In a data carrier apparatus, a reception unit receives, from a data carrier driving apparatus, a pulse signal that alternatingly repeats a first-level period and a second-level period, which are set based on individual data values. A measurement unit measures respective time widths of the first-level period and the second-level period in the received pulse signal. A demodulation unit demodulates data conveyed by the received pulse signal, by determining the data value corresponding to the first-level period based on a measured value of the first-level period output from the measurement unit and a first reference value, and determining the data value corresponding to the second-level period based on a measured value of the second-level period output from the measurement unit and a second reference value.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a receiver of modulated signals comprises a signal sampling unit configured to sample a signal, a zero-crossing demodulator, and a timing offset tracking unit. The zero-crossing demodulator includes: a zero-crossing counter configured to determine a number of zero crossings for each pulse of the signal, and a symbol selector configured to decode a sequence of pulses as a symbol based on the number of zero crossings in the sequence of pulses. The timing offset tracking unit is configured to: calculate a metric based on an accumulation of the number of zero crossings and corresponding pulse values of the decoded symbol, compare the metric to a predetermined threshold value, and compensate a timing offset of the signal by causing the signal sampling unit to sample the signal at an earlier interval or a later interval in response to the comparison.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a receiver of modulated signals comprises a signal sampling unit configured to sample a signal, a zero-crossing demodulator, and a timing offset tracking unit. The zero-crossing demodulator includes: a zero-crossing counter configured to determine a number of zero crossings for each pulse of the signal, and a symbol selector configured to decode a sequence of pulses as a symbol based on the number of zero crossings in the sequence of pulses. The timing offset tracking unit is configured to: calculate a metric based on an accumulation of the number of zero crossings and corresponding pulse values of the decoded symbol, compare the metric to a predetermined threshold value, and compensate a timing offset of the signal by causing the signal sampling unit to sample the signal at an earlier interval or a later interval in response to the comparison.

A digital load side transmission lighting control apparatus has at one least control gear for controlling at least one lighting source. The control gear includes a period timer to establish an inter-transition time period between each transition within each data packet frame. An inter-transition comparator is in communication with the period timer and configured to compare each of the inter-transition periods with valid inter-transition periods between each transition of the bi-phase encoded data for determining if the inter-transition periods represent valid patterns or are an error has occurred. A data extractor is configured to receive valid bi-phase encoded data from the inter-transition comparator for extracting transmitted data from within the data packet frames. A command formatter is configured to receive the extracted frame data from the data extractor for assembling the telegram bit data pattern for transfer for the subsequent processing.

In a data carrier apparatus, a reception unit receives, from a data carrier driving apparatus, a pulse signal that alternatingly repeats a first-level period and a second-level period, which are set based on individual data values. A measurement unit measures respective time widths of the first-level period and the second-level period in the received pulse signal. A demodulation unit demodulates data conveyed by the received pulse signal, by determining the data value corresponding to the first-level period based on a measured value of the first-level period output from the measurement unit and a first reference value, and determining the data value corresponding to the second-level period based on a measured value of the second-level period output from the measurement unit and a second reference value.

A system for embedding message waveforms within conventionally modulated signals includes an input buffer configured to store input digital data. A time domain modulator generates auxiliary waveform data based upon the input digital data where phase shifts within selected periods of an auxiliary waveform represented by the auxiliary waveform data relative to a carrier signal data encode the input digital data within the auxiliary waveform. A mixer is configured to mix the auxiliary waveform data and modulation data representing a modulated signal and thereby produce a multi-component signal. One or more digital-to-analog converters generate an encoded analog waveform from a representation of the multi-component signal.

A method for embedding message waveforms within conventionally modulated signals includes receiving input digital data and generating, based upon the input digital data, auxiliary waveform data encoding the input digital data. The auxiliary waveform data represents an auxiliary waveform wherein phase shifts within selected periods of the auxiliary waveform relative to a carrier signal encode the input digital data within the auxiliary waveform. The auxiliary waveform data is mixed with modulation data representing a modulation signal so as to produce a multi-component signal.

A system and method for composite signal generation which includes receiving input digital data and producing, using the input digital data, a stream of waveform data defining an auxiliary zero-crossing-modulated waveform. The method includes generating a modulation timing signal. A composite signal having a frequency determined by the modulation timing signal is generated. Generation of the composite signal includes inserting periods of the auxiliary zero-crossing-modulated waveform into the composite signal so that one or more periods of the auxiliary zero-crossing modulated waveform are interposed between periods of the modulated signal.

A system and method for generating a multi-component signal including a modulated signal and an auxiliary signal by embedding the auxiliary signal within the modulated signal. The method includes receiving input digital data and generating, based upon the input digital data, zero-crossing modulated waveform data encoding the input digital data. The zero-crossing modulated waveform data represents an auxiliary zero-crossing modulated waveform having a plurality of periods wherein portions of the plurality of periods are shifted in phase relative to a sinusoid. The method further includes mixing the zero-crossing modulated waveform data and modulation data representing a modulated signal wherein the mixing produces a multi-component signal. The modulated signal may consist of a frequency modulated signal, an amplitude modulated signal, or other conventionally modulated signal.

A system and method for generating a composite signal includes generating first in-phase (I) digital modulated signal data and first quadrature phase (Q) digital modulated signal data using first digital input data and generating second digital modulated signal data using second digital input data. A sinusoidal portion of one of the first I digital modulated signal data and the first Q modulated signal data corresponding to a period of a sine wave is detected and replaced with the second digital modulated signal data. An analog composite signal is generated using the second digital modulated signal data and portions of the first I digital modulated signal data and the first Q digital modulated signal data other than the sinusoidal portion.