With Plurality Of Tuned Circuits Patents (Class 455/191.1)
  • Patent number: 9042850
    Abstract: A mobile radio receiver for a vehicle includes a tuner front-end section, a location data port for receiving tuner location data, a sensor port for receiving sensor signal measurement data from at least one vehicle sensor, a tuner front-end section parameter server port for sending the tuner location data, the sensor signal measurement data for receiving a set of tuner front-end section parameter data, and a data processing unit. The data processing unit is operably connected to the tuner front-end section, the location data port, the sensor port, and the tuner front-end section parameter server port. The mobile radio receiver provides an operational mode, a checking mode, a tuner parameter retrieval mode, and a tuner parameter application mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Wei Ming Dan Chia, Brian Sunil Nicholas Fernandes, Yinn Sinn Tang, Min Tak Lee, Ye Yuan, Syaiful Bakhri
  • Patent number: 9036093
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a one-segment tuner I/F that is connected to a one-segment tuner, a tuner I/F that is connected to a digital terrestrial tuner, a decoder that selectively decodes a first broadcast signal supplied from the one-segment tuner I/F and a second broadcast signal supplied from the tuner I/F, a general purpose processor that is provided separately from the decoder and decodes the first broadcast signal, and a switch unit that, based on signal intensity of the second broadcast wave, switches the decoding by the decoder between the first broadcast signal and the second broadcast signal while the general purpose processor is decoding the first broadcast signal. The one-segment tuner I/F, the tuner I/F, the decoder, the general purpose processor, and the switch unit are integrated on one chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Hotta, Seiichi Saito, Kazushige Yamagishi
  • Patent number: 9002306
    Abstract: A method includes receiving a desired channel indication in a radio tuner, determining a band of operation in which the channel is located, and if the channel is within a first band coupling multiple inductors into a resonant tank, and if the desired channel is within a second band coupling a single inductor into the resonant tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Jing Li, Dan B. Kasha, Aslamali Rafi
  • Patent number: 8948715
    Abstract: A mobile radio receiver for a vehicle. The mobile radio receiver includes a tuner front-end section, a location data port, a sensor port, and a data processing unit. The location data port is used for receiving tuner location data. The sensor port is used for receiving one or more sensor signals. The data processing unit is operably connected with the tuner front-end section, with the location data port, and with the sensor port. The data processing unit further comprises predetermined tuner location data and predetermined relationship data sets for determining a set of tuner front-end section parameters based on the sensor signals. The mobile radio receiver provides an operational mode, a checking mode, a tuner parameter adjustment mode, and a tuner parameter application mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Syaiful Bakhri, Wei Ming Dan Chia, Brian Sunil Nicholas Fernandes, Mintak Lee, Yinn Sinn Tang, Ye Yuan
  • Patent number: 8886144
    Abstract: A receiver compensation method comprising receiving a radio frequency signal, amplifying the radio frequency signal, thereby producing an amplified signal, compensating the amplified signal, thereby producing a compensated signal, and mixing the compensated signal, thereby producing a mixed compensated signal, wherein the mixed compensated signal has a first gain difference between a positive differential from a center frequency and a negative differential from the center frequency and wherein the first gain differential is smaller than a second gain differential that would be obtained by mixing the amplified signal without compensating the amplified signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ping Yin, Seong-Mo Yim, Feng Wang, Robert Grant Irvine, Chengfang Liao, Yusong Chi
  • Patent number: 8818307
    Abstract: Disclosed is a tuner input circuit. The tuner input circuit includes an integrated including a low noise amplifier and a band pass filter embedded in one chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: LG Innotek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Do Yul Kim
  • Patent number: 8818309
    Abstract: A method includes receiving a desired channel indication in a radio tuner, determining a band of operation in which the channel is located, and if the channel is within a first band coupling multiple inductors into a resonant tank, and if the desired channel is within a second band coupling a single inductor into the resonant tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Jing Li, Dan B. Kasha, Aslamali A. Rafi
  • Patent number: 8781421
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for time-domain diversity combining of radio frequency (RF) broadcast signals. Two channelized quadrature (I/Q) signals are generated by different tuner circuitry coupled to two different antennas, are converted to frequency-domain signals, and are used to generate frequency-domain diversity weighting signals. The frequency-domain diversity weighting signals are then converted to time-domain weights and applied to the channelized I/Q signals. The weighted and channelized I/Q signals are then combined in the time-domain to provide a time-domain diversity combined signal. The resulting combined signal can be further processed, as desired, such as by using a demodulator to generate demodulated output signals. Disclosed methods and systems can be applied to a variety of receiver systems configured to receive RF broadcast signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Javier Elenes, Emmanuel Gautier, David Le Goff, Dana Taipale
