Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100035563 | RF TRANSCEIVER FRONT-END WITH RX/TX ISOLATION - A radio frequency (RF) transceiver front-end includes an antenna, an RF receiver section, an RF transmitter section, a balancing circuit, and a multiple node isolation and coupling circuit. The multiple node isolation and coupling circuit is coupled to the antenna, the RF receiver section, the RF transmitter section, and the balancing circuit. The multiple node isolation and coupling circuit provides an inbound RF signal from the antenna to the RF receiver section and provides an outbound RF signal from the RF transmitter section to the antenna, wherein, by providing an isolating signal to the balancing circuit, the multiple node isolation and coupling circuit substantially isolates the outbound RF signal from the inbound RF signal. | 02-11-2010 |
20100035573 | RF RECEIVER WITH OSCILLATION BASED BLOCKER - A radio frequency (RF) receiver includes an amplifier stage, a blocking module, and a down conversion module. The amplifier stage amplifies an inbound RF signal (includes a desired component and a blocking component) to produce an amplified inbound RF signal. The blocking module generates an oscillation corresponding to a frequency of the blocking component and filters the amplified inbound RF signal based on the oscillation to substantially attenuate the blocking component and to pass, substantially unattenuated, the desired component. The down conversion module converts the desired RF signal component into a baseband or near baseband inbound signal. | 02-11-2010 |
20110028115 | Receiver apparatus having filters implemented using frequency translation techniques - A method and apparatus is disclosed to effectively frequency translate a filter characterized as a low quality factor (Q) filter corresponding to a baseband frequency of approximately zero Hertz or to an intermediate frequency (IF) to a filter characterized as a high Q filter at frequencies greater than the baseband frequency or the IF. A downconversion mixer is used to frequency translate a communication signal to the baseband frequency or the IF using a first local oscillator signal to provide a downconverted communication signal. A filter characterized as the low Q filter corresponding to the baseband frequency or the IF filters the downconverted communication signal to provide a filtered communication signal. An upconversion mixer is used to frequency translate a communication signal using a second local oscillator signal, the second local oscillator signal being substantially similar in frequency of the first local oscillator signal. The frequency translation by the upconversion mixer, in effect, translates the filter characterization from the low Q filter to the high Q filter at frequencies greater than the baseband frequency or the IF. | 02-03-2011 |
20110064004 | RF Front-End With On-Chip Transmitter/Receiver Isolation and Noise-Matched LNA - Embodiments of an RF front-end are presented herein. In an embodiment, the RF front end comprises a power amplifier (PA), a noise-matched low-noise amplifier (LNA), a balance network, and a four-port isolation module. A first port of the isolation module is coupled to an antenna. The second port of the isolation module is coupled to the balancing network. The third port is coupled an output of the PA. The fourth port is coupled to a differential input of the noise-matched LNA. The isolation module effectively isolates the third port from the fourth port to prevent strong outbound signals received at the third port from saturating the LNA coupled to the fourth port. Isolation is achieved via electrical balance. In an embodiment, the signal path coupling the antenna at the first port to the differential input of the LNA at the fourth port is shorter than a wavelength of the inbound signal received by the antenna. | 03-17-2011 |
20110064005 | RF Front-End with Wideband Transmitter/Receiver Isolation - Embodiments of a four-port isolation module are presented herein. In an embodiment, the isolation module includes a step-up autotransformer comprising a first and second winding that are electrically coupled in series at a center node. The first port of the isolation module is configured to couple an antenna to a first end node of the series coupled windings. The second port of the isolation module is configured to couple a balancing network to a second end node of the series coupled windings. The third port is configured to couple a transmit path to the center node. The fourth port is configured to couple a differential receive path across the first end node and the second end node. The isolation module effectively isolates the third port from the fourth port to prevent strong outbound signals received at the third port from saturating an LNA coupled to the fourth port. | 03-17-2011 |
20110158134 | RF Front-End with On-Chip Transmitter/Receiver Isolation Using A Gyrator - An RF front-end with on-chip transmitter/receiver isolation using a gyrator is presented herein. The RF front end is configured to support full-duplex communication and includes a gyrator and a transformer. The gyrator includes two transistors that are configured to isolate the input of a low-noise amplifier (LNA) from the output of a power amplifier (PA). The gyrator is further configured to isolate the output of the PA from the input of the LNA. The gyrator is at least partially or fully capable of being integrated on silicon-based substrate. | 06-30-2011 |
20110158135 | RF Front-End with On-Chip Transmitter/Receiver Isolation Using the Hall Effect - An RF front-end with on-chip transmitter/receiver isolation using a gyrator is presented herein. The RF front end is configured to support full-duplex communication and includes a gyrator and a transformer. The gyrator includes a metal plate and an inductor that are configured to isolate the input of a low-noise amplifier (LNA) from the output of a power amplifier (PA) using the Hall effect. The gyrator is further configured to isolate the output of the PA from the input of the LNA. The gyrator is at least partially or fully capable of being integrated on silicon-based substrate. | 06-30-2011 |
