Multi-channel digital transceiver and method

A multi-channel digital transmitter comprising:

• a plurality of channel processors in communication with a communication system for receiving digital downlink communication signals and for processing the digital downlink communication signals for transmission on one of a plurality of communication channels;
• a plurality of up converters/modulators respectively associated with each of the plurality of communication channels and connected to the channel processors for up converting and modulating the digital downlink communication signals to digital intermediate frequency signals;
• a plurality of digital summers connecting the up converters/modulators for summing the digital intermediate frequency signals into digital intermediate frequency signal sub-groups;
• a plurality of digital-to-analog converters for converting the digital intermediate frequency signal sub-groups into a plurality of analog signals;
• a plurality of radio-frequency up converters respectively coupled to the digital-to-analog converters for converting the analog signals to radio frequency signals;
• and
• a plurality of power amplifiers respectively coupled to the up converters for amplifying the radio frequency signals and for communicating the radio frequency signals to a plurality of antennas.

A multi-channel digital transmitter comprising:

• a plurality of channel processors in communication with a communication system for receiving digital downlink communication signals and for processing the digital downlink communication signals for transmission on one of a plurality of communication channels;
• a plurality of up converters/modulators respectively associated with each of the plurality of communication channels and connected to the channel processors for up converting and modulating the digital downlink communication signals to digital intermediate frequency signals;
• a plurality of digital summers connecting the up converters/modulators for summing the digital intermediate frequency signals into digital intermediate frequency signal sub-groups;
• a plurality of digital-to-analog converters for converting the digital intermediate frequency signal sub-groups into analog signals;
• an analog summer selectively connected to the digital-to-analog converters for summing a sub-set of the analog signals into an analog intermediate frequency signal;
• a radio-frequency up converter coupled to the analog summer for converting the analog intermediate frequency signal to a radio frequency signal;
• and
• a power amplifier coupled to the radio-frequency up converter for amplifying the radio frequency signal and for communicating the radio frequency signal to an antenna.

A multi-channel digital transmitter comprising:

• a plurality of channel processors in communication with a communication system for receiving digital downlink communication signals and for processing the digital downlink communication signals for transmission on one of a plurality of communication channels;
• a plurality of radio frequency processing shelves, each of the radio frequency processing shelves comprising a plurality of up converters/modulators respectively associated with each of the plurality of communication channels and connected to the channel processors for up converting and modulating the digital downlink communication signals to digital intermediate frequency signals and a plurality of digital summers connecting the up converters/modulators for summing the digital intermediate frequency signals into digital intermediate frequency signal sub-groups;
• a plurality of digital-to-analog converters for converting the digital intermediate frequency signal sub-groups into analog signals;
• an analog summer selectively connected to the digital-to-analog converters for summing a sub-set of the analog signals into an analog intermediate frequency signal;
• a radio-frequency up converter coupled to the analog summer for converting the analog intermediate frequency signal to a radio frequency signal;
• and
• a power amplifier coupled to the radio-frequency up converter for amplifying the radio frequency signal and for communicating the radio frequency signal to an antenna.

A multi-channel digital transmitter comprising:

• a plurality of channel processors in communication with a communication system for receiving digital downlink communication signals and for processing the digital downlink communication signals for transmission on one of a plurality of communication channels;
• a plurality of transmitter banks, each of the transmitter banks comprising:
• (a) a plurality of radio frequency processing shelves, each of the radio frequency processing shelves comprising a plurality of up converters/modulators respectively associated with each of the plurality of communication channels and connected to the channel processors for up converting and modulating the digital downlink communication signals to digital intermediate frequency signals and a plurality of digital summers connecting the up converters/modulators for summing the digital intermediate frequency signals into digital intermediate frequency signal sub-groups;
• (b) a plurality of digital-to-analog converters for converting the digital intermediate frequency signal sub-groups into analog signals;
• (c) a plurality of analog summers selectively connected to the digital-to-analog converters for summing a sub-set of the analog signals into analog intermediate frequency signals;
• (d) a plurality of radio-frequency up converters coupled to the plurality of analog summers for converting the analog intermediate frequency signals to radio frequency signals;
• a plurality of radio-frequency summers for summing sub-sets of radio frequency signals into a summed radio frequency signals;
• and
• a plurality of power amplifiers respectively coupled to the radio-frequency summers for amplifying the summed radio frequency signals and for communicating the summed radio frequency signals to antennas.