  • Patent number: 8767131
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a one-segment tuner I/F that is connected to a one-segment tuner, a tuner I/F that is connected to a digital terrestrial tuner, a decoder that selectively decodes a first broadcast signal supplied from the one-segment tuner I/F and a second broadcast signal supplied from the tuner I/F, a general purpose processor that is provided separately from the decoder and decodes the first broadcast signal, and a switch unit that, based on signal intensity of the second broadcast wave, switches the decoding by the decoder between the first broadcast signal and the second broadcast signal while the general purpose processor is decoding the first broadcast signal. The one-segment tuner I/F, the tuner I/F, the decoder, the general purpose processor, and the switch unit are integrated on one chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Renesas Mobile Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Hotta, Seiichi Saito, Kazushige Yamagishi
  • Patent number: 8675078
    Abstract: A test system (200) for testing for missing or shorted parts within a tuner circuit includes a signal generator (202) for applying a harmonic-containing baseband time varying RF test signal to the tuner circuit. The tuner circuit is tuned to a harmonic of test signal. A detector 208 coupled to the baseband IF output of the tuner circuit detects the voltage generated in response to the applied RF test signal. A voltage measurement device (210) measures voltage detected by detector to provide an indication of the gain. Significant changes in the gain indicate missing part(s) or short circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Lincheng Xiu, Joseph Risley Perrin, Xiaohong Ji
  • Publication number: 20140057581
    Abstract: In order to provide a mixer capable of extracting a high multiplication signal and which has a reception band-pass filter function, a magnetoresistance effect element is provided that includes a pinned magnetization layer, a free magnetization layer, and a non-magnetic spacer layer disposed between the pinned magnetization layer and the free magnetization layer. This allows for a frequency converter which implements a desired band-pass filter by controlling a magnetic field applied by a magnetic-field applying unit to be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuji Kakinuma, Masato Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8447241
    Abstract: A wireless communication apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a wireless transceiver which conducts communication with another wireless communication apparatus using a channel belonging to a first band of a plurality of frequency bands, and a switching unit which switches the channel being used by the wireless transceiver to a different channel of a second band of the plurality of frequency bands other than the first band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yutaka Suwa, Hiroyuki Ishihara, Toshihiko Sakata, Koji Hayashida, Akira Shibuta, Norihiro Toyomura, Kyoichi Obana
  • Patent number: 8406714
    Abstract: A system and method of visually providing the current status of selected frequencies of particular interest to the user of an entertainment system and in particular, of a vehicle entertainment system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Theodore Charles Wingrove, Anthony Ciatti
  • Patent number: 8385867
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a set of tracking filters to be coupled between an amplifier and a mixer is provided. The tracking filters may be differently configured depending on band of operation. For example, a first set of the filters can be configured to maintain a substantially constant Q value across their operating bandwidth while a second set of the filters can be configured to maintain a substantially constant bandwidth across their operating bandwidth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Aslamali A. Rafi, Chunyu Xin, Ruifeng Sun, Abhishek Kammula, Ramin Khoini-Poorfard, Alessandro Piovaccari, Peter J. Vancorenland
  • Patent number: 8274178
    Abstract: A resonant array for the transmission of multiple frequency wireless energy in multiple configurations at a useful distance for grid-coordinate power and information delivery on small aperture and mobile scales where alternatives such as battery, solar, infrared, microwave, or other power-independent means are inappropriate or inaccessible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Inventor: Christopher Allen Tucker
  • Patent number: 8238855
    Abstract: The present invention encompasses a mobile station comprising a transmitter for transmitting outgoing signals from the mobile station and a receiver for receiving incoming signals, the receiver coupled to the transmitter and having N subreceivers, where N is an integer greater than one and each of the N subreceivers may independently be tuned to a desired frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Tao Chen, Seyfollah Bazarjani, Edward G. Tiedemann, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8238859
    Abstract: There is provided a method of configuring a radio receiver, the radio receiver comprising signal receiving means, and at least one adjustable component coupled to the signal receiving means; the method comprising setting the at least one component to a first value selected from a plurality of values; measuring the quality of a signal received via the signal receiving means and the at least one adjustable component; repeating the steps of setting and measuring for at least a second value selected from the plurality of values; and determining the value of the at least one adjustable component that provides the highest measured signal quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Egelbertus C. J. Egelmeers, Ralph H. A. D. De Graaff, Dirk N. Van Kalsbeek
