Subsampling communication receiver architecture with gain control and RSSI generation

摘要

A first periodic voltage waveform ( 20 ) is downconverted into a second periodic voltage waveform ( 35, 36 ). A plurality of temporally distinct samples (SA 1 , SA 2 , . . . ) respectively indicative of areas under corresponding fractional-cycles of the first voltage waveform are obtained. The samples are combined to produce the second voltage waveform. The samples can be manipulated to provide gain adjustment to the second voltage waveform. The samples are obtained by charging a sampling capacitance in response to a current waveform that corresponds to the first voltage waveform. The use of different sampling capacitances during respective predetermined time intervals permits the signal strength of the first waveform to be determined from observation of the second waveform.