SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RADIO SIGNAL RECONSTRUCTION USING SIGNAL PROCESSOR

• US 20110103531A1
• Filed: 12/09/2010
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Hotto
• Original Assignee: Robert Hotto
• Inventors: HOTTO, ROBERT
• Granted Patent: US 8,170,519 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/346
• CPC Class Codes: H03D 7/16 Multiple-frequency-changing
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/10 Means associated with receiver for limiting or suppressing noise or interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/123 using adaptive balancing or compensation means adaptive filter circuits and algorithms H03H
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/18 Input circuits, e.g. for coupling to an antenna or a transmission line coupling networks between antennas or lines and receivers independent of the nature of the receiver H03H

Abstract

A waveform reconstruction circuit receives an rf signal from an antenna, digitizes it, and then generates an undistorted reconstructed waveform. The reconstructed waveform can then be conventionally mixed and demodulated to extract useful signal information with enhanced receiver fidelity and sensitivity.

Claims

1-27. -27. (canceled)

28. An apparatus comprising:

a converter receiving as input an rf signal that has not been downconverted in the analog domain to IF, the converter outputting a digitized signal representing the rf signal; and

a module electrically connected to the converter, the module being configured to decode and extract baseband information from the digitized signal.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the module replaces at least one distorted portion of the signal with a replacement portion.

30. An apparatus, comprising:

a reconstruction circuit receiving an analog rf signal and generating a reconstructed waveform having substantially no distortions therein, wherein the reconstruction circuit includes;

a converter receiving the analog rf signal that has not been downconverted in the analog domain and outputting a digitized rf signal in response; and

a module electrically connected to the converter for outputting the reconstructed waveform in accordance with a predetermined reconstruction paradigm.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the paradigm includes replacing at least one distorted portion of the signal with a replacement portion that is based on at least some undistorted portions of the signal.

32. A device, comprising:

a circuit receiving an analog waveform carried in an optical transmission line, wherein the circuit includes;

an element for receiving the signal prior to any extraction of baseband information therefrom and outputting a non-continuous signal in response; and

at least one module electrically connected to the element for receiving the non-continuous signal and in response outputting a baseband waveform.

33. The receiver of claim 32, wherein a reconstruction paradigm is applied to the non-continuous signal, the reconstruction paradigm including replacing at least one distorted portion of the signal with a replacement portion that is based on at least some undistorted portions of the signal.

34. A method, comprising:

converting a continuous RF signal that has not been downcoverted in the analog domain into a non-continuous signal, the continuous RF signal being a carrier for baseband information;

processing the non-continuous signal prior to completing a downconversion operation;

generating, subsequent to the processing, a digitized signal; and

extracting the baseband information from the digitized signal.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the processing includes filtering the non-continuous signal.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the processing includes signal reconstruction using the non-continuous signal.

37. A device, comprising:

a circuit configured to receive an analog waveform carried in an optical transmission line, wherein the circuit includes;

at least one subcircuit configured to receive the signal prior to any extraction of baseband-information therefrom and to output a non-continuous signal in response; and

at least one processing assembly electrically connected to the subcircuit to receive the non-continuous signal and in response to output a baseband waveform.

38. The receiver of claim 37, wherein a reconstruction paradigm is applied to the non-continuous signal, the reconstruction paradigm including replacing at least one distorted portion of the signal with a replacement portion that is based on at least some undistorted portions of the signal.

39. A method, comprising:

converting a continuous RF signal that has not been downcoverted in the analog domain into a non-continuous signal;

processing the non-continuous signal prior to completing a downconversion operation;

generating, subsequent to the processing, a digitized signal; and

extracting baseband information from the digitized signal.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the processing includes filtering the non-continuous signal.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein the processing includes signal reconstruction using the non-continuous signal.

42. A method, comprising:

converting a continuous RF signal that has not been downcoverted in the analog domain into a non-continuous signal, the RF signal being received from a signal path that includes at least one optical transmission line;

processing the non-continuous signal prior to completing a downconversion operation;

generating, subsequent to the processing, a digitized signal; and

extracting baseband information from the digitized signal.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the processing includes filtering the non-continuous signal.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein the processing includes signal reconstruction using the non-continuous signal.

45. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a circuit receiving an analog waveform carried in an optical transmission line and conveying baseband information useful for display to a person, wherein the circuit includes;

at least one subcircuit receiving the signal prior to any extraction of baseband information therefrom and outputting a non-continuous signal in response; and

at least one processing assembly electrically connected to the subcircuit and receiving the non-continuous signal and in response outputting a baseband waveform.

46. The receiver of claim 45, wherein a reconstruction paradigm is applied to the non-continuous signal, the reconstruction paradigm including replacing at least one distorted portion of the signal with a replacement portion that is based on at least some undistorted portions of the signal.

47. An apparatus comprising:

a converter receiving as input an rf signal that has not been downconverted in the analog domain, the converter outputting a digitized signal representing the rf signal; and

a module electrically connected to the converter, the module being configured to decode and extract baseband information from the digitized signal.

