Apparatus and method for a dual watch receiver

A receiver for a wireless communication device, the receiver comprising:

• a multi-channel receiver providing simultaneous reception of a plurality of desired signals, each desired signal occupying a designated desired channel, each desired channel having a desired channel spacing, wherein each desired channel is governed by a plurality of protocols, each protocol being agnostic to, and independent of, other protocols that govern other desired channels within the multi-channel receiver, the multi-channel receiver generating a plurality of IF signals, each IF signal being associated with a specific desired channel;
• a plurality of IF paths for processing the plurality of IF signals, each IF path having a unique desired IF frequency, each IF path being independent of the other IF paths, each IF path incorporating at least one IF filter and at least one IF automatic gain control (IF AGC);
• a frequency difference between any given pair of desired IF frequencies being different from the other desired IF frequencies by an amount proportional to a non-integer multiple of the desired channel spacing, thereby minimizing interference from channels proximate to other desired IF frequencies contained within the plurality of IF paths;
• and
• the IF AGC for each IF path being controlled independently for level controlling the plurality of IF signals.

A method of receiving radio signals, comprising:

• receiving a plurality of protocol-agnostic, uncorrelated receive signals simultaneously;
• mixing the plurality of protocol-agnostic, uncorrelated receive signals with a plurality of associated LO signals so as to generate a plurality of IF signals, each of the plurality of IF signals being frequency offset with respect to each other;
• independently level controlling the plurality of IF signals to generate a plurality of level controlled IF signals;
• independently filtering the plurality of level controlled IF signals into a plurality of filtered IF signals;
• determining the independent level controlling based on a signal strength of each separate IF signal contained in the plurality of IF signals, and in relation to a difference between each pair of signal strength generated for each separate IF signal;
• demodulating the plurality of filtered IF signals into a plurality of baseband signals;
• and
• applying the determined independent level controls to the plurality of IF signals.