A modulation based phase difference estimator for real sinusoids to compensate for incoherent sampling

Area of Science:

• Signal Processing
• Electrical Engineering
• Communications

Background:

• Phase difference estimation is crucial for many applications.
• Incoherent sampling (IS) degrades the precision of traditional estimation methods.
• Spectral superposition in real signals further complicates estimation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel estimator for phase difference estimation under incoherent sampling.
• To address the challenges posed by spectral superposition of real signals.
• To improve the accuracy and robustness of phase difference estimation.

Main Methods:

• A novel estimator based on signal modulation and the discrete Fourier transform (DFT) was developed.
• The method utilizes four DFT samples of modulated signals for phase difference calculation.
• Frequency estimation is incorporated to enhance phase difference retrieval.

Main Results:

• The proposed method demonstrates validity through simulations and experimental results.
• It shows superiority over five other methods designed for incoherent sampling.
• High accuracy is maintained even with significant bias in frequency estimation, particularly at high signal-to-noise ratios.

Conclusions:

• The developed estimator effectively overcomes limitations imposed by incoherent sampling.
• The modulation and DFT-based approach provides a robust solution for phase difference estimation.
• This method offers a significant advancement for applications requiring precise phase difference measurements.