Multimedia client/server system, client module, multimedia server, radio receiver and methods for use therewith

• US 20070184875A1
• Filed: 02/09/2006
• Published: 08/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: VIXS Systems Incorporated (Pixelworks Incorporated)
• Inventors: Rybicki, Mathew
• Granted Patent: US 8,249,527 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/553.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/04 using frequency diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

A radio receiver includes a first receiver module for converting a first radio frequency (RF) signal at a first carrier frequency into a first baseband signal. A second receiver module converts a second RF signal at a second carrier frequency into a second baseband signal. A recombination module combines the first baseband signal and the second baseband signal into an output signal.

Claims

1. A client module comprising:

a first transceiver module for receiving a first radio frequency (RF) signal at a first carrier frequency from a multimedia server module and for converting the first RF signal into a first baseband signal;

a second transceiver module for receiving a second RF signal at a second carrier frequency from a multimedia server module and for converting the second RF signal into a second baseband signal;

a recombination module, operably coupled to the first transceiver module and the second transceiver module, for combining the first baseband signal and the second baseband signal into an output signal; and

a decoder module, operably coupled to the recombination module, for decoding the output signal into a decoded output signal.

2. The client module of claim 1 wherein the recombination module combines the first baseband signal and the second baseband signal using a maximum ratio recombination.

3. The client module of claim 1 wherein the first transceiver module is selectively tunable to a plurality of other carrier frequencies in response to a first channel selection signal.

4. The client module of claim 1 wherein the first RF signal and the second RF signal are carried over separate channels of a broadband wireless access network.

5. The client module of claim 4 wherein the broadband wireless access network conforms to at least one of the following standards:

802.11x, Ultra Wideband (UWB), and Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX).

6. The client module of claim 1 wherein the first carrier frequency and the second carrier frequency fall within separate frequency bands.

7. The client module of claim 1 wherein the decoded output signal includes a composite video signal.

8. The client module of claim 7 wherein the composite video signal includes at least one of:

a transrate compressed signal, and a transcode compressed signal.

9. The client module of claim 1 wherein the first transceiver module is operably coupled to a first antenna and the second transceiver module is coupled to a second antenna that is spatially diverse from the first antenna.

10. The client module of claim 1 wherein one of:

the first baseband signal and the second baseband signal, includes a low IF signal.

11. A multimedia server module comprising:

an encoder module for producing an encoded signal from a multimedia input signal;

a first transceiver module for modulating the encoded signal to produce a first radio frequency (RF) signal at a first carrier frequency and for transmitting the first RF signal; and

a second transceiver module for modulating the encoded signal to produce a second RF signal at a second carrier frequency and for transmitting the second RF signal.

12. The multimedia server module of claim 11 wherein the first transceiver module is selectively tunable to a plurality of other carrier frequencies in response to a first channel selection signal.

13. The multimedia server module of claim 11 wherein the first RF signal and the second RF signal are carried over separate channels of a broadband wireless access network.

14. The multimedia server module of claim 13 wherein the broadband wireless access network conforms to at least one of the following standards:

802.11x, Ultra Wideband (UWB), and Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX).

15. The multimedia server module of claim 11 wherein the first carrier frequency and the second carrier frequency fall within separate frequency bands.

16. The multimedia server module of claim 11 wherein the encoded video signal includes at least one of:

a transrate compressed signal, and a transcode compressed signal.

17. The multimedia server module of claim 11 wherein the first transceiver module is operably coupled to a first antenna and the second transceiver module is coupled to a second antenna that is spatially diverse from the first antenna.

18. A radio receiver comprising:

a first receiver module for converting a first radio frequency (RF) signal at a first carrier frequency into a first baseband signal;

a second receiver module for converting a second RF signal at a second carrier frequency into a second baseband signal; and

a recombination module, operably coupled to the first receiver module and the second receiver module, for combining the first baseband signal and the second baseband signal into an output signal.

19. The radio receiver of claim 18 wherein the recombination module combines the first baseband signal and the second baseband signal using a maximum ratio recombination.

20. The radio receiver of claim 18 wherein the first receiver module is selectively tunable to a plurality of other carrier frequencies in response to a first channel selection signal.

21. The radio receiver of claim 18 wherein the first RF signal and the second RF signal are carried over separate channels of a broadband wireless access network.

