Abstract: In some aspects, the disclosure is directed to methods and systems for improving signal to noise ratios of signals from multiple communication links. In some embodiments, a system includes a first frequency transformation circuit configured to transform a first signal in a time domain received from a first device into a corresponding second signal in a frequency domain. The system further includes a second frequency transformation circuit configured to transform a third signal in the time domain received from a second device into a corresponding fourth signal in the frequency domain. The system further includes a leg combining circuit configured to select, for a group of subcarriers, one of the first frequency transformation circuit and the second frequency transformation circuit, and cause, for the group of subcarriers, the selected frequency transformation circuit to output one of the second signal and the fourth signal, according to the selection.

Abstract: In some aspects, the disclosure is directed to methods and systems for improving signal to noise ratios of signals from multiple communication links. In some embodiments, a system includes a first frequency transformation circuit configured to transform a first signal in a time domain received from a first device into a corresponding second signal in a frequency domain. The system further includes a second frequency transformation circuit configured to transform a third signal in the time domain received from a second device into a corresponding fourth signal in the frequency domain. The system further includes a leg combining circuit configured to select, for a group of subcarriers, one of the first frequency transformation circuit and the second frequency transformation circuit, and cause, for the group of subcarriers, the selected frequency transformation circuit to output one of the second signal and the fourth signal, according to the selection.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed to compensate for impairments within a data converter such that its output is a more accurate representation of its input. The data converter includes a main data converter, a reference data converter, and a correction module. The main data converter may be characterized as having the impairments. As a result, the output of the main data converter is not the most accurate representation of its input. The reference data converter is designed such that the impairments are not present. The correction module estimates the impairments present within the main data converter using its output and the reference data converter to generate corrections coefficients. The correction module adjusts the output of the main data converter using the corrections coefficients to improve the performance of the data converter.

Abstract: Systems and methods for use in evaluating a position of a satellite dish are provided. One system includes an antenna configured to receive an input satellite signal at a current position of a satellite dish and automatic gain control circuitry configured to apply a variable gain to the input satellite signal to produce a modified signal at a desired level. The system further includes power control circuitry configured to generate an output signal using the modified signal. The power control circuitry is configured to adjust a power level of the output signal using the variable gain applied to the input satellite signal such that the output signal is proportional to the input signal.

Abstract: Various multi-lane ADCs are disclosed that substantially compensate for impairments present within various signals that result from various impairments, such as phase offset, amplitude offset, and/or DC offset to provide some examples, such that their respective digital output samples accurately represent their respective analog inputs. Generally, the various multi-lane ADCs determine various statistical relationships, such as various correlations to provide an example, between these various signals and various known calibration signals to quantify the phase offset, amplitude offset, and/or DC offset that may be present within the various signals. The various multi-lane ADCs adjust the various signals to substantially compensate for the phase offset, amplitude offset, and/or DC offset based upon these various statistical relationships such that their respective digital output samples accurately represent their respective analog inputs.

Abstract: An adaptive receiver is disclosed for optimally receiving and processing signals. The receiver utilizes one or more memory blocks to store groups of incoming symbols. The groups of symbols are processed by a channel estimation subsystem to determine channel characteristics. The receiver determines the appropriate demodulation and decoding strategy to implement based on the determined channel characteristics. The receiver includes a plurality of demodulation and decoding schemes, one of which is selected based on the results of a channel estimation analysis.

Abstract: In a satellite gateway, data is transmitted over a downstream channel at different throughput rates. Data destined for each subscriber/receiver is assigned a throughput rate depending upon the downstream signal quality of that subscriber/receiver. The downstream data is parsed to extract data packets. The data packets are then loaded into packet queues based on an identifier within such packets. The queues represent a bandwidth efficiency or throughput rate that can be currently tolerated by specific subscribers that may also be based on the current signal quality at a subscriber location. The parsed data traffic is processed based on the profile of the plurality of profiles to produce processed data traffic, and transmitted from the packet queues over a downstream channel.

