Abstract: The disclosure provided a low noise block converter for converting RF signal received from a satellite into IF signal, where the image rejection of the RF signal is performed in two stages through a low noise amplifier (LNA) integrated circuit (IC). The disclosure reduced the number of discrete components by integrating electronic components onto one integrated circuit (or chip), and at the same, improves the noise figure of the LNB converter. The LNB IC comprises LNA circuits, RF path selector, and signal downconverter, where the image rejection is performed by a combination of the LNA circuits and the signal downconverter.

Abstract: The embodiments of the disclosure introduce a novel receiver having a smart listening mode for reducing the current consumption of a receiver while waiting for a data packet. In the smart listening mode, the receiver temporarily disables one signal path of a quadrature signal (e.g., I or Q path) until the receiver detects an arrival of data packet via a second signal path of the quadrature signal. The receiver continuously monitors the enabled signal path for the incoming data packet via in-channel energy. After the incoming data packet is detected, it is further determined whether the incoming data packet is a valid data packet. If not, one of the signal paths would be disabled again. As a result, the current consumption of the receiver is reduced while waiting for an incoming data packet.

Abstract: The embodiments of the disclosure introduce a novel receiver having a smart listening mode for reducing the current consumption of a receiver while waiting for a data packet. In the smart listening mode, the receiver temporarily disables one signal path of a quadrature signal (e.g., I or Q path) until the receiver detects an arrival of data packet via a second signal path of the quadrature signal. The receiver continuously monitors the enabled signal path for the incoming data packet via in-channel energy. After the incoming data packet is detected, it is further determined whether the incoming data packet is a valid data packet. If not, one of the signal paths would be disabled again. As a result, the current consumption of the receiver is reduced while waiting for an incoming data packet.

Abstract: There is described a method for compensating the phase and gain distortions of a transmitter analog front end affected by a leakage of a local oscillator. The method comprises generating a single complex tone signal in a digital front end, wherein the generation comprises compensating the signal gain and phase with gain and phase offsets. The method comprises feeding the compensated signal into the transmitter analog front end. The method comprises feeding a corresponding output signal of the transmitter analog front end into a nonlinear component, thereby generating an inter-modulation between the complex tone signal and at least one tone signal due to the local oscillator leakage. The method comprises feeding the output of the nonlinear component into a measurement receiver analog front end.

Abstract: An amount of delay between a digital reference signal and a digital derived signal is measured, wherein the derived signal is derived from the reference signal. Measurement involves ascertaining a sign of a slope of the derived signal over a first time interval and producing a set of time-associated reference signs by ascertaining a sign of a slope of the reference signal over each of a plurality of different time intervals leading up to the first time interval. A first set of coincidence results is produced by detecting coincidence between the sign of the slope of the derived signal and each one of the time-associated reference signs in the set of time-associated reference signs. The first set of coincidence results is used alone or in combination with other coincidence results as an indicator of the amount of delay between the reference signal and the derived signal.

Abstract: There is described a method for compensating the phase and gain distortions of a transmitter analog front end affected by a leakage of a local oscillator. The method comprises generating a single complex tone signal in a digital front end, wherein the generation comprises compensating the signal gain and phase with gain and phase offsets. The method comprises feeding the compensated signal into the transmitter analog front end. The method comprises feeding a corresponding output signal of the transmitter analog front end into a nonlinear component, thereby generating an inter-modulation between the complex tone signal and at least one tone signal due to the local oscillator leakage. The method comprises feeding the output of the nonlinear component into a measurement receiver analog front end.

Abstract: An amount of delay between a digital reference signal and a digital derived signal is measured, wherein the derived signal is derived from the reference signal. Measurement involves ascertaining a sign of a slope of the derived signal over a first time interval and producing a set of time-associated reference signs by ascertaining a sign of a slope of the reference signal over each of a plurality of different time intervals leading up to the first time interval. A first set of coincidence results is produced by detecting coincidence between the sign of the slope of the derived signal and each one of the time-associated reference signs in the set of time-associated reference signs. The first set of coincidence results is used alone or in combination with other coincidence results as an indicator of the amount of delay between the reference signal and the derived signal.