The performance of symbol timing algorithm for multi-level modulation scheme

A simple algorithm for the detection of timing error of a synchronous, band-limited, multi-level data stream is proposed. The proposed algorithm can be applied to multi-level PAM, M-ary PSK, or M-ary QAM. The proposed algorithm for M-ary PSK requires only two samples per symbol for its operation, and it is based on the concept of a transition logic table and a transition level table. In order to prove the steady-state operation of the proposed algorithm, its performance is evaluated and compared to the BECM by a Monte Carlo simulation method under Gaussian noise and fading noise channel environments. The comparison results confirm that the performance of the proposed algorithm is superior to that of BECM in the jitter characteristics.