Abstract: An integrated communications system. A substrate having a receiver disposed on the substrate for converting a received signal to an IF signal, a digital IF demodulator disposed on the substrate and coupled to the receiver for converting the IF signal to a demodulated baseband signal, and a transmitter disposed on the substrate operating in cooperation with the receiver to establish a two way communications path.

Abstract: Various multi-lane ADCs are disclosed that substantially compensate for impairments present within various signals that result from various impairments, such as phase offset, amplitude offset, and/or DC offset to provide some examples, such that their respective digital output samples accurately represent their respective analog inputs. Generally, the various multi-lane ADCs determine various statistical relationships, such as various correlations to provide an example, between these various signals and various known calibration signals to quantify the phase offset, amplitude offset, and/or DC offset that may be present within the various signals. The various multi-lane ADCs adjust the various signals to substantially compensate for the phase offset, amplitude offset, and/or DC offset based upon these various statistical relationships such that their respective digital output samples accurately represent their respective analog inputs.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed to compensate for impairments within a data converter such that its output is a more accurate representation of its input. The data converter includes a main data converter, a reference data converter, and a correction module. The main data converter may be characterized as having the impairments. As a result, the output of the main data converter is not the most accurate representation of its input. The reference data converter is designed such that the impairments are not present. The correction module estimates the impairments present within the main data converter using its output and the reference data converter to generate corrections coefficients. The correction module adjusts the output of the main data converter using the corrections coefficients to improve the performance of the data converter.

Abstract: In a satellite gateway, data is transmitted over a downstream channel at different throughput rates. Data destined for each subscriber/receiver is assigned a throughput rate depending upon the downstream signal quality of that subscriber/receiver. The downstream data is parsed to extract data packets. The data packets are then loaded into packet queues based on an identifier within such packets. The queues represent a bandwidth efficiency or throughput rate that can be currently tolerated by specific subscribers that may also be based on the current signal quality at a subscriber location. The parsed data traffic is processed based on the profile of the plurality of profiles to produce processed data traffic, and transmitted from the packet queues over a downstream channel.

Abstract: In a DOCSIS based satellite gateway data is transmitted over a single downstream channel, at different throughput rates. Data destined for each subscriber/receiver is assigned a throughput rate depending upon the downstream signal quality of that subscriber/receiver. To accomplish this, the downstream DOCSIS MAC data is parsed to extract DOCSIS packets. The DOCSIS packets are then loaded into packet queues based on an identifier within such packets such as the MAC destination address or SID. Each of the queues represents a bandwidth efficiency or throughput rate that can be currently tolerated by specific subscribers based on the current signal quality being experienced at the subscriber location. A PHY-MAP describing the downstream data structure to be transmitted and inserted into the downstream data. Data is extracted from the packet queues in queue blocks as defined by the PHY-MAP.

Abstract: A device of dynamic communication of information allows, on the average, non-integer bits per symbol transmission, using a compact code set or a partial response decoding receiver. A stream of selectable predetermined integer bits, e.g., k or k+1 data bits, is grouped into a selectable integer number of bit vectors which then are mapped onto corresponding signal constellations forming transmission symbols. Two or more symbols can be grouped and further encoded, so that a symbol is spread across the two or more symbols being communicated. Sequence estimation using, for example, maximum likelihood techniques, as informed by noise estimates relative to the received signal. Each branch metric in computing the path metric of a considered sequence at the receiver is weighted by the inverse of the noise power. It is desirable that the constellation selection, sequence estimation and noise estimation be performed continuously and dynamically.

Abstract: Physical layer (PHY) sub-channel processing. A soft symbol decision stream is arranged into a number of sub-channels to reduce substantially the processing performed within a communication receiver on data that is not intended for that communication receiver. In other embodiments, a predetermined approach is employed to arrange the soft symbol decision stream into one or more frames; each frame may have one or more soft symbol blocks; and each soft symbol block may have one or more symbols. Each of the soft symbol blocks, within a frame, may be assigned to a sub-channel. Only the soft symbol blocks that contain information destined for the communication receiver need be decoded. Only the sub-channel that includes these soft symbol blocks, destined for this communication receiver, need be decoded. The soft symbol blocks not within the sub-channel may be discarded thereby recovering some of the processing capabilities of the communication receiver.

