Method and system for broadband analog to digital converter technology

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for handling nonlinearity corrections during analog-to-digital conversions. A system for handling nonlinearity corrections may include a modem configured to receive a communication signal and generate a frequency spectrum of the communication signal, and a digital signal processor (DSP) configured to analyze the frequency spectrum of the communication signal to determine one or more characteristics of the communication signal, which may occur due to a nonlinear device that operates on the communication signal. The DSP may generate a corrected digital signal by applying a compensation signal to a distorted digital signal generated as a result of application of analog-to-digital conversion to the communication signal. The DSP may generate the compensation signal based on nonlinearity estimation and a spectral analysis of the corrected digital signal.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A system, comprising:
 a modem configured to receive a communication signal and generate a frequency spectrum of the communication signal; and   a digital signal processor (DSP) configured to analyze the frequency spectrum of the communication signal to determine one or more characteristics of the communication signal,   wherein the one or more characteristics of the communication signal occur due to a nonlinear device that operates on the communication signal.   
     
     
         22 . The system according to  claim 21 , wherein the modem comprises an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) that generates a distorted digital signal by sampling the communication signal. 
     
     
         23 . The system according to  claim 22 , wherein the DSP generates a corrected digital signal by applying a compensation signal to the distorted digital signal. 
     
     
         24 . The system according to  claim 23 , wherein the DSP generates the compensation signal according to a nonlinearity estimation and a spectral analysis of the corrected digital signal. 
     
     
         25 . The system according to  claim 23 , wherein the compensation signal is based on a particular spectral region. 
     
     
         26 . The system according to  claim 23 , wherein the compensation signal is based on a spectral region that was unoccupied prior to the operation of the nonlinear device. 
     
     
         27 . The system according to  claim 25 , wherein the DSP injects a specific signal in the particular spectral region. 
     
     
         28 . The system according to  claim 27 , wherein the DSP generates the compensation signal according to the injected specific signal. 
     
     
         29 . The system according to  claim 25 , wherein the DSP isolates a signal located in the particular spectral region, and wherein the DSP generates the compensation signal based on said isolated signal. 
     
     
         30 . The system according to  claim 29 , wherein the DSP isolates the signal located in the particular spectral region after generating the corrected digital signal. 
     
     
         31 . A method, comprising:
 receiving, with a modem, a communication signal;   generating, with the modem, a frequency spectrum of the communication signal;   analyzing, with a digital signal processor (DSP), the frequency spectrum of the communication signal; and   determining, with the DSP and based on the analyzing, one or more characteristics of the communication signal, wherein the one or more characteristics of the communication signal occur due to a nonlinear device operating on the communication signal.   
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 31 , wherein the modem comprises an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), and wherein the method comprises sampling the communication signal, with the ADC, to generate a distorted digital signal. 
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 32 , wherein the method comprises applying a compensation signal, with the DSP, to the distorted digital signal to generate a corrected digital signal. 
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 33 , wherein the method comprises generating the compensation signal, with the DSP, according to a nonlinearity estimation and a spectral analysis of the corrected digital signal. 
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 33 , wherein the method comprises generating the compensation signal, with the DSP, according to a particular spectral region. 
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 33 , wherein the method comprises generating the compensation signal, with the DSP, according to a spectral region that was unoccupied prior to the operation of the nonlinear device. 
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein the method comprises injecting, with the DSP, a specific signal in the particular spectral region. 
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 37 , wherein the method comprises generating the compensation signal, with the DSP, according to the injected specific signal. 
     
     
         39 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein the method comprises:
 isolating, with the DSP, a signal located in the particular spectral region, and   generating, with the DSP, the compensation signal based on said isolated signal.   
     
     
         40 . The method according to  claim 39 , wherein isolating the signal located in the particular spectral region occurs after generating the corrected digital signal.