Radio device having dynamic intermediate frequency scaling

• US 9,231,630 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2009
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: San Diego, CA
• Inventors: Conroy, Cormac S., Pals, Timothy P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tan, Richard
• Application Number:
  US12/435,980
• Publication Number:
  US 20100285769A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,436 Days
• Field of Search: 455/230, 455296-312, 455/313, 455/323, 455/333, 455/127.5, 455/136, 455/189.1, 455/190.1, 455/231, 455/522, 455/574, 701/468
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/1027 assessing signal quality or detecting noise/interference for the received signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/28 the receiver comprising at least one semiconductor device having three or more electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/406 with more than one transmission mode, e.g. analog and digital modes

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses are provided for dynamic frequency scaling of an intermediate frequency (IF) signal within a radio device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal; and

based, at least in part, on a wireless environment parameter, selectively frequency down-converting said received RF signal to a first intermediate frequency (IF) signal having a first center frequency, and selectively frequency down-converting said received RF signal to a second IF signal having a second center frequency and wherein said second center frequency is greater than said first center frequency;

wherein said wireless environment parameter includes a time measurement since a wireless signaling was last detected; and

wherein selectively frequency down-converting said received RF signal further comprises;

frequency down-converting said received RF signal to said second IF signal when said wireless environment parameter is equal to or greater than a threshold parameter, wherein said threshold parameter includes a maximum wireless signaling time period;

frequency down-converting said received RF signal to said corresponding first IF signal when said wireless environment parameter is less than said threshold parameter;

switching from the first IF signal to the second IF signal upon detecting occurrence of the wireless signaling; and

switching from the second IF signal to the first IF signal upon detecting non-occurrence of the wireless signaling.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said threshold parameter is programmably and/or dynamically established.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of said first center frequency and/or said second center frequency is programmably and/or dynamically established.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

accessing a first local oscillator (LO) signal operatively enabled for use in frequency down-converting said received RF signal to said corresponding first IF signal; and

accessing a second LO signal operatively enabled for use in frequency down-converting said received RF signal to said corresponding second IF signal.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, further comprising:

selectively establishing either said first LO signal or said second LO signal with a programmable signal generating circuit.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

selectively programming at least one of a baseband filter circuit, an analog to digital converter circuit, and/or phase-locked loop circuit based, at least in part on said wireless environment parameter;

or

providing said received RF signal to a frequency down-converting circuit comprising at least one of a low phase noise down converter and/or a low power down converter.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising selectively programming a device operating mode that is associated with at least one of a device power consumption mode, a device communication mode, and/or a device navigation mode;

or

wherein said received RF signal comprises a satellite positioning system (SPS) signal.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

selectively frequency down-converting said received RF signal to either said corresponding first IF signal or at least said corresponding second IF signal based, at least in part, on a device power consumption mode.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein selectively frequency down-converting said received RF signal further comprises:

frequency down-converting said received RF signal to said corresponding first IF signal to effect a reduction in receiver power consumption; and

frequency down-converting said received RF signal to said corresponding second IF signal to effect an improved receiver performance in the possible presence of jamming RF signals.

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said threshold parameter is associated with the maximum wireless signaling time period.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein with said first center frequency a receiver circuit operates as a zero IF (ZIF) architecture and with said second center frequency said receiver circuit operates as a low IF (LIF) architecture.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising detecting an interfering RF signal that is a voice communication signal that jams said received RF signal that is a satellite positioning system (SPS) signal;

wherein the interfering RF signal and the received RF signal are both processed by a single device; and

further comprising detecting an absence of the interfering RF signal and selectively frequency down-converting to the first IF signal in response to detecting the absence of the interfering RF signal.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising detecting an interfering RF signal;

and

further comprising selectively frequency down-converting to the second IF signal in response to the detecting the interfering RF signal.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the interfering RF signal is detected at the first center frequency.

15. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

down-converting the RF signal to the first IF signal having a first center frequency prior to detecting a presence of an interfering RF signal at the first center frequency;

detecting the presence of the interfering RF signal at the first center frequency after receiving the RF signal at the first center frequency; and

selectively down-converting said received RF signal to the second IF signal having a second center frequency based on the detected interfering RF signal at the first center frequency.

16. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

filtering a down-converted RF signal using a lowpass filter with a wide bandwidth such that the lowpass filter creates a notch at the first center frequency such that the notch rejects a portion of an interfering RF signal at the first center frequency.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the notch is created by AC coupling a down-converter output;

and

wherein the notch is wide enough to reject a large portion of the interfering RF signal.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein a center frequency of the notch is at the first center frequency.

19. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the wireless environment parameter is calculated by the performance of the transmitter circuit.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, further comprising providing different threshold parameters for different signal power levels.

21. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver circuit operatively enabled to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal and, based, at least in part, on a wireless environment parameter, selectively frequency down-convert said received RF signal to a first intermediate frequency (IF) signal having a first center frequency, and selectively frequency down-converting said received RF signal to a second IF signal having a second center frequency and wherein said second center frequency is greater than said first center frequency;

wherein said wireless environment parameter includes a time measurement since a wireless signaling was last detected; and

wherein said receiver circuit is operatively enabled to frequency down-convert said received RF signal to said second IF signal when said wireless environment parameter is equal to or greater than a threshold parameter, wherein said threshold parameter includes a maximum wireless signaling time period;

wherein said receiver circuit is operatively enabled to frequency down-convert said received RF signal to said corresponding first IF signal if said wireless environment parameter is less than said threshold parameter;

wherein said receiver circuit is operatively enabled to switch from the first IF signal to the second IF signal upon detecting occurrence of the wireless signaling; and

wherein said receiver circuit is operatively enabled to switch from the second IF signal to the first IF signal upon detecting non-occurrence of the wireless signaling.

22. The apparatus as recited in claim 21, wherein said threshold parameter is programmably and/or dynamically established.

23. The apparatus as recited in claim 21, wherein at least one of said first center frequency and/or said second center frequency is programmably and/or dynamically established.

24. The apparatus as recited in claim 21, further comprising:

at least one signal generating circuit operatively enabled to generate at least one of a first local oscillator (LO) signal operatively enabled for use in frequency down-converting said received RF signal to said corresponding first IF signal, and/or a second LO signal operatively enabled for use in frequency down-converting said received RF signal to said corresponding second IF signal.

25. The apparatus as recited in claim 24, wherein said at least one signal generating circuit comprises a programmable signal generating circuit operatively enabled to selectively generate either said first LO signal or said second LO signal.

26. The apparatus as recited in claim 21, wherein said receiver comprises at least one of a baseband filter circuit, an analog to digital converter circuit, and/or a phase-locked loop circuit that is selectively programmable based, at least in part on said wireless environment parameter.

27. The apparatus as recited in claim 21, wherein said receiver comprises a frequency down-converting circuit operatively enabled to receive said received RF signal and comprising at least one of a low phase noise downconverter and/or a low power down converter.

28. The apparatus as recited in claim 21, the receiver comprises a frequency down-converting circuit operatively enabled to provide a device operating mode that is associated with at least one of a device power consumption mode, a device communication mode, and/or a device navigation mode.

29. The apparatus as recited in claim 21, wherein said received RF signal comprises a satellite positioning system (SPS) signal.

30. The apparatus as recited in claim 21, wherein said receiver circuit is operatively enabled selectively frequency down-convert said received RF signal to either said corresponding first IF signal or at least said corresponding second IF signal based, at least in part, on a device power consumption mode.

31. The apparatus as recited in claim 21, wherein said receiver circuit is operatively enabled to:

frequency down-convert said received RF signal to said corresponding first IF signal to effect a reduction in receiver power consumption; and

frequency down-convert said received RF signal to said corresponding second IF signal to effect an improved receiver performance in the possible presence of jamming RF signals.

