Reception device and reception method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9548777-B2
Application number	US-201414475420-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 2, 2014
Priority date	Feb 6, 2014
Publication date	Jan 17, 2017
Grant date	Jan 17, 2017

Abstract

A reception device includes a low noise amplifier that amplifies a radio signal by a first gain, a variable gain amplifier that amplifies an output of the low noise amplifier by a second gain, an analog-to-digital converter that converts an output of the variable gain amplifier into a digital signal, a gain controller, and a saturation detection unit. The gain controller, when an amplitude of the radio signal exceeds a predetermined value, controls the first and second gains according to the amplitude of the radio signal, and completes the control within a predetermined period. The saturation detection unit detects saturation of the analog-to-digital converter based on the output of the low noise amplifier or the digital signal. The gain controller, after controlling the first and second gains a first time and the saturation is detected by the saturation detection unit, controls the first and second gains a second time.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A reception device comprising:
a low noise amplifier configured to amplify a radio signal received by an antenna by a first gain;
a variable gain amplifier configured to amplify an output signal of the low noise amplifier by a second gain;
an analog-to-digital converter configured to convert an output signal of the variable gain amplifier into a digital signal;
a gain controller configured to control, when an amplitude of the radio signal exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the first gain and the second gain corresponding to the amplitude of the radio signal the gain controller in accordance with a predetermined control rule such that an amplitude of the digital signal approximates a target value, when the amplitude of the radio signal exceeds the threshold value, and to complete the controlling within a predetermined gain control period;
a saturation detection unit configured to detect saturation of the analog-to-digital converter based on the output signal of the low noise amplifier or the digital signal; and
a demodulation unit configured to demodulate the digital signal and to acquire thereby a destination address contained in the radio signal, wherein
if the acquired destination address does not correspond to the reception device and the saturation is detected by the saturation detection unit after controlling the first gain and the second gain within the predetermined gain control period, the gain controller controls the first gain and the second gain a second time to adjust the amplitude of the radio signal such that a sum of the first gain and the second gain is lowered until an amplitude of the digital signal approximates the target value.

2. The reception device according to claim 1 , wherein,
if the amplitude of the radio signal exceeds the threshold value, the acquired destination address does not correspond to the reception device, and saturation is detected by the saturation detection unit, the gain controller, after controlling the first gain and the second gain within the predetermined gain control period, changes the first gain and the second gain in accordance with another predetermined control rule such that an amplitude of the digital signal approximates the target value.

3. The reception device according to claim 1 , wherein
the radio signal contains a preamble and a destination address, and
the gain control period is shorter than a period of the preamble.

4. The reception device according to claim 1 , further comprising a band pass filter configured to remove frequency components from an output signal of the low noise amplifier.

5. The reception device according to claim 4 , further comprising an amplitude detection unit configured to detect an amplitude level of the radio signal and to determine whether the detected amplitude level exceeds the predetermined threshold value.

6. The reception device according to claim 5 , wherein the amplitude detection unit detects the amplitude level of the radio signal during a period that is shorter than the period of the preamble, said period preceding the gain control period.

7. The reception device according to claim 6 , wherein the amplitude detection unit detects the amplitude level of the radio signal based on the digital signal.

8. A method of receiving and amplifying a radio signal using a reception device, the reception device including an antenna, a low noise amplifier, a variable gain amplifier, and an analog-to-digital converter, the method comprising:
receiving the radio signal, wherein the radio signal includes a preamble and a destination address;
controlling, at a first time, a first gain and a second gain corresponding to an amplitude of the radio signal, wherein said controlling is completed within a predetermined gain control period smaller than a period of the preamble;
amplifying the radio signal by a first gain to produce a first amplified radio signal;
amplifying the first amplified radio signal by a second gain to produce a second amplified radio signal;
converting, by an analog-to-digital converter, the second amplified radio signal into a digital signal;
demodulating the digital signal;
acquiring a destination address from the demodulated digital signal;
detecting a saturation of the analog-to-digital converter based on the digital signal; and
if the saturation is detected and the acquired destination address does not correspond to the reception device, then controlling the first gain and the second gain a second time based on the amplitude of the radio signal.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
detecting an amplitude of the digital signal;
determining the amplitude of the radio signal based on the amplitude of the digital signal,
wherein the first gain and the second gain corresponding to the amplitude of the radio signal are controlled the second time if the amplitude of the radio signal exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising filtering the first amplified radio signal to remove frequency components thereof.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein said controlling of the first gain and the second gain for the second time comprises changing the first gain and the second gain in accordance with a predetermined control rule such that an amplitude of the digital signal approximates a target value.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein said controlling of the first gain and the second gain for the second time comprises adjusting the first gain and the second gain such that a sum of the first gain and the second gain is lowered until an amplitude of the digital signal approximates a target value.

13. A gain controlling device included in a radio signal receiver, the gain controlling device configured to:
receive a first input from a saturation detection unit indicating that saturation of a radio signal has been detected;
receive a second input from a demodulator indicating that a destination address acquired from the radio signal does not correspond to the radio signal receiver; and
responsive to receiving the first and the second inputs:
adjust a first gain of a low noise amplifier configured to perform a first amplification of the radio signal, and
adjust a second gain of a variable gain amplifier configured to perform a second amplification of the radio signal, wherein the first and second gains are adjusted until the amplitude of the radio signal is a target value.

14. The gain controlling device according to claim 13 , further configured to:
receive a third input from an amplitude detection unit indicating that an amplitude of the radio signal exceeds a predetermined threshold; and
responsive to receiving the third input:
adjust the first gain of the low noise amplifier; and
adjust the second gain of the variable gain amplifier, wherein the first and second gains are adjusted until the amplitude of the radio signal is the target value.

Assignees

• Toshiba Kk

Inventors

• Nonin Katsuya
• Taniguchi Kentaro

Classifications

• H03G3/3052 Primary

  in bandpass amplifiers (H.F. or I.F.) or in frequency-changers used in a (super)heterodyne receiver (H03G3/32, H03G3/34 take precedence) · CPC title

• H04B1/123 Primary

  using adaptive balancing or compensation means (adaptive filter circuits and algorithms H03H) · CPC title

• H03G3/3078

  Circuits generating control signals for digitally modulated signals · CPC title

• H03G3/3073

  Circuits generating control signals when no carrier is present, or in SSB, CW or pulse receivers · CPC title