48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the module replaces at least one distorted portion of the signal with a replacement portion.

49. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the apparatus amplifies the rf signal.

50. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the apparatus filters the rf signal.

51. An electronic assembly comprising:

a receiving circuit receiving as input an rf signal that has not been downconverted in the analog domain, the receiving circuit outputting a digitized signal representing the rf signal; and

a module electrically connected to the receiving circuit, the module being configured to decode and extract baseband information from the digitized signal.

52. The assembly of claim 51, wherein the module replaces at least one distorted portion of the signal with a replacement portion.

53. The assembly of claim 51, wherein the assembly amplifies the rf signal.

54. The assembly of claim 51, wherein the assembly filters the rf signal.

55. An electronic assembly comprising:

a receiving circuit receiving as input an rf signal that has not been downconverted to an intermediate frequency (IF) from which baseband information is decoded, the receiving circuit outputting a digitized signal representing the rf signal; and

a module electrically connected to the receiving circuit, the module being configured to decode and extract baseband information from the digitized signal.

56. The assembly of claim 55, wherein the module replaces at least one distorted portion of the signal with a replacement portion.

57. The assembly of claim 55, wherein the assembly amplifies the rf signal.

58. The assembly of claim 55, wherein the assembly filters the rf signal.

59. An electronic assembly comprising:

a receiving circuit configured to receive as input an rf signal that has not been downconverted to a frequency from which baseband information is decoded, the receiving circuit configured to output a digitized signal representing the rf signal; and

a module electrically connected to the receiving circuit, the module being configured to decode and extract baseband information from the digitized signal.

60. The assembly of claim 59, wherein the module is configured to replace at least one distorted portion of the signal with a replacement portion.

61. The assembly of claim 59, wherein the assembly is configured to amplify the rf signal.

62. The assembly of claim 59, wherein the assembly is configured to filter the rf signal.

63. An electronic assembly comprising:

a receiving circuit configured to receive as input an rf signal that has not been downconverted in the analog domain, the receiving circuit configured to output a digitized signal representing the rf signal; and

a module electrically connected to the receiving circuit, the module being configured to decode and extract baseband information from the digitized signal.

64. The assembly of claim 63, wherein the module is configured to replace at least one distorted portion of the signal with a replacement portion.

65. The assembly of claim 63, wherein the assembly is configured to amplify the rf signal.

66. The assembly of claim 63, wherein the assembly is configured to filter the rf signal.

67. An electronic assembly comprising:

a receiving circuit configured for receiving as input an rf signal that has not been downconverted to an intermediate frequency (IF) from which baseband information is decoded, the receiving circuit configured for outputting a digitized signal representing the rf signal; and

a module electrically connected to the receiving circuit, the module being configured to decode and extract baseband information from the digitized signal.

68. The assembly of claim 67, wherein the module replaces at least one distorted portion of the signal with a replacement portion.

69. The assembly of claim 67, wherein the assembly amplifies the rf signal.

70. The assembly of claim 67, wherein the assembly filters the rf signal.

71. A receiver, comprising:

an incoming signal port;

a converter downstream of the incoming signal port and receiving an analog signal therefrom, the converter outputting a non-analog signal representative of the analog signal; and

a digital processor electrically connected to the converter, the digital processor being configured to extract base band information from the non-analog signal.

72. The receiver of claim 71, wherein the digital processor is configured to reconstruct at least some distorted portions of the signal being processed, wherein at least one distorted portion is reconstructed by replacing the distorted portion with an undistorted portion.

73. The receiver of claim 71, wherein the converter digitizes the analog signal prior to any demodulation thereof.

74. The receiver of claim 71, further comprising a mixer generating an intermediate frequency (IF) signal based on the non-analog signal, and a demodulator decoding useful information from the IF signal, wherein at least the mixer and demodulator are embodied in the digital processor.

75. The receiver of claim 71, wherein the incoming signal port is coupled to an antenna.

76. A receiver, comprising:

an input;

a converter downstream of the input and receiving an analog signal therefrom, the converter outputting a non-analog signal representative of the analog signal; and

a digital processor electrically connected to the converter, the digital processor being configured to extract base band information from the non-analog signal.

77. The receiver of claim 76, wherein the digital processor is configured to reconstruct at least some distorted portions of the signal being processed, wherein at least one distorted portion is reconstructed by replacing the distorted portion with an undistorted portion.

78. The receiver of claim 76, wherein the converter digitizes the analog signal prior to any demodulation thereof.

79. The receiver of claim 76, further comprising a mixer generating an intermediate frequency (IF) signal based on the non-analog signal, and a demodulator decoding useful information from the FT signal, wherein at least the mixer and demodulator are embodied in the digital processor.

80. The receiver of claim 76, wherein the input is coupled to an antenna.

81. A receiver of wireless voice data, comprising:

a signal input;

an analog to digital converter (ADC) downstream receiving an rf signal from the signal input and configured to output a digitized signal representative of the rf signal; and

a module electrically connected to the ADC, the module being configured to extract baseband information from the digitized information, the baseband information representing the wireless voice data.

