1. A receiver for processing a vestigial sideband (VSB) signal, the receiver comprising:
a first equalizerdecoder unit that is configured to perform a first equalizing operation, a first Trellis-Coded Modulation (TCM) decoding and a first Reed-Solomon (RS) decoding on a received symbol to output a first dibit;
a second equalizerdecoder unit that is configured to perform a second equalizing operation, a second TCM decoding and a second RS decoding on the received symbol to output a transport stream; and
a third equalizerdecoder unit disposed between the first and second equalizerdecoder units,
wherein the third equalizerdecoder unit is configured to sequentially perform a third equalizing operation on the received symbol, a third TCM decoding which uses the first dibit as a priori information and third RS decoding to generate a third dibit, and
wherein the third dibit is srovided to the second equalizerdecoder unit,
wherein the first dibit is provided as a priori information for a soft-decision operation of the second TCM decoding.
2. The receiver of claim 1, wherein a path metric or a decision value generated through the second TCM decoding is provided as feedback information for the second equalizing operation.
3. The receiver of claim 2, wherein an equalizer coefficient adaptation operation is performed responsive to the feedback information in the second equalizing operation.
4. The receiver of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of equalizerdecoder units disposed between the first and second equalizerdecoder units,
wherein the plurality of equalizerdecoder units are each configured to sequentially perform an equalizing operation, a TCM decoding and an RS decoding on the received symbol, respectively.
5. The receiver of claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of equalizerdecoder units provides a dibit generated through the RS decoding and the received symbol delayed to a next equalizerdecoder unit.
6. A receiver for processing a vestigial sideband (VSB) signal, the receiver comprising:
a first equalizerdecoder unit that is configured to perform a first equalizing operation, a first Trellis-Coded Modulation (TCM) decoding and a first Reed-Solomon (RS) decoding on a received symbol to output a first dibit; and
a second equalizerdecoder unit that is configured to perform a second equalizing operation, a second TCM decoding and a second RS decoding on the received symbol to output a transport stream,
wherein the first dibit is provided as a priori information for a soft-decision operation of the second TCM decoding, and
wherein the first equalizerdecoder unit comprises:
a first equalizer that is configured to perform the first equalizing operation;
a first TCM decoder that is configured to perform the first TCM decoding on an output of the first equalizer according to a Viterbi algorithm;
a first de-interleaver that is configured to de-interleave an output of the first TCM decoder;
a first RS decoder that is configured to perform the first RS decoding on an output of the first de-interleaver;
a first interleaver that is configured to interleave an output of the first RS decoder; and a first dibit converter that is configured to convert a byte output of the first interleaver into the first dibit.
7. The receiver of claim 6, wherein the first equalizer comprises a decision feedback equalizer that is configured to apply survivor path information from the first TCM decoder to update of an equalizer coefficient.
8. The receiver of claim 7, wherein the first TCM decoder provides a path metric or a decision value based on the first TCM decoding to the first equalizer.
9. The receiver of claim 6, wherein the first equalizerdecoder unit further comprises:
a delay module that is configured to delay a transfer of the received symbol to the second equalizerdecoder unit; and
a First-In, First-Out (FIFO) buffer that is used in the transfer of the first dibit to the second equalizerdecoder unit.
10. A receiver for processing a vestigial sideband (VSB) signal, the receiver comprising:
a first equalizerdecoder unit that is configured to perform a first equalizing operation, a first Trellis-Coded Modulation (TCM) decoding and a first Reed-Solomon (RS) decoding on a received symbol to output a first dibit; and
a second equalizerdecoder unit that is configured to perform a second equalizing operation, a second TCM decoding and a second RS decoding on the received symbol to output a transport stream,
wherein the first dibit is provided as a priori information for a soft-decision operation of the second TCM decoding, and
wherein the second equalizerdecoder unit comprises:
a second equalizer that is configured to perform the second equalizing operation;
a second TCM decoder that is configured to perform the second TCM decoding on an output of the second equalizer by using the first dibit as a priori information;
a second de-interleaver that is configured to de-interleave an output of the second TCM decoder; and
a second RS decoder that is configured to perform the second RS decoding on an output of the second de-interleaver to output the transport stream.
11. The receiver of claim 10, wherein:
the second equalizer comprises a decision feedback equalizer, and
a path metric or a decision value based on the second TCM decoding is fed back from the second TCM decoder to the second equalizer.
