A multi-mode programmable communication radio receiver element

The design of integrated radio systems for tactical military aircraft capable of efficiently handling a multitude of diverse radio frequency signal structures is often frustrated by the unavailability of flexible system resources such as receivers. Receiver architectures and technology constraints severely restrict the cost effectiveness of multifunction designs. Acoustic charge transport (ACT) technology makes it possible to conceive new receiver architectures with greatly improved flexibility. The paper discusses a design for a radio receiver module which represents a building block around which many interesting signal processing functions could be implemented. It offers a high degree of software programmability, permitting rapid dynamic reconfiguration during the course of normal operation. It also has the potential for a high degree of miniaturization and cost reduction in a production environment