20110299431 | FRONT END MODULE WITH A TUNABLE BALANCING NETWORK - A radio front module includes a power amplifier, a duplexer, and a tunable balancing network. The power amplifier is operably coupled to amplify an up-converted signal into an outbound wireless signal. The duplexer is operably coupled to an antenna and operable to provide electrical isolation between the outbound wireless signal and an inbound wireless signal. The tunable balancing network is operable to establish an impedance that substantially matches an impedance of the antenna. The tunable balancing network includes a plurality of capacitive elements, a plurality of resistive elements, and a plurality of low-voltage switching elements operable to, and in accordance with a tuning signal, couple one or more of the plurality of capacitive elements and one or more of the plurality of resistive elements to the duplexer as an impedance balancing load. | 12-08-2011 |
20110299435 | FRONT END MODULE WITH ACTIVE TUNING OF A BALANCING NETWORK - A radio front end includes a duplexer, a tunable balancing network, a detector module, and a processing module. The duplexer is operably coupled to an antenna and is operable to provide electrical isolation between an outbound wireless signal and an inbound wireless signal. The tunable balancing network is operably coupled to the duplexer and operable to establish an impedance that substantially matches an impedance of the antenna based on a tuning signal. The detector module is operable to generate an error signal based on an electrical performance characteristic of the duplexer. The processing module is operable to generate the tuning signal based on the error signal. | 12-08-2011 |
20110299436 | FRONT END MODULE WITH SCALABLE IMPEDANCE BALANCING - A radio front end includes a power amplifier, a duplexer, a detection module, a processing module, and a tunable balancing network. The duplexer is operable to provide electrical isolation between the outbound wireless signal and an inbound wireless signal. The detection module is operable to detect non-linear function of the power amplifier to produce a detected non-linearity and to detect transmit leakage of the duplexer to produce detected transmit leakage. The processing module is operable to generate a coarse tuning signal based on the detected non-linearity and to generate a fine tuning signal based on the detected transmit leakage. The tunable balancing network is operably coupled to the duplexer and operable to establish an impedance based on the coarse and fine tuning signals. | 12-08-2011 |
20110299437 | FRONT END MODULE WITH COMPENSATING DUPLEXER - A front end module includes a duplexer and a balancing network. The duplexer includes a compensation circuit and a transformer three windings having five nodes. The first node for operably coupling an antenna to the first winding; the second node operable to receive an outbound wireless signal and operably couples the first winding to the second winding; the third node operably couples the second winding to a balancing network; the fourth node operably coupled to output a first signal component corresponding to an inbound wireless signal from the third winding; and the fifth node operably coupled to output a second signal component corresponding to an inbound wireless signal from the third winding. The duplexer provides electrical isolation between the first and second signal components and the outbound wireless signal. The compensation module is operable to compensate the electrical isolation between the first and second signals and the outbound wireless signal. | 12-08-2011 |
20110299438 | FRONT END MODULE WITH AN ANTENNA TUNING UNIT - A radio front end includes an antenna tuning unit, a duplexer, a balancing network, and a processing module. The antenna tuning unit is operably coupled to an antenna and operable to tune an operational characteristic of the antenna based on an antenna tuning signal. The duplexer is operably coupled to the antenna tuning unit and operable to provide electrical isolation between an outbound wireless signal and an inbound wireless signal. The balancing network is operably coupled to the duplexer and operable to establish an impedance that substantially matches an impedance of the antenna. The processing module is operable to estimate the impedance of the antenna to produce an estimated antenna impedance and to generate the antenna tuning signal based on the estimated antenna impedance. | 12-08-2011 |
20110300814 | FRONT END MODULE WITH TONE INJECTION - A radio front end includes a power amplifier, a tone injection module, a duplexer, a balancing network, and a processing module. The tone injection module is operable, in a first mode, to produce a tone having a carrier frequency that is substantially similar to a carrier frequency of an inbound wireless signal. The duplexer is operable, in the first mode, to provide electrical isolation between the outbound wireless signal and a combination signal of the tone and inbound wireless signal and is operable, in a second mode, to provide electrical isolation between the outbound wireless signal and the inbound wireless signal. The processing module is operable to determine an amplitude of a tone component of the combination signal; correlate the amplitude of the tone component to an inbound frequency band isolation; and adjust baseband processing of a down converted representation of the combination signal based on the inbound frequency band isolation. | 12-08-2011 |
