Antenna detection and diagnostic system and related method

An antenna error detection and circuit protection system, comprising:

• a current and voltage detection circuit integrated within an integrated radio receiver and configured to detect current and voltage levels drawn by at least one antenna mounted remotely from the integrated radio receiver, the current and voltage detection circuit configured to determine under-current, over-current, and over-voltage antenna error conditions;
• and
• at least one antenna error output pin for the integrated radio receiver, the antenna error output pin providing an output signal indicative of an antenna error condition;
• wherein a terrestrial antenna and a satellite antenna are coupled to the current and voltage detection circuit, the current and voltage detection circuit being configured to determine under-current, over-current, and over-voltage antenna error conditions for the terrestrial antenna and the satellite antenna.

A method for detecting errors in and protecting antenna circuitry, comprising:

• providing an integrated radio receiver including a terrestrial antenna input pin, a satellite antenna input pin, and an antenna sense input pin;
• coupling the terrestrial antenna to the terrestrial antenna input pin, the satellite antenna to the satellite antenna input pin, and both the terrestrial and satellite antennas to the antenna sense input pin;
• detecting current levels drawn by at least one antenna mounted remotely from the integrated radio receiver;
• generating a gate drive signal based upon the detected current levels;
• controlling current through a current limiting pass transistor with the gate drive signal, the current limiting pass transistor having its source and drain coupled between a supply voltage and an antenna and having its gate coupled to the gate drive signal;
• and
• adjusting the gate drive signal to reduce current flow through the pass transistor when the detected current level drawn by the at least one antenna rises above a current limit level;
• wherein a terrestrial antenna and a satellite antenna are coupled to the current limiting pass transistor.

A method for detecting errors in and protecting antenna circuitry, comprising:

• detecting current levels drawn by at least one antenna mounted remotely to an integrated radio receiver to determine under-current, over-current, and over-voltage antenna error conditions;
• detecting voltage levels drawn by at least one antenna mounted remotely from the integrated radio receiver to determine under-current, over-current, and over-voltage antenna error conditions;
• and
• utilizing at least one antenna error output pin for the integrated radio receiver to provide an output signal indicative of an antenna error condition;
• wherein a terrestrial antenna and a satellite antenna are coupled to the integrated radio receiver and wherein the detecting steps comprise detecting current and voltage levels for both the terrestrial antenna and the satellite antenna.