Position signal receiver

• US 8,412,094 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2010
• Issued: 04/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Mobile Communications GmbH (Intel Corporation)
• Inventors: Schmid, Andreas, Van Waasen, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): PHU, SANH D
• Application Number:
  US12/816,304
• Publication Number:
  US 20110306289A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,022 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.02, 455/404.2, 455/427, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 342/457, 701/213
• US Class Current: 455/3.02
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/245 Details of receivers cooperating therewith, e.g. determining positive zero crossing of third cycle in LORAN-C
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/36 relating to the receiver frond end
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/406 with more than one transmission mode, e.g. analog and digital modes

Abstract

Apparatuses are described and disclosed which operate in a first mode to receive non-position signals, for example FM radio signals, and in a second mode of operation to receive land-based position signals, for example LORAN signals.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a wireless signal receiver frontend,

a digital non-position signal processing portion,

a digital position signal processing portion, and

switching circuitry configured to couple an output of said frontend with an input of said digital non-position signal processing portion in a first mode of operation and to couple the output of the frontend with the digital position signal processing portion in a second mode of operation,

wherein the wireless signal receiver frontend includes at least amplifying circuitry used both in the first mode of operation and in the second mode of operation of the frontend.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said switching circuitry comprises a multiplexer.

3. The apparatus of claim 1,

wherein said frontend is operable in a first mode of operation to receive wireless non-position signals and in a second mode of operation to receive land-based position signals.

4. The apparatus of claim 3,

wherein said land-based position signals comprise LORAN signals.

5. The apparatus of claim 3,

wherein said frontend further comprises filtering circuitry, at least a part of said filtering circuitry is used both in the first mode of operation and in the second mode of operation of the frontend.

6. The apparatus of claim 1,

wherein said digital non-position signal processing portion comprises a digital communication or broadcast signal processing portion.

7. The apparatus of claim 6,

wherein said digital communication or broadcast signal processing portion is a digital FM radio signal processing portion.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a satellite position signal receiver frontend.

9. The apparatus of claim 8,

wherein said digital position signal processing portion in a first mode of operation is configured to process signals received by said satellite position signal receiver frontend and in a second mode of operation is configured to process land-based position signals received by said wireless signal receiver frontend.

10. The apparatus of claim 1,

wherein said digital position signal processing portion comprises a code generator to despread land-based position signals.

11. The apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the apparatus is implemented as a system on chip or as a system in package.

12. An apparatus, comprising:

an amplifier,

a mixer, a first input of said mixer being coupled with an output of said amplifier, and

a local oscillator,

wherein the apparatus is operable in a first mode to receive non-position signals and in a second mode to receive land-based position signals,

wherein in said first mode said local oscillator is coupled with a second input of said mixer, and

wherein in said second mode a constant signal is coupled with said second input of said mixer.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a further mixer, wherein a first input of said further mixer is coupled with said output of said amplifier, wherein in said first mode said local oscillator is coupled with a second input of said further mixer, and

wherein in said second mode of operation a signal having a value of 0 is supplied to said second input of said further mixer.

14. The apparatus of claim 12,

further comprising a filter coupled to an output of said mixer.

15. The apparatus of claim 14,

wherein said filter in said first mode is operable as a complex bandpass filter.

16. The apparatus of claim 14,

wherein said filter is operable as a low pass filter in said second mode.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising an analog-to-digital converter, wherein an input of said analog-to-digital converter is coupled with an output of said filter.

18. The apparatus of claim 17,

wherein said analog-to-digital converter comprises a sigma-delta analog-to-digital converter.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

a digital non-position signal processing portion, and

a digital position signal processing portion, and

switching circuitry, wherein said switching circuitry is configured to couple an output of said analog-to-digital converter with said digital non-position signal processing portion in said first mode and to couple said output of said analog-to-digital converter with said digital position signal processing portion in said second mode.

20. A method, comprising:

providing a wireless communication frontend including at least a mixer,

providing a wireless communication digital portion,

providing a position signal processing digital portion,

setting the wireless communication frontend to a wireless communication mode,

coupling the wireless communication frontend to the wireless communication portion,

setting the wireless communication frontend to a land-based position signal mode, and

coupling the wireless communication frontend to the digital position signal processing portion.

21. The method of claim 20,

wherein said setting the wireless communication frontend to the land-based position signal mode comprises supplying a constant signal to the mixer.

22. The method of claim 20,

wherein said setting the wireless communication frontend to land-based position signal mode comprises setting a filter to a low pass filter mode.

23. The method of claim 20,

wherein said setting the wireless communication frontend to wireless communication mode comprises supplying a local oscillator signal to the mixer and setting a filter to a band pass mode.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising receiving LORAN signals in said land-based position signal mode.

25. The method of claim 20,

wherein said wireless communication comprises one of receiving FM radio signals, Bluetooth communication, GSM communication, UMTS communication or wireless LAN communication.