  • Patent number: 8213890
    Abstract: A system and method for sharing a switched capacitor array (SCA) by two tuning circuits are disclosed. In a multiple-band radio receiver, there is a need to use multiple tuning circuits for signals in different bands. The tuning circuit typically comprised an adjustable capacitance device and other tuning components, where the adjustable capacitance device is often implemented in SCA. The present invention discloses a system and method comprising n sections of capacitor elements where each capacitor element comprises a capacitor and switches to selectively connect the capacitor to one of the tuning circuit. Consequently, the SCA can be shared by the two tuning circuits. The control bits for the switched may be provided from a programmable control register.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Quintic Holdings
    Inventors: Hao Meng, Peiqi Xuan
  • Patent number: 8160526
    Abstract: A filter arrangement for a receiver for multiple broadcast signals includes a first filter for receiving a broadcast signal from a tuner, a second filter coupled to an output of said first filter, said second filter having a variable bandwidth response, said second filter providing an output for a demodulator; and a filter control responsive to said broadcast signal for controlling said variable bandwidth response of said second filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventor: Clint Alan Ecoff
  • Patent number: 8155609
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a combination RF tuner capable of receiving signals from the FM radio band and from the TV band. Prior art combination tuners had to compromise in quality resulting in combination tuners that neither exhibited high-end FM nor TV-signal reception behavior. A combination RF tuner capable of optimal receiving an FM-radio signal type and a TV signal type, comprising a switch-able tuned input filter (440), is proposed. One response of the input filter (440) provides a sufficient big bandwidth for enabling reception of the TV-signal type. The input filter (440) of the invention can be switched, providing a second response that has a smaller bandwidth for enabling reception of the FM-radio signal type. The second response can be realized by substantially bypassing an 10 inductive element (450) (e.g., comprising a inductor, L21, in series with a damping resistor, R3) of the input filter (440).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Yeow T. Toh, Kam C. Kwong
  • Patent number: 8131237
    Abstract: Disclosed is a radio wave receiving apparatus including: an antenna to receive a radio wave; a tuning member to allow a reception frequency of the antenna to be tuned to an intended frequency, in which tuning member a frequency characteristic is variable; a receiving member to receive a reception signal from the antenna to demodulate a modulation wave; a positive feedback member to perform a positive feedback in a signal path including the tuning member; and a switching member to turn on/off a feedback operation of the positive feedback member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kaoru Someya
  • Patent number: 8121568
    Abstract: A radio frequency signal handling device and a mobile communication device comprising such a radio frequency signal handling device. The radio frequency signal handling device comprises a first terminal interfacing external entities in the form of an input where radio frequency signals are to be received, at least one signal scaling unit having a first end where a signal provided by a terminal interfacing external entities is received, and one signal detector provided for each signal scaling unit and being connected to a second end of the corresponding signal scaling unit for detecting a signal provided by this signal scaling unit. The signal scaling unit only includes passive reactive components and comprises at least one such passive reactive component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
    Inventor: Per Bergman
  • Patent number: 8107916
    Abstract: Systems and methods for demodulating a plurality of contiguous channels contained within a bandlimited portion of a radio-frequency (RF) input signal are provided. In an embodiment, the bandlimited portion of the RF input signal is down-converted to baseband. After down-conversion, the bandlimited portion overlaps at baseband with a mirror image of the bandlimited portion. The plurality of contiguous channels within the down-converted signal similarly overlap at baseband and subsequently occupy a bandwidth substantially equal to half that required before down-converting. Image rejection is performed in the digital domain to recover each of the plurality of overlapping channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Francesco Gatta, Ramon Gomez, Leonard Dauphinee, Young Joon Shin, Hanli Zou, Massimo Brandolini, Giuseppe Cusmai
  • Patent number: 8073419
    Abstract: A front-end circuit with coherent tunable filters is provided. The circuit includes a first filter, an amplifier, and a second filter. The amplifier is coupled to the first filter, and the second filter is coupled to the amplifier. Furthermore, the amplifier is placed between the first and second filters. The first filter has a first tunable intermediate frequency, and is used to filter a received signal. The amplifier is used to amplify the output of the first filter. The second filter has a second tunable intermediate frequency, and is used to filter the output of the amplifier. The first and second intermediate frequencies have a coherent-tuning relation with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignees: Industrial Technology Research Institute, National Chiao Tung University
    Inventors: Chien-Nan Kuo, Horng-Yuan Shih, Yi-Hsin Pang
