Method and apparatus for processing multicarrier signals

A method for processing a multicarrier signal, the method comprising:

• receiving at least a portion of the multicarrier signal in a controller;
• analyzing the multicarrier signal in the controller to identify at least one carrier signal to be modified;
• receiving at least a portion of the multicarrier signal in a signal modifier for isolating the carrier signal to be modified and changing at least one carrier signal characteristic such that the modified carrier signal interacts with the multicarrier signal;
• directing the signal modifier to isolate the carrier signal identified by the controller;
• modifying the carrier signal;
• and
• sending the modified carrier signal to an output port for combination with the multicarrier signal.

An apparatus for processing a multicarrier signal comprising a plurality of carrier signals, the apparatus comprising:

• a signal divider for creating at least a first signal, a second signal, and a third signal based on the multicarrier signal and for putting the first signal onto a first signal path, the second signal onto a second signal path, and the third signal onto a third signal path;
• a signal combiner for receiving the first signal from said first signal path, and a modified third signal from the third signal path, the signal combiner creating an output signal based on the sum of the first signal and the modified third signal;
• an individual signal modifier in the third signal path for isolating, from said third signal, a carrier signal and for modifying the phase and/or amplitude of the carrier signal to create the modified third signal;
• a controller for receiving the second signal from the second signal path, the controller analyzing the second signal to determine the relative power of the carrier signals which comprise the second signal, the controller identifying at least one carrier signal to be isolated by the individual signal modifier.

A method for processing a multicarrier signal comprising a plurality of carrier signals, comprising:

• creating, based on the multicarrier signal, at least a first signal, a second signal, and a third signal, such that the first signal, the second signal and the third signal are analog representations of the multicarrier signal;
• analyzing the second signal to determine the relative power of each of the carrier signals which comprise the multicarrier signal to produce an analysis;
• identifying, based on said analysis, at least one of the carrier signals to be modified;
• isolating the at least one carrier signal to be modified and modifying the phase and/or amplitude of the isolated carrier signal to create a modified third signal and
• combining the first signal and the modified third signal.

A signal modifier for modifying at least one carrier signal of a multicarrier signal, said signal modifier comprising:

• a first mixer configured to receive said multicarrier signal;
• a bandpass filter for receiving an output of said first mixer, said bandpass filter having an output and a bandpass frequency;
• a sinusoidal generator for providing a sinusoidal signal to said first mixer such that said at least one carrier signal is positioned at the bandpass frequency of said bandpass filter;
• a phase shifter for receiving the output of said bandpass filter and modifying a phase of said at least one carrier signal passed by said bandpass filter;
• an amplitude modifier configured to receive and modify said at least one carrier signal modified by said phase shifter and
• the sinusoidal generator also providing a sinusoidal signal to a second mixer configured to receive said at least one carrier signal modified by the amplitude modifier such that said second mixer repositions said at least one carrier signal.