A frequency discriminators (FD) and
frequency modulation (FM) demodulators, utilizing single
sideband (SSB) complex conversion directly to zero IF, suitable for direct
demodulation at high frequencies of analog FM or digital FSK modulated signals, as well as for high speed
frequency discrimination (or frequency comparison) in applications such as frequency acquisition in frequency synthesizers. The complex SSB down-converter consists of a quad of mixers and quadrature splitters in both the
signal path and
local oscillator (LO) path. Each mixer receives both the
signal and the LO, each either in-phase or quadrature. The outputs of mixers are combined in pairs, to produce the SSB in-phase (I)
baseband signal and the SSB quadrature (Q)
baseband signal. Both I and Q signals are then delayed, each multiplied by un-delayed version of the other one. The multiplication products are summed together, to produce an FD
error signal, or an FM demodulated signal at the output. The
delay time can be dynamically controlled, in order to set the FD frequency range or to adjust the
gain of the FM demodulator.