20110300818 | SAW-LESS TRANSMITTER - A SAW-less transmitter includes an up-conversion mixing module, a frequency translated BPF (FTBPF), an output module, and a power amplifier driver. The up-conversion mixing module converts an outbound symbol stream into an up-converted signal. The FTBPF frequency translates a baseband filter response to an RF bandpass filter response and filter the up-converted signal in accordance with the RF bandpass filter response to produce a filtered up-converted signal. The output module conditions the filtered up-converted signal to produce a conditioned up-converted signal. The power amplifier driver amplifies the conditioned up-converted signal to produce an outbound RF signal. | 12-08-2011 |
20120020389 | Distortion cancellation in radio receivers using I/Q correction - A technique to remove second order and third order nonlinearity distortions caused by a blocker signal at an input of a radio receiver. An envelope detector is utilized at an input of the RF front-end of the receiver to obtain a magnitude of the overall signal. The output of the envelope detector is then processed at baseband to estimate coefficients that relate to the distortion. Once the coefficients are obtained, the coefficients are applied at an I/Q imbalance correction stage to also correct for the distortion by cancelling the distortion from the received signal. | 01-26-2012 |
20120021699 | Compact low-power receiver architecture and related method - According to one embodiment, a compact low-power receiver comprises a front-end producing a front-end gain and a back-end producing a back-end gain. The front-end includes a transconductance amplifier providing digital gain control and outputting an amplified receive signal, a mixer for generating a down-converted signal from the amplified receive signal, and a transimpedance amplifier (TIA) including a current mode buffer. The TIA provides gain control for amplifying the down-converted signal to produce a front-end output signal. In one embodiment, the back end includes a second-order low-pass filter to produce a filtered signal from the front-end output signal and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), wherein the filtered signal is fed directly to the ADC without direct-current (DC) offset cancellation being performed. In various embodiments, the front-end gain is substantially greater than the back-end gain. | 01-26-2012 |
20120021712 | Compact low-power receiver including transimpedance amplifier, digitally controlled interface circuit, and low pass filter - According to one embodiment, a compact low-power receiver comprises first and second analog circuits connected by a digitally controlled interface circuit. The first analog circuit has a first direct-current (DC) offset and a first common mode voltage at an output, and the second analog circuit has a second DC offset and a second common mode voltage at an input. The digitally controlled interface circuit connects the output to the input, and is configured to match the first and second DC offsets and to match the first and second common mode voltages. In one embodiment, the first analog circuit is a variable gain control transimpedance amplifier (TIA) implemented using a current mode buffer, the second analog circuit is a second-order adjustable low-pass filter, whereby a three-pole adjustable low-pass filter in the compact low-power receiver is effectively produced. | 01-26-2012 |
20120021713 | Concurrent impedance and noise matching transconductance amplifier and receiver implementing same - According to one embodiment, a concurrent impedance and noise matching transconductance amplifier designed for implementation in a receiver comprises an input device configured to couple to a matching network of the receiver, and a boost capacitor connected to the input device to increase an input capacitance of the transconductance amplifier. The boost capacitor is selected to substantially minimize the receiver noise and to enable the concurrent impedance and noise matching of the receiver and the matching network. In one embodiment, the receiver comprises the transconductance amplifier to provide an amplified receive signal, and a mixer to produce a down-converted signal corresponding to the amplified receive signal, wherein the mixer is coupled to the transconductance amplifier by a blocking capacitor. The blocking capacitor is selected to substantially increase an amplitude ratio of the down-converted signal to the amplified receive signal to substantially increase the front-end gain of the receiver. | 01-26-2012 |
20120040632 | Receive band selection and electrostatic discharge protection in a transceiver - According to one embodiment, an input control unit to provide isolation and electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection for a circuit in an RF transceiver comprises a switching device coupled between an input of the circuit and ground. The switching device is configured to provide ESD protection while the circuit is activated. The switching device is further configured to ground the input while the circuit is non-activated, thereby concurrently isolating the input and providing ESD protection. A method for providing isolation and ESD protection for a circuit in an RF transceiver comprises activating the circuit, providing ESD protection while the circuit is activated, deactivating the circuit, and coupling an input of the circuit to ground, thereby concurrently isolating the input and providing ESD protection while the circuit is non-activated. The method and switching device can be used to provide isolation and ESD protection to receive bands in the RF transceiver. | 02-16-2012 |
20120238232 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR LOW-NOISE, HIGHLY-LINEAR RECEIVER FRONT-END - Aspects of a method and system for a low-noise, highly-linear receiver front-end are provided. In this regard, a received signal may be processed via one or more transconductances, one or more transimpedance amplifiers (TIAs), and one or more mixers to generate a first baseband signal corresponding to a voltage at a node of the receiver, and a second baseband signal corresponding to a current at the node of the receiver. The first signal and the second signal may be processed to recover information from the received signal. The first signal may be generated via a first one or more signal paths of the receiver and the second signal may be generated via a second one or more signal paths of the receiver. | 09-20-2012 |