  • Patent number: 8068798
    Abstract: A wireless terminal includes an RF transceiver, an auto tuner, and an antenna. When a remote signal is received at the wireless terminal, the auto tuner is adjusted in accordance with the received signal to optimize OTA performance of the wireless terminal. As further remote signals are received by the wireless terminal, the tuner is readjusted. As a user inputs information to be transmitted, the tuner is also readjusted in accordance with the transmission signals to optimize OTA performance of the wireless terminal, and a best compromise between the TX OTA performance and the RX OTA performance is calculated. Current/temperature information may also be obtained for readjusting the tuner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB
    Inventors: Bruce E. Wilcox, Mete Ozkar, Kerrance L. Carpenter
  • Patent number: 8031103
    Abstract: A digitizer includes an analog to digital converter (ADC), a sampling frequency generator, and a controller. The ADC samples an IF signal to generate a digital signal. The sampling frequency generator is connected to the ADC and provides a sampling clock of variable frequency to the ADC. The controller is connected to the sampling frequency generator and determines frequency of the sampling clock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: MediaTek Inc.
    Inventors: Yi-Fu Chen, Ming-Luen Liou, Cheng-I Wei, Chun Hua Ho
  • Patent number: 8019300
    Abstract: Provided are a multi-channel tuning receiver, including: a broadband radio frequency (RF) tuner to receive a broadband signal, divide the broadband signal into a plurality of signals, tune the divided signals, combine the tuned signals into a single signal, and output the combined single signal; an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter to convert the combined single signal to digital signal; a channelizer to extract only a bonded channel from the digital signal; and a plurality of demodulators to demodulate the bonded channel, and a multi-channel tuning method thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Yang Su Kim, Han Seung Koo, Doh-Wook Kim, Yun Jeong Song, Soo In Lee
  • Patent number: 7937055
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for timeshifting audio content in a multiple tuner audio system comprising a first tuner and a second tuner. One operating method involves maintaining a first data storage element for the first tuner, maintaining a second data storage element for the second tuner, receiving first audio content in realtime by the first tuner, and storing data representing the first audio content in the first data storage element, resulting in first stored content. The method also receives second audio content in realtime by the second tuner, and stores data representing the second audio content in the second data storage element, resulting in second stored content. The method thereafter generates a timeshifted audio signal corresponding to the first stored content or the second stored content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Jamison C. Schroeder, David E. Bojanwski, Walter J. Holloway
  • Patent number: 7929932
    Abstract: A wireless device includes a two-stage filter that separates UHF and VHF transmission bands in such a way as to maximize cross channel isolation, so preventing cross channel signal contamination and additionally protecting all signals from host coexistence blocking transmissions and harmonics of the wanted signals without the requirement for additional or selectable filter arrangements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Clive A. Powell, Nicholas P. Cowley, William L. Barber
  • Patent number: 7856222
    Abstract: Integrated balun and coupler is described. In one example, a radio frequency (RF) device includes a balun and coupler. The balun includes a first winding and a second winding arranged on a magnetic core. Respective inputs of the first winding and the second winding are configured to receive a balanced RF input and respective outputs of the first winding and the second winding are configured to provide a first unbalanced RF output. The coupler includes a third winding arranged on the magnetic core. The third winding is configured to provide a second unbalanced RF output, where the second unbalanced RF output is a fraction of the first unbalanced RF output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: General Instrument Corporation
    Inventors: Amarildo C. Vieira, Rudolph J. Menna
  • Patent number: 7848710
    Abstract: A radio circuit includes a mixing module, a first adjustable resonant circuit and a second adjustable resonant circuit. The mixing module is coupled to mix a first signal having a first carrier frequency with a second signal having a second carrier frequency to produce a mixed signal having a frequency sum component and a frequency difference component. The first adjustable resonant circuit is tuned to resonant at a frequency corresponding to one of the frequency sum component and the frequency difference component. The second adjustable resonant circuit is tuned to resonant at a frequency corresponding to another one of the frequency sum component and the frequency difference component, wherein the first and second adjustable resonant circuits alter the mixed signal to produce a converted signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Ahmadreza (Reza) Rofougaran
  • Patent number: 7808419
    Abstract: A digitizer includes an analog to digital converter (ADC), a sampling frequency generator, and a controller. The ADC samples an IF signal to generate a digital signal. The sampling frequency generator is connected to the ADC and provides a sampling clock of variable frequency to the ADC. The controller is connected to the sampling frequency generator and determines frequency of the sampling clock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Mediatek Inc.