A method of digitally transmitting a multi-channel wideband frequency signal comprising the steps of:

• receiving digital downlink signals from a communication network interconnect of a communication system;
• processing the digital downlink signals for transmission on one of a plurality of communication channels;
• up converting and modulating the digital downlink signals to digital intermediate frequency signals;
• summing sub-groups of the digital intermediate frequency signals;
• directing the sub-groups of the digital intermediate frequency signals, respectively, to sectors of the communication system;
• converting the summed sub-groups of the digital intermediate frequency signals to analog intermediate frequency signals;
• summing the analog intermediate frequency signals from a plurality of downlink signal sources into sub-sets of analog intermediate frequency signals, the sub-sets of analog intermediate frequency signals being associated with a sector of the communication system;
• up converting the sub-sets of the analog intermediated frequency signals to radio frequency signals;
• amplifying the radio frequency signals;
• and
• radiating the radio frequency signals from an antenna.

A method of digitally transmitting a multi-channel wideband frequency signal comprising the steps of:

• receiving digital downlink signals from a communication network interconnect of a communication system;
• processing the digital downlink signals for transmission on one of a plurality of communication channels;
• up converting and modulating the digital downlink signals to digital intermediate frequency signals;
• directing sub-groups of the digital intermediate frequency signals, respectively, to sectors of the communication system;
• summing the directed sub-groups of the digital intermediated frequency signals;
• converting the summed sub-groups of the digital intermediate frequency signals to analog intermediate frequency signals;
• up converting the analog intermediate frequency signals to radio frequency signals;
• radio frequency summing the radio frequency signals from a plurality of downlink signal sources into sub-sets of radio frequency signals, the sub-sets of radio frequency signals being associated with a sector of the communication system;
• amplifying the summed radio frequency signals;
• and
• radiating the amplified radio frequency signals from an antenna.

A multi-channel wideband frequency transceiver comprising:

• a plurality of receive antennas for receiving radio frequency signals;
• a plurality of radio frequency converters coupled to each of the plurality of receive antennas and operable to convert the radio frequency signals to intermediate frequency signals;
• a plurality of analog-to-digital converters coupled to each of the radio frequency converters for converting the intermediate frequency signals to digital signals;
• a switched digital down converter coupled to the analog-to-digital converters and operable for selecting one of the digital signals and converting the one of the digital signals to a baseband intermediate frequency signal;
• a plurality of channel processors coupled to the switched digital down converter for recovering one of a plurality of communication channels contained within the baseband intermediate frequency signal and for communicating the recovered communication channel to a network interconnect of a communication system;
• the plurality of channel processors being further operable to receive digital downlink communication signals from the network interconnect and for processing the digital downlink communication signals for transmission on one of the plurality of communication channels;
• a plurality of up converters/modulators respectively associated with each of the plurality of communication channels and connected to the channel processors for up converting and modulating the digital downlink communication signals to digital intermediate frequency signals;
• a plurality of digital summers connecting the up converters/modulators for summing the digital intermediate frequency signals into digital intermediate frequency signal sub-groups;
• a plurality of digital-to-analog converters for converting the digital intermediate frequency signal sub-groups into analog signals;
• an analog summer selectively connected to the digital-to-analog converters for summing a sub-set of the analog signals into an analog intermediate frequency signal;
• a radio-frequency up converter coupled to the analog summer for converting the analog intermediate frequency signal to a radio frequency signal;
• and
• a power amplifier coupled to the radio-frequency up converter for amplifying the radio frequency signal and for communicating the radio frequency signal to a transmit antenna.