22. The radio receiver of claim 21 wherein the broadband wireless access network conforms to at least one of the following standards:

802.11x, Ultra Wideband (UWB), and Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX).

23. The radio receiver of claim 18 wherein the first carrier frequency and the second carrier frequency fall within separate frequency bands.

24. The radio receiver of claim 18 wherein the first baseband signal includes a composite video signal.

25. The radio receiver of claim 24 wherein the composite video signal includes at least one of:

a transrate compressed signal, and a transcode compressed signal.

26. The radio receiver of claim 18 wherein the first receiver module is operably coupled to a first antenna and the second receiver module is coupled to a second antenna that is spatially diverse from the first antenna.

27. The radio receiver of claim 18 wherein one of:

the first baseband signal and the second baseband signal, includes a low IF signal.

28. A multimedia client/server system comprising:

a multimedia server module that includes;

an encoder module for producing an encoded signal from a multimedia input signal;

a first transceiver module for modulating the encoded signal to produce a first radio frequency (RF) signal at a first carrier frequency and for transmitting the first RF signal;

a second transceiver module for modulating the encoded signal to produce a second RF signal at a second carrier frequency and for transmitting the second RF signal; and

a client module that includes;

a third transceiver module for receiving the first RF signal and for converting the first RF signal into a first baseband signal;

a fourth transceiver module for receiving the second RF and for converting the second RF signal into a second baseband signal;

a recombination module, operably coupled to the third transceiver module and the fourth transceiver module, for combining the first baseband signal and the second baseband signal into an output signal; and

a decoder module, operably coupled to the recombination module, for decoding the output signal into a decoded output signal.

29. The multimedia client/server system of claim 28 wherein the recombination module combines the first baseband signal and the second baseband signal using a maximum ratio recombination.

30. The multimedia client/server system of claim 28 wherein the first transceiver module is selectively tunable to one of a plurality of other carrier frequencies in response to a first channel selection signal.

31. The multimedia client/server system of claim 28 wherein the first RF signal and the second RF signal are carried over separate channels of a broadband wireless access network.

32. The multimedia client/server system of claim 31 wherein the broadband wireless access network conforms to at least one of the following standards:

802.11x, Ultra Wideband (UWB), and Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX).

33. The multimedia client/server system of claim 28 wherein the first carrier frequency and the second carrier frequency fall within separate frequency bands.

34. The multimedia client/server system of claim 28 wherein the output signal includes a composite video signal.

35. The multimedia client/server system of claim 28 wherein the encoded video signal includes at least one of:

a transrate compressed signal, and a transcode compressed signal.

36. The multimedia client/server system of claim 28 wherein the third transceiver module is operably coupled to a first antenna and the fourth transceiver module is coupled to a second antenna that is spatially diverse from the first antenna.

37. The multimedia client/server system of claim 28 wherein one of:

the first baseband signal and the second baseband signal, includes a low IF signal.

38. A method comprising:

producing an encoded signal from a multimedia input signal;

modulating the multimedia input signal to produce a first radio frequency (RF) signal at a first carrier frequency;

transmitting the first RF signal;

modulating the multimedia input signal to produce a second RF signal at a second carrier frequency; and

transmitting the second RF signal.

39. The method of claim 38 further comprising:

receiving the first RF signal;

converting the first RF signal into a first baseband signal;

receiving the second RF;

converting the second RF signal into a second baseband signal; and

combining the first baseband signal and the second baseband signal into an output signal.

40. The method of claim 39 further comprising:

decoding the output signal into a decoded output signal.

41. The method of claim 39 wherein the step of combining includes combining the first baseband signal and the second baseband signal using a maximum ratio recombination.

42. The method of claim 39 wherein one of:

the first baseband signal and the second baseband signal, includes a low IF signal.

43. The method of claim 38 wherein the first RF signal and the second RF signal are carried over separate channels of a broadband wireless access network.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein the broadband wireless access network conforms to at least one of the following standards:

802.11x, Ultra Wideband (UWB), and Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX).

45. The method of claim 38 wherein the first carrier frequency and the second carrier frequency fall within separate frequency bands.

46. The method of claim 38 wherein the multimedia input signal includes a composite video signal.

47. The method of claim 38 wherein the encoded video signal includes at least one of:

a transrate compressed signal, and a transcode compressed signal.