Time divided pilot channel detection processing in WCDMA Terminal having shared memory

A method for operating a Radio Frequency (RF) receiver that has an RF front end and a baseband processing module, the method comprising:

• during a first time interval:
• enabling the RF front end to receive an RF signal of the first time interval;
• converting the RF signal to a baseband signal of the first time interval;
• sampling the baseband signal of the first time interval to produce a plurality of samples of the baseband signal of the first time interval;
• and
• storing the plurality of samples of the baseband signal of the first time interval in memory;
• and
• during a second time interval that differs from the first time interval:
• disabling the RF front end;
• and
• processing the plurality of samples of the baseband signal of the first time interval to measure signal strengths of a plurality of pilot signals present in the baseband signal of the first time interval, wherein each pilot signal corresponds to an RF transmitter.

A Radio Frequency (RF) receiver comprising:

• a RF front end;
• and
• a baseband processing module coupled to the RF front end, wherein:
• during a first time interval:
• the RF front end is operable to receive a an RF signal of the first time interval and to convert the RF signal to a baseband signal of the first time interval;
• and
• the baseband processing module is operable to sample the baseband signal of the first time interval to produce a plurality of samples of the baseband signal of the first time interval and to store the plurality of samples of the baseband signal of the first time interval in memory;
• during a second time interval that differs from the first time interval:
• the RF front end is disabled;
• and
• the baseband processing module is operable to process the plurality of samples of the baseband signal of the first time interval to measure signal strengths of a plurality of pilot signals present in the baseband signal of the first time interval, wherein each pilot signal corresponds to an RF transmitter;
• and during a third time interval that differs from both the first time interval and the second time interval:
• the RF front end is operable to capture an RF signal of the third time interval and to convert the RF signal of the third time interval to a baseband signal of the third time interval;
• the baseband processing module is operable to sample the baseband signal of the third time interval to produce a plurality of samples of the baseband signal of the third time interval and to process the baseband signal of the third time interval to extract data there from.

A Radio Frequency (RF) receiver comprising:

• a RF front end;
• and
• a baseband processing module coupled to the RF front end, wherein:
• during a first time interval:
• the RF front end is operable to receive a RF signal of the first time interval and to convert the RF signal to a baseband signal of the first time interval;
• and
• the baseband processing module is operable to sample the baseband signal of the first time interval to produce a plurality of samples of the baseband signal of the first time interval and to store the plurality of samples of the baseband signal of the first time interval in memory;
• and
• during a second time interval that differs from the first time interval:
• the RF front end is disabled;
• and
• the baseband processing module is operable to process the plurality of samples of the baseband signal of the first time interval to measure signal strengths of a plurality of pilot signals present in the baseband signal of the first time interval, wherein each pilot signal corresponds to an RF transmitter.