20130070878 | RECEIVER APPARATUS HAVING FILTERS IMPLEMENTED USING FREQUENCY TRANSLATION TECHNIQUES - A method and apparatus is disclosed to effectively frequency translate a filter characterized as a low quality factor (Q) filter, corresponding to a baseband frequency of approximately zero Hertz or to an intermediate frequency (IF), to a filter characterized as a high Q filter at frequencies greater than the baseband frequency or the IF. A downconversion mixer frequency translates a communication signal to the baseband frequency or the IF using a first local oscillator signal to provide a downconverted communication signal. A filter corresponding to the baseband frequency or the IF filters the downconverted communication signal to provide a filtered communication signal. An upconversion mixer frequency translates a communication signal using a second local oscillator signal. The frequency translation by the upconversion mixer, in effect, translates the filter characterization from the low Q filter to the high Q filter at frequencies greater than the baseband frequency or the IF. | 03-21-2013 |
20130259163 | Low Power Receiver - According to one embodiment, a compact low-power receiver comprises first and second analog circuits connected by a digitally controlled interface circuit. The first analog circuit has a first direct-current (DC) offset and a first common mode voltage at an s output, and the second analog circuit has a second DC offset and a second common mode voltage at an input. The digitally controlled interface circuit connects the output to the input, and is configured to match the first and second DC offsets and to match the first and second common mode voltages. In one embodiment, the first analog circuit is a variable gain control transimpedance amplifier (TTA) implemented using a current mode to buffer, the second analog circuit is a second-order adjustable low-pass filter, whereby a three-pole adjustable low-pass filter in the compact low-power receiver is effectively produced. | 10-03-2013 |
20130259172 | Receiver with Variable Gain Control Transimpedance Amplifier - According to one embodiment, a compact low-power receiver comprises first and second analog circuits connected by a digitally controlled interface circuit. The first analog circuit has a first direct-current (DC) offset and a first common mode voltage at an output, and the second analog circuit has a second DC offset and a second common mode voltage at an input. The digitally controlled interface circuit connects the output to the input, and is configured to match the first and second DC offsets and to match the first and second common mode voltages. In one embodiment, the first analog circuit is a variable gain control transimpedance amplifier (TIA) implemented using a current mode buffer, the second analog circuit is a second-order adjustable low-pass filter, whereby a three-pole adjustable low-pass filter in the compact low-power receiver is effectively produced. | 10-03-2013 |
20130267183 | Low-Power Receiver - According to one embodiment, a compact low-power receiver comprises a front-end producing a front-end gain and a back-end producing a back-end gain. The front-end includes a transconductance amplifier providing digital gain control and outputting an amplified receive signal, a mixer for generating a down-converted signal from the amplified receive signal, and a transimpedance amplifier (TIA) including a current mode buffer. The TIA provides gain control for amplifying the down-converted signal to produce a front-end output signal. In one embodiment, the back end includes a second-order low-pass filter to produce a filtered signal from the front-end output signal and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), wherein the filtered signal is fed directly to the ADC without direct-current (DC) offset cancellation being performed. In various embodiments, the front-end gain is substantially greater than the back-end gain. | 10-10-2013 |
20140057584 | Method and System for Low-Noise, Highly-Linear Receiver Front-End - Aspects of a method and system for a low-noise, highly-linear receiver front-end are provided. In this regard, a received signal may be processed via one or more transconductances, one or more transimpedance amplifiers (TIAs), and one or more mixers to generate a first baseband signal corresponding to a voltage at a node of the receiver, and a second baseband signal corresponding to a current at the node of the receiver. The first signal and the second signal may be processed to recover information from the received signal. The first signal may be generated via a first one or more signal paths of the receiver and the second signal may be generated via a second one or more signal paths of the receiver. | 02-27-2014 |
20150071132 | RF FRONT-END WITH WIDEBAND TRANSMITTER/RECEIVER ISOLATION - Embodiments of a four-port isolation module are presented herein. In an embodiment, the isolation module includes a step-up autotransformer comprising a first and second winding that are electrically coupled in series at a center node. The first port of the isolation module is configured to couple an antenna to a first end node of the series coupled windings. The second port of the isolation module is configured to couple a balancing network to a second end node of the series coupled windings. The third port is configured to couple a transmit path to the center node. The fourth port is configured to couple a differential receive path across the first end node and the second end node. The isolation module effectively isolates the third port from the fourth port to prevent strong outbound signals received at the third port from saturating an LNA coupled to the fourth port. | 03-12-2015 |