    Inventors: Yi-Fu Chen, Ming-Luen Liou, Cheng-I Wei, Chun Hua Ho
  • Patent number: 7756500
    Abstract: An integrated front-end filter for a tuner provides an array of from several to a multitude of passbands, each for passing at least one but less than all channels designated in a band of frequencies. Each passband is exclusively selectable. The integrated front end filter includes at least one active filter unit with an active reactance element in either of fixed and variable filter configurations and a decoder coupled to said at least one active filter unit and being responsive to a control signal for selecting a one of the passbands. In one example a multitude of active filter units of fixed filter configuration provide the multitude of passbands. Each data is stored at a predetermined location and reproduced in response to a corresponding control data signal from a tuner controller. Each data characterizes one of the plurality of passbands. The filter element is switchable from one passband to another in response to the control data signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: SiGe Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Stefan Fulga, David Rahn
  • Patent number: 7746818
    Abstract: The present invention provides a single circuit and a method which can identify the WLAN standard of a packet or the modulation type of a packet. The single circuit includes a shift register, N determinators and decision logic. The shift register is configured to receive several periods of the preamble of the packet. Each of the N determinators is configured to determine whether the WLAN standard, or the modulation type, of the packet matches one of the N WLAN standards, or the N modulation types. Decision logic is configured to decide the WLAN standard, or the modulation type, of the packet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: VIA Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kai Pon Kao, Chih Chia Wang
  • Patent number: 7720452
    Abstract: A reception circuit can receive a plurality of standard time signals and has a reception means for selectively receiving and demodulating any one of the plural standard time signals, and a control means for outputting a control signal that controls the reception means. The reception means includes a signal amplifier unit for amplifying a reception signal representing the received standard time signal; a signal extraction unit for extracting a signal of a specific frequency from the amplified reception signal; a rectifier unit for rectifying the extracted signal of the specific frequency; and a demodulation unit for demodulating the rectified signal of the specific frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Fumiaki Miyahara, Teruhiko Fujisawa
  • Patent number: 7715815
    Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) tuner includes a programmable tracking filter bank receiving an RF input and outputting a filtered RF signal. A mixer stage receives the filtered RF signal and outputs a first quadrature component of the filtered RF signal and a second quadrature component of the filtered RF signal. Two variable gain amplifiers receive the first and second quadrature components and output amplitude-controlled I and Q components of the filtered RF signal. In one embodiment, the programmable tracking filter bank includes a plurality of tank circuits each connected to the RF input through an impedance. Each tank circuit include an inductor and a capacitor connected in parallel thereby forming an LC network, and a plurality of switched capacitors in parallel with the LC network and switched in and out of the tank circuit by programmable switches. In another embodiment, the programmable tracking filter bank includes a plurality of peaked low-pass circuits each connected to the RF input through an impedance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Ramon A. Gomez
  • Patent number: 7702278
    Abstract: A broadcast receiver includes a smart antenna, a tuner which extracts a signal of predetermined channel from among airwaves received by the smart antenna, a signal processing unit which processes the signal extracted by the tuner, and a control unit, in a case the airwave has become unreceivable, to set a pointing direction of the antenna on that occasion as a reference direction, to shift the pointing direction a predetermined magnitude counterclockwise or clockwise, and to decide propriety of reception of the airwave. The control unit iterates counterclockwise and clockwise shifts alternately in a region near the reference direction, while the shift magnitude of the pointing direction is being increased in succession and so that the direction as to which the propriety of reception has been decided once may not be included in the directions of the shifts, until the reception of the airwave becomes possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takehiro Onomatsu, Shusuke Narita
  • Patent number: 7650163
    Abstract: In an impedance matching circuit for a multi-band radio frequency device, a first radio frequency signal in a first sub-band of a multi-band radio frequency signal is selectively outputted. Further, a second radio frequency signal in a second sub-band of the multi-band radio frequency signal is selectively outputted. Selective outputting is done through partly shared and partly non-shared reactive elements, without the need to switch reactive elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Sudhir Aggarwal, Matthias Locher
