Radio frequency data capture

• US 20040001688A1
• Filed: 06/27/2002
• Published: 01/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Shen, Richard Chi-Te
• Granted Patent: US 7,570,189 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/0012 arrangements for identifying the type of modulation

Abstract

A method and system to process a spectrum of radio frequency (RF) signals. An analog to digital (A/D) converter is adapted to sample and digitize a spectrum of radio frequency (RF) signals. The spectrum of RF signals include a plurality of modulation techniques. The A/D converter is further adapted to sample the spectrum at a rate that is at least twice the frequency of the highest frequency signal that is contained within the spectrum. The digitized data stored in a memory device. A processor is adapted to process the digitized data.

Claims

1. A system to process a spectrum of radio frequency (RF) signals, comprising:

an analog to digital (A/D) converter, wherein the A/D converter is adapted to sample and digitize a spectrum of RF signals such that digitized data is generated, wherein the signals comprise a plurality of modulation techniques, wherein A/D converter is further adapted to sample the spectrum of RF signals at a rate that is at least twice the frequency of the highest frequency signal contained within the spectrum;

at least one memory device adapted to store the digitized data; and

a processor adapted to process the digitized data.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a filter for filtering incoming RF signals to selectively transmit some frequencies of the incoming RF signals and selectively blocking other frequencies of the incoming RF signals, wherein the spectrum of RF signals sampled by the A/D converter comprises the selectively transmitted signals.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the filter is a wide bandpass filter.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a digital to analog converter for converting the digitized data into analog data.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory device comprises a plurality of memory devices.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein a memory device of the at least one memory device is selected from the group consisting of a hard drive and an optical disc.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein a signal of the spectrum has content selected from the group consisting of audio content, video content, and data content.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising a digital to analog converter for converting the digitized data into analog data.

2. The system of claim 2, wherein the A/D convertor is a wide band A/D converter.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the A/D convertor is a high speed A/D convertor.

10. A method to process a spectrum of radio frequency (RF) signals, comprising:

sampling and digitizing, by an analog to digital (A/D) converter, a spectrum of RF signals such that digitized data is generated, wherein the spectrum of RF signals comprise a plurality of modulation techniques, and wherein the A/D converter samples the spectrum of RF signals at a rate that is at least twice the highest frequency of the highest frequency signal contained within the spectrum;

storing the digitized data on a memory device; and

processing the digitized data using a processor.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising filtering incoming RF signals to selectively transmit some frequencies of the incoming RF signals and to selectively block other frequencies of the incoming RF signals, wherein the spectrum of RF signals sampled by the A/D converter comprises the selectively transmitted signals.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the filter is a wide bandpass filter.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of modulation techniques comprises amplitude modulation and frequency modulation.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of modulation techniques comprises amplitude modulation and phase modulation.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of modulation techniques comprises frequency modulation and phase modulation.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining a modulation method that is associated with each modulation technique.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising demodulating the digitized data.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising processing a user input request to select at least one portion of the demodulated data.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein said processing is performed prior to said storing.

20. The method of claim 10, wherein a signal of the spectrum has content selected from the group consisting of audio content, video content, and data content.