Systems and method for a highly integrated, multi-mode tuner

• US 7,515,888 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2005
• Issued: 04/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quotainne Enterprises LLC
• Original Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Lindstrom, Mats, Shafie, Abdolreza
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Thanh C
• Application Number:
  US11/244,568
• Publication Number:
  US 20070082639A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,279 Days
• Field of Search: 455/222, 455/225, 455/234.1, 455/254, 455/266, 455/295, 455/296, 455/239.1, 455/249.1, 375/344, 375/345, 375/346, 375/350, 375/351
• US Class Current: 455/234.1
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/3068 Circuits generating control signals for both R.F. and I.F. stages
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/327 Received signal code power [RSCP]

Abstract

A method for adjusting the signal to noise ratio of a receiver comprises measuring the peak power for an RF signal and determining, based on the measured peak power, whether the RF signal power is within a desired operating range. The method further includes adjusting an RF attenuation for the receiver, when it is determined that the RF signal power is not within the desired operating rang. The method further comprises measuring a peak power foe an IF signal, determining based on the measured peak power, whether the IF signal power is within a desired operating range, and adjusting an IF attenuation for the receiver, when it is determined that the IF signal peak power is not within the desired operating range.

Claims

1. A method for adjusting the signal to noise ratio of a receiver, comprising:

measuring the peak power for an RF signal;

determining, based on the measured peak power, whether the RF signal power is within a desired operating range;

adjusting an RF attenuation for the receiver, when it is determined that the RF signal power is not within the desired operating range;

measuring a peak power for an IF signal;

determining based on the measured peak power, whether the IF signal power is within a desired operating range; and

adjusting an IF attenuation for the receiver, when it is determined that the IF signal peak power is not within the desired operating range.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the RF signal power is within a desired operating range comprises determining, based on the measured peak power, whether the RF signal power is above a threshold, and reducing the RF attenuation of the RF signal power is above the threshold.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the RF signal power is within a desired operating range comprises determining, based on the measured peak power, whether the RF signal power is below a threshold, and increasing the RF attenuation of the RF signal power is below the threshold.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the IF signal power is within a desired operating range comprises determining, based on the measured peak power, whether the IF signal power is above a threshold, and reducing the IF attenuation of the IF signal power is above the threshold.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the IF signal power is within a desired operating range comprises determining, based on the measured peak power, whether the IF signal power is below a threshold, and increasing the IF attenuation of the IF signal power is below the threshold.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting the signal gain at the output of the receiver to ensure that the output is at full scale, whenever the RF or IF attenuation is adjusted.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether the receiver is in a high power mode or a lower power mode, and adjusting thresholds used to determine whether the RF and IF signal powers are within a desired operating range, based on the determination of whether the receiver is in a high power or low power mode.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein determining whether the receiver is in high power mode or low power mode comprises measuring a peak signal power and comparing the measured peak signal power to a threshold.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein determining whether the receiver is in high power mode or low power mode further comprises determining the U/D ratio and determining the receiver is in low power mode if the determined U/D is less than or equal to 0 dB.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the RF signal power is within a desired operating range comprises determining whether an RF mixer is in saturation, and wherein adjusting an RF attenuation for the receiver, when it is determined that the RF signal peak power is not within the desired operating range comprises lowering the RF attenuation when it is determined that the RF mixer is not saturated or well bellow compression.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the IF signal power is within a desired operating range comprises determining whether an IF mixer is in saturation, and wherein adjusting an IF attenuation for the receiver, when it is determined that the IF signal peak power is not within the desired operating range comprises lowering the IF attenuation when it is determined that the IF mixer is not saturated or well bellow compression.

12. A receiver including a tuner and a processor coupled with the receiver, the tuner comprising:

a RF section, the RF section including a RF AGC and a RF peak detector; and

an IF section, the IF section comprising an IF AGC and an IF peak detector, the processor configured to;

determine, using the RF peak detector, whether an RF signal power for the RF section is within a desired operating range;

adjust the RF AGC in order to adjust the RF attenuation for the receiver, when it is determined that the RF signal power is not within the desired operating range;

determine, using IF peak detector, whether an IF signal power for the IF section is within a desired operating range; and

adjust the IF AGC in order to adjust the IF attenuation for the receiver, when it is determined that the IF signal peak power is not within the desired operating range.

13. The receiver of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to determine, based on the measured peak power, whether the RF signal power is above a threshold, and adjust the RF AGC in order to reduce the RF attenuation of the RF signal power is above the threshold.

14. The receiver of claim 12, wherein the processors configured to determine, based on the measured peak power, whether the RF signal power is below a threshold, and adjust the RF AGC in order to increase the RF attenuation of the RF signal power is below the threshold.

15. The receiver of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to determine, based on the measured peak power, whether the IF signal power is above a threshold, and adjust the IF AGC in order to reduce the IF attenuation of the IF signal power is above the threshold.

16. The receiver of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to determine, based on the measured peak power, whether the IF signal power is below a threshold, and adjust the IF AGC in order to increase the IF attenuation of the IF signal power is below the threshold.

17. The receiver of claim 12, further comprising a variable gain amplifier, and wherein the processor is further configured to adjust the gain of the variable gain amplifier in order to adjust the signal gain at the output of the receiver to ensure that the output is at full scale, whenever the RF and/or IF attenuation is adjusted.

18. The receiver of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether the tuner is in a high power mode or a lower power mode, and adjust thresholds used to determine whether the RF and IF signal powers are within a desired operating range, based on the determination of whether the tuner is in a high power or low power mode.

19. The receiver of claim 18, wherein determining whether the tuner is in high power mode or low power mode comprises measuring a peak signal power using the RF peak detector and/or the IF peak detector and comparing the measured peak signal power to a threshold.

20. The receiver of claim 19, wherein determining whether the receiver is in high power mode or low power mode further comprises determining the U/D ratio and determining the tuner is in low power mode if the determined U/D is less than or equal to 0 dB.