Abstract:
Methods and corresponding systems for receiving a radio frequency signal include a receiver capable of switching operating modes and operable to receive the radio frequency signal in any of the operating modes. A metric monitor is coupled to the receiver and operable to provide a metric. A controller is responsive to the metric and operable to switch the receiver between the operating modes. The operating modes can include a zero intermediate frequency (ZIF) mode and a very low intermediate frequency (VLIF) mode. The metric can include a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) and an adjacent channel indicator. The receiver can be configured to operate in the ZIF mode in response to the RSSI value satisfying a threshold and configured to operate in the VLIF mode in response to the RSSI value failing to satisfy the threshold.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Field 
         [0002]    This disclosure relates generally to a receiver in a communications system, and more specifically to a receiver adapted to switch between a plurality of modes in response to monitored metrics within the receiver. 
         [0003]    2. Related Art 
         [0004]    Receivers in communication systems used to receive radio frequency signals can use many ways to demodulate a selected signal to recover a baseband signal or data. For example, some receivers use a superheterodyne architecture or scheme to remove a carrier frequency from a received signal to produce a baseband signal. Such a superheterodyne architecture can use one or more frequency shifts (e.g. heterodyning processes) to produce one or more intermediate signals with successively lower intermediate frequencies until finally producing a baseband signal. In one architecture, a receiver can use a very low intermediate frequency (VLIF) where a received signal is shifted down to a very low intermediate frequency, which can be subsequently down converted to a baseband signal. In yet another type of receiver, the received frequency can be down converted to baseband in a single mixing operation. This type of receiver is known as a zero intermediate frequency (ZIF) receiver or a direct conversion receiver. 
         [0005]    By using a low IF architecture, the advantages of a superheterodyne structure can be combined with the advantages of direct conversion architecture. For example, IF selectivity can be realized using low frequency analog and digital filtering. In the VLIF architecture, the fact that the local oscillator signal is not the same frequency as the desired, or on-channel signal, minimizes DC offset and 1/f noise problems inherent in the direct conversion architecture. However, mixer imbalance issues can limit image rejection in a VLIF receiver, which can reduce the adjacent channel rejection performance of the VLIF receiver. To compensate for poor adjacent channel rejection performance, some VLIF receivers may use costly calibration circuits and procedures. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    The present invention is illustrated by way of example and is not limited by the accompanying figures, in which like references indicate similar elements. Elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a high-level schematic diagram of a receiver for receiving a selected signal in a communications system in accordance with one or more embodiments; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart of one or more processes that can be implemented in a receiver in accordance with one or more embodiments; and 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a more detailed schematic diagram of the metric monitor shown in receiver  100  of  FIG. 1  in accordance with one or more embodiments. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0010]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a high-level schematic diagram of a receiver  100  in accordance with one or more embodiments will be briefly discussed and described. As shown, receiver  100  can include front end  102  and back end  104 , wherein front end  102  can generally receive and process radio frequency analog signals, and output analog intermediate frequency signals. Back end  104  can generally digitally process signals produced in the analog front end, and output digital baseband signals. 
         [0011]    Front end  102  can receive radio frequency signals from antenna  106 , or another radio frequency signal source, such as a coaxial cable system, or the like. Antenna  106  can be coupled to switch  108 , which can be used to select a frequency band, when, for example, receiver  100  can receive radio frequency signals from multiple frequency bands. Switch  108  can also be used as a transmit-receive (T-R) switch for a time-division multiplexing (TDM) system, such as the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) system (which is documented in a specification published by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI)). Switch  108  can be implemented in one embodiment with a solid-state electronic switch. 
