Embodiments provide a receiver and a method for receiving data transmitted via a combination of a first signal modulated at a first carrier frequency, and a second signal modulated at a second carrier frequency, different to the first carrier frequency. In one embodiment the receiver includes a local oscillator and is configured to adaptively configure the local oscillator to operate at a first local oscillator frequency and a second local oscillator frequency, different to the first frequency, in dependence on a signal strength of the first signal relative to a signal strength of the second signal.
1. A receiver for receiving data transmitted via a combination of a first signal modulated at a first carrier frequency, and a second signal modulated at a second carrier frequency, different to the first carrier frequency, the receiver comprising a local oscillator and the local oscillator being configured to adaptively operate at a first local oscillator frequency and a second local oscillator frequency, different to the first frequency, in dependence on a signal strength of the first signal relative to a signal strength of the second signal, wherein said first local oscillator frequency is substantially halfway between said first carrier frequency and said second carrier frequency.
2. The receiver according to claim 1 , wherein said local oscillator is configured to operate at said first local oscillator frequency when the signal strength of said first signal and the signal strength of said second signal are relatively similar.
3. The receiver according to claim 1 , wherein said local oscillator is configured to operate at said second local oscillator frequency when the signal strength of said first signal and the signal strength of said second signal are relatively dissimilar.
4. The receiver according to claim 1 , wherein the receiver is further arranged to perform a comparison operation comprising comparing a difference between the signal strength of said first signal and the signal strength of said second signal to a predetermined threshold amount, whereby to generate an output indicative of a relative similarity between the signal strength of said first signal and the signal strength of said second signal.
5. The receiver according to claim 4 , wherein the predetermined threshold amount is defined relative to the signal strength of one or both of said first signal and said second signal.
6. The receiver according to claim 4 , comprising a first receiver path and a second receiver path, said second receiver path having a plurality of operating modes, including at least an inoperative mode.
7. The receiver according to claim 6 , wherein said local oscillator is directly connected to the first receiver path and to the second receiver path and configured to operate at one of said first oscillator frequency and said second oscillator frequency in dependence on the output of said comparison operation.
8. The receiver according to claim 6 , further comprising one or more frequency mixers, at least one said frequency mixer being shared between said first receiver path and said second receiver path.
9. The receiver according to claim 6 , comprising a switch arranged to configure the operating mode of said second receiver path to the inoperative mode, in dependence on the output of said comparison operation.
10. The receiver according to claim 9 , wherein the switch is configured to selectively block an output from said shared frequency mixer to said second receiver path, whereby to configure the second receiver path into said inoperative mode.
11. The receiver according to claim 6 , wherein said receiver is configured to selectively isolate said second receiver path from an electrical power source, whereby to configure the second receiver path into the inoperative mode, in dependence on the output of said comparison operation.
12. The receiver according to claim 6 , wherein the event that the operating mode of the second receiver path is an operative mode, the receiver is arranged to adaptively alter a first gain associated with the first receiver path, and to adaptively alter a second gain associated with the second receiver path in dependence on the signal strength of the first signal and the signal strength of the second signal.
13. The receiver according to claim 6 , wherein said first receiver path comprises a low pass filter for selecting one of said first and second signals, and said second receiver path comprises a band pass filter for selecting the other of said first or second signals.
14. The receiver according to claim 6 , wherein one or more of an antenna, a radio-frequency amplifier and a radio-frequency filter are shared between said first receiver path and said second receiver path.
15. The receiver according to claim 1 , wherein a second local oscillator frequency is determined in dependence on the signal strength of the first signal relative to the signal strength of the second signal.
16. The receiver according to claim 15 , wherein said second local oscillator frequency is configured to a first second local oscillator frequency value when the signal strength of said first signal is relatively low and the signal strength of said second signal is relatively high, and a second second local oscillator frequency value when the signal strength of said first signal is relatively high and the signal strength of said first signal is relatively high and the signal strength of said second signal is relatively low.
17. The receiver according to claim 16 , wherein said first second local oscillator frequency value is substantially the same as said first carrier frequency.
18. The receiver according to claim 16 , wherein said second second local oscillator frequency value is substantially the same as said second carrier frequency.
19. The receiver according to claim 16 , wherein said first second local oscillator frequency value is substantially the same as said second carrier frequency.
20. The receiver according to claim 16 , wherein said second second local oscillator frequency value is substantially the same as said first carrier frequency.
21. The receiver according to claim 1 , wherein said first carrier frequency and said second carrier frequency are associated with adjacent channels in a communication scheme associated with one or more of said first signal and said second signal.
22. A method of configuring a receiver to receive data transmitted via a combination of a first signal modulated at a first carrier frequency, and a second signal modulated at a second carrier frequency, different to the first carrier frequency, the method comprising:
identifying a first signal strength corresponding to the first signal;
identifying a second signal strength corresponding to the second signal; and
configuring a local oscillator to adaptively operate at a first local oscillator frequency and a second local oscillator frequency, different to the first frequency, in dependence on the identified first signal strength relative to the identified second signal strength, wherein the first local oscillator frequency is substantially halfway between said first carrier frequency and said second carrier frequency.