Method and apparatus for detecting presence of an unmodulated RF carrier prior to a communication frame

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a measurement circuit configured to generate a measurement signal indicative of a bias in a signal received via a communication channel; and

a circuit configured to generate, using the measurement signal, a detection signal that indicates presence of an unmodulated radio frequency (RF) carrier prior to a communication frame in the signal received via the communication channel.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a buffer to store logical states corresponding to the signal received via the communication channel,

wherein the measurement circuit is configured to generate the measurement signal based on logical states stored in the buffer.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the measurement circuit is configured to:

count a number of transitions between logical states corresponding to the signal received via the communication channel; and

generate the measurement signal based on the number of transitions.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the measurement circuit is configured to:

determine a time period of a particular logical state in the signal received via the communication channel; and

generate the measurement signal based on the time period.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

the measurement circuit includes a counter configured to count a number of values that correspond to a particular logical state in the signal received via the communication channel; and

the measurement circuit is configured to generate the measurement signal based on the number of values that correspond to the particular logical state.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein:

the circuit configured to generate the detection signal includes a comparator to compare the measurement signal to a threshold; and

the circuit is configured to generate the detection signal based on an output of the comparator.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

the measurement circuit includes i) a first counter configured to count a number of values that correspond to a particular logical state in an in-phase component of the signal received via the communication channel, and ii) a second counter configured to count a number of values that correspond to the particular logical state in a quadrature component of the signal received via the communication channel;

the measurement signal is a first measurement signal;

the measurement circuit is configured to

i) generate the first measurement signal based on the number of values that correspond to the particular logical state in the in-phase component, and

ii) generate a second measurement signal based on the number of values that correspond to the particular logical state in the quadrature component;

the circuit configured to generate the detection signal includes i) a first comparator to compare the first measurement signal to a threshold, and ii) a second comparator to compare the second measurement signal to the threshold; and

the circuit is configured to generate the detection signal based on i) an output of the first comparator, and ii) an output of the second comparator.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

the measurement signal is a first measurement signal;

the measurement circuit is configured to i) generate the first measurement signal based on an in-phase component of the signal received via the communication channel, and ii) generate a second measurement signal based on a quadrature component of the signal received via the communication channel; and

the circuit configured to generate the detection signal is configured to generate the detection signal using the first measurement signal and the second measurement signal.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a further circuit configured to generate, using i) the detection signal and ii) a first protocol detection signal indicative of detection of a frame conforming to a first communication protocol, a frame detect signal indicative of detection of a communication frame.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the further circuit is configured to generate the frame detect signal further using a second protocol detection signal indicative of detection of a frame conforming to a second communication protocol.

11. An apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the measurement signal indicative of the bias is indicative of a particular bias in favor of one of a plurality of possible logical states.

12. A method, comprising:

generating a measurement signal indicative of a bias in a signal received via a communication channel; and

generating, using the measurement signal, a detection signal that indicates presence of an unmodulated radio frequency (RF) carrier prior to a communication frame in the signal received via the communication channel.

13. A method according to claim 12 , further comprising storing, in a buffer, logical states corresponding to the signal received via the communication channel,

wherein generating the measurement signal is based on logical states stored in the buffer.

14. A method according to claim 12 , wherein generating the measurement signal comprises:

counting a number of transitions between logical states corresponding to the signal received via the communication channel; and

generating the measurement signal based on the number of transitions.

15. A method according to claim 12 , wherein generating the measurement signal comprises:

determining a time period of a particular logical state in the signal received via the communication channel; and

generating the measurement signal based on the time period.

16. A method according to claim 12 , wherein generating the measurement signal comprises:

counting a number of values that correspond to a particular logical state in the signal received via the communication channel; and

generating the measurement signal based on the number of values that correspond to the particular logical state.

17. A method according to claim 16 , wherein generating the detection signal comprises:

comparing the measurement signal to a threshold; and

generating the detection signal based on whether the measurement signal meets the threshold.

18. A method according to claim 12 , wherein:

the measurement signal is a first measurement signal;

wherein generating the first measurement signal comprises

counting a number of values that correspond to a particular logical state in an in-phase component of the signal received via the communication channel, and

generating the first measurement signal based on the number of values that correspond to the particular logical state in the in-phase component;

wherein the method further comprises

counting a number of values that correspond to the particular logical state in a quadrature component of the signal received via the communication channel, and

generating a second measurement signal based on the number of values that correspond to the particular logical state in the quadrature component; and

wherein generating the detection signal comprises

comparing the first measurement signal to a threshold,

comparing the second measurement signal to the threshold, and

generating the detection signal based on i) whether the first measurement signal meets the threshold, and ii) whether the second measurement signal meets the threshold.

19. A method according to claim 12 , wherein:

the measurement signal is a first measurement signal;

generating the first measurement signal comprises generating the first measurement signal based on an in-phase component of the signal received via the communication channel;

the method further comprises generating a second measurement signal based on a quadrature component of the signal received via the communication channel, wherein generating the detection signal comprises using the first measurement signal and the second measurement signal.

20. A method according to claim 12 , further comprising generating, using i) the detection signal and ii) a first protocol detection signal indicative of detection of a frame conforming to a first communication protocol, a frame detect signal indicative of detection of a communication frame.

21. A method according to claim 20 , wherein generating the frame detect signal further comprises using a second protocol detection signal indicative of detection of a frame conforming to a second communication protocol.

22. A method according to claim 12 , further comprising disabling a receiver when the detection signal indicates presence of the unmodulated RF carrier prior to a communication frame in the signal received via the communication channel.

23. A method according to claim 12 , further comprising resetting a gain control circuit when the detection signal indicates presence of the unmodulated RF carrier prior to a communication frame in the signal received via the communication channel.

24. A method according to claim 12 , further comprising resetting a system state in a transmitter when the detection signal indicates presence of the unmodulated RF carrier prior to a communication frame in the signal received via the communication channel.

25. A method according to claim 12 , wherein generating the measurement signal comprises determining whether the received signal has a particular bias in favor of one of a plurality of possible logical states.