         [0012]    While one terminal of switch  108  can be coupled to antenna  106 , another terminal can be coupled to an input of bandpass filter  110 . Bandpass filter  110  can be used to filter, or attenuate, radio frequency signals that are outside of the desired band of signals (e.g., the desired group of channels or carrier frequencies) that can be processed by receiver  100 . An output of bandpass filter  110  can be coupled to an input of low noise amplifier (LNA)  112 , which can be used to boost the radio frequency signal for further processing. 
         [0013]    An output of LNA  112  can be input into a pair of mixers  114  and  116 , wherein the mixers are used to process and output the I and Q, in-phase and quadrature-phase signal components, respectively. Mixers  114  and  116  can be implemented with an active mixer topology (e.g., a Gilbert cell) or a passive mixer topology (e.g., a switching mixer). Mixers  114  and  116  together can be referred to as a first mixer, wherein such a first mixer is a complex mixer, wherein the I and Q inputs can together be referred to in the singular (e.g., a first mixer having a signal input). 
         [0014]    Local oscillator signals input into mixers  114  and  116  can be produced by oscillator  118 , in conjunction with phase locked loop (PLL)  120  and quadrature generator  122 . Phase locked loop  120  can be used to set the frequency for, and provide a phase reference for, oscillator  118 . Quadrature generator  122  can be used to produce in phase and quadrature phase local oscillator (LO) signals that can be used by mixers  114  and  116  to multiply the radio frequency signal from LNA  112 . The multiplication performed by mixers  114  and  116  shifts, or converts, or heterodynes, the frequency of the output of LNA  112  to a lower frequency, or intermediate frequency, which can be a “low,” or “very low,” intermediate frequency, e.g., 100 KHz-300 KHz, or a “zero” intermediate frequency, depending upon a selected frequency for PLL  120 , and/or the desired operating mode of receiver  100 . Note that the outputs of quadrature generator  122  (e.g., the in phase and quadrature phase local oscillator components) can be collectively referred to as a first local oscillator output, which can be coupled to the first local oscillator input of the first mixer. 
         [0015]    Outputs of mixers  114  and  116  can be input into analog filters  124  and  126 , respectively. Analog filters  124  and  126  can be implemented with a passive component filter (e.g., a filter that uses resistive (R) and capacitive (C) components to realize a first order filter), or with a biquad filter (e.g., a filter that uses active components to realize a higher order filter). The purpose of analog filters  124  and  126  is to attenuate interfering signals and noise, such as an adjacent channel or alternate channel signals outside the bandwidth of the filter and to prevent anti-aliasing in analog to digital converters  132 ,  134 . In one embodiment a bandwidth on the order of 1 MHz is used for the analog filter. 
         [0016]    Outputs of analog filters  124  and  126  can be input into amplifiers  128  and  130 , respectively. Amplifier  128  can boost the signal for analog to digital conversion and provide variable gain to increase the dynamic range of the receiver. 
         [0017]    In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , outputs of amplifiers  128  and  130  can be considered outputs of receiver front end  102  and inputs to receiver back end  104 . As shown in back end  104 , processing of the I and Q signal paths continues as the outputs of amplifiers  128  and  130  are input into inputs of analog-to-digital (A/D) converters  132  and  134 , respectively. In one embodiment, A/D converters  132  and  134  can be implemented with known Sigma-Delta type converters (i.e., Σ-Δ ADC). Output from each of the A/D converters  132  and  134  is a stream of digital data, or symbols, corresponding to the analog waveform output by amplifiers  128  and  130 . 
         [0018]    The digital output of A/D converters  132  and  134  can be input into digital filters  136  and  138 , respectively, in order to further process the I and Q quadrature signals. Digital filters  136  and  138  can be used to realize additional selectivity to reduce the effects of close-in, interfering adjacent channel signals. As is known, the primary selectivity for the receiver is provided by digital filters  136 ,  138 . In one embodiment, these filters have a bandwidth on the order of 200 KHz. 
         [0019]    Outputs of digital filters  136  and  138  can be selectively input into digital mixer  140 , which can be used in conjunction with digital local oscillator  142  to digitally shift the frequency of a very low intermediate frequency (VLIF) signal to produce a digital baseband signal, and to remove an image signal, using known digital mixer techniques. Note that digital mixer  140  can be referred to as a second mixer for performing a second mixer function using a signal from a second local oscillator. 
