Patent ID: 8345798

Claim:
A channel stacking system, comprising: a first downconverting stage, comprising: i) a first downconverter circuit having an input for receiving a first RF input signal comprising a plurality of first channels, the first downconverter frequency downconverts the first RF input signal to a first IF signal comprising said plurality of first channels using a single analog RF to IF frequency translation; and ii) a first analog-to-digital converter that converts the first IF signal to a first digital IF signal; a second downconverting stage, comprising: i) a second downconverter circuit having an input for receiving a second RF input signal comprising a plurality of second channels, the second downconverter circuit frequency downconverts the second RF input signal to a second IF signal comprising said plurality of second channels using a single analog RF to IF frequency translation; and ii) a second analog-to-digital converter that converts the second IF signal to a second digital IF signal; and a digital switching and signal processor that receives each of the first and second digital IF signals, the digital switching and signal processor digitally assembles at least one of the first channels and at least one of the second channels into a digital composite signal: a third downconverter having an input for receiving a third input signal comprising a plurality of third channels, the third downconverter frequency downconverts the third input signal to a third downconverted signal comprising said plurality of third channels: a third analog-to-digital converter that convert the third downconverted signal to a third digital downconverted signal: and a second digital switching and signal processor that receives the third digital downconverted signal and the first composite signal, the second digital switching and signal processor assembles at least one of the third channels and at least one of the first or second channels into a second composite signal.