Comparison of modulation derived and conventional phase-locked loop synchronisers

The modulation derived synchroniser is a practical implementation of the optimum maximum likelihood estimator of a symbol timing epoch. Using current DSP techniques it is possible to realise this data-derived synchroniser which determines both timing information and which signal was received. This synchroniser can then be compared to a traditional closed-loop implementation of the maximum-likelihood estimator, i.e. the digital phase-locked loop.