         [0020]    The difficulty in rejecting the image signal depends upon an amplitude and phase imbalance between the I and Q signals, where a lower imbalance produces a greater image rejection. For example, a second generation (i.e., 2G) GSM receiver with an IF frequency of 130 KHz requires an image rejection of 45 dB to meet the adjacent channel (or alternate channel) selectivity specification. This specification translates into very stringent amplitude and phase imbalance requirements for the I and Q signals, i.e., stringent imbalance requirements for the first mixer and digital mixers. Maintaining a low amplitude and phase imbalance is difficult in a VLIF receiver, especially over the specified temperature range. To maintain a low amplitude and phase imbalance, receivers can use calibration techniques and circuitry, which can require additional time, power, integrated circuit die area, software, and complexity. 
         [0021]    Outputs of digital mixer  140  can be coupled to inputs of digital filters  144  and  146 , respectively, to perform further filtering of the I and Q quadrature signals. 
         [0022]    Digital filter  144  can include output  148  for outputting digital data from the I signal path of receiver  100 . Similarly, digital filter  146  can include output  150  for outputting digital data from the Q signal path. 
         [0023]    In order to improve the performance of receiver  100 , controller  152  can selectively and automatically configure receiver  100  to operate in two or more modes to receive a selected RF channel. In one embodiment, these multiple modes can include modes using different intermediate frequencies to receive information on the same selected RF channel or the same selected signal, wherein one of the intermediate frequencies can include a zero intermediate frequency. For example, receiver  100  can be configured to operate in a very low intermediate frequency (VLIF) mode, and in a zero intermediate frequency (ZIF) mode. 
         [0024]    To change the configuration of receiver  100 , controller  152  can send signals to front end  102  and to back end  104  to change the operation of each in response to a performance metric in the receiver. For example, to operate in the ZIF mode, controller  152  can configure front end  102  so that a front end local oscillator (e.g., local oscillator  118  in cooperation with phase locked loop  120 ) is set to operate at the carrier frequency of a desired radio frequency signal received at antenna  106 , and set back end  104  to bypass, or bypass the function of, digital mixer  140 . With regard to operating in the VLIF mode, controller  152  can configure the front end local oscillator (e.g., LO  118  and PLL  120 ) to operate at a frequency that produces an analog signal having a very low intermediate frequency at the output of mixers  114  and  116 , and configure back end  104  to enable the operation of digital mixer  140  with an LO signal of an appropriate frequency from digital local oscillator  142 . 
         [0025]    In one embodiment of a ZIF mode operation, bypassing digital mixer  140  can be implemented by closing bypass switches  154  and  156  to provide a signal path around digital mixer  140  (i.e., to provide a switched second mixer bypass signal path). In another embodiment, bypassing digital mixer  140  can be implemented by bypassing the function of digital mixer  140  by setting digital local oscillator  142  to a zero frequency to multiply the signals input to digital mixer  140  by a constant (e.g., the LO outputs all zeros). Digital LO  142  can be set to a zero frequency output by sending a signal from controller  152  to zero frequency function  166 , which function can contain circuits, or software code, or both (depending upon whether digital LO  142  is implemented with logic circuits, or software, or both) to set LO  142  to a frequency of zero. When digital LO  142  is set to zero frequency, the I and Q signals can be passed through the digital mixer without modification. In yet another embodiment, bypassing the function of digital mixer  140  can be implemented with software code that bypasses, or jumps around, the code or instructions written to perform the function of digital mixer  140 . Bypassing, or not bypassing, digital mixer  140  can also be referred to as disabling or enabling digital mixer  140 , respectively. 
         [0026]    Memory  158  can be coupled to controller  152  for storing various data variables, data regarding historical receiver operation, data constants, data tables, code or microcode for implementing functions and/or algorithms, and the like. For example, memory  158  can be used to store threshold values for one or more metrics of receiver  100  that can be used in selecting a mode of operation of receiver  100 . Memory  158  can be used to store microcode for executing an algorithm, or method that can be used to select and configure a mode of operation of receiver  100 . 
         [0027]    Metric monitor  160  can be coupled to controller  152  for determining and providing data corresponding to one or more metrics that can be used by controller  152  to select a mode of operation of receiver  100 . Metric monitor  160  can input data from various parts of receiver  100 , as illustrated in  FIG. 1  by dashed lines showing signal inputs at  162  and  164 . As shown at inputs  162 , analog I and Q signals from the outputs of amplifiers  128  and  130  can be input into metric monitor  160 . At inputs  164 , digital I and Q signals can be input into metric monitor  160 . 