  • Patent number: 7630686
    Abstract: A radio-frequency signal receiver and its manufacturing method are disclosed. A tuner receives a radio-frequency signal, and a demodulator receives an output signal from the tuner. An error corrector receives an output from the demodulator. A determiner determines whether or not an error rate supplied from the error corrector is not less than a predetermined rate. A controller receives an output from the determiner, and based on the determination, the controller controls a plurality of sections forming the radio-frequency signal receiver. The controller controls selectively one of the plurality of sections, thereby lowering the error rate. A manufacturing method of this receiver makes a memory, coupled to the controller, store a shift-amount of frequency corresponding to an interference signal in a pass-band of a narrow-band filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Junichi Fukutani, Toshihiro Furusawa, Motoyoshi Kitagawa, Masashi Yasuda
  • Patent number: 7620379
    Abstract: A radio frequency tuner comprises one or more tracking filters ahead of at least one frequency changer. A controller has a filter alignment mode and a reception mode. Each filter has one or more resonant networks comprising an inductance and a switched capacitor network which is digitally controlled for selecting the network resonant frequency. In the alignment mode, the controller determines the difference between the nominal and actual capacitances of the network for achieving a known resonant frequency in order to determine a correction factor for the capacitor network. The correction factor is then used during normal reception by the tuner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Ali Isaac, Nicholas Paul Cowley, David Albert Sawyer
  • Patent number: 7579912
    Abstract: An active splitter circuit arrangement includes a first amplification module having a number of first input ports and first output ports. The first amplification module is configured to provide first stage amplification to a received input signal and produce from the amplified input signal a number of output signals, each substantially matching the input signal. Also included is a first gain control device having a number of gain input ports respectively coupled to the first output ports and a gain output port coupled to at least one of the first input ports. The first gain control device is configured to control a gain of the first amplification module. Next, a number of second amplification modules corresponding to the number of output signals has a number of second input ports respectively coupled to the first output ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Adel Fanous, Leonard Dauphinee, Lawrence M Burns, Donald McMullin
  • Patent number: 7538826
    Abstract: An apparatus such as a television signal processing apparatus provides a means to control power dissipation by high speed signal processing circuitry associated with tuners while continuing to receive auxiliary data such as administrative data, guide data, or emergency alert notifications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventor: John Walter Englert
  • Patent number: 7519339
    Abstract: Tuners with high input impedance are connected to a common radio frequency (RF) signal source. A termination load external to the tuners provides matched impedance loading for the transmission line or cable driving the tuners. Alternatively, the termination load can be located inside one tuner with a switch to enable or disable the load. All tuners receive the same signal and no signal degradation is caused when connecting multiple tuners. The multiple tuner connection is useful in television signal receiving devices that receive more than one independent channel, such as digital video recorders or picture-in-picture television receivers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: RF Magic, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter Jivan Shah
  • Patent number: 7515887
    Abstract: In a radio-controlled timepiece, a tuning unit outputs a signal corresponding to a radio signal. An amplifier unit amplifies a signal output from the tuning unit. A receiving unit that extracts the time code from the amplified signal has a filter unit that selectively allows one of frequency signals to pass therethrough. A time-correcting unit acquires current time information from the extracted time code to correct a current time clocked by a clock unit. A control unit detects a voltage level of a signal output from the amplifier unit at two or more points while changing a capacitance value of a variable-capacitance unit of the tuning unit, uses, as a tuning point, a point meeting a given requirement among the points where the voltage level has been detected, and sets the capacitance value of the variable-capacitance unit at the tuning point as a capacitance value to receive the time code when it is judged that a time code has been output from the receiving unit at the tuning point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventor: Yoritaka Saitoh
  • Publication number: 20090036075