32. The apparatus as recited in claim 21, wherein with said first center frequency said receiver circuit operates as a zero IF (ZIF) architecture and with said second center frequency said receiver circuit operates as a low IF (LIF) architecture.

33. The apparatus as recited in claim 21, wherein the receiver circuit is operatively enabled to detect an interfering RF signal;

and

wherein the receiver circuit is operatively enabled to selectively frequency down- converting to the second IF signal upon detecting the interfering RF signal.

34. The apparatus as recited in claim 33, wherein the interfering RF signal is detected at the first center frequency.

35. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal; and

means for selectively frequency down-converting said received RF signal a first intermediate frequency (IF) signal having a first center frequency;

means for selectively frequency down-converting said received RF signal to a second IF signal having a second center frequency, based, at least in part, on a wireless environment parameter, and wherein said second center frequency is greater than said first center frequency,

wherein said wireless environment parameter includes a time measurement since a wireless signaling was last detected; and

wherein said means for selectively frequency down-converting said received RF signal is operatively enabled to;

frequency down-convert said received RF signal to said second IF signal when said wireless environment parameter is equal to or greater than a threshold parameter, wherein said threshold parameter includes a maximum wireless signaling time period;

frequency down-convert said received RF signal to said corresponding first IF signal if said wireless environment parameter is less than said threshold parameter;

switch from the first IF signal to the second IF signal upon detecting occurrence of the wireless signaling; and

switch from the second IF signal to the first IF signal upon detecting non-occurrence of the wireless signaling.

36. The apparatus as recited in claim 35, further comprising:

means for programmably and/or dynamically establishing said threshold parameter.

37. The apparatus as recited in claim 35, further comprising:

means for programmably and/or dynamically establishing at least one of said first center frequency and/or said second center frequency.

38. The apparatus as recited in claim 35, further comprising:

means for establishing a first local oscillator (LO) signal for use by said means for selectively frequency down-converting said received RF signal to frequency down-convert said received RF signal to said corresponding first IF signal; and

means for establishing a second LO signal for use by said means for selectively frequency down-converting said received RF signal to frequency down-convert said received RF signal to said corresponding second IF signal.

39. The apparatus as recited in claim 38, further comprising:

means for selectively establishing either said first LO signal or said second LO signal with a programmable signal generating circuit.

40. The apparatus as recited in claim 35, further comprising:

means for selectively programming at least one of a baseband filter circuit, an analog to digital converter circuit, and/or phase-locked loop circuit based, at least in part on said wireless environment parameter.

41. The apparatus as recited in claim 35, further comprising:

means for providing said received RF signal to a frequency down-converting circuit comprising at least one of a low phase noise downconverter and/or a low power down converter.

42. The apparatus as recited in claim 35, further comprising mean for operating in a device operating mode that is associated with at least one of a device power consumption mode, a device communication mode, and/or a device navigation mode.

43. The apparatus as recited in claim 35, wherein said received RF signal comprises a satellite positioning system (SPS) signal.

44. The apparatus as recited in claim 35, further comprising:

means for selectively frequency down-converting said received RF signal to either said corresponding first IF signal or at least said corresponding second IF signal based, at least in part, on a device power consumption mode.

45. The apparatus as recited in claim 35, wherein said means for selectively frequency down-converting said received RF signal frequency down-converts said received RF signal to said corresponding first IF signal to effect a reduction in receiver power consumption, and frequency down-converts said received RF signal to said corresponding second IF signal to effect an improved apparatus performance in the possible presence of jamming RF signals.

46. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein with said first center frequency said means for selectively frequency down-converting said received RF signal operates as a zero IF (ZIF) receiver architecture and with said second center frequency said means for selectively frequency down-converting said received RF signal operates as a low IF (LIF) receiver architecture.

