A satellite digital audio radio receiver system and method. The inventive
receiver includes a circuit for down-converting a first ensemble in a
received combined signal in a first mode of operation and for
down-converting a second ensemble from the received combined signal in a
second mode of operation. The first ensemble includes a first signal
received from a first transmitter, a second signal received from a second
transmitter, and a third signal received from a third transmitter. The
second ensemble includes a second signal from the first transmitter, a
second signal from the second transmitter, and a second signal from the
third transmitter. A controller is included to selectively switch the
circuit from the first mode to the second mode. The first ensemble
comprises first, second and third frequency slots and the second ensemble
comprises fourth, fifth, and sixth frequency slots. In the illustrative
embodiment, the first and second transmitters are mounted on first and
second satellites and the third transmitter is a terrestrial repeater.
Both ensembles are transmitted in accordance with the XM frequency plan.
The first ensemble is down-converted using low side injection and the
second ensemble down-converted using high side injection. The inventive
circuit includes a synthesized frequency source. The circuit further
includes a first intermediate frequency down-conversion stage with a first
mixer for mixing the received combined signals with the output of
synthesized frequency source. The circuit further includes first and
second surface acoustic wave filters for separating the first and second
signals received from the third signals. The inventive circuit further
includes a second intermediate frequency down-conversion stage having
second and third mixers for mixing the outputs of the first and second
filters, respectively, with the output of a local oscillator.