Method and apparatus for performing analog-to-digital conversion on multiple input signals

1. A method of a signal processing apparatus for processing a plurality of input signals, the method comprising:

receiving or generating a first intermediate signal;

receiving or generating a second intermediate signal;

summing the first and second intermediate signals; and

outputting the summed first and second intermediate signals into a single analog-to-digital converter (A/D) having a predetermined sampling frequency (Fs).

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second intermediate signals are generated based on the Fs.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of receiving or generating a first intermediate signal comprises:

receiving an RF input including a plurality of RF signals;

extracting one of the plurality of RF signals; and

generating the first intermediate signal based on the Fs and a center carrier frequency of the one of the plurality of RF signals.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the step of receiving or generating a second intermediate signal comprises:

receiving the RF input including the plurality of RF signals;

extracting a different one of the plurality of RF signals; and

generating the second intermediate signal based on the Fs and a center carrier frequency of the different one of the plurality of RF signals.

5. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the extracted one of the plurality of RF signals is carried in a forward application transport (FAT) channel.

6. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the extracted different one of the plurality of RF signals is carried in an out-of-band (OOB) channel.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein

the first intermediate signal has a center frequency of 2 Fs−Fs/4, and

the second intermediate signal has a center frequency of 2 Fs−Fs/16.

8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

extracting, by a first filter, a first processed signal representing the first intermediate signal output by the A/D; and

extracting, by a second filter, a second processed signal representing the second intermediate signal output by the A/D.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second intermediate signals corresponds to a digital television signal.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having embedded therein instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to control a signal processing apparatus to perform the method according to claim 1 .

11. A signal processing apparatus, comprising:

a first signal provider configured to receive or generate a first intermediate signal;

a second signal provider configured to receive or generate a second intermediate signal;

a combiner configured to sum the first and second intermediate signals; and

a single analog-to-digital converter (A/D) having a predetermined sampling frequency (Fs), the single A/D being configured to perform analog-to-digital conversion of the summed first and second intermediate signals.

12. The signal processing apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the first and second intermediate signals are generated based on the Fs.

13. The signal processing apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the first signal provider is configured to

receive an RF input including a plurality of RF signals,

extract one of the plurality of RF signals, and

generate the first intermediate signal based on the Fs and a center carrier frequency of the one of the plurality of RF signals.

14. The signal processing apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the second signal provider is configured to

receive the RF input including the plurality of RF signals,

extract a different one of the plurality of RF signals, and

generate the second intermediate signal based on the Fs and a center carrier frequency of the different one of the plurality of RF signals.

15. The signal processing apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the extracted one of the plurality of RF signals is carried in a forward application transport (FAT) channel.

16. The signal processing apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the extracted different one of the plurality of RF signals is carried in an out-of-band (OOB) channel.

17. The signal processing apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein

the first intermediate signal has a center frequency of 2 Fs−Fs/4, and

the second intermediate signal has a center frequency of 2 Fs−Fs/16.

18. The signal processing apparatus according to claim 11 , further comprising:

a first filter configured to receive the converted summed first and second intermediate signals, and output a first processed signal representing the first intermediate signal output by the A/D; and

a second filter configured to receive the converted summed first and second intermediate signals, and output a second processed signal representing the second intermediate signal output by the A/D.

19. The signal processing apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein at least one of the first and second intermediate signals corresponds to a digital television signal.