All band gnss receiver

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention provides a signal-recording system. During operation, the system receives a plurality of radio frequency (RF) signals, separates the RF signals to obtain a first group of RF signals in a first RF band and a second group of RF signals in a second RF band, and simultaneously down-converts the first group of RF signals to a first group of low intermediate-frequency (low-IF) signals in a first IF band and the second group of RF signals to a second group of low-IF signals in a second IF band. The system further converts the first group of low-IF signals and the second group of low-IF signals to the digital domain, and simultaneously processes all of the converted low-IF signals.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 receiving a plurality of radio frequency (RF) signals;   separating the RF signals to obtain a first group of RF signals in a first RF band and a second group of RF signals in a second RF band;   simultaneously down-converting the first group of RF signals to a first group of low intermediate-frequency (low-IF) signals in a first IF band and the second group of RF signals to a second group of low-IF signals in a second IF band;   simultaneously converting, using a single analog-to-digital converter (ADC), the first group of low-IF signals and the second group of low-IF signals to digital domain; and   simultaneously processing all of the converted low-IF signals.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein simultaneously processing all of the converted low-IF signals comprises:
 selecting a respective low-IF signal based on an IF carrier frequency; and   processing the selected low-IF signal.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein simultaneously processing all of the converted low-IF signals involves a digital signal processor (DSP) that includes multiple processing units. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a frequency spacing between the first RF band and the second RF band is greater than a frequency spacing between the first IF band and the second IF band. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein a frequency spacing between the first RF band and the second RF band is at least 200 MHz. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the RF signals include satellite signals from multiple global navigation satellite systems. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising generating a combined positioning output based on the satellite signals from the multiple global navigation satellite systems. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the multiple global navigation satellite systems include:
 Global Positioning System (GPS);   Globalnaya Navigatsionnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema (GLONASS);   Compass navigation system; and   Galileo positioning system.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a bandwidth of the received RF signals exceeds 400 MHz. 
     
     
         10 . A system, comprising:
 a wideband antenna configured to receive a plurality of radio frequency (RF) signals which include a first group of RF signals in a first RF band and a second group of RF signals in a second RF band;   two band-pass filters (BFPs), each configured to select a corresponding group of RF signals;   two down-converters, each for a selected group of RF signals, wherein the down-converters are configured to simultaneously down-convert the first group of RF signals to a first group of low intermediate-frequency (low-IF) signals in a first IF band and the second group of RF signals to a second group of low-IF signals in a second IF band;   a single analog-to-digital converter (ADC) configured to simultaneously convert the first group of low-IF signals and the second group of low-IF signals to digital domain; and   a digital signal processor (DSP) configured to simultaneously process all of the converted low-IF signals.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the DSP further comprises a plurality of digital BPFs, wherein a respective digital BPF is configured to select a respective low-IF signal based on an IF carrier frequency, and wherein the DSP is further configured to process the selected low-IF signal. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the DSP includes multiple processing units. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein a frequency spacing between the first RF band and the second RF band is greater than a frequency spacing between the first IF band and the second IF band. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein a frequency spacing between the first RF band and the second RF band is at least 200 MHz. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the RF signals include satellite signals from multiple global navigation satellite systems. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising an output generation mechanism configured to generate a combined positioning output based on the satellite signals from the multiple global navigation satellite systems. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the multiple global navigation satellite systems include:
 Global Positioning System (GPS);   Globalnaya Navigatsionnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema (GLONASS);   Compass navigation system; and   Galileo positioning system.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein a bandwidth of the received RF signals exceeds 400 MHz.