(t )  sin  ct + k f  m( )d 
d ()  − 
Envelope
gFM(t) Detector m(t)
dt (and DC Blocker)

Because the information is also contained in the amplitude we can use AM demodulation
Envelope detector can be used because
∆𝜔 = 𝑘𝑓 𝑚𝑝 < 𝜔𝑐
𝜔𝑐 + 𝑘𝑓 𝑚𝑝 > 0
The message is always represented by the positive term of the envelope.

DR. ALI MUQAIBEL 4

EXTENSION TO PHASE MODULATION (PM)
The same idea can be used for PM demodulation. A PM signal has the form
𝑔𝑃𝑀 𝑡 = 𝐴 cos 𝜔𝑐 𝑡 + 𝑘𝑝 𝑚(𝑡)
𝑑 𝑑𝑚 𝑡
𝑔𝑃𝑀 𝑡 = −𝐴 𝜔𝑐 + 𝑘𝑝 sin 𝜔𝑐 𝑡 + 𝑘𝑝 𝑚 𝑡
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
If this signal is passed through an envelope detector, the output will be proportional
to the derivative of the message signal. An integrator will solve the problem.

Signal Differentiation PM Demodulator

 dm(t ) 
sin (ct + k p m(t ) )
dm(t )
− A c + k f
d () dt 
Envelope t

 ()d 
dt
gPM(t) Detector m(t)
dt (and DC Blocker) −

DR. ALI MUQAIBEL 5

BAND-PASS LIMITER
What if the amplitude 𝐴 is not constant because of channel noise? i.e. 𝐴(𝑡)
𝑑
At the output of the differentiator, we will have other terms 𝐴(𝑡)
𝑑𝑡
4 1 1
𝑣𝑜 𝜃 = 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 − cos 3𝜃 + cos 5𝜃 + ⋯
𝜋 3 5
4
𝐴 𝑡 cos 𝜔𝑐 𝑡 + 𝜃 𝑡 cos 𝜔𝑐 𝑡 + 𝜃 𝑡
Hard Band-pass 𝜋 FM/PM demodulator
limiter filter

The use of bandpass limiter also suppresses the channel noise when the noise is small.

DR. ALI MUQAIBEL 6

 GENERALIZING THE SIGNAL DIFFERENTIATION TO ANY FREQUENCY
DISCRIMINATION METHOD GFM()


− −  
−c c
Signal Differentiation Frequency Demodulator
()

 t
 Linear Region
A c + Ck f m(t )  cos  ct + k f  m( )d  Envelope of Response
 − 
gFM(t) H() Detector m(t)
(and DC Blocker)


− −  
−c c

S()


− −  
−c c
DR. ALI MUQAIBEL 7
 2. PHASE-LOCKED LOOPS
A sin(ct+i) x(t) 𝑦(𝑡)
y(t) Voltage Controlled 𝑧(𝑡)
z(t)
Narrowband
X LPF
Oscillator
(VCO)

B cos(ct+o)

▪ PLLs when fed with an FM signal directly produce an output signal that is proportional to the
message signal.
▪ PLL has low cost and superior performance even at low SNR (signal-to-noise ratio).
▪ Where do we take the output? (𝑦(𝑡)) Compare with the case of carrier acquisition, (𝑧(𝑡)).
▪ If the input was PM, we need an integrator at the output.
DR. ALI MUQAIBEL 8