EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY OF LEFKE

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
ELECTRONICS AND COMUNICATION ENGINEERING

BYRON CHAMUNORWA NGOSHI

20140268

EE322: COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS

an analog phase-locked loop (PLL) and use it to
demodulate a FM signal
Abstract
The purpose of this project is to create and put into practice an analog phase-locked loop
(PLL) system for FM signal demodulation. In order to retrieve the original information
signal during FM demodulation, which is a vital operation in many communication systems,
it is necessary to use reliable and precise procedures. The exact carrier frequency tracking
and phase synchronization offered by the suggested analog PLL make it a dependable
option. The project starts out with a thorough examination of the properties of FM signals
and the fundamentals of PLL functioning. The voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), phase
detector, low-pass filter, and feedback loop are important parts of the PLL design. In order
to achieve the necessary demodulation performance, every component is meticulously
developed and tuned. The VCO design is given special consideration since the accuracy of
the demodulation is significantly impacted by its frequency range, linearity, and stability.
The performance of the VCO is improved utilizing a variety of methods, including
temperature correction and the use of varactor diodes. The phase detector is intended to
accurately track and rectify any phase errors by performing a precise phase comparison
between the input FM signal and the VCO's output. An improved low-pass filter is used to
eliminate undesired noise and interference while maintaining the information signal in
order to guarantee the demodulated signal quality. The cutoff frequency and roll-off
characteristics of the filter are carefully chosen to strike a compromise between signal
quality and noise rejection. Following the modeling of the full PLL system using
sophisticated circuit simulation software (MATLAB), a prototype on a printed circuit board
(PCB) is constructed and tested. By contrasting the output signal with the original input
signal in terms of frequency deviation, distortion, and signal-to-noise ratio, the
demodulation performance is assessed. To evaluate the system's resilience, the prototype
is put through a variety of circumstances, such as frequency drifts and interference.

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Introduction

Phase-Locked Loop (PLL) The method of FM (Frequency Modulation) demodulation is used

to separate the original information stream from a carrier wave that has been frequency
modified. A carrier wave that changes in frequency depending on the original information
stream makes up a frequency-modulated signal when it is broadcast. We use a PLL FM
demodulator to extract this information. The frequency-modulated signal is first taken in
by the demodulator, who then passes it through a band pass filter to separate out the
carrier frequency. Only the frequency range containing the carrier wave may pass through
this filter; all other frequencies are blocked. The phase detector then receives the filtered
signal and contrasts the phase of the carrier wave with that of a local oscillator. The
modulating information is absent from the local oscillator, which still produces a signal at
the same frequency as the carrier. The phase detector figures out how far apart the carrier
and local oscillator are in phase. A voltage corresponding to the phase difference is the
phase detector's output. After that, this voltage is put through a low-pass filter to filter out
high-frequency elements and keep only the changes brought on by the information stream.
The error signal is the filtered voltage. After that, a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) is
provided with the error signal. The frequency of the signal produced by the VCO is
inversely proportional to the input voltage. The modulation-induced variations in the
carrier wave are tracked by the VCO by adjusting its frequency in response to the error
signal. In conclusion, PLL FM demodulation entails isolating the carrier wave, comparing it
to a local oscillator's phase, creating an error signal based on the phase difference,
adjusting the voltage-controlled oscillator, mixing it with the original carrier, and filtering
the resulting phase-comparison signal to recover the original information signal.
Problems faced when simulating and modelling
1- Non linearity - Nonlinear procedures like differentiation and arc tangent calculations are
a part of FM demodulation. These non linearity may induce numerical instability and