    Abstract: The invention relates to a multichannel radio-frequency receiver (1) for electromagnetic waves, having a radio-frequency analogue section (2) which has an input (3) for an electrical signal of a receiving device (4), and having an lower-frequency section (8, 9) which is connected downstream from the radio-frequency analogue section (2) and has a plurality of parallel channels (6b, 6c; 7b, 7c) for respectively different signal strengths and an evaluation circuit, in which a signal divider (5) is provided in the radio-frequency analogue section (2) in order to split the signal in accordance with a predeterminable division ratio into signal elements which can be supplied to radio-frequency analogue channels (6a, 7a), downstream from which the channels (6b, 6c; 7b, 7c) of the lower-frequency section (8, 9) are respectively connected, and the channels (6b, 6c; 7b, 7c) of the lower-frequency section (8, 9) each have an evaluation circuit for detection of the phase and amplitude of the respective signal element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2006
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Inventors: Frank Gekat, Dieter Ruhl
  • Patent number: 7447489
    Abstract: A digital tuner of a digital broadcast receiver provided. The digital tuner includes: an IB IF unit for converting an IB signal of the RF signal output into an ID IF signal; an OOB IF unit for converting an OOB signal of the RF signal output into an OOB IF signal. The IB signal and the OOB signal are simultaneously converted into IF signals prior to detection, whereby a digital broadcast signal can be smoothly received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: LG Innotek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hyun-Woo Lim
  • Patent number: 7437134
    Abstract: A tuner arrangement is provided comprising one or more tuners. Each tuner has two or more frequency changers, each comprising a mixer and a local oscillator. A controller controls the local oscillators in response to receipt of a channel select request. The controller determines the nominal frequencies of the local oscillators for tuning the selected channel and then performs a calculation to determine whether any beat frequencies between harmonics greater than the first harmonic of the local oscillators lie within the frequency band at the tuner output occupied by the selected channel. If so, the controller shifts the local oscillator frequencies so as to move the potentially interfering products outside the utilised band and then tunes the local oscillators appropriately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Nicholas Paul Cowley, Terry Aliwell
  • Publication number: 20080194218
    Abstract: The method according to the invention for adjusting the tuning of a receiver circuit for receiving modulated a high frequency signal within a frequency range, the high frequency signal comprising a sync signal, uses the steps of shifting a frequency of a local oscillator within the frequency range and looking for the sync signal, and storing the value of a first frequency, when a sync signal is recognized. Then, the frequency of the local oscillator is continuously shifted in the same frequency direction across the bandwidth of the modulated high frequency signal by controlling the presence of the sync signal. The frequency, at which the sync signal is lost, is stored as a second frequency. From the first and the second frequency in a further step an optimum tuning frequency, located between the first and second frequency, is calculated for the reception for the high frequency signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2007
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Inventors: Chiew Mun Chang, Hong Li
  • Patent number: 7403756
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a highly-integrated MEMS-based miniaturized transceiver. The transceiver utilizes a low band front-end to direct sample low band signals and a high band front-end to translate high band signals that cannot be directly sampled to low band before low band front-end processing. The low band front-end comprises an array of High-Q MEMS (microelectromechanical systems)-based filters/resonators separated by isolation amplifiers in selectable cascade with narrower bandwidth filters. Dynamic tuning ability is provided through the isolation amplifiers and the sample frequency of the analog-to-digital converter. This architecture is amenable to monolithic fabrication. The input frequency range is scalable with analog-to-digital conversion sampling rate improvements. Re-utilization of filters is spatially efficient and cost effective. Tuning time is limited only by the analog-to-digital conversion and digital signal processing, not synthesizer settling times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph F. Jiacinto, Robert A. Newgard, Robert C. Potter, Manas K. Roy
  • Patent number: 7369827
    Abstract: During tuner manufacture, the unique power parameters as a function of frequency and channel are stored on a memory unique to each tuner. When the tuner is subsequently incorporated into another device, such as a modem, the stored power parameters are made available to the subsequent device, thereby overriding the need for subsequent calibration tests to be run. The stored parameters aid in remote testing of the communication device and also allow for individual channel by channel setting of TOP levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Microtune (Texas), L.P.
    Inventors: Barry Koch, Tom Widmer, Manfred Reiss