         [0028]    With reference to  FIG. 3 , there is depicted a more detailed diagram of metric monitor  160  in accordance with one or more embodiments. As shown, metric monitor  160  can receive one or more signals, or sets of signals (e.g., an I and Q signal set at inputs  302  and  304 , and possibly and additional I and Q signal set at inputs  312  and  314 ). Results of various measurements and calculations within metric monitor  160  can be reported to controller  152  through output  306 . 
         [0029]    In various embodiments, metric monitor  160  can monitor one metric, or more than one metric, wherein the metrics can be based upon analog inputs, digital inputs, or both. Thus, in the example embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , metric monitor  160  has inputs (e.g., inputs  302  and  304  in  FIG. 3 ) that receive analog signals from an analog portion of receiver  100  to monitor a first metric, and additional inputs (e.g., inputs  312  and  314 ) for receiving digital inputs from a digital portion of the receiver to monitor a second metric. Thus, receiver metrics can be measured and/or calculated values that correspond to a characteristic of receiver operation or performance. In another embodiment, a receiver metric can be based upon a history of a metric, or upon statistical or other processing of a history of a metric. 
         [0030]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , metric monitor  160  can include received signal strength indication (RSSI) detector  308  and adjacent channel detector  310 . RSSI detector  308 , in one embodiment, can use digital signals (e.g., inputs  164  in  FIG. 1 ) input at  302  and  304  to monitor an RSSI metric, which is a measurement of the power present in a received signal, i.e., the on channel or desired signal or selected signal. 
         [0031]    In an embodiment of adjacent channel detector  310 , analog signals (e.g., inputs  162  in  FIG. 1 ) input at  302  and  304  (or alternatively at  312  and  314 ) can be used to determine the presence of an adjacent channel transmission. Alternatively, the outputs from ADC  132 ,  134  can be used as the inputs  302 ,  304  to the adjacent channel detector. Determining the presence of an adjacent channel transmission can include determining the presence of a transmission (or energy) on an immediately adjacent channel (i.e., a contiguous channel), or determining the presence of a transmission on an alternate channel (a noncontiguous, nearby channel). In yet another embodiment, adjacent channel detector  310  can be used to detect a transmission or energy on any other channel (i.e., off-channel energy) in the band that can reduce the performance of receiver  100 . The channel selected for monitoring in adjacent channel detector  310  can vary depending upon the intermediate frequency selected in the VLIF mode. For example, when an intermediate frequency of 130 kHz is selected, an RF transmission on a channel 400 kHz away can impact receiver performance. In an embodiment that monitors an adjacent channel metric, receiver  100  performance can be increased by operating in a ZIF mode when an adjacent channel transmission is present. 
         [0032]    Adjacent channel detector  310  can use a wideband detector to detect adjacent channel transmissions during an idle time slot. In some embodiments, adjacent channel detector  310  can use discrete Fourier transform techniques to quantify transmitted or detected energy in various portions of the radio frequency band, wherein energy is quantified in “bins.” When this technique is used, adjacent channel detector  310  can check for interfering out-of-channel energy by examining bin data corresponding to frequencies that can interfere with the selected signal frequency in receiver  100 . 
         [0033]    In another embodiment that monitors an RSSI metric as an input to control the receiver mode, receiver performance can be increased by configuring receiver  100  to operate in the ZIF mode when the RSSI value is above a threshold, or otherwise satisfies a threshold. The threshold, in one embodiment, can be set at −90 dBm. In some receivers, the ZIF mode can have an advantage over the VLIF mode because it avoids the difficulties in meeting the stringent image rejection requirement in the GSM specification. In operation, an RSSI level can be calculated in metric monitor  160  and reported to controller  152  at the beginning of a received slot using a GSM Receiver sequence (GRS) command that provides information about setting the frequency of the LO. 
         [0034]    In an embodiment of receiver  100  that uses frequency hopping, data provided by metric monitor  160  can be stored as historical data in memory  158 , where such data can be used to calculate or produce a metric based upon statistical analysis or data history. Such metrics based upon historical data can be used to predict an adjacent channel transmission metric based on prior metrics indicating which channel had an adjacent channel present and knowledge of the hopping sequence. Thus, an adjacent channel metric can be predicted for the next time that channel is selected again. 