82. The receiver of claim 81, wherein the signal input is connected to an antenna receiving the rf signal.

83. The receiver of claim 81, wherein the module includes a digital signal processor (DSP).

84. The receiver of claim 81, wherein the module is configured to reconstruct at least some distorted portions of the signal being processed, wherein the at least some distorted portions are identified by slope discontinuities.

85. The receiver of claim 81, wherein at least one distorted portion is reconstructed by replacing the distorted portion with an undistorted portion, the undistorted portion being an inverse in the signal of the distorted portion.

86. An rf receiver, comprising:

a signal input configured to receive an rf signal;

a converting component receiving the rf signal from the signal input and configured to output a non-continuous representation thereof; and

a processing component receiving the non-continuous representation from the converting component and extracting baseband information therefrom.

87. The receiver of claim 86, wherein the converting component is established by an analog-to-digital converter (ADC).

88. The receiver of claim 86, wherein the processing component is established by a digital signal processor (DSP).

89. The receiver of claim 86, wherein the signal input receives rf from an antenna connected thereto.

90. The receiver of claim 86, wherein the processing component uses a fast Fourier transform (FFT) to reconstruct a distorted portion of the rf.

91. The receiver of claim 86, wherein the processing component uses wavelet analysis to reconstruct a distorted portion of the rf.

92. A software radio, comprising:

a signal input;

an analog to digital converter (ADC) electrically connected to the signal input and outputting a digitized signal representative of an analog signal received at the signal input prior to rendering an IF signal or a demodulated signal;

a digital processor electrically connected to the ADC, the digital processor being configured to decode and extract information from the digitized signal;

a mixer generating an intermediate frequency (IF) signal based on the waveform; and

a demodulator decoding useful information from the IF signal, wherein at least the mixer and demodulator are embodied in the digital processor.

93. A receiver, comprising:

a filtering circuit receiving and filtering an electromagnetic signal;

an analog to digital converter (ADC) electrically connected to the filtering circuit and outputting a digitized signal representative of the electromagnetic signal; and

a digital processor electrically connected to the ADC, the digital processor extracting useful information from the digitized signal representative of the electromagnetic signal.

94. The receiver of claim 93, wherein the digital processor reconstructs the digitized signal.

95. The receiver of claim 93, wherein the ADC digitizes the signal prior to any analog demodulation thereof.

96. The receiver of claim 93, wherein the filtering circuit is controlled and tuned by the processor.

97. The receiver of claim 93, further comprising an amplifier connected to the filter.

98. The receiver of claim 97, wherein the filtering circuit is controlled and tuned by the processor.

99. The receiver of claim 93, wherein the processor reconstructs the digitized signal such that spurious signal elements and noise are removed therefrom.

100. The receiver of claim 93, wherein the processor reconstructs the digitized signal such that a desired signal is enhanced and amplified.

101. An rf receiver, comprising:

a signal input;

a filtering circuit electrically connected to the signal input;

an analog to digital converter (ADC) electrically connected to the filtering circuit for receiving an analog signal therefrom and outputting a digitized rf signal in response;

a digital signal processor (DSP) electrically connected to the ADC, the DSP digitally generating a baseband signal representing baseband information carried by the analog signal.

102. The receiver of claim 101, wherein the DSP generates a reconstructed waveform using the analog signal.

103. The receiver of claim 101, wherein the DSP outputs the reconstructed waveform in accordance with a predetermined reconstruction paradigm.

104. The receiver of claim 101, wherein the DSP includes reconstruction means for effecting method steps to implement a predetermined reconstruction paradigm, the method steps including:

(a) receiving both a positive half and a negative half of the digitized rf signal;

(b) analyzing the positive and negative halves to identify distorted portions and undistorted portions thereof; and

(c) removing at least some of the distorted portions and replacing each with a respective replacement portion to thereby produce the reconstructed waveform, each replacement portion being based on at least some of the undistorted portions.

105. The receiver of claim 101, wherein the filtering circuit includes a preamplifier filter circuit (PFC) electrically connected to an antenna and ADC for amplifying and filtering a signal from the antenna prior to sending the signal to the ADC, wherein the PFC includes:

a frequency bandpass filter for attenuating signals having a frequency not equal to a pass frequency, the pass frequency being dynamically established; and

an amplifier for increasing, by a gain factor, the amplitude of signals having the pass frequency.

106. The receiver of claim 105, further comprising a tuning control element for establishing a pass frequency, wherein

the DSP outputs a gain adjust signal when the rf signal input to the DSP is characterized by an amplitude outside of a predetermined amplitude range the gain factor based on the gain adjust signal;

and wherein

the pass frequency is established based on at least one of;

the pass frequency, and the gain adjust signal.

107. The receiver of claim 106, in combination with an rf transmitter.

108. A method for processing a modulated signal, comprising:

receiving the modulated signal; and

converting the signal to a digital signal prior to extracting an IF signal therefrom, for subsequent processing of the digital signal.

109. The method of claim 108, comprising reconstructing distortions from the modulated signal.