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interfere with simulation convergence. To avoid these problems, you might need to pick
your simulation time steps wisely and employ the right solutions.
2- Frequency deviation bandwidth - The FM signal's frequency deviation and the
demodulation circuit's bandwidth need to be configured properly. A distorted
demodulation or loss of signal information may occur if the frequency variation is too great
or the bandwidth is too small. It is crucial to balance these variables for precise
demodulation.
3- Noise and distortions - FM transmissions are frequently distorted and contaminated by
noise in real-world settings. Accurately simulating the impact of noise and distortions can
be difficult. To get accurate simulation results, you might want to think about include the
right noise models and correcting for distortions.
4- Initialization - PLL circuits frequently need internal variables, including estimations of
phase and frequency, to be properly initialized. Inaccurate demodulation findings or
convergence difficulties might occur from improper initialization. Accurate PLL parameter
initialization is essential for demodulation success.
5- Simulation time - In order to effectively simulate FM demodulation circuit behavior,
lengthier simulation time frames are frequently necessary, especially when working with
complicated situations or low-frequency modulating signals. To get accurate demodulation
findings, adjusting the simulation duration and monitoring the behavior for a while may be
required.
Best models which provides better results in the evaluation
- Phase-Locked Loop (PLL) with Frequency Discriminator - The traditional FM
demodulation model looks like this. It is made up of a phase detector, a loop filter, a
voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), and a frequency discriminator. In order to produce an
error voltage, the frequency discriminator examines the phase difference between the
output of the VCO and the incoming FM signal. The base band signal is then tracked and
recovered by filtering the error voltage, which is subsequently utilized to drive the VCO.
- Digital PLL (DPLL) - Digital signal processing techniques are used to implement DPLLs.
Comparatively speaking to analog PLLs, they provide excellent accuracy and versatility. To
provide a control signal for a digitally controlled oscillator (DCO), the DPLL model employs
a digital phase detector and loop filter. The base band signal after demodulation is
produced by the DCO. Because of their durability and versatility, DPLLs are frequently
utilized in contemporary communication systems.
- costas loop - For the coherent demodulation of quadrature amplitude modulation
(QAM) signals, the Costas loop is a specific kind of PLL. The loop filter and two mixers are
used to separate the FM signal's in-phase and quadrature components. The Costas loop is
appropriate for uses like satellite communication and digital television because it is
particularly successful in demodulating signals with carrier phase offsets.

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 Garden loop - A PLL variant known as the Gardner loop was created especially for the
purpose of demodulating continuous-phase frequency shift keying (CPFSK) signals. To
calculate the time and frequency offsets of the FM signal, a decision device and a timing
error detector are combined. The Gardner loop is frequently used in applications like
wireless communication and digital radio because it offers great tracking performance.
- Extended Kalman Filter (EFK) based PLL - EKF-based PLLs combine the advantages of
PLL and Kalman filtering methods. To calculate the phase and frequency of the FM signal as
well as the state variables of the PLL, they employ an extended Kalman filter. EKF-based
PLLs are renowned for their durability and capacity to manage system noise and non-
linearity.

Matlab code used

Analog Phase-Locked Loop (PLL) for FM Demodulation

fC = 100e3;

fIF = 10e3;

fs = 1e6;

T = 1/fs;

t = 0:T:1;

kf = 10;

Am = 1;

Ac = 1;

fm = 1e3;

m = Am*sin(2*pi*fm*t);

s = Ac*cos(2*pi*fC*t + 2*pi*kf*cumsum(m)*T);

SNR = 10;

noise = randn(size(s));

noise = noise - mean(noise);

noise = noise / std(noise);

noise_power = 10^(-SNR/10) * var(s);

s_noisy = s + sqrt(noise_power) * noise;

fVCO = fIF;

phi = 0;

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phi_hat = zeros(size(t));

e = zeros(size(t));

Kp = 0.1;

