Integrated spectrum analyzer for tuners

1. An integrated spectrum analysis system comprising:

a programmable down converter operational to reduce an input signal frequency to a desired frequency;

a low pass filter operational to filter the reduced frequency input signal and generate a filtered output signal at the desired frequency there from;

a decimator operational to convert the filtered output signal at the desired frequency to a stream of digital samples at the same or lower rate than the desired frequency;

a snapshot memory operational to selectively store data corresponding to the stream of digital samples at a lower frequency; and

a digital signal processor (DSP) in communication with the snapshot memory via a data interface bus, wherein the DSP is operational to perform a spectrum analysis of the selectively stored data.

2. The integrated spectrum analysis system according to claim 1 , wherein the lower rate corresponds to the input signal rate divided by an integer division factor.

3. The integrated spectrum analysis system according to claim 1 , wherein the DSP is further operational to communicate spectrum analysis data via the data interface bus to a network administrator.

4. The integrated spectrum analysis system according to claim 1 , wherein the integrated spectrum analysis system is configured as a customer premises equipment tuner for at least one application selected from the group consisting of broadband applications, radio frequency applications, and point to multi-point applications.

5. A method of performing spectrum analysis on a data communication input signal, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a customer premises equipment having an integrated digital signal processor (DSP);

shifting a data communication input signal frequency to a desired frequency;

filtering the shifted frequency input signal and generating a filtered output signal at the desired frequency there from;

converting the filtered output signal at the desired frequency to a stream of digital samples at the same or lower rate than the desired frequency;

selectively storing a snapshot of the digital samples;

communicating the stored digital samples to the integrated DSP via a data interface bus; and

performing a spectrum analysis of the selectively stored digital samples via the integrated DSP.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the customer premises equipment comprises a tuner configured for at least one application selected from the group consisting of broadband applications, radio frequency applications, and point to multi-point applications.

7. An integrated spectrum analysis system comprising:

means for programmably frequency converting an input signal frequency to a desired frequency;

means for filtering the desired frequency input signal and generating a filtered output signal at the desired frequency there from;

means for converting the filtered output signal at the desired frequency to a stream of digital samples at the same or lower rate than the desired frequency;

means for selectively storing a snapshot of the stream of digital samples at the same or lower rate than the desired frequency; and

means for performing a spectrum analysis of the selectively stored samples without use of specialized portable testing equipment.

8. The integrated spectrum analysis system according to claim 7 , wherein the means for programmably frequency converting the input signal frequency to a desired frequency comprises a programmable frequency converter.

9. The integrated spectrum analysis system according to claim 7 , wherein the means for filtering the frequency shifted input signal and generating a filtered output signal at the desired frequency there from comprises a low pass filter.

10. The integrated spectrum analysis system according to claim 7 , wherein the means for converting the filtered output signal at the desired frequency to a stream of digital samples at the same or lower rate comprises a decimator.

11. The integrated spectrum analysis system according to claim 7 , wherein the means for selecting storing a snapshot of the stream of digital samples at the same or lower rate than the desired frequency comprises a snapshot memory.

12. The integrated spectrum analysis system according to claim 7 , wherein the means for performing a spectrum analysis of the selectively stored data without use of specialized portable testing equipment comprises an integrated digital signal processor.

13. The integrated spectrum analysis system according to claim 7 , wherein the means for programmably frequency converting an input signal frequency to a desired frequency, means for filtering the shifted frequency input signal and generating a filtered output signal at the desired frequency there from, means for converting the filtered output signal at the desired frequency to a stream of digital samples at the same or lower rate than the desired frequency, means for selectively storing a snapshot of the stream of digital samples at the same or lower rate than the desired frequency, and means for performing a spectrum analysis of the selectively stored samples without use of specialized portable testing equipment are configured as a customer premises equipment (CPE) tuner.

14. The integrated spectrum analysis system according to claim 13 , wherein the CPE tuner is configured for at least one application selected from the group consisting of broadband applications, radio frequency applications, and point to multi-point applications.