Patent ID: 7003275

Claim:
A method of optimizing frequency conversion, comprising: receiving an input signal having a first frequency; controlling a level of said input signal; receiving a local oscillator signal having a second frequency; converting said first frequency into a third frequency by mixing said input signal with said local oscillator signal to generate an output signal having said third frequency said converting including a frequency down-conversion of a modulated input IF signal to an assigned one of a plurality of RF output channels having a frequency value selected from a set of desired frequency values by tuning said second frequency of said local oscillator signal to a corresponding frequency value; controlling a level of said output signal; combining variable attenuation, and variable or fixed amplification of each of said IF signal and RF channel; filtering one or more distortion components from at least one of said plurality of assigned RF output channels; determining a desired trade-off between a signal to noise ratio and a signal to distortion ratio of said output signal for each one of said set of desired frequency values; achieving said desired trade-off by maintaining a constant desired output RF signal level by adjusting said level of said modulated IF input level to an extent not exceeding specification requirements set for said signal-to-distortion ratio of said output RF signal; optimizing exchange rate coefficients on a channel-by-channel basis; and programming said coefficients in non-volatile memory utilizing a controller.