IP Library Granted Patent US 7,565,112
Granted Patent B2
US 7,565,112 · App. 11/366,266 · Granted Jul 21, 2009

Reduced adjacent channel interference in a radio receiver

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,565,112
App. No.
11/366,266
Granted
Jul 21, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for reducing adjacent channel interference begins by determining a desired channel of a radio frequency (RF) signal. The method continues by determining a plurality of potential local oscillations for the desired channel. The method continues by determining a proximal power level of an image frequency of each of the plurality of potential local oscillations to produce a plurality of proximal power levels. The method continues by selecting one of the plurality of potential local oscillations for down converting the desired channel based on the plurality of proximal power levels.

Claims (93)

1. A method for reducing adjacent channel interference, the method comprises:

in a processing module

determining a desired channel of a radio frequency (RF) signal;

determining a proximal power level of an image frequency of each of a plurality of potential local oscillations to produce a plurality of proximal power levels;

selecting one of the plurality of potential local oscillations for down converting the desired channel based on the plurality of proximal power levels; and

converting the desired channel into a baseband signal based on the one of the plurality of potential local oscillations as selected.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selecting the one of the plurality of potential local oscillations comprises:

comparing the plurality of proximal power levels to determine a proximal power level having a favorable relationship to remaining ones of the plurality of proximal power levels; and

selecting a local oscillation corresponding to the proximal power level having the favorable relationship as the one of the plurality of potential local oscillations.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

determining a power level of the desired channel to produce a desired channel power level; and

selecting the one of the plurality of potential local oscillations for down converting the desired channel based on the desired channel power level and the plurality of proximal power levels.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the selecting the one of the plurality of potential local oscillations comprises:

establishing a power level threshold based on the desired channel power level;

comparing the plurality of proximal power levels with the power level threshold;

identifying one of the plurality of proximal power levels having a favorable comparison to the power level threshold; and

selecting a local oscillation corresponding to the one of the plurality of proximal power levels having the favorable comparison as the one of the plurality of potential local oscillations.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the proximal power level of the image frequency of each of the plurality of potential local oscillations comprises:

down-converting the RF signal with respect to one of the plurality of potential local oscillations to produce an intermediate frequency (IF) signal;

filtering the IF signal to attenuate signal components of the IF signal out-of-band of the signal components corresponding to the image frequency to produce a filtered IF signal; and

determining signal strength indication of the filtered IF signal to produce the proximal power level.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the desired channel comprises at least one of:

selecting one of the plurality of frequency modulated (FM) channels as the desired channel based on a user input; and

in a set-up mode:

scanning an FM spectrum to identify a plurality of desired channels; and

sequentially selecting each of the plurality of desired channels as the desired channel.

7. A method for reducing adjacent channel interference, the method comprises:

determining, in a processor, a desired channel of a radio frequency (RF) signal;

in a loop implemented with a processor:

determining a proximal power level of an image frequency of the desired channel with respect to a potential local oscillation of a plurality of potential local oscillations;

comparing the proximal power level of the image frequency with a power level threshold;

when the proximal power level of the image frequency compares favorably with the power level threshold, selecting the potential local oscillation for down converting the desired channel to end the loop; and

when the proximal power level of the image frequency compares unfavorably with the power level threshold, repeating the loop for another one of the plurality of potential local oscillations.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprises:

adjusting the power level threshold when the loop is exhausted to produce an adjusted power level threshold; and

repeating the loop based on the adjusted power level threshold.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the determining the proximal power level of the image frequency comprises:

down-converting the RF signal with respect to the potential local oscillation to produce an intermediate frequency (IF) signal;

filtering the IF signal to attenuate signal components of the IF signal out-of-band of the signal components corresponding to the image frequency to produce a filtered IF signal; and

determining signal strength indication of the filtered IF signal to produce the proximal power level.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the determining the desired channel comprises at least one of:

selecting one of the plurality of frequency modulated (FM) channels as the desired channel based on a user input; and

in a set-up mode:

scanning an FM spectrum to identify a plurality of desired channels; and

sequentially selecting each of the plurality of desired channels as the desired channel.

11. A radio receiver having reduced adjacent channel interference, the radio receiver comprises:

a low noise amplifier operably coupled to amplify a radio frequency (RF) signal to produce an amplified RF signal; and

a down conversion processing module operably coupled to:

determine a desired channel of a radio frequency (RF) signal;

determine a proximal power level of an image frequency of each of a plurality of potential local oscillations to produce a plurality of proximal power levels;

select one of the plurality of potential local oscillations for down converting the desired channel based on the plurality of proximal power levels to produce a selected local oscillation; and

convert the desired channel into a baseband signal based on the selected local oscillation.