12. The receiver of claim 10, wherein the second equalizerdecoder unit further comprises:
a second delay module that is configured to delay and output the received symbol that is transferred from the first equalizerdecoder unit;
a second interleaver that is configured to interleave the transport stream from the second RS decoder;
a second dibit converter that is configured to convert a byte output of the second interleaver into a second dibit; and
a First-In, First-Out (FIFO) buffer that is configured to buffer the second dibit.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method of processing a polymeric material comprising:
(a) directing the polymeric material to a mixing device;
(b) irradiating at least a portion of the polymeric material;
(c) measuring the energy shift experienced by the polymeric material due to the step of irradiating; and
(d) determining a characteristic of the polymeric material based on the energy shift;
wherein steps (b), (c), and (d) are conducted using at least one analysis probe and Raman spectroscopy, and wherein the polymeric material is in a homogeneous state, and the at least one analysis probe has a focus point of about 500 \u03bcm to about 650 \u03bcm.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the characteristic of the polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of melt index, density, viscosity, molecular weight, molecular weight distribution, weight ratios of different polymers comprising the polymeric material, additive concentrations, crosslinking agent concentrations, scissoring agent concentrations, and combinations thereof.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising repeating steps (b), (c), and (d).
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the frequency of repeating steps (b), (c), and (d) ranges from about 1 minute to about 5 minutes.
5. The method of claim 2, wherein the polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephtalate, polystyrene, polyester, synthetic rubber, and blends thereof.
6. The method of claim 4, wherein the polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephtalate, polystyrene, polyester, synthetic rubber, and blends thereof.
7. The method of claim 5, wherein the mixing device is selected from the group consisting of extruders, devolatizers, gear pumps, and mixers.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the characteristic of the polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of melt index, density, viscosity, and additive concentrations, and combinations thereof.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the mixing device is selected from the group consisting of extruders, mixers, and gear pumps.
10. The method of claim 7, wherein the mixing device is an extruder.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the extruder comprises a barrel and a hopper.
12. The method of claim 11 further comprising irradiating the polymeric composition in at least one location selected from the group consisting of the extruder barrel, the extruder hopper, and combinations thereof.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of irradiation comprises irradiating the polymeric composition with a light source having a wavelength of from about 400 cm\u22121 to about 1800 cm\u22121.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the process comprises generating and transmitting a signal representative of the characteristic of the polymeric material to a processor.
15. The method of claim 14 comprising generating at least one control command with the processor and transmitting the control command from the processor to a process selected from the group consisting of an extrusion process, a polymerization process, and combinations thereof, wherein the at least one control command is based on the characteristic of the polymeric material.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one control command is provided to an extrusion process wherein the at least one control command relates to control of a parameter selected from the group consisting of energy input to the extruder, the ratio of polymeric material components delivered to the extruder, delivery of additives to the extruder, the identity and concentration of a crossliniking agent provided to the extruder, the identity and concentration of a scissoring agent provided to the extruder, the temperature of the polymeric material within the extruder, and combinations thereof.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one control command provided to the extrusion process relates to control of a parameter selected from the group consisting of energy input to the extruder, the ratio of polymeric material components delivered to the extruder, the temperature of the polymeric material within the extruder, and combinations thereof.
18. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one control command is provided to a polymerization process wherein the at least one control command relates to control of a parameter selected from the group consisting of monomer concentration, comonomer concentration, catalyst concentration, cocatalyst concentration, reactor temperature, the ratio of monomer feeds, the ratio of hydrogen to monomer, and combinations thereof.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the at least one control command provided to the polymerization process relates to control of a parameter selected from the group consisting of monomer concentration, catalyst concentration, reactor temperature, and combinations thereof.
20. A process for controlling a mixing device comprising:
(a) feeding a polymeric material to the mixing device;
(b) irradiating at least a portion of the polymeric material within the mixing device;
(c) measuring the energy shift experienced by the polymeric material due to the step of irradiating;
(d) determining a characteristic of the polymeric material based on the energy shift; and
(e) adjusting operation of the mixing device based on the characteristic of the polymeric material;
wherein steps (b), (c), and (d) are conducted using at least one analysis probe and Raman spectroscopy, and wherein the polymeric material is in a homogeneous state, and the at least one analysis probe has a focus point of about 500 \u03bcm to about 650 \u03bcm.
