COMPOSITE TUNER CAPABLE OF PREVENTING MUTUAL INTERFERENCE BETWEEN TERRESTRIAL BROADCAST AND SATELLITE BROADCAST

• US 20090195693A1
• Filed: 02/03/2009
• Published: 08/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: YOKOYAMA, Atsumi
• Application Number:
  US12/364,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20090195693A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/554
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/3068 Circuits generating control signals for both R.F. and I.F. stages

Abstract

A satellite and terrestrial composite tuner includes a terrestrial broadcast tuner unit, a terrestrial broadcast demodulation unit, a satellite broadcast tuner unit, and a satellite broadcast demodulation unit. Since the satellite broadcast demodulation unit attains a power-saving mode to take an inactive state when a satellite broadcast is not received, power consumption is reduced. Further, when the satellite broadcast demodulation unit is in an inactive state, a total gain control unit suppresses increase in the total gain of the satellite broadcast tuner unit. As a result, radiation towards the terrestrial broadcast tuner unit caused by an I signal and Q signal amplified by AGC amplifiers can be suppressed.

Claims

1. A composite tuner employed in a broadcast receiver that can receive a terrestrial broadcast and a satellite broadcast, comprising:

a terrestrial broadcast tuner unit frequency-converting a terrestrial broadcast signal to a first signal having a frequency band lower than the frequency band of said terrestrial broadcast signal,

a terrestrial broadcast demodulation unit receiving and demodulating said first signal from said terrestrial broadcast tuner unit,

a satellite broadcast tuner unit frequency-converting a satellite broadcast signal to a second signal having a frequency band lower than the frequency band of said satellite broadcast signal,

a satellite broadcast demodulation unit attaining an active state when said broadcast receiver is receiving said satellite broadcast to receive and demodulate said second signal from said satellite broadcast tuner unit, and attaining an inactive state when said broadcast receiver is not receiving said satellite broadcast, and

a total gain control unit causing control such that a total gain of said satellite broadcast tuner unit is not increased as compared to the total gain in said active state when said satellite broadcast demodulation unit is in said inactive state.

2. The composite tuner according to claim 1, wherein

said satellite broadcast tuner unit adjusts an output level of said second signal according to an automatic gain control signal,

said satellite broadcast demodulation unit outputs said automatic gain control signal according to a reception level of said second signal when in said active state, and

said total gain control unit sets said automatic gain control signal at a predetermined level when said satellite broadcast demodulation unit is in said inactive state.

3. The composite tuner according to claim 2, wherein said total gain control unit includes a first terminal to supply a voltage of a predetermined level as said automatic gain control signal from a source external to said composite tuner when said satellite broadcast demodulation unit is in inactive state.

4. The composite tuner according to claim 2, wherein

said total gain control unit includes

a first power supply providing a voltage of a predetermined level, and

a first switch provided between an output node of said first power supply and a signal line through which said automatic gain control signal is transmitted,

said satellite broadcast tuner unit further includes a tuner control unit causing said first switch circuit to attain an OFF state and an ON state when said satellite broadcast demodulation unit is in said active state and said inactive state, respectively.

5. The composite tuner according to claim 1, wherein

said satellite broadcast tuner unit includes a high frequency amplifier amplifying said satellite broadcast signal,

said total gain control unit cuts off a power supply voltage of said high frequency amplifier when said satellite broadcast demodulation unit is in said in inactive state.

6. The composite tuner according to claim 5, wherein said total gain control unit includes a second terminal to supply the power supply voltage to said high frequency amplifier of said satellite broadcast tuner unit when said satellite broadcast demodulation unit is in said active state, and stops supply of the power supply voltage when said satellite broadcast demodulation unit is in said inactive state.

7. The composite tuner according to claim 5, wherein said total gain control unit includes

a second switch circuit cutting off the power supply voltage of said high frequency amplifier, and

a third terminal to supply a signal directed to setting said second switch circuit at an OFF state when said satellite broadcast demodulation unit is in said inactive state.

8. The composite tuner according to claim 5, wherein

said total gain control unit includes a second switch circuit cutting off the power supply voltage of said high frequency amplifier, and

said satellite broadcast tuner unit further includes a tuner control unit setting said second switch circuit at an OFF state when said satellite broadcast demodulation unit is in said inactive state.

9. A composite tuner employed in a broadcast receiver that can receive a terrestrial broadcast and a satellite broadcast, comprising:

a terrestrial broadcast tuner unit frequency-converting a terrestrial broadcast signal to a first signal having a frequency band lower than the frequency band of said terrestrial broadcast signal,

a terrestrial broadcast demodulation unit receiving and demodulating said first signal from said terrestrial broadcast tuner unit,

a satellite broadcast tuner unit frequency-converting a satellite broadcast signal to a second signal having a frequency band lower than the frequency band of said satellite broadcast signal, said satellite broadcast tuner unit including

a detection circuit detecting an output level of said second signal, and

an automatic gain control circuit adjusting an output level of said second signal according to a detected value of said detection circuit, and

a satellite broadcast demodulation unit attaining an active state when said broadcast receiver is receiving said satellite broadcast to demodulate said second signal, and attaining an inactive state when said broadcast receiver is not receiving said satellite broadcast.