Abstract: In an embodiment, an apparatus includes: a modulator to modulate a first signal; a distortion circuit coupled to the modulator to digitally pre-distort the first signal to compensate for a distortion of an amplifier; a distortion characterization circuit coupled to the distortion circuit to determine the distortion of the amplifier and configure the distortion circuit based on the determined distortion; a mixer coupled to the distortion circuit to upconvert the pre-distorted first signal to a pre-distorted radio frequency (RF) signal; and the amplifier coupled to the mixer to amplify the pre-distorted RF signal and output an amplified RF signal.

Abstract: In an embodiment, an apparatus includes: a modulator to modulate a first signal; a distortion circuit coupled to the modulator to digitally pre-distort the first signal to compensate for a distortion of an amplifier; a distortion characterization circuit coupled to the distortion circuit to determine the distortion of the amplifier and configure the distortion circuit based on the determined distortion; a mixer coupled to the distortion circuit to upconvert the pre-distorted first signal to a pre-distorted radio frequency (RF) signal; and the amplifier coupled to the mixer to amplify the pre-distorted RF signal and output an amplified RF signal.

Abstract: A communications receiver with improved blocker performance including multiple gain tables selected based on a number of reductions or back offs from a maximum coarse gain setting. A receiver chain with multiple gain stages converts a received signal to a digital format, determines the power level of the received signal, and provides an overload indication. A first gain table maximizes SNR and SNDR for weak blockers and at least one additional gain table successively improves SNDR for stronger blockers. An AGC circuit initially sets the coarse gain setting to maximum, and backs off a number of coarse gain steps until the receiver chain is not overloaded. The number of back off steps is used to select a gain table, the power level is used to select an entry in the selected table, and the selected entry includes gain settings for the gain stages of the receiver chain.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method may include storing information from a first frame of an incoming broadcast signal in a memory coupled to a demodulator, decoding a first preamble symbol of the first frame to determine a transmission mode, accessing at least some of the stored information from the memory and decoding at least one second preamble symbol of the first frame from the accessed information to determine pilot pattern information, and receiving data symbols of the first frame and synchronizing the demodulator based on the received data samples and the pilot pattern information.

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.

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.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method can provide for dynamic updating of slope values used in determining a soft decision for a demodulated signal obtained in a receiver from a broadcast signal received by the receiver. The method includes generating a channel estimate for a channel traversed by the signal, computing channel state information from the channel estimate, computing statistical information from the channel state information, determining a slope value based at least in part on the statistical information, calculating a log-likelihood ratio (LLR) value for the signal, and applying the slope value to the LLR value to obtain a weighted LLR value.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method can provide for dynamic updating of slope values used in determining a soft decision for a demodulated signal obtained in a receiver from a broadcast signal received by the receiver. The method includes generating a channel estimate for a channel traversed by the signal, computing channel state information from the channel estimate, computing statistical information from the channel state information, determining a slope value based at least in part on the statistical information, calculating a log-likelihood ratio (LLR) value for the signal, and applying the slope value to the LLR value to obtain a weighted LLR value.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method may include storing information from a first frame of an incoming broadcast signal in a memory coupled to a demodulator, decoding a first preamble symbol of the first frame to determine a transmission mode, accessing at least some of the stored information from the memory and decoding at least one second preamble symbol of the first frame from the accessed information to determine pilot pattern information, and receiving data symbols of the first frame and synchronizing the demodulator based on the received data samples and the pilot pattern information.

Abstract: A multi-standard single-chip receiver for digital demodulation of TV signals broadcasted over any of multiple digital television means, e.g., satellite, cable and terrestrial, is provided. The receiver can receive and demodulate a variety of different signal types received from one or more up-front tuners. A demodulator architecture in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention can be optimized to re-use common demodulation processing blocks for the different incoming signal types.

Abstract: A multi-standard single-chip receiver for digital demodulation of TV signals broadcasted over any of multiple digital television means, e.g., satellite, cable and terrestrial, is provided. The receiver can receive and demodulate a variety of different signal types received from one or more up-front tuners. A demodulator architecture in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention can be optimized to re-use common demodulation processing blocks for the different incoming signal types.