47. The apparatus as recited in claim 35, further comprising a means for detecting an interfering RF signal;

and

wherein the means for selectively down-converting to the second IF signal configured to selectively down-converting to the second IF signal upon detecting the interfering RF signal.

48. The apparatus as recited in claim 47, wherein the interfering RF signal is detected at the first center frequency.

49. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon computer implementable instructions which if implemented by one or more processing units operatively enables the one or more processing units to:

access a wireless environment parameter; and

based, at least in part, on said wireless environment parameter, selectively enable a receiver circuit operatively enabled to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal to frequency down- convert said received RF signal to a first intermediate frequency (IF) signal having a first center frequency, and selectively frequency down-converting to a second IF signal having a second center frequency, wherein said second center frequency is greater than said first center frequency,

wherein said wireless environment parameter includes a time measurement since a wireless signaling was last detected; and

wherein selectively enable the receiver circuit operatively to frequency down-convert said RF signal further comprises;

frequency down-convert said received RF signal to said second IF signal when said wireless environment parameter is equal to or greater than a threshold parameter, wherein said threshold parameter includes a maximum wireless signaling time period;

frequency down-convert said received RF signal to said corresponding first IF signal when said wireless environment parameter is less than said threshold parameter;

switch from the first IF signal to the second IF signal upon detecting occurrence of the wireless signaling; and

switch from the second IF signal to the first IF signal upon detecting non-occurrence of the wireless signaling.

50. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 49, wherein said computer implementable instructions, if implemented by the one or more processing units, operatively enable the one or more processing units to:

access the threshold parameter.

51. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 50, wherein said computer implementable instructions, if implemented by the one or more processing units, operatively enable the one or more processing units to:

programmably and/or dynamically establish said threshold parameter.

52. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 50, wherein said threshold parameter is associated with the maximum wireless signaling time period.

53. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 49, wherein said computer implementable instructions, if implemented by the one or more processing units, operatively enable the one or more processing units to:

programmably and/or dynamically establish at least one of said first center frequency and/or said second center frequency.

54. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 49, wherein said computer implementable instructions, if implemented by the one or more processing units, operatively enable the one or more processing units to:

enable access to a first local oscillator (LO) signal operatively enabled for use in frequency down-converting said received RF signal to said corresponding first IF signal; and

enable access to a second LO signal operatively enabled for use in frequency down-converting said received RF signal to said corresponding second IF signal.

55. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 54, wherein said computer implementable instructions, if implemented by the one or more processing units, operatively enable the one or more processing units to:

selectively initiate establishment of either said first LO signal or said second LO signal with a programmable signal generating circuit.

56. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 49, wherein said computer implementable instructions, if implemented by the one or more processing units, operatively enable the one or more processing units to:

selectively program at least one of a baseband filter circuit, an analog to digital converter circuit, and/or phase-locked loop circuit based, at least in part on said wireless environment parameter.

57. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 49, wherein said received RF signal comprises a satellite positioning system (SPS) signal.

58. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 49, wherein said computer implementable instructions, if implemented by the one or more processing units, operatively enable the one or more processing units to:

selectively initiate frequency down-conversion of said received RF signal to either said corresponding first IF signal or at least said corresponding second IF signal based, at least in part, on a device power consumption mode.

59. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 49, wherein said computer implementable instructions, if implemented by the one or more processing units, operatively enable the one or more processing units to:

initiate frequency down-conversion of said received RF signal to said corresponding first IF signal to effect a reduction in receiver power consumption; and

initiate frequency down-conversion of said received RF signal to said corresponding second IF signal to effect an improved receiver performance in the possible presence of jamming RF signals.

60. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 49, wherein with said first center frequency said receiver circuit operates as a zero IF (ZIF) architecture and with said second center frequency said receiver circuit operates as a low IF (LIF) architecture.

61. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 49, further comprising detecting an interfering RF signal;

and

further comprising selectively frequency down-converting to the second IF signal in response to the detecting of the interfering RF signal.

62. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 61, wherein the interfering RF signal is detected at the first center frequency.

