A sequential-gain IC for miniature short-range battery-powered wireless data receivers

The operation of the sequenced-gain receiver is analysed in terms of its timing diagram. The first RF amplifier is active until the signal emerges from the SAW delay line when it is powered down and the second RF amplifier is powered up. Some time later, the cycle is repeated. With adequate pulse repetition frequency (PRF), the modulated data can be recovered completely. If the duty factor is small, the average power supply current is low, since the baseband circuits after the detector require much less current than the RF section. The result is a selective, sensitive, RF quiet, low cost, fixed tuned data receiver in a small package.