Radio frequency receiver and operation method thereof
This disclosure relates to a radio frequency receiver for performing uninterrupted observation of all signals within an operating frequency range. The receiver includes an antenna(s), a splitter(s) to receive an analog input signal from the antenna(s) and to split the analog input signal into at least two analog signals corresponding to at least two frequency bands within an operating frequency range of the receiver, and a signal conversion block operably coupled to the splitter(s), to receive the at least two analog signals simultaneously or quasi-simultaneously. The signal conversion block includes analog-to-digital converters configured to digitize the respective at least two analog signals, thereby generating at least two digitized signals. The signal conversion block includes digital down converters respectively coupled to the analog-to-digital converters, to operate on at least one of the at least two frequency bands and further to down convert the respective at least two digitized signals.
1. A radio frequency receiver comprising:
at least one antenna,
at least one splitter configured to receive an analog input signal from the at least one antenna and to split the analog input signal into at least two analog signals corresponding to at least two respective frequency bands within an operating frequency range of the radio frequency receiver,
a signal conversion block, operably coupled to the at least one splitter, configured to receive the at least two analog signals simultaneously or quasi-simultaneously, and
at least one processor operably coupled to the signal conversion block,
wherein the signal conversion block comprises at least two analog-to-digital converters configured to digitize the respective at least two analog signals, thereby generating at least two digitized signals,
wherein the signal conversion block further comprises at least two digital down converters, respectively coupled to the at least two analog-to-digital converters, configured to operate on at least one of the at least two frequency bands and further to down convert the respective at least two digitized signals,
wherein the signal conversion block further comprises at least one switching matrix coupled between the at least two analog-to-digital converters and the at least two digital down converters, the at least one switching matrix being configured to couple the at least two digital down converters to the at least two analog-to-digital converters in a switchable manner for switching between analog signal paths of the at least two analog-to-digital converters and digital processing paths of the at least two digital down converters,
wherein one of the at least two digital down converters is configured to operate at a fixed frequency and/or bandwidth and one of the at least two digital down converters is configured to operate at a variable frequency and/or bandwidth, and
wherein the at least one processor is configured to define and/or control a center frequency and/or an operation bandwidth of the at least two digital down converters.
2. The radio frequency receiver according to claim 1 , wherein the at least two analog-to-digital converters are configured to digitize the respective at least two analog signals simultaneously or quasi-simultaneously.
3. The radio frequency receiver according to claim 1 , wherein the at least two digital down converters are configured to down convert the respective at least two digitized signals simultaneously or quasi-simultaneously.
4. The radio frequency receiver according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one switching matrix is configured to couple the at least two digital down converters to the at least two analog-to-digital converters using a plurality of switching sequences.
5. The radio frequency receiver according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one switching matrix is configured to execute the plurality of switching sequences in an arbitrary manner or in a pre-defined manner.
6. The radio frequency receiver according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least two digital down converters comprises at least one digital mixer and at least one digital bandpass filter, whereby the at least one digital bandpass filter is configured to pass at least one of the at least two frequency bands.
7. The radio frequency receiver according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to control parameterization of the at least two digital down converters to match at least one of the at least two frequency bands.
8. The radio frequency receiver according to claim 7 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to operate at least one switching matrix to couple the at least two digital down converters to the at least two analog-to-digital converters.
9. The radio frequency receiver according to claim 1 , wherein the radio frequency receiver comprises at least one digital interface.
10. The radio frequency receiver according to claim 1 , wherein the operating frequency range of the receiver is a wideband radio frequency range.
11. A method comprising:
splitting, by at least one splitter, an incoming analog input signal into at least two analog signals corresponding to at least two respective frequency bands within an operating frequency range,
receiving, by a signal conversion block, the at least two analog signals simultaneously or quasi-simultaneously,
digitizing the at least two analog signals by respective at least two analog-to-digital converters, thereby generating at least two digitized signals,
down converting the at least two digitized signals by respective at least two down converters being connected to the at least two analog-to-digital converters in a switchable manner for switching between analog signal paths of the at least two analog-to-digital converters and digital processing paths of the at least two digital down converters, whereby operating the at least two down converters on at least one of the at least two frequency bands,
operating one of the at least two digital down converters at a fixed frequency and/or bandwidth,
operating one of the at least two digital down converters at a variable frequency and/or bandwidth, and
defining and/or controlling, by at least one processor, a center frequency and/or an operation bandwidth of the at least two digital down converters.
12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium carrying instructions that, when executed, cause at least one data processor to perform operations of claim 11 .