Analysis of New WWVB Modulation Schemes for Future Broadcast

This Phase 2 project targets the completion of the development of an improved system for the broadcasting of the WWVB signal, as a direct continuation of the Phase 1 project, which successfully validated the proposed approach through a feasibility study and analyses. Objectives of this project include the design of the new modulation scheme and protocol, the development of a new time-code generator to be used in place of the existing one, and the development and demonstration of a receiver prototype that can validate the expected improvement in the performance, as well as low-cost manufacturability. The novel receiver architecture, relying extensively on digital processing, is to be realized in a CMOS fabrication process, allowing it to be integrated with many types of CMOS system-on-chip products, including microprocessors for remote metering applications, clocks, MP3 players, and many more. Additionally, new structures of low-cost antennas for various applications are targeted, to replace the commonly used ferrite-rod antennas, and more specifically to avoid directionality and nulls in the antenna pattern.