Receiver with analog and digital gain control, and respective method

1. A receiver comprising

an RF input for receiving a plurality of communications channels,

a first amplifier coupled to the RF input,

a mixer coupled to the amplifier for downconverting a wanted communications channel,

a second amplifier coupled with an input to an output of the mixer,

a demodulator comprising an analog/digital converter coupled with an input to an output of the second amplifier,

an analog gain control for the first amplifier and a digital gain control for the second amplifier, and

a digital controller providing a digital gain setting by means of the digital gain control after a selection of the wanted communications channel, freezing the digital gain setting and providing an analog gain setting by means of the analog gain control after said digital gain setting, so that only the analog gain control and not the digital gain control is enabled and during demodulation of the wanted communications channel.

2. The receiver of claim 1 , wherein the digital controller provides a digital gain setting during demodulation of the wanted communications channel only, when the analog gain control is out of its control range.

3. The receiver of claim 1 , wherein the digital gain setting is not changed, when the analog gain control is enabled.

4. The receiver of claim 1 , wherein the digital controller is coupled via a serial bus to the second amplifier for providing a stepwise gain setting, and wherein the operation of the serial bus is switched off, when the analog gain control is enabled.

5. The receiver of claim 4 , wherein the mixer converts the selected communications channel into a baseband, and wherein the first amplifier is a gain controlled RF amplifier and the second amplifier is a gain controlled baseband amplifier.

6. The receiver of claim 5 , wherein the first amplifier, the mixer, and the second amplifier are integrated together with a baseband output filter and a local oscillator within an integrated tuner circuit.

7. The receiver of claim 4 , wherein the demodulator comprises a signal processing unit coupled to the analog/digital converter for demodulating the selected communications channel and a level detector coupled to the analog/digital converter and to the digital controller.

8. The receiver of claim 7 , wherein the digital controller, the analog/digital converter, the level detector and the signal processing unit are integrated together within an integrated demodulator circuit.

9. The receiver of claim 4 , wherein the control range of the digital gain control is at least 50 dB and the control range of the analog gain control is less than 20 dB.

10. The receiver of claim 4 , being a direct conversion digital satellite receiver for reception of DVB-S, DVB-S2 or ABS-S digital television channels.

11. A method for operating a receiver comprising a first gain controlled amplifier, a mixer coupled with an input to an output of the first amplifier, a second gain controlled amplifier coupled with an input to an output of the mixer, a digital controller and a level detector, with the steps of

receiving a plurality of communications channels with the first amplifier,

selecting and downconverting a wanted communications channel by means of the mixer,

evaluating the signal strength of the output signal of the second amplifier by means of the level detector,

providing a digital gain setting for the second amplifier after selection of the wanted communications channel by means of the digital controller by changing stepwise the gain of the second amplifier until the output signal of the second amplifier is within a defined voltage range,

freezing the digital gain setting when the output signal of the second amplifier is within said voltage range,

enabling an analog gain setting for the first amplifier after freezing of the digital gain setting and demodulating the wanted communications channel,

using the analog gain setting during demodulation of the wanted communications channel for keeping the output signal of the second amplifier within said defined voltage range, so that only the analog gain control and not the digital gain control is enabled during demodulation of the wanted communications channel.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising providing a re-calibration of the second amplifier only, when the analog gain setting is out of its control range.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising switching off the operation of a serial bus coupling the digital controller with the second amplifier, when the analog gain control is enabled.

14. A receiver comprising

an RF input for receiving a plurality of communications channels,

a first amplifier coupled to the RF input,

a mixer coupled to the amplifier for downconverting a wanted communications channel,

a second amplifier coupled with an input to an output of the mixer,

a demodulator coupled with an input to an output of the second amplifier,

an analog gain control for the first amplifier and a digital gain control for the second amplifier, and

a digital controller providing a digital gain setting by means of the digital gain control after a selection of the wanted communications channel, freezing the digital gain setting and providing an analog gain setting by means of the analog gain control after said digital gain setting and during demodulation of the wanted communications channel

wherein the control range of the digital gain control is at least 50 dB and the control range of the analog gain control is less than 20 dB.