Intermediate frequency receiver with dynamic selection of the intermediate frequency used

A receiver configured to receive a radio frequency signal, the receiver comprising:

• a vector demodulator configured to demodulate the received radio frequency signal at an intermediate reception frequency outputting a corresponding analog in-phase component and a corresponding analog quadrature component having said intermediate reception frequency;
• a first local oscillator coupled with the vector demodulator and configured to provide said vector demodulator with a first operating frequency related to the intermediate reception frequency;
• filtering means configured to filter the analog in-phase and quadrature components;
• analog-to-digital conversion means configured to convert the filtered analog in-phase and quadrature components into corresponding digital in-phase and quadrature components;
• a digital baseband demodulator coupled with the analog-to-digital conversion means to receive the digital in-phase and quadrature components and configured to perform baseband demodulation of the digital in-phase and quadrature components outputting a corresponding digital baseband signal;
• a second local oscillator coupled with the digital baseband demodulator and configured to provide said digital baseband demodulator with a second operating frequency related to the intermediate reception frequency;
• digital processing means configured to process the digital baseband signal;
• and
• a monitoring branch configured to:
• carry out, on the basis of the digital in-phase and quadrature components, a monitoring of interference experienced at a plurality of intermediate frequencies usable in reception;
• and
• select the intermediate reception frequency from the intermediate frequencies usable in reception on the basis of the interference monitoring carried out;
• wherein the monitoring branch comprises:
• a digital mixer coupled with the analog-to-digital conversion means to receive the digital in-phase and quadrature components and configured to perform real-time frequency shifts of the digital in-phase and quadrature components outputting, for each real-time frequency shift performed, a corresponding shifted digital signal;
• wherein each real-time frequency shift performed by the digital mixer is associated with a corresponding intermediate frequency usable in reception;
• and
• a monitoring unit, which is
• coupled with:
• the digital mixer to receive the shifted digital signals;
• the first local oscillator to set the first operating frequency provided by said first local oscillator to the vector demodulator;
• and
• the second local oscillator to set the second operating frequency provided by said second local oscillator to the digital baseband demodulator;
• and
• configured to:
• carry out, on the basis of the shifted digital signals outputted by the digital mixer, a real-time monitoring of interference experienced at the currently used intermediate reception frequency and also at the other intermediate frequencies usable in reception;
• and
• change, in real time, the used intermediate reception frequency on the basis of the real-time interference monitoring by changing, in real time, the first operating frequency provided by the first local oscillator to the vector demodulator and the second operating frequency provided by the second local oscillator to the digital baseband demodulator;
• wherein:
• the monitoring branch further comprises a third local oscillator coupled with the digital mixer and configured to provide said digital mixer with third operating frequencies, each third operating frequency being related to a corresponding intermediate frequency usable in reception;
• and
• the monitoring unit is coupled with the third local oscillator and is further configured to dynamically vary the third operating frequencies provided by said third local oscillator to the digital mixer so as to enable real-time monitoring of interference experienced at all the intermediate frequencies usable in reception by the receiver.