12. The radio receiver of claim 11 , wherein the down conversion processing module further functions to select the one of the plurality of potential local oscillations by:

comparing the plurality of proximal power levels to determine a proximal power level having a favorable relationship to remaining ones of the plurality of proximal power levels; and

selecting a local oscillation corresponding to the proximal power level having the favorable relationship as the one of the plurality of potential local oscillations.

13. The radio receiver of claim 11 , wherein the down conversion processing module further functions to:

determine a power level of the desired channel to produce a desired channel power level; and

select the one of the plurality of potential local oscillations for down converting the desired channel based on the desired channel power level and the plurality of proximal power levels.

14. The radio receiver of claim 13 , wherein the down conversion processing module further functions to select the one of the plurality of potential local oscillations by:

establishing a power level threshold based on the desired channel power level;

comparing the plurality of proximal power levels with the power level threshold;

identifying one of the plurality of proximal power levels having a favorable comparison to the power level threshold; and

selecting a local oscillation corresponding to the one of the plurality of proximal power levels having the favorable comparison as the one of the plurality of potential local oscillations.

15. The radio receiver of claim 11 , wherein the down conversion processing module further functions to determine the proximal power level of the image frequency of each of the plurality of potential local oscillations by:

down-converting the RF signal with respect to one of the plurality of potential local oscillations to produce an intermediate frequency (IF) signal;

filtering the IF signal to attenuate signal components of the IF signal out-of-band of the signal components corresponding to the image frequency to produce a filtered IF signal; and

determining signal strength indication of the filtered IF signal to produce the proximal power level.

16. The radio receiver of claim 11 , wherein the down conversion processing module further functions to determine the desired channel by at least one of:

selecting one of the plurality of frequency modulated (FM) channels as the desired channel based on a user input; and

in a set-up mode:

scanning an FM spectrum to identify a plurality of desired channels; and

sequentially selecting each of the plurality of desired channels as the desired channel.

17. A radio receiver having reduced adjacent channel interference, the radio receiver comprises:

a low noise amplifier operably coupled to amplify a radio frequency (RF) signal to produce an amplified RF signal; and

a down conversion processing module operably coupled to:

determine a desired channel of a radio frequency (RF) signal;

in a loop:

determine a proximal power level of an image frequency of the desired channel with respect to a potential local oscillation of a plurality of potential local oscillations;

compare the proximal power level of the image frequency with a power level threshold;

when the proximal power level of the image frequency compares favorably with the power level threshold, select the potential local oscillation for down converting the desired channel to end the loop; and

when the proximal power level of the image frequency compares unfavorably with the power level threshold, repeat the loop for another one of the plurality of potential local oscillations.

18. The radio receiver of claim 17 , wherein the down conversion processing module further functions to:

adjust the power level threshold when the loop is exhausted to produce an adjusted power level threshold; and

repeat the loop based on the adjusted power level threshold.

19. The radio receiver of claim 17 , wherein the down conversion processing module further functions to determine the proximal power level of the image frequency by:

down-converting the RF signal with respect to the potential local oscillation to produce an intermediate frequency (IF) signal;

filtering the IF signal to attenuate signal components of the IF signal out-of-band of the signal components corresponding to the image frequency to produce a filtered IF signal; and

determining signal strength indication of the filtered IF signal to produce the proximal power level.

20. The radio receiver of claim 17 , wherein the down conversion processing module further functions to determine the desired channel by at least one of:

selecting one of the plurality of frequency modulated (FM) channels as the desired channel based on a user input; and

in a set-up mode:

scanning an FM spectrum to identify a plurality of desired channels; and

sequentially selecting each of the plurality of desired channels as the desired channel.

Assignments (8)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 037354 FRAME: 0773. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE PATENT RELEASE. Recorded Aug 15, 2016
From: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: SIGMATEL, LLC
Reel/Frame 039723/0777 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 25, 2016
From: SIGMATEL, LLC
To: NORTH STAR INNOVATIONS INC.
Reel/Frame 037583/0428 →
PATENT RELEASE Recorded Dec 21, 2015
From: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: SIGMATEL, INC.
Reel/Frame 037354/0734 →
PATENT RELEASE Recorded Dec 21, 2015
From: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: SIGMATEL, INC.
Reel/Frame 037354/0773 →
PATENT RELEASE Recorded Dec 21, 2015
From: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
Reel/Frame 037354/0854 →
PATENT RELEASE Recorded Dec 21, 2015
From: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: SIGMATEL, INC.
Reel/Frame 037355/0838 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 23, 2015
From: SIGMATEL INC.
To: SIGMATEL, LLC
Reel/Frame 037152/0127 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 12, 2013
From: SIGMATEL, LLC
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 031626/0218 →