Abstract: A device of dynamic communication of information allows, on the average, non-integer bits per symbol transmission, using a compact code set or a partial response decoding receiver. A stream of selectable predetermined integer bits, e.g., k or k+1 data bits, is grouped into a selectable integer number of bit vectors which then are mapped onto corresponding signal constellations forming transmission symbols. Two or more symbols can be grouped and further encoded, so that a symbol is spread across the two or more symbols being communicated. Sequence estimation using, for example, maximum likelihood techniques, as informed by noise estimates relative to the received signal. Each branch metric in computing the path metric of a considered sequence at the receiver is weighted by the inverse of the noise power. It is desirable that the constellation selection, sequence estimation and noise estimation be performed continuously and dynamically.

Abstract: Physical layer (PHY) sub-channel processing. A soft symbol decision stream is arranged into a number of sub-channels to reduce substantially the processing performed within a communication receiver on data that is not intended for that communication receiver. In other embodiments, a predetermined approach is employed to arrange the soft symbol decision stream into one or more frames; each frame may have one or more soft symbol blocks; and each soft symbol block may have one or more symbols. Each of the soft symbol blocks, within a frame, may be assigned to a sub-channel. Only the soft symbol blocks that contain information destined for the communication receiver need be decoded. Only the sub-channel that includes these soft symbol blocks, destined for this communication receiver, need be decoded. The soft symbol blocks not within the sub-channel may be discarded thereby recovering some of the processing capabilities of the communication receiver.

Abstract: A device of dynamic communication of information allows, on the average, non-integer bits per symbol transmission, using a compact code set or a partial response decoding receiver. A stream of selectable predetermined integer bits, e.g., k or k+1 data bits, is grouped into a selectable integer number of bit vectors which then are mapped onto corresponding signal constellations forming transmission symbols. Two or more symbols can be grouped and further encoded, so that a symbol is spread across the two or more symbols being communicated. Sequence estimation using, for example, maximum likelihood techniques, as informed by noise estimates relative to the received signal. Each branch metric in computing the path metric of a considered sequence at the receiver is weighted by the inverse of the noise power. It is desirable that the constellation selection, sequence estimation and noise estimation be performed continuously and dynamically.

Abstract: An integrated burst FSK receiver is provided to receive and interpret an RF signal using FSK modulation. The integrated burst FSK receiver uses a programmable RF local oscillator to mix a received signal down to an IF range or baseband, where it is filtered and sampled for subsequent digital processing. Digital filtering and detection are employed to improve overall bit error rate performance and receiver sensitivity. A programmable digital low-pass or band-pass filter can also be used to suppress interference. A matched filter correlator can be used for detection and symbol timing adjustment in one mode, while an adaptive frequency comparator can be used in another mode. Circuits are provided that estimate carrier offset, frequency deviation and signal strength. These measurements can then be used to optimize the receiver performance. A method for receiving and interpreting an RF signal using FSK modulation is also provided.

Abstract: All digital RF modulator. An RF modulator, implemented using only digital techniques, obviates the need for an additional board, implemented using discrete analog components, to perform the necessary modulation to provide the RF output signal for use with a display device (television). Modern displays typically include functionality to support a number of input types beyond an RF input. However, older, legacy displays typically only support inputs that are RF in nature. A fully integrated solution that performs the RF modulation of the output signal that may be used in such legacy types systems is provided using digital techniques.

Abstract: Communications signal transcoder. A solution is provided to transcode a signal from a first signal type to a second signal type to ensure proper interfacing between devices that may operate using different signal types. For example, within a communication system, a first signal type (having a first modulation type, e.g., 8 PSK) may be received. The transcoder then ensures that this signal, after it has undergone any initial processing (such as tuning, down-converting, decoding, and so on), is encoded into a second signal type (having a second modulation type, e.g., QPSK) such that it can interface properly with a device for which the received signal is intended. This transcoder functionality may be implemented within discrete components, or it may alternatively be integrated within a functional block of an integrated circuit. This functionality may be implemented in a variety of communication systems including satellite, cable television, Internet, and others.