CFSK and MSK

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CFSK and MSK

QPSK signalling is efficient from a bandwidth efficiency perspective,


achieving 2 bps per Hz of channel bandwidth. However, away from the carrier
frequency the PSD falls off as ω−2 . This may not be fast enough, particularly
in nonlinear channels.
Continuous phase FSK (CPFSK) offers a solution to this problem without any
compromise in efficiency. This type of modulation is based on FSK
techniques, and a frequency shift is used to convey the information, but the
phase is controlled to avoid any discontinuities in the signal. The PSD of
CPFSK decreases as ω−4 away from the carrier frequency.
A CPFSK signal takes the form

φ(t) = A cos[ωc t + γ (t)],

with the phase γ (t) a continuous function of time. Writing in terms of two
frequencies ω1 and ω2 for marks and spaces we have

φ(t) = A cos[ωc t ± 1ωt + γ (0)],

with ωc = (ω1 + ω2 )/2 and 1ω = (ω1 − ω2 )/2. Thus on the interval


0 < t ≤ Tb the phase is a linear function of time

γ (t) = ±1ωt + γ (0).

One form of minimum-shift keying (MSK) results if 1ω = π/2Tb . This is the


minimum frequency spacing between ω1 and ω2 that allows the two FSK
signals to be orthogonal to each other. This criterion means that the frequency
separation between f 1 and f 2 must be such that there is a half cycle difference
in one bit interval.
Using this condition gives
π
γ (t) = ± t + γ (0), 0 < t ≤ Tb .
2Tb

1
Choosing γ (0) = 0, the possible values of γ (t) for t > 0 can be shown as a
phase trellis diagram. The phase at multiples of Tb can therefore only take on a
discrete set of values. More specifically, over each bit interval the phase of the
MSK waveform can only be advanced or retarded by exactly 90◦ — it ramps
up by 90◦ when a 1 is transmitted, and down by 90◦ when a zero is transmitted.
Let pk is a switching function taking on values of ±1 corresponding to the
binary input data in the kth signalling interval. Additionally, let γk be the phase
at the beginning of the kth interval — this is termed the excess phase. A
recursive phase constraint can then be formulated, which has to be satisfied for
the resulting waveform to be continuous:
π
γk = pk + γk−1 .
2
The MSK signal can be expressed as
 
πt
φMSK (t) = A cos ωc t + pk + γ k
2Tb
     
πt πt
= A cos pk + γk cos ωc t − sin pk + γk sin ωc t .
2Tb 2Tb
In this last expression we have an in-phase and a quadrature component. Using
trigonometric identities, this can be written as
 
πt πt
φMSK (t) = A cos γk cos cos ωc t − pk cos γk sin sin ωc t
2Tb 2Tb
= A[I (t) cos ωc t − Q(t) sin ωc t].

In this form MSK can be interpreted as being composed of two quadrature data
channels a I (t) and a Q (t) in an orthogonal QPSK signalling system
 
πt πt
φMSK (t) = A a I (t) cos cos ωc t − aq (t) cos γk sin sin ωc t .
2Tb 2Tb
However, in this case a sinusoidal pulse weighting, rather than a rectangular
weighting, is used to represent the baseband pulses.

2
Because MSK signalling is essentially equivalent to orthogonal QPSK, the
probability of error is the same. Additionally, the bandwidth efficiency is
equal, namely 2 bps/Hz.

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