A new family of carrier lock detectors and Es/N0 estimators for M-PSK receivers

A family of carrier lock detectors for M-PSK receivers operating in AWGN channels is suggested. The statistical properties of the lock detectors are derived theoretically, using stochastic analysis, and computer simulations are used to validate the results obtained. The derivations reveal two useful attributes of the lock detectors: 1) they are self-normalizing (or, in other words, signal-level independent); 2) the channel E_s/N₀ can be readily ascertained from their value when the receiver is in lock. Furthermore, a particularly simple hardware implementation for the lock metric computation process is found, which allows easy and efficient implementation of its computation within an FPGA or ASIC.