63. A method comprising:

receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal; and

based, at least in part, on a wireless environment parameter, selectively frequency down-converting said received RF signal to a first intermediate frequency (IF) signal having a first center frequency, and selectively frequency down-converting said received RF signal to a second IF signal having a second center frequency and wherein said second center frequency is greater than said first center frequency,

wherein said wireless environment parameter includes a time measurement since a wireless signaling was last detected;

wherein selectively frequency down-converting said received RF signal further comprises;

frequency down-converting said received RF signal to said corresponding first IF signal if said wireless environment parameter is less than a threshold parameter;

frequency down-converting said received RF signal to said corresponding second IF signal if said wireless environment parameter is equal to or greater than said threshold parameter,

wherein said threshold parameter includes a maximum wireless signaling time period;

switching from the first IF signal to the second IF signal upon detecting occurrence of the wireless signaling; and

switching from the second IF signal to the first IF signal upon detecting non-occurrence of the wireless signaling.

64. A method comprising:

receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal; and

based, at least in part, on a wireless environment parameter, selectively frequency down- converting said received RF signal to a first intermediate frequency (IF) signal having a first center frequency, and selectively frequency down-converting said received RF signal to a second IF signal having a second center frequency and said second center frequency is greater than said first center frequency,

wherein said wireless environment parameter includes a time measurement since a wireless signal was last detected;

wherein selectively frequency down-converting said received RF signal further comprises;

frequency down-converting said received RF signal to said second IF signal when said wireless environment parameter is equal to or greater than a threshold parameter, wherein said threshold parameter includes a maximum wireless signaling time period;

frequency down-converting said received RF signal to said first IF signal when said wireless environment parameter is less than the threshold parameter;

switching from the first IF signal to the second IF signal upon detecting occurrence of the wireless signaling; and

switching from the second IF signal to the first IF signal upon detecting non-occurrence of the wireless signaling.

65. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver circuit operatively enabled to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal and, based, at least in part, on a wireless environment parameter, selectively frequency down-convert said received RF signal to a first intermediate frequency (IF) signal having a first center frequency, and selectively frequency down-converting said received RF signal to a second IF signal having a second center frequency and wherein said second center frequency is greater than said first center frequency;

wherein said wireless environment parameter includes a time measurement since a wireless signaling was last detected;

wherein said receiver circuit is operatively enabled to frequency down-convert said received RF signal to said corresponding first IF signal if said wireless environment parameter is less than a threshold parameter, frequency down-convert said received RF signal to said corresponding second IF signal if said wireless environment parameter is equal to or greater than said threshold parameter, switch from the first IF signal to the second IF signal upon detecting occurrence of the wireless signaling, and switch from the second IF signal to the first IF signal upon detecting non-occurrence of the wireless signaling, and

wherein said threshold parameter includes a maximum wireless signaling time period.

66. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver circuit operatively enabled to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal and, based, at least in part, on a wireless environment parameter, selectively frequency down-convert said received RF signal to a first intermediate frequency (IF) signal having a first center frequency, and selectively frequency down-converting said received RF signal to a second IF signal having a second center frequency and wherein said second center frequency is greater than said first center frequency;

wherein said wireless environment parameter includes a time measurement since a wireless signaling was last detected; and

wherein selectively frequency down-convert said received RF signal further comprises;

frequency down-convert said received RF signal to said corresponding second IF signal when said wireless environment parameter is equal to or greater than a threshold parameter, wherein said threshold parameter includes a maximum wireless signaling time period; and

frequency down-convert said received RF signal to said corresponding first IF signal when said wireless environment parameter is less than said threshold parameter,

wherein the receiver circuit is further operatively enabled to switch from the first IF signal to the second IF signal upon detecting occurrence of the wireless signaling, and

wherein the receiver circuit is further operatively enabled to switch from the second IF signal to the first IF signal upon detecting non-occurrence of the wireless signaling.