         [0035]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , there is depicted a high-level flowchart of one or more processes that can be implemented in receiver  100  in accordance with one or more embodiments. As shown, the process begins at  202 , and thereafter continues at  204  wherein the process determines values for monitored metrics. Such monitored metrics can be measured and/or calculated values that correspond to a characteristic of receiver operation or performance. In one embodiment, RSSI can be a monitored metric, wherein the RSSI can be produced in RSSI detector  308  (see  FIG. 3 ) in metric monitor  160  (see  FIG. 1 ). The RSSI metric can be represented as a power level measured in dBm, which is passed to controller  152 . In another embodiment, the presence of an adjacent channel transmission can be a monitored metric, wherein the presence or absence of the adjacent channel transmission can be represented as a Boolean value. The presence or absence of an adjacent channel can be determined by adjacent channel detector  310  in metric monitor  160  using a wideband detector during an idle time slot. In embodiments that monitor more than one metric, both RSSI and the presence of an adjacent channel transmission can be monitored metrics. In embodiments that use frequency hopping in receiver  100 , metrics can be based upon a history of previously measured metrics. 
         [0036]    Next, the process determines whether the RSSI is greater than, or otherwise satisfies, an RSSI threshold (e.g., −90 dBm), as illustrated at  206 . If RSSI is not greater than the RSSI threshold, the process configures the receiver to operate in the VLIF mode, as depicted at  210 , thereby avoiding problems associated with ZIF operating modes at low signal level. Receiver  100  can be configured to operate in the VLIF mode by setting the LO of front end  102  (e.g., the first LO, which includes oscillator  118  and PLL  120 ) to operate at a frequency that is slightly lower than the carrier frequency by a difference equal to the intermediate frequency. In one embodiment the intermediate frequency can be 130 kHz. Additionally, digital local oscillator  142  (e.g., the second LO) can be set to operate at the intermediate frequency (e.g., 130 kHz in this example) so that the function of digital mixer  140  is enabled, or not bypassed (i.e., bypass switches  154  and  156  are set open). 
         [0037]    In an embodiment that monitors only one metric (e.g., RSSI) and if the RSSI is greater than the RSSI threshold at  206 , the process can skip step  208  and configure the receiver to operate in the ZIF mode, as illustrated at  212 . Receiver  100  can be configured to operate in the ZIF mode by setting the LO of front end  102  (e.g., the first LO) equal to the carrier frequency, and by setting digital local oscillator  142  (e.g., the second LO) to a zero frequency (e.g., a constant zero output). Digital LO  142  can be set to a zero frequency output by sending a signal from controller  152  to zero frequency function  166 , which function can contain circuits or software code (depending upon whether digital LO  142  is implemented with logic circuits, or software, or both) to set LO  142  to a frequency of zero. By setting digital LO  142  to a zero frequency, the function of digital mixer  140  is disabled, or bypassed, because the I and Q signals are passed through digital mixer  140  without modification. Alternatively, digital mixer  140  can be bypassed by closing bypass switches  154  and  156  to provide an I and Q signal path around the function of digital mixer  140 . 
         [0038]    In another embodiment that monitors two metrics, following the comparison at  206  the process can determine whether an adjacent channel transmission is present (e.g., determine whether a blocker signal level exceeds a blocker threshold), as depicted with dashed lines at  208 . If the process determines that an adjacent channel transmission is not present, the process can configure the receiver to operate in the VLIF mode, as indicated by the “no” branch from  208  to  210 . The process of configuring receiver  100  to operate in the VLIF mode is described above with reference to step  210 . 
         [0039]    Alternatively, if the process determines that an adjacent channel transmission is present at  208 , the process can configure the receiver to operate in the ZIF mode, as shown by the “yes” branch from  208  to  212 . The process of configuring receiver  100  to operate in the ZIF mode is described above with reference to step  212 . 
         [0040]    In one embodiment, a mode of operation of receiver  100  can be determined according to the conditions and required performance values contained in Table 1. In table 1, column 1 indicates the frequency proximity of a blocker signal (e.g., a frequency proximity to the desired channel that can be examined by adjacent channel detector  310 ), column 2 indicates the blocker signal power level, column 3 indicates the desired signal level of the output of receiver  100  at the conditions set forth in columns 1 and 2. Column 4 can indicate the receiver mode that can be used to achieve the desired signal level performance shown in column 3. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                 TABLE 1 
               