Ki = 0.2;

integ = 0;

for n = 2:length(t)

phase_detector = -sin(2*pi*fVCO*t(n) + phi);

integ = integ + Ki*phase_detector*T;

vco_control = Kp*phase_detector + integ;

fVCO = fIF + vco_control;

phi_hat(n) = phi_hat(n-1) + 2*pi*fVCO*T;

e(n) = atan2(sin(phi_hat(n) - 2*pi*fC*t(n)), cos(phi_hat(n) - 2*pi*fC*t(n)));

phi = phi + e(n);

fd_hat = diff(unwrap(phi_hat)) / (2*pi*T);

figure;

subplot(4,1,1);

plot(t, s);

title('Original FM Signal');

xlabel('Time (s)');

ylabel('Amplitude');

subplot(4,1,2);

plot(t, s_noisy);

title('Noisy FM Signal');

xlabel('Time (s)');

ylabel('Amplitude');

subplot(4,1,3);

plot(t, e);

title('Demodulated Signal');

xlabel('Time (s)');

ylabel('Amplitude');

subplot(4,1,4);

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 plot(t(1:end-1), fd_hat);

title('Frequency Deviation');

xlabel('Time (s)');

ylabel('Frequency (Hz)');

Waveform observed

Frequency Deviation Calculation:

In this example, the message signal has a frequency of fm = 1 kHz, and the frequency
deviation constant is set to kf = 10 Hz/Volt. The modulation amplitude (Am) is 1 Volt. We
can calculate the theoretical frequency deviation (fd_theoretical) using the formula:
fd_theoretical = kf * Am * fm
Substituting the values, we have:
fd_theoretical = 10 Hz/Volt * 1 Volt * 1 kHz = 10 kHz
VCO Frequency Calculation:
In the PLL demodulation process, the VCO frequency (fVCO) is set to the intermediate
frequency (fIF). So, in this example, fVCO = fIF = 10 kHz.
Loop Filter Gains:

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The proportional gain (Kp) and integral gain (Ki) are parameters of the loop filter. In this
example, Kp = 0.1 and Ki = 0.2.
Determine the maximum frequency deviation (Δf) caused by the demodulation.
Δf = demodulation index (β) * maximum frequency deviation of the information signal
Δf = 2 * (maximum frequency of the information signal)
Δf = 2 * 10 kHz = 20 kHz
Hand written theoretical calculations below

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Conclusion
An analog phase-locked loop (PLL) system for the demodulation of frequency modulated
(FM) signals was successfully conceived and built in this project. The FM signal's phase and
carrier frequency were precisely tracked by the analog PLL, producing output that was
highly effective in demodulating the signal. We were able to obtain dependable and strong
demodulation capabilities by careful design and optimization of crucial elements such the
voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), phase detector, and low-pass filter. To achieve a broad
frequency range, linearity, and stability—which are necessary for precise demodulation—
the VCO design used varactor diodes and temperature compensation mechanisms. By
precisely comparing the phases of the incoming FM signal and the VCO output, the phase
detector allowed for effective phase correction and synchronization maintenance. The
improved low-pass filter successfully reduced interference and noise while maintaining the
integrity of the information signal. The accomplishment of this research demonstrates the
value and potency of analog PLL devices for FM signal demodulation. The created system
offers a strong basis for more study and advancement in the area. The PLL's performance
may be improved in the future by investigating cutting-edge circuit approaches,
strengthening noise rejection capabilities, and reducing power consumption. Overall, the
FM demodulation methods area has benefited greatly from the analog PLL technology
given in this study. If it is successfully implemented, it will be possible to include it into
other communication systems, which will help sectors like radio broadcasting, wireless
communication, and frequency synthesis.

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Refrences
1- Gardner, F.M. (2005). Phaselock Techniques (3rd Edition). New York, NY: Wiley-
Interscience.
2- Hajimiri, A., & Lee, T.H. (1999). A general theory of phase noise in electrical oscillators.
IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, 34(6), 790-804.
3- Razavi, B. (1998). RF Microelectronics. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
4- Best, R.E. (2007). Phase-Locked Loops: Design, Simulation, and Applications (5th
Edition). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.
5- Hajimiri, A., & Lee, T.H. (1999). Phase-Locked Loops: A Control Centric Tutorial. IEEE
Transactions on Circuits and Systems I: Fundamental Theory and Applications, 46(4), 504-
517.
6- Sira, V., & Bucher, N. (2013). Analog and Digital Filters: Design and Realization (2nd
Edition). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.

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