Loop-Through For Multi-Chip Communication Systems

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for loop-through for multi-chip receivers. An example system may comprise a plurality of receiver chips, with each one of the plurality of receiver chips being operable to generate a corresponding output, and a first one of the plurality of receiver chips is operable to generate a loop-through feed based on processing of an input feed to the system, and each of remaining one or more receiver chips may be operable to process the loop-through feed to generate its corresponding output. The processing of the input feed in the first chip may comprise applying one or more processing functions may comprise one or both of amplification and analog-to-digital conversion. Each of the remaining one or more receiver chips may be operable to generate its corresponding output by applying one or more processing functions, comprising one or both of channelization and demodulation.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A system, comprising:
 a plurality of receiver chips, wherein:
 each one of the plurality of receiver chips is operable to generate a corresponding output; 
 a first one of the plurality of receiver chips is operable to generate a loop-through feed based on processing of an input feed to said system; and 
 each one of a remaining one or more of the plurality of receiver chips is operable to process said loop-through feed to generate the corresponding output of said each one of said remaining one or more of the plurality of receiver chips. 
   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein:
 said input feed comprises one or more of a cable based feed, a satellite based feed, terrestrial based feed, and a broadband based feed; and   the outputs generated by the plurality of receiver chips based on said input feed comprises data corresponding to one or more channels.   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein each one of the plurality of receiver chips is operable to generate the corresponding output by applying one or more processing functions, the processing functions comprising one or both of channelization and demodulation. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein at least one of the one or more processing functions in each one of the plurality of receiver chips is configured to obtain particular data associated with said one of the plurality of receiver chips. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein said processing of said input feed in said first one of the plurality of receiver chips comprises applying one or more processing functions, the processing functions comprising one or both of amplification and analog-to-digital conversion. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein said first one of the plurality of receiver chips is operable to generate said loop-through feed by applying one or more of:
 channelization corresponding to the each one of said remaining one or more of the plurality of receiver chips;   loop-through switching based processing; and   loop-through interfacing based processing.   
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein said first one of the plurality of receiver chips is operable to apply said channelization to obtain particular data in said input feed associated with the each one of said remaining one or more of the plurality of receiver chips. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 21 , comprising an output processing circuit operable to process outputs of said plurality of receiver chips. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein said output processing circuit operable to generate a control signal, based on said processing of said outputs of said plurality of receiver chips, for configuring and/or adjusting operations of said plurality of receiver chips. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein said processing of said outputs of said plurality of receiver chips comprises one or more of:
 extracting data in said outputs of said plurality of receiver chips;   processing of data corresponding to one or more of said outputs of said plurality of receiver chips for use in a particular client device;   processing of data corresponding to one or more of said outputs for transmission of corresponding signals, within a particular local network comprising said system, based on a particular communication interface and/or standard.   
     
     
         31 . A method, comprising:
 receiving an input feed via a first one of a plurality of receiver chips;   generating in said first one of the plurality of receiver chips, based on processing of said input feed, a corresponding output and a loop-through feed; and   receiving in each one of a remaining one or more of the plurality of receiver chips said loop-through feed; and   generating in each one of the plurality of receiver chips a corresponding output based on said loop-through feed.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein:
 said input feed comprises one or more of a cable based feed, a satellite based feed, terrestrial based feed, and a broadband based feed; and   the corresponding output generated by each one of the plurality of receiver chips comprises data corresponding to one or more channels.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , comprising applying in each one of the plurality of receiver chips, when generating its corresponding output, one or more processing functions, the processing functions comprising one or both of channelization and demodulation. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , comprising configuring at least one of the one or more processing functions in each one of the plurality of receiver chips to obtain particular data associated with the each one of the plurality of receiver chips. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 31 , comprising applying in said first one of the plurality of receiver chips, during said processing of said input feed, one or more processing functions, the processing functions comprising one or both of amplification and analog-to-digital conversion. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 31 , comprising applying in said first one of the plurality of receiver chips, during said generating of said loop-through feed, one or more of:
 channelization corresponding to the each one of said remaining one or more of the plurality of receiver chips;   loop-through switching based processing; and   loop-through interfacing based processing.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , comprising applying said channelization to obtain particular data in said input feed associated with each one of said remaining one or more of the plurality of receiver chips. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 31 , comprising processing outputs of said plurality of receiver chips. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , comprising generating, based on said processing of said outputs of said plurality of receiver chips, a control signal for configuring and/or adjusting operations of said plurality of receiver chips. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein said processing of said outputs of said plurality of receiver chips comprises one or more of:
 extracting data in said outputs of said plurality of receiver chips;   processing of data corresponding to one or more of said outputs of said plurality of receiver chips for use in a particular client device; and   processing of data corresponding to one or more of said outputs for transmission of corresponding signals, within a particular local network comprising said system, based on a particular communication interface and/or standard.