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                   
                 Blocker 
                 Desired Signal 
                 Receiver 
               
               
                   
                 Blocker 
                 Level (dBm) 
                 Level (dBm) 
                 Mode 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Sensitivity 
                 — 
                 −102 
                 VLIF 
               
               
                   
                 +/−200 KHz 
                 −73 
                 −82 
                 ZIF 
               
               
                   
                 +/−400 KHz 
                 −41 
                 −82 
                 ZIF 
               
               
                   
                 +/−1.6 MHz 
                 −33 
                 −99 
                 VLIF 
               
               
                   
                 +/−3 MHz 
                 −23 
                 −99 
                 VLIF 
               
               
                   
                 +/−3 MHz 
                 −26 
                 −99 
                 VLIF 
               
               
                   
                 8psk 
               
               
                   
                 +/−20 MHz 
                 0 
                 −99 
                 VLIF 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0041]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , after the operating mode of receiver  100  is configured, the process can iteratively return to  204  wherein the values for monitored metrics can be once again determined. In one embodiment, the values for monitored metrics are determined at the beginning of a receive time slot in order to properly configure the receiver for receiving data in the next time slot. Thus, the process shown in  FIG. 2  can be iteratively repeated during operation of the receiver in order to automatically improve receiver operation by selecting one of a plurality of modes of operation to receive a selected RF signal. 
         [0042]    Although the invention is described herein with reference to specific embodiments, various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the claims below. For example, while the techniques and apparatus for automatically selecting a receiver operation mode may vary widely, one or more embodiments can be used in a wireless telecommunications system, or a cable system for distributing RF signals, or the like. Accordingly, the specification and figures are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention. Any benefits, advantages, or solutions to problems that are described herein with regard to specific embodiments are not intended to be construed as a critical, required, or an essential feature or element of any or all the claims. 
         [0043]    Unless stated otherwise, terms such as “first” and “second” are used to arbitrarily distinguish between the elements such terms describe. Thus, these terms are not necessarily intended to indicate temporal or other prioritization of such elements.