21. The process of claim 20, wherein step (e) comprises generating a signal representative of the characteristic of the polymeric material and transmitting the signal to a processor.
22. The process of claim 21 comprising generating at least one control command with the processor and transmitting the control command from the processor to the mixing device.
23. The process of claim 22, wherein the mixing device is selected from the group consisting of extruders, devolatizers, gear pumps, and mixers.
24. The process of claim 23, wherein the characteristic of the polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of melt index, density, viscosity, molecular weight, molecular weight distribution, weight ratios of different polymers comprising the polymeric material, additive concentrations, crosslinking agent concentrations, scissoring agent concentrations, and combinations thereof.
25. The process of claim 24, wherein the at least one control command relates to control of a parameter selected from the group consisting of energy input to the mixing device, the ratio of polymeric material components delivered to the mixing device, delivery of additives to the mixing device, the identity and concentration of a crossliniking agent provided to the mixing device, the identity and concentration of a scissoring agent provided to the extruder, the temperature of the polymeric material within the mixing device, and combinations thereof.
26. The process of claim 25, wherein the mixing device is an extruder.
27. A process for controlling a polymerization process comprising:
(a) feeding a polymeric material to a mixing device;
(b) irradiating at least a portion of the polymeric material within the mixing device;
(c) measuring the energy shift experienced by the polymeric material due to the step of irradiating;
(d) determining a characteristic of the polymeric material based on the energy shift; and
(e) adjusting operation of the polymerization process based on the characteristic of the polymeric material;
wherein steps (b), (c), and (d) are conducted using at least one analysis probe and Raman spectroscopy, and wherein the polymeric material is in a homogeneous state, and the at least one analysis probe has a focus point of about 500 \u03bcm to about 650 \u03bcm.
28. The process of claim 27, wherein step (e) comprises generating a signal representative of the characteristic of the polymeric material and transmitting the signal to a processor.
29. The process of claim 28 comprising generating at least one control command with the processor and transmitting the control command from the processor to the polymerization process.
30. The process of claim 29, wherein the mixing device is selected from the group consisting of extruders, devolatizers, gear pumps, and mixers.
31. The process of claim 30, wherein the characteristic of the polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of melt index, density, viscosity, molecular weight, molecular weight distribution, weight ratios of different polymers comprising the polymeric material, additive concentrations, crosslinking agent concentrations, scissoring agent concentrations, and combinations thereof.
32. The method of claim 31, wherein the at least one control command provided to the polymerization process relates to control of a parameter selected from the group consisting of monomer concentration, comonomer concentration, catalyst concentration, cocatalyst concentration, reactor temperature, the ratio of monomer feeds, the ratio of hydrogen to monomer, and combinations thereof.
33. The method of claim 31, wherein the at least one control command provided to the polymerization process relates to control of a parameter selected from the group consisting of monomer concentration, catalyst concentration, reactor temperature, and combinations thereof.
34. The process of claim 1, wherein said polymeric material is in a homogeneous state and said analysis probe has a focus point of about 400 \u03bcm to about 700 \u03bcm.
35. The process of claim 1, wherein said polymeric material is in a non-homogeneous state and said analysis probe has a focus point of about 50 \u03bcm to about 200 \u03bcm.
36. The process of claim 20, wherein said polymeric material is in a homogeneous state and said analysis probe has a focus point of about 400 \u03bcm to about 700 \u03bcm .
37. The process of claim 27, wherein said polymeric material is in a homogeneous state and said analysis probe has a focus point of about 400 \u03bcm to about 700 \u03bcm .
38. A process for controlling a polymerization process comprising:
(a) feeding a polymeric material to a mixing device;
(b) irradiating at least a portion of the polymeric material within the mixing device;
(c) measuring the energy shift experienced by the polymeric material due to the step of irradiating;
(d) determining a characteristic of the polymeric material based on the energy shift; and
(e) adjusting operation of the polymerization process based on the characteristic of the polymeric material;
wherein steps (b), (c), and (d) are conducted using at least one analysis probe and Raman spectroscopy, and wherein said polymeric material is in a non-homogeneous state and said analysis probe has a focus point of about 50